Exfoliation is not an option, it is an essential step in a beauty ritual. The benefits of regular exfoliation are many: smoother, brighter skin, improved elasticity and a strengthening of the skin barrier. Here’s why and how you should incorporate exfoliation into your skin care routine right now.
Why exfoliate?
As we age, cell turnover slows down and dead cells can give us a dull complexion. These dead cells often cling to healthy skin, causing everything from clogged pores to deepening lines and wrinkles. Excess sebum and impurities act as a barrier that traps dead cells and blocks pores.
In addition, studies show that it takes 40 to 60 days for skin cells to completely regenerate as we age, while it takes only 28 days for young people. And to make things more radical, the production of collagen – a protein essential for skin firmness and elasticity – also decreases with age, leading to a gradual thinning and weakening of skin structure.
Regular exfoliation is our best defence and allows the skin to breathe by removing the top layer of dead cells and revealing the soft, refreshed skin beneath. By removing dirt and dead skin cells, you eliminate the lack of radiance, roughness and dryness, conditions that amplify the appearance of wrinkles and uneven pigmentation, and you get a smooth, radiant complexion.
There are many ways to exfoliate and improve skin luminosity. You can choose your preferred method or incorporate some of them. Let’s look at the different types.
All the ways to exfoliate your skin
Physical exfoliation allows the skin to be polished by manually removing dead skin with a product containing fine abrasive particles. The exfoliating microbeads contained in our Authentik-Scrub act to polish and cleanse the skin deep down.
Chemical exfoliation, on the other hand, uses chemicals such as alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs) and enzymes to dissolve without any friction, what binds the aged skin cells to its surface. The words “chemical” and “acids” may sound intimidating, but in reality, chemical exfoliation can be a surprisingly gentle way to exfoliate deep down. Our Sensiflora-Peel will convince you of this.
And if you’re hesitating between the two, try our Peel-Perf 100, which combines both methods.
Do’s and don’ts
As you strive to perfect your exfoliation routine, consider these few tips to ensure you do it safely and effectively.
- Less is more. A peeling once or twice a week is all you need.
- Follow the directions. If a peel requires a 10-minute application time, then 10 minutes is sufficient.
- Avoid fruit pits. Some particles can cause microtears in the skin, damaging the skin barrier. If you prefer a mechanical scrub, look for scrubs with round, smooth granules.
- Aggressive methods are not the ideal way to exfoliate.