What does exfoliation do for your skin?

We all know that exfoliating is an essential part of achieving healthy, glowing skin, especially in your twenties, thirties and beyond! This is when your skin’s renewal process begins to naturally slow down. The important thing to remember is that regardless of the type of exfoliation you choose, there are several key steps to follow to ensure you get the most out of your skin care treatments. Before you go skin deep, make sure you read on to learn about exfoliation and the dos and don’ts of exfoliating treatments.

What does exfoliation do?

The purpose of exfoliation is to remove the dull surface layers of dead skin cells to reveal the new, younger skin underneath. The depth of the peel depends on the type of skin peeling treatment you receive. You’ll find exfoliation helpful by unclogging pores, smoothing skin’s appearance, and reducing wrinkles and fine lines.

You can choose from a natural exfoliator (usually a scrub) or a chemical exfoliator (an acid-based peel). Natural exfoliants contain fine granules and have a smooth texture. When you massage the skin, they remove dead skin cells. A chemical exfoliator may use acids such as AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) or BHAs (beta hydroxy acids). Typically, a chemical exfoliator with BHA, such as salicylic acid, is ideal for acne-prone and oily skin, as it works by penetrating the pores, allowing it to target blackheads and whiteheads. In contrast, AHAs such as glycolic acid or lactic acid are ideal for dry or mature skin, as AHAs work on the skin’s surface and target visible signs of aging.

To help you on your quest for brighter, healthier looking skin, we’ve put together some exfoliating skincare dos and don’ts so you can do it the right way!

Exfoliation Dos and Don’ts

Do: Determine your skin type

To get the most out of exfoliation and avoid any unpleasant side effects, familiarize yourself with your skin type. Remember that a skin type is different from a skin problem. Skin types are classified into just five categories, while skin problems are the multitude of conditions you want to deal with 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 some dark spots on your face due to sun damage. The skincare analysis? Your skin type is probably “sensitive” and the skin concern you want to target is dark spots or uneven skin tone.

The truth is that determining your skin type is not as easy as it sounds. SkinInc Magazine recommends that you undergo a thorough skin analysis by a professional esthetician before receiving any type of exfoliation treatment. To find an authorized Eminence Organics esthetician in your area, see the Spa Locator on our website.

Once you have determined your skin type, you can use the Product Recommendation on our website. This smart tool is designed to advise you on the products that work best with your skin type and help you tackle your problem areas. You can also continue reading below to find out which products suit your skin type best.

Don’t: Exfoliate irritated skin

Does your skin feel irritated and sore? Whether it’s a sunburn or a skin reaction caused by another product, any kind of irritation or redness is a good reason to avoid exfoliating. In this case, removing your skin could do more harm than good.

Eminence Organics Product Support Agents share that over-exfoliating the skin can compromise the outer layer known as the skin’s natural moisture barrier. The skin barrier helps our skin retain moisture and provides protection from environmental threats. A breached barrier can lead to skin feeling red, irritated, inflamed or overproduced with oil, which can lead to potential breakouts. We recommend stopping any type of treatment until your skin has fully recovered.

Do you: Follow exfoliation with SPF

After exfoliating, your skin is more susceptible to damage from the sun or other environmental elements. When it comes to your daily skin care routine, sun protection is essential. Once you clear the dull layers of your skin, your skin immediately becomes more sensitive. After exfoliating, your skin is more susceptible to damage from the sun or other environmental pollutants, which means it’s even more important to apply a moisturizer with SPF.

Don’t: Use synthetic exfoliants

Not only can synthetic exfoliants like plastic microbeads harm your skin, they can also cause severe damage to our environment. In 2015, the California State Assembly passed a bill restricting the sale of personal care products containing microbeads. You can choose skin care products that use natural and organic alternatives to plastic microbeads. Monoi Age Corrective Exfoliating Cleanser offers rejuvenating benefits and is more hydrating for those in drier climates this time of year. It’s also cruelty-free and free of parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals, animal byproducts, phthalates, GMOs, and triclosan.

Do: Be careful when combining exfoliating treatments

Although some exfoliating treatments work well together, there are certain skin care combinations that should be avoided. When you use retinol treatments, for example, it is recommended that you avoid applying our VitaSkin™ peels and use caution when undergoing additional peel procedures such as eyebrow waxing, chemical peels, microdermabrasion and laser treatments. This also applies to over-the-counter medicines. To be safe, it is always best to consult your doctor before undergoing any intensive peeling treatments. We recommend Bamboo Firming Fluid as an alternative to conventional retinol. This concentrate contains an alternative natural retinol that is safe to combine with other exfoliating products.

Some peel treatments can be safely combined and we recommend combining our VitaSkin™ peels with products such as Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant and Yam & Pumpkin Enzyme Peel 5%. These exfoliants can really boost results when used before an exfoliating peel. If you want to learn more about the benefits of exfoliation or how to exfoliate properly, Lead Skin Care Trainer, Natalie Pergaranswers all your exfoliating questions in it In The Mix video.

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