Facial Exfoliation - The Hows and Whys
Lise
Our skin is made up of many many layers – each one with an important function. We’re not going to go through all of the layers in this post. Today, we're (literally) going to be skimming the surface.
The topmost layer of our skin is known as the epidermis. And it’s not really fair to call it a layer, because even the epidermis is made up of several layers.
I’m mentioning this because it relates to what we are going to be discussing today: facial exfoliation.
We’re going to examine how exfoliation can be a little bit of skin-loving magic and look at a couple of exfoliation do’s and don’ts. And this is all a warm-up to the next installment which is where we are going to take a serious look at scrubby particles that can be used as facial exfoliants.
But first, let’s take a brief look at what we’re going to be exfoliating: the epidermis.
The epidermis is that orange’y layer all the way up at the top.
Skin Cells Take 30 Days To Die
Lucky for us, our skin is constantly renewing itself. It takes approximately 30 days for a skin cell to have served its purpose on the epidermis. After that time, the cell dies, dries up, and hardens. And if everything is as it should be – the dead cell (and all of its other dead cell buddies) are shed from the skin.
But sometimes, things aren’t quite as they should be and dead skin cells will hang around on the epidermis, outstaying their welcome. When this happens, the new skin cells have a hard time emerging and the result can be dull looking skin.
Pictured above is a cross section of skin showing all the layers. The epidermis is that rather thin-looking orangey-pink bit at the top.
Looking at the illustration, one could be tempted to think a new skin cell starts from the bottommost layer on day one and travels upwards through all the layers to the top before it is finally shed on day 30, but that's not how it works. In general, each layer of the skin 'does its own thing' when it comes to cell development.
Having dead skin cells hanging around where they're not needed any more happens to all of us, and for numerous reasons: exposure to polluted air, diet, having oily skin, feeling stressed, and even changes in the weather or season can be an influence on our skin.
Enter exfoliation.
What Exfoliation Does
Exfoliation helps shed dead skin cells and let the fresh skin cells take their rightful place: front and center where they can shine. At the same time, exfoliation stimulates circulation, which in turn encourages new cell growth.
An extra bonus is that exfoliated skin is far more receptive to moisturizers and makes way for them to penetrate unhindered and do their moisturizing magic.
Overall, exfoliation helps give your skin a healthier glow.
What Exfoliation Doesn't
As beneficial as exfoliation is for maintaining healthy, glowing skin, it is not a miracle cure. Exfoliating won't magically cause a fresh layer of skin to appear. Neither will it remove wrinkles, or turn back the clock. It’s not a question of “more is better”.
In short, overdoing exfoliation is not a good idea.
A Few Facial Exfoliating Tips
As a general rule, physical exfoliation of the face shouldn't take any longer than 2 minutes
Be gentle when using physical exfoliation on the face - rubbing or scrubbing hard risks irritating the skin.
Cleanse the face before exfoliating to remove dirt and impurities.
Remember to include the neck
Unless you are using a super gentle exfoliant (like ground oats), daily exfoliation isn't recommenced.
Rinse thoroughly with tepid or cool water
Pat (don’t rub) dry with a clean soft towel
When you have finished exfoliating, your skin is ready for moisturizing.
After Exfoliation Skin-Quenching Tips
Mist your face and neck with a soothing skin tonic (hydrosol-based tonics or even pure hydrosols are excellent and bring extra moisturizing goodness).
A spritz of aloe vera is another option that will calm, soothe and rebalance the skin
Finish with a light application of your favorite face oil, massaging into the skin gently
Remember to include your neck
How Often Should We Exfoliate?
This is the magic question, because the answer isn’t the same for everyone. It is going to depend on your skin type, age (to some degree), and the exfoliating method you are using.
Some exfoliants are gentle enough for daily use on even the most sensitive skin, while others (generally stronger, chemical-peeling type) are best used max 3-4 times a year.
Next time we’ll be examining some exfoliants we can use directly or add to our skincare products.
Do Tell
Do you exfoliate? How often do you do it and what’s your favorite exfoliant?