The Simplicity of Exfoliation

Women often overlook this number-one beauty secret, and shouldn’t.
Men who shave daily (or every few days) automatically exfoliate – slough off dull surface skin cells – simply by touching razor to whiskers.

Exfoliation is quite simply, ‘refining’ the skin. It removes dull surface skin cells, which in turn helps the skin to absorb essential nutrients. With exfoliation, face serums and moisturizers penetrate more effectively; foundations (if you use one) glide on more smoothly. Exfoliation is a core practice, along with a great nutrition program, pure water and exercise, to achieve vibrant looking skin.

Skin cells take approximately 30 days to travel from the dermal layer of the skin at the bottom, to the surface-epidermal layer where they slough off. Sometimes, our skin, as it ages, needs a little extra help to rid itself of these cells. An uneven, unsloughed skin can appear rough, dull, dry and lacking vitality.

While exfoliation should be a regular practice once or twice a week, season changes – i.e. summer to autumn which we are experiencing right now – are a perfect time to do an at-home deep-cleaning facial treatment and exfoliation.

There are various ways to exfoliate:

  1. manual exfoliation which uses seeds or beads (be sure to only use gentle, natural manual exfoliants); and
  2. chemical exfoliation which relies on alpha hydroxy acids (glycolic acid, phytic acid and lactic acid) or enzymes, and beta hydroxy acids (salicylic acid).

How do you know which one is best for you? I always recommend getting the advice of an esthetician, but on most normal skin, they can be used interchangeably. I use our Clarifying Exfoliating Scrub – based on natural jojoba beadlets and seeds – mixed with our Rehydrating Neroli Cleansing Milk (I mix both to save time and prefer two steps in one) on some days. And I use our Intensive Renewal Glycolic 15 on other days. I prefer to exfoliate at night when my skin is at rest. The Intensive Renewal Glycolic 15 is a crème-based formula that gently exfoliates to help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation.

Another easy exfoliant (especially when traveling) is our Correcting At-Home Professional Peel – based on a 20 percent concentration of glycolic, lactic, phytic and salicylic acids, along with an advanced peptide complex. These convenient pads can be used on the face, neck and décolleté – anywhere you want a little extra brightening and refining.

Exfoliation is not, of course, reserved solely for the face – but also benefits the entire body. In the spa, scrubs and muds are an ideal way to polish and soften the skin. Body scrubs can easily be done at home as well. In the shower, my favorite is the Aromatherapy Turkish Body Scrub with eucalyptus. I use it twice a week all over the body and rinse. It’s that simple.

One final suggestion, if you have sensitive skin, exfoliation is likely not for you. You can try using a gentle cleanser on a washcloth and that may just do the trick.

With love,
Charlene

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