Exfoliation: The Key To Healthy, Glowing Supple, Skin!

A Gentle Scrub, A Bee-a-utiful, Clear Complexion!

EXFOLIATION: The Key To Healthy, Glowing, Supple Skin!

 

 

Do you ever wonder how so many people keep glowing, healthy, skin year round? I did. Before I became an Aesthetcian I was clueless on how to keep my skin soft, supple, & moisturized, while trying to combat blackheads & breakouts at the same time. Over many years of schooling I learned so much about the skin & all the different ways to keep it healthy. I also learned that no two people have the same skin type. They are all different as are we. We were all made unique & unlike anyone else in the world, but our genetic makeup is similar when it comes to skin & body functions. But it wasn't until I started practicing my craft on clients, that I realized everyone, whether your skin is acenic, dry, oily, or inflamed, will benefit from exfoliation. Exfoliation is the number 1 key in keeping your skin healthy. There are 2 main types of exfoliation, its fun to try different ones & see which type works best for you. So lets explore the many options we have when it comes to exfoliation.

 

 

There are two types of Exfoliants:      Mechanical & Chemical

 

Bioelements Pumice Peel is one of my favorite products ever. I use it during every & each type of professional facial & peel I do . It has tiny pumice granules that gently yet effectively remove dead skin cells from the face, without tearing the pores. It can be used as a quick manual exfoliation or can be used as a manual microdermabrasion by applying a thin layer to the face, neck, & decollete; let dry for 10 min; then roll pumice peel off your face using your fingertips in a circular motion. Any residue left can be rinsed off with warm water or a hot towel. To Me: This is a miracle product!!

 

 

 

Mechanical Exfoliants:

 

Mechanical Exfoliants (also called a Facial Scrub) contain granular substances (such as pumice or cornmeal). Mechanical Exfoliants remove dead skin cells by using a granular product manipulated on the skin manually, causing a scraping effect to remove dead skin cells. This type of exfoliation is performed during facials by your licensed aesthetician or by you, the client at home.  Facial Scrubs are the most important aspect of your personal skin care regime.  But be careful, because I see a lot of clients who over due it with exfoliation.  MECHANICAL EXFOLIANTS SHOULD NOT BE USED MORE THAN 3 TIMES PER WEEK! I recommend doing a quick 2 to 3 minute scrub on your face, neck, & decollete 2 to 3 times a week, depending on your particular skin care concerns. Someone with more acenic skin should probably use a scrub 3 times a week & be a little more aggressive by adding in a facial brush to help aid the exfoliation process. Where as someone with more mature, dehydrated skin should exfoliate only once maybe twice a week depending on how their skin feels. Listen to your body & pay attention to your skin & what you think it needs. I can usually tell if I'm feeling a little congested (aka- that time of the month),so I will do a more aggressive scrub on my skin to try and get rid of the buildup & black heads. In the summer my skin gets more oily & I actually use my scrub less during this time. I'm sure that sounds crazy to you, but I do this because: If your skin is oily & broke out, you DO need to exfoliate, but if you start exfoliating everyday or more than 3 times a week, your actually doing more harm than good. WHEN WE SCRUB ALL THE OIL OFF OUR SKIN, OUR BODIES WILL PRODUCE MORE OIL TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LACK OF OIL WE HAVE TAKEN OFF! THIS CAN CAUSE OUR SKIN TO BECOME EVEN MORE OILY & WE WILL BREAK OUT EVEN MORE THAN WE ALREADY HAVE! It can be a double edged sword at times, which is why I highly recommend that each individual person listens to their bodies, & treats their skin with love & care. The more you begin to experiment with exfoliation & other skin care techniques, you will quickly learn what works for you & what doesn't.

MY PERSONAL TIP: I keep my facial scrub in the shower because it can be messy & hard to remove. I usually exfoliate after I cleanse my face in the shower, then I re-cleanse to remove any extra granules that may be left behind. That way I can get my neck & decollete also & removal of the scrub is easy.

Chemical Exfoliants:

 

