Exfoliation -101
How a wallpaper steamer can help you understand exfoliation
What do exfoliants do?
They exfoliate but in layman’s terms they remove dead skin cells, either by physically moving them or dissolving the bonds of the dead skin cells.
Why is it important to use an exfoliant?
They
- create a smoother texture to the skin
- create an even surface for a superior makeup application
- help to alleviate dryness (from flaky skin)
- can help with blemished skin
- help other products work more effectively
Think of an exfoliant like a wallpaper steamer. You want to paint your walls in a beautiful colour you have just bought (paint= moisturiser and or serum) so you try and paint over the wallpaper but the paint doesn’t sit right, it looks dull and uneven. It doesn’t look as nice as it could because the wallpaper is obstructing any paint from sinking in, well the wallpaper is like the dead skin cells that sit on the top layer of your skin. They need to be removed by the steamer (exfoliant) so that the paint (moisturiser/serum) can be applied evenly and create a beautiful finish.
How do they work?
There are two types of exfoliants – manual and chemical. Don’t be scared of the word chemical it’s just how the dead skin cells are removed i.e. they are removed /loosened through a chemical reaction.
Below I will discuss the types of exfoliants and which is suited to each skin type and condition.
Manual
Manual exfoliation occurs through a manual movement of dead skin cells such as a scrub (fine particles that buff off the dead skin cells) or a brush the clarisonic (pictured) is a good example. These are the most common forms of exfoliants that people think of when they hear the word exfoliation.
They are suited for people that have no true issues with their skin as the physical movement of the product will not irritate them or rupture (I know graphic) any pimples/acne.
Best Suited for: Normal, Dry, Combination and Oily skin types with no serious skin problems.
Conditions: some sensitised skins can use a clarisonic brush with the gentle setting and head although I would stick to a chemical enzyme exfoliation because it’s not so over stimulating.
Chemical
There are three types of chemical exfoliants (Enzymes, AHA and BHA) I will start with the “gentlest”.
Enzymes
Enzymes work by dissolving the bonds between the dead skin cells they are generally derived from Papaya (Papain) and Pineapple (Bromelain). They come in a product that needs to be left on the skin for approximately 1-2mins so that the enzymes can work, this step is done after cleansing. Often they are used in a combination with manual scrubs (Elemental Herbology’s Facial Glow (Pictured)) and /or with other AHA or BHA chemical exfoliants(Dermalogica Daily Microfilant (pictured) and Kate Somerville’s Exfolikate).
Best Suited for: All Skin types but best targeted and most effective on Dry, Normal and Combination.
Conditions: Sensitised skin conditions respond the best to enzymatic exfoliants as they are effective and gentle on the skin ( they don’t over stimulate e.g. like a scrub).
AHAs and BHAs
A Note on AHAs and BHAs
A more efficient working store bought AHA or BHA needs to be in the correct percentage but also the right PH. In Paula Begoun’s The Beauty Bible she states from the cosmetic journal (2001, p. 15-18) that “AHAs work best in a 5-8% concentration in a product with a 3-4 PH level and BHAs works best in a 1-2% concentration in a product with a 3-4 PH level.” To be franc 
most people will not be checking product percentages or most companies don’t display the percentage and PH level on products. *So my general rule of thumb is to look for the AHA and BHA ingredients on the back of the product and see if they are at the top of the list. The higher something is in the list the more of that ingredient that is present in the product, this doesn’t necessarily mean there is the correct percentage of an AHA or BHA but it will give you an indication of how your skin will work with these types of exfoliants. If you need something stronger then you can investigate the percentages of the products or alternatively you can get a medical grade chemical peel done ( a medical grade peel would be suitable if you are suffering from serious skin issues/conditions that do not benefit from store bought products). I find that most skin types and conditions benefit from store bought chemical exfoliants.
AHA
AHA stands for Alpha Hydroxy Acid. They are water soluble acids compared to a BHA which is oil soluble (BHAs work better to penetrate the pore which contains oil and dead skin cells) so AHAs are perfectly suited for dry , flaky and sun damaged skin. They exfoliate through the following acids – Malic (apple) Lactic (milk) Glycolic (sugar cane) , Citric (citrus), tartaric ( generally grape) and Mandelic (Almond) acid. The latter two are not particularly common in AHA exfoliants products. Glycolic acid is the most common and used in most AHA exfoliating products it is suited to Normal, Dry and Combination skin types. It exfoliates on a deeper level than an enzymatic exfoliant and the skin is left looking refined, smooth and bright. Lactic acid is great for sensitised skin as the milk derivative has a gentle exfoliating action on the skin. NIP + FAB Glycolic Fix Pads (pictured) use glycolic and lactic acid to exfoliate the skin and leave the skin soft and clear I really like these for someone who doesn’t have any blackheads but wants more of a result then just a scrub.
Best Suited for: Normal, Dry and Combination skin types.
Conditions: Dry, flaky skin, general dullness. Lactic acid is a great AHA for slightly sensitised skin
BHA
BHA stands for Beta Hydroxy Acid. It is an oil soluble acid meaning it can penetrate through oil. There is only one BHA -Salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is really great for oily skin and or acneic/ blemished skin for two reasons: One the salicylic acid is able to penetrate through oil and help remove any excess dead skin cells in the pore and two salicylic acid is an anti-inflammatory (an active ingredient in aspirin) so it helps calms down any redness associated with acne, pimples and blemishes. Products sold in stores that do indicate percentages of salicylic acid are generally listed at 2% but I’ve notice that most products don’t tell you what percentage of salicylic acid is present, still refer to my general rule above about where an ingredient is on the list* for products that don’t list the percentage of salicylic acid. Some good brands to start off with that work well with salicylic acid are Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Pads (pictured) and Dermalogica. I absolutely love the Alpha Beta Peel Pads they always make my skin look so smooth and help with those tiny pesky blackheads on my nose -a big thumbs up!!!
Best Suited for: Normal , Combination (more oily then dry) and Oily skin types.
Conditions: Blackheads, blemishes, superficial acneic skin and redness caused by pimples and breakouts.
“I want a salon exfoliation peel that’s stronger then a store bought product but not as invasive as a medical grade peel.”
Sometimes you need a bit more than a store brought product, you have an event on or you just want to relax and let someone else give you a facial than I suggest you start off with a treatment from Dermalogica. I really like the BioSurface™ Peel by Dermalogica it gives great results, suited to many skin types and your skin looks clear, soft and refined three to four days after having the treatment. If you are booking in for a facial peel for an event get it done approximately three to four days prior this gives your skin time to get rid of any excess dead skin cells and any redness from extractions. You can look up your nearest salon that provides the Dermalogica BioSurface™ Peel here .
Exfoliation is an important step in any skin routine, it can help alleviate some skin conditions as well as assist your products to work more efficiently with your skin type so that your skin can look smooth and clear. So take a look at what you’re using at the moment and consider if it’s the best possible exfoliant suited for your skin type.
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LetsBeFranc
