The Science Behind Beauty

By Dr Juliet O.

Sunday 5 March 2017

Top 10 Reasons to Exfoliate your Skin


Have you ever wondered the reasons why it so commonly used and how it can actually benefit your skins appearance? Exfoliation is one of the most important topical treatments for your skin. It has a wide range of benefits and can dramatically improve the appearance of your skin. Many of our skin care routines involve some kind of exfoliation. Have you ever wondered the reasons why it so commonly used and how it can actually benefit your skins appearance?


THE SCIENCE BEHIND EXFOLIATION

Exfoliation is a process of removing dead skin cells on the surface of the skin. There are 2 types:

1. Chemical exfoliants- are a type of acid or enzyme which loosen the skin cells and cause them to break away. The most common types are AHA's and BHA's (alpha and beta hydroxy acids respectively), which are made up of acids such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid etc. These acids have various strengths and can come in a variety of concentrations depending on the severity of the skin issue.

2. Physical exfoliants (also known as manual/ mechanical exfoliants) are a type of exfoliant which breaks away dead skin cells by using friction or an abrasive substance to exfoliate the skin. These commonly include face sugar/ coffee scrubs, face brushes, clarisonics, sponges, cloths and many more.

  1. Your skin looks dull, tired and has lost its radiance
  2. Your skin doesn't look smooth and even
  3. Your makeup doesn't go on evenly and makes your skin look dull
  4. You have enlarged pores and they may be filled with whiteheads or blackheads
  5. You have lots of spots, pimples and blemishes
  6. You want to prevent acne breakouts from happening
  7. You have had skin cancers or keratoses before and want to prevent getting more
  8. You have brown or dark brown hyperpigmentation on your face
  9. Your skin appears dry and flaky most of the time
  10. Your moisturiser can penetrate more deeply into your skin and moisture more effectively

If any of your skin problems fall into anyone of the ten reasons above, then exfoliation will work well for you. Be careful to choose a type of exfoliant that is mild when starting any skincare regimen, as if it is too harsh, it could aggravate your skin further. This is especially important when using AHA's, BHA's in various pH's and concentrations. 

It is simple and effective and there are plenty to choose from. My favourite types are sugar & honey scrubs and face brushes/ sponges, I find that this works well on my skin and it is not too harsh when removing my dead skin cells. Often times, when I have exfoliated, I often feel like I wear less foundation and sometimes even go without.

I really hope you liked this post. I would love to know what you use exfoliants for, what products you use and what you like about it.

Thanks so much for reading and I will see you in my post x


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5 comments

  1. I love exfoliating - the process and the result! Ever since I started regularly exfoliating my skin has improved so much!

    http://shaunakay.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Shauna! That's great to hear it's working well for your skin. Xx

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  2. I really should exfoliate more!

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