A Chemical Exfoliant removes dead skin cells by using Enzymes, Alpha Hydroxy Acids, or Lactic Acids. While they do make over the counter peels & certain type of acid exfoliants, most of the time Chemical Exfoliation is done in the treatment room by your licensed Aesthetician. Unless you are highly trained to use certain acids & chemicals on your skin, I would recommend saving this type of  exfoliation for your Aesthetician to perform on you. As Aestheticians, we are highly trained & educated on the proper ways to use acids & chemicals on the skin, achieving the results the client wants without any danger or harm to the skin. Some of the over the counter products you may use such as cleansers, scrubs, & moisturizers may have some type of AHA or Salicylic Acids in them, which used correctly can be a great way to aid your skin in being as healthy as possible. But most of the acids used in these otc products are not as strong as the ones used during facial treatments. Most otc acids are less than 10%, while the acids used during facial treatments by your Aesthetician are 30%. Dermatologists however, can use up to a 90% acid during medical grade peels. Unless you are dealing with an extreme skin condition, hyper-pigmentation, or some type of scaring or surgical procedure, medical grade peels are not necessary, & in my professional opinion, are very harsh to the skin. With a regular professional peel done by your licensed aesthetcian, you should have no recovery or down time & can see & feel the results instantly. That's a main reason why professional peels are so popular, because you can see the difference right after the treatment. And in a society based on instant gratification, this is a consumers dream! There is however some maintenance required after each professional peel you have. The only thing the client MUST DO after a peel is wear a sunscreen, at least an SPF of 20 or higher for 72 hours after the peel. The peels I do in my treatment room peel 5 layers off the epidermis (the outer most layer of your skin; the skin you actually see) in 5 minutes. There is a slight "tingling or burning" sensation during the peel, but immediately subsides after the peel is removed with cold towels. You can put hot towels or hot water on the face after the peel, but NEVER take an acid or enzyme peel off with warm or hot water. Also, you usually must apply some type of neutralizer to the skin post peel to calm the skin & neutralize your pH. Done correctly, Chemical Peels can be one of the most healthy & effective ways to treat issues such as:fine lines & wrinkles, hyper-pigmentation, acne or blackheads, roseacea, scaring, enlarged pores, dry or flaky skin, sun damage & sun spots, age spots, & so much more. Pretty much any skin issue you have can be effectively treated & minimized with the correct chemical peel.

The Different Types of Professional Chemical Peels

 

There are 3 main types of chemicals used during professional peels. Alpha Hydroxy Acid; Beta Hydroxy Acid; & Enzymes.  Which type of chemical exfoliant used depends on the clients skin & individual needs. Let me break down each type of chemical exfoliant & what type of skin it would be most beneficial for.

 

Alpha Hydroxy Acid aka AHA's which includes Glycolic Acid & Lactic Acid.  AHA's are preferred for sun damaged & dry skin because they exfoliate on the surface of the skin & have the added benefit of also improving moisture content. AHA's work as intensive exfoliants to help loosen the bonds holding dead cells together on the surface of the skin, so new cells are able to grow. This improves the texture of the skin & diminishes the severity of fine lines & wrinkles. Another awesome fact about Alpha Hydroxy Acids is they promote the production of Collagen (which is responsible for skins strength & elasticity) & Elastin (which is a protein that keeps skin flexible & allows many tissues in the body to resume their shape after stretching or contracting). Collagen & Elastin are the major factors that help firm, thicken, & tighten the skin causing fine lines to appear smoothed. In addition, AHA's stimulate the skin so it moisturizes itself naturally, giving the skin a "plump" appearance. Where do I sign up? I mostly use AHA peels on more mature, dehydrated, dry, or damaged skin.

 

Beta Hydroxy Acid aka BHA which includes Salicylic Acid, the number one acid used in over the counter acne & blackhead products.  Salicylic Acid is also used as a spot treatment for blemishes due to its intense drying effect.  Within days of spot treating a blemish with Salicylic Acid the blemish will dry up & usually go away leaving no scaring. BHA's are preffered for oily, acne-prone skin & is very effective in treating blackheads & white bumps or pustules because BHA can get through the oil that's clogging your pores. BHA has an anti-inflammatory & anti-bacterial action. This makes it an excellent choice if you have acne or sensitive, red skin. BHA is also preferred for those clients who struggle with Roseacea (a condition in which certain facial blood vessels enlarge, giving the cheeks & nose a flushed appearance. Roseacea can also produce small red, pus-filled pustules or bumps).  Not everyone with Roseacea can tolerate such an aggressive exfoliant, but more than likely you will see less redness & smoother more even skin tone with fewer breakouts. I mostly use BHA peels on my teen or young adult clients who struggle with acne, blackheads, & acne scaring. I also choose this peel for my Roseacea clients, & any client who has adult acne or blackheads, or any type of redness or skin disorders. I also keep a vile of pure Salicylic Acid in my treatment room to dab on blemishes once I have extracted them. Used regularly in a facial cleansing wash or a spot treatment BHA's will give you the results you want & help rid the face of unwanted blemishes. Make sure when your using any type of Salicylic Acid that you are using a good moisturizer twice a day, because Salicylic Acid dries the skin, so we must make sure to keep our skin extra hydrated while using any type of BHA.

