What Does Exfoliating Do For Your Skin?
Exfoliation is an essential part of having healthy, glowing skin, especially in your late twenties and thirties when your skin renewal process begins to slow down. Removing dead skin cells is super important for helping you get the most of your other skin care products and treatments. To get the healthiest skin possible, make sure you follow these dos and don’ts of exfoliation treatments.
What Is Exfoliation? Types Of Exfoliation
Your skin is constantly producing new cells, while old cells die off. Exfoliation removes the dull surface layers of dead skin cells, so the your younger, more radiant skin cells are what show. There are different types of exfoliation that get into different depths of your skin. Physical exfoliants- usually scrubs – and chemical exfoliants – usually acid-based peels – reach different levels of dead skin cells, depending on the type of skin renewal you’re looking for.
Physical exfoliants are usually gritty, fine graunles that you an use to massage on the skin to scrape off dead skin cells. Chemical exfoliants, like our peels, use AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) like glycol acid or lactic acid, which are great for dry or mature skin because they work on the skin’s surface to reduce signs of aging, or BHAs (beta hydroxy acids) like salicylic acid, which are great for penetrating the skin’s surface and helping acne-prone skin have fewer blackheads and white heads.
If you’re hoping to get a brighter, healthier complexion, we absolutely recommend exfoliating 1-2 days a week. But here are some dos and don’ts to make sure you’re getting the best results possible.
Do: Determine Your Skin Type
To get the most out of exfoliation and to avoid any unpleasant side effects, you’ll want to know your skin type. Remember that a skin type is different from a skin concern. Skin types are classified into just five categories, whereas skin concerns are the multitude of conditions that you want to treat, and can include blemishes, wrinkles and sun damage.
The five skin types are:
So, let’s illustrate a scenario: Your skin is prone to irritation and redness, and you have a few dark spots on your face due to sun damage. The skin care analysis? Your skin type is most likely “sensitive” and the skin concern that you want to target are the dark spots or uneven skin tone.
The truth is, determining your skin type isn’t as easy as it sounds. SkinInc Magazine recommends undergoing a thorough skin analysis by a professional esthetician prior to receiving any type of exfoliation treatment. We provide a skin analysis with every facial, here at Facelogic Upland, so just ask your esthetician when you’re in for your next facial, and she will be happy to help you identify your skin type. If you haven’t had a facial in a while, call us at (909) 949-0385 to schedule your facial and complimentary skin analysis. Or, call us to schedule a shopping consultation
Once you’ve determined your skin type, we suggest using the Product Recommender on Eminence’s website. This smart tool is designed to advise you on which products work best with your skin type and to help address your problem areas. You can get all of their products in-spa at Facelogic Upland, or your an order them through our affiliate link and have them shipped to you.
Don’t: Use Synthetic Exfoliants
Not only can synthetic exfoliants like plastic microbeads harm your skin, they can also cause intense damage to our environment. In 2015, the California State Assembly passed a bill restricting the sale of personal care products that contain plastic microbeads. You can opt for skin care products that use natural and organic alternatives to plastic microbeads. For example, we really like Eminence’s new Gemstone Collection because they use natural malachite gemstones in their Charcoal Gel Exfoliating Cleanser. Eminence also has a great Pear & Poppyseed Microderm Polisher, which uses natural ground poppy seeds and fine walnuts. We have a number of organic skincare exfoliants in our spa, and we would be happy to help you choose the right one for your skin.
Do: Follow Exfoliation With SPF
After exfoliation, your skin is more susceptible to damage from the sun or other environmental elements, which means it’s even more crucial to apply an SPF moisturizer. When it comes to your daily skin care routine, sun protection is a must. Once you’ve buffed away the dull layers of your skin, your complexion immediately becomes more sensitive. After exfoliation, your skin is more susceptible to damage from the sun or other environmental pollutants, which means it’s even more crucial to apply an SPF moisturizer.
Don’t: Exfoliate Irritated Skin
Is your skin feeling irritated and sore? Whether it’s a sunburn or a skin reaction caused by another product, any type of irritation or redness is a good reason to avoid exfoliation. In this case, scrubbing away at your skin could cause more harm than good.