 

And the last of the 3 main types of chemical exfoliants is:

 

 

 

 

Enzymes  & they are effective exfoliants & can be much gentler than other methods like scrubs, AHA's & BHA's, & microdermabrasion.  The upper layer of your skin is mostly made of dead skin cells containing Keratin Protein (which is the key structure material making up the outer layer of the human skin. Keratin can bundle cells & tissue together & form strong, tough, bundles of cells & tissues causing the skin to feel ruff & building up oil & congestion on your face). Enzymes work by specifically breaking down the Keratin Protein, resulting in smoother, less congested skin. Enzymes also protect against damage from the sun, environmental pollutants, & even acne. Enzyme Peels & Exfoliants do not cause any type of tingling or burning as you may have with AHA's & BHA's. It is a much gentler & effective approach for many clients with severe sensitive skin, such as myself. Depending on the type of enzyme product you are using, you usually mix the enzyme (which comes in a powder form) with water or a product suited to mix well with the enzyme powder. I use Bioelement's Softening Gel with my enzyme exfoliants & it feels great on the skin. To sum up Enzymes, think of this: You apply the powder mixture to your face rubbing it in with circular motions for a few minutes, then let it sit on top of the skin for about 5 minutes & imagine the enzyme breaking down & "eating" away all the dead, ruff, skin cells resulting in smoother more healthy skin.

 

So that's it! This is Exfoliation & I hope after reading this you will see how important Regular Exfoliation is in maintaining healthy, smooth, & radiant skin. With Mechanical Exfoliants, come talk to me or your regular Aesthetician & let the professionals analyze your skin & help you determine which type of exfoliant is best for you. The same with peels. Please don't buy into those info-mercials or over the counter products claiming to be "safe" at home peels. Leave Chemical Peels & Chemical Exfoliation to the professionals to insure you get the results you want without any damage being done to your skin. As with most Peels, you will need more than one to get the desired results, but you WILL be able to tell a difference in the texture & over all appearance of your skin with just one treatment. Over my 7 years in the skin care industry exfoliation has been drilled into my head as the number one factor in improving the over all condition of clients skin. No other facial product will work correctly if you are not exfoliating. And when your looking for a good scrub or enzyme exfoliant, choose one that is just that, an exfoliant. A lot of products want to add a scrub into their cleansers & in my professional opinion that is too much. You do not need to be scrubbing your face morning & night 7 days a week. You will over do it & your skin will suffer. I will be doing different blogs on each of the steps used in basic skin care, but when choosing a cleanser, think of it only as that. A cleanser. A product that will wash away all the dirt, make-up, & pollutants from your skin. Leave exfoliation as a "treatment," & like I said earlier use it 2 to 3 times a week for no more than 3 minutes at a time. Use circular motions with the tips of your fingers & don't scrub to hard. Our facial skin in gentle & we need to treat it with love & care.

 

Coconut & Avacado Sea Mineral Facial Scrub! Yummy!! (-:

One more thing: for those of you who use Pro-Active, please stop now. The media coverage & popularity of this product line has brainwashed consumers into thinking this is the miracle product to clear up acne. And while it may work for a short time, when you stop using it your face will go haywire & it will take a lot of post care to get your skin healthy again. The pH in Pro-Active is similar to the pH in a professional chemical peel, so essentially you are preforming a chemical peel on your face every morning & every night & by doing so you are wrecking havoc on your skin. I first learned the dangers of this product in Aesthetic school when my teacher told us horror stories about clients who had used the product & explained to us the seriousness involved by using the product. I myself, before I became an Aesthetician, used Pro-Active when I was pregnant with my son because my pregnancy had caused my hormones to go crazy & i had acne like I was a teenager again. I will say the Pro-Active did help to clear up my acne & breakouts, but it also caused my skin to become extremely dry, dehydrated, red, irritated, & blotchy. It began to burn every time I put that product on my face. That's when I decided to listen to my body & ditched the Pro-Active for a more natural choice & in time was able to restore the moisture & health to my skin. Dont buy into these ads. This product WILL NOT help your skin, but actually dehydrate & wreck havoc on it. If you are using it now, STOP, & get yourself a gentle cleanser, toner, scrub, & moisturizer & come see me or any other skin care professional & lets reverse the damaging effects of this disastrous product.

 

When your looking for exfoliants, primarily scrubs, its best to go either professional (such as from a reputable spa or salon) or natural & organic (from whole foods & health food stores). Actually a lot of the major drug stores such as Rite-Aid & CVS carry a wonderful selection of natural, organic skin care products. Think of your skin care products the same way you do your food. The less ingredients, the better & more beneficial the product. I am diligently working on composing a list of over the counter products I love & know work, as well as a list of professional products that are just extraordinary!

 



The Wonderful World of Ilike 100% Natural Organic BDHI Certified Products! My Favorite of all Products!!

Lets get excited & Get our skin Healthy & Our bodies Centered! Thank you for reading & I hope this information was helpful to you. I love skin care & I love what I do. I want everyone to understand skin care, not be afraid of it, & experiment & explore & allow your body to guide you to those perfect products & treatments that will make you feel & look the best you ever have. Beauty is internal & radiates out of us making us the beautiful, individual, special people we are. Lets take care of our beautiful bodies & get our skin healthy allowing our inner beauty to shine outwards towards the world!!
 

 

Namaste`,

Tarah <3