Eminence Organics Product Support Representative Kaitlyn Barnett shares that over-exfoliating the skin may compromise the outermost layer known as the skin’s natural moisture barrier. This barrier helps our skin retain moisture and provides protection from environmental threats. A compromised barrier can lead to the skin feeling red, irritated, inflamed, or overproducing oil, which can lead to potential breakouts. We recommend holding off on any type of treatment until your skin has completely recovered.
Do: Use Combine the Right Skincare Products with Exfoliation Treatments
Although some exfoliation treatments work well together, there are some skin care combinations that should be avoided. When using retinol treatments, for example, it’s recommended that you avoid applying our VitaSkin™ Exfoliating Peels and use caution when undergoing additional exfoliation procedures such as waxing eyebrows, chemical peels, microdermabrasion and laser treatments. This also applies to over the counter medications. To be safe, it’s always best to consult your physician before undergoing any intensive exfoliation treatments. Eminence Organics Product Support Team Lead Alicia Hawthorne recommends the Bamboo Firming Fluid as an alternative to other retinol treatments. This concentrate contains a Natural Retinol Alternative, which is safe to combine with other exfoliating products.
Some exfoliation treatments can be combined safely, and we recommend pairing our VitaSkin™ Exfoliating Peels with products like our Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant and our Yam & Pumpkin Enzyme Peel 5%. These exfoliants can actually boost results when used prior to the exfoliating peels.
Exfoliation Product Picks
Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant
Stone Crop Oxygenating Fizzofoliant
Dermafoliant Vs. Fizzofoliant: Which Is Right For Me?
Are you ready to add a powder exfoliant to your skin care routine? We love the Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant and the Stone Crop Oxygenating Fizzofoliant for different reasons. The Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant is a chemical exfoliant with strawberries and rhubarb infusing the skin with antioxidants (yes, it smells delicious like a strawberry field!). It contains a rice powder that absorbs oil, while lactic and salicylic acids remove dead skin cells.
The award-winning Stone Crop Oxygenating Fizzofoliant employs microgreens, stone crop and rice flour with adzuki powder to exfoliate and buff skin texture. With its light fizzing action, you’ll enjoy massaging this into the skin. It’s formula is designed to perfectly cleanse and gently exfoliate. The key ingredients include Stone Crop, an anti-inflammatory that regenerates, brightens and moisturizes the skin. The Detoxifying Microgreens Complex is a potent blend of sprouts containing Vitamin C, beta-carotene, Vitamin E and Vitamin K to protect against free radicals. The inclusion of Rice Flour and Adzuki Powder gently buffs, exfoliates and smoothes skin texture.
If we were to compare the textures of these two exfoliating products, adding water to the Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant creates a creamy paste. In comparison, the Stone Crop Oxygenating Fizzofoliant is a powder-to-foam product that forms a light, fizzing action to release oxygen onto your skin’s surface. So, which exfoliator is right for you? If you remain undecided, then perhaps you’ll enjoy a spicy warming mask like the Turmeric Energizing Treatment.
Pro Tip: Use caution when combining exfoliation treatments; although some work together, there are some combinations that should be avoided!
Want to get a complimentary Stone Crop Oxygenating Fizzoliant?
For a limited time only get a complimentary bottle of Eminence Stone Crop Oxygenating Fizzoliant when you spend $99 on skincare products at Facelogic Upland! Or, upgrade this month’s facial to a Silver or Gold ($139+) for the first time and receive a complimentary bottle! Available while supplies last!
Just call the spa at (909) 949-0385 or text our spa cell phone at (909) 377-3929 discuss which products are right for you or ask your esthetician to upgrade your facial when you come in this month.
Want help finding the right skincare products for your skin?
We love helping people find the right skincare products for their unique skin type and goals. Call the spa at (909) 949-0385 or text our spa cell at (909) 377-3929 to schedule your next facial with skin analysis or skincare shopping consultation. Our skincare experts are ready and excited to help you pick set up the perfect skincare routine at home!
