At this point during the winter, you may find your skin looks a bit dull and feels less than smooth. Or maybe you have noticed your skin is flaking?
When your skin looks or feels like this, it suggests a build-up of dead skin cells. Basically, your regular skin cleansing isn't doing enough to slough your face in its normal exfoliation process. This can be caused by many factors: excess oil, pollution, hormones, make-up and / or diet. But don’t despair; you can help your skin with at-home exfoliation.
Exfoliation removes these skin cells, leaving you with a fresh face that is full of sparkle. It also increases your skin cell renewal rate, which slows down naturally with age. Yes, another joy of ageing, but one you can help to reverse.
Exfoliators abound on the high street, at specialist skincare counters and can even be created at home. There are two types of exfoliants: physical and chemical. Physical exfoliators are those that have a grainy feel to them. They use a textured product to remove dead skin. Chemical exfoliators use acid to loosen bonds between cells, allowing what isn’t needed to slip away.
Exfoliation should be undertaken across the face, neck and décolleté or “French Face”. I saw this moniker on social media recently and thought it was brilliant. In other words, exfoliant should be used everywhere you apply moisturiser and sunscreen (top of the head to top of the breasts).
Physical exfoliation
After cleansing your face, once or twice a week massage your chosen exfoliator gently into your skin and then remove it with a damp cloth as you are likely to need more than a splash of water to remove the grains. After using exfoliator, complete the rest of your skincare routine, i.e., toner, serum, moisturiser and sunscreen.
Bonus round: if my hands are feeling dry, I use facial exfoliant on them during my routine before moisturising. Double duty in just one treatment!
I love the Exuviance Triple Microdermabrasion Face Polish, which uses physical and chemical exfolaints. This is available directly from me in my treatment room. I also like the Indeed Labs Exfoliator II, Tatcha Rice Polish and La Roche-Posay Ultrafine Scrub.
If you want to create an exfoliator at home, combine coconut oil and sugar in a ratio of 2 to 1, respectively. This is great for face, hands and body.
Chemical exfoliation
If you want a chemical exfoliator, look for a product containing alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). AHAs are perfect for addressing issues such as clogged pores, ageing and pigmentation. AHAs melt and expel extra sebum or oil trapped in pores, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and can reduce skin discolouration.
Generally, you’ll find AHAs in toners (these can be used daily), peel pads (use 1 to 3 times per week) or serums, gels and creams (use 1 or 2 times per week, usually overnight). I recommend using AHAs at night, followed by serum and moisturiser.
Pixi Glow Tonic provides my nightly exfoliation. They also have pads and a serum. My travel case often includes the Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel. And Alpha-H Liquid Gold is a cult classic.
Which is right for you?
In choosing the one that is right for you, be sure to select something that is gentle. You never want to use something that feels like sandpaper or burns on your skin.
When you have finished exfoliating, if your skin is red and feels irritated (tingling, tight or dry), this is a sign that you have been too rough in massaging the physical exfoliator into your face or that your chemical exfoliator is too harsh for your skin.
It is easy to overuse physical exfoliators simply through hand pressure during application so be sure to be gentle. And if you experience significant skin tingle when using an AHA, dial down the usage frequency.
The S-word
While it goes without saying that you should be applying sunscreen EVERY day, if you have any AHA products in your routine, sunscreen is even more important as they may leave your skin more vulnerable to UVA and UVB damage. Exfoliation reveals fresh, younger skin and what could be more important than protecting it?
Remember, everyday sunscreen does not need to feel like your summer at the beach cream. My go-to is Heliocare (available in the treatment room). Others that are easy to use each day and play well under make-up are Laura Mercier Daily Face Shield and La Roche-Posay Anthelios.
Facial brushes
One last bit to mention. If you are using an electronic facial brush, such as Clarisonic, this is your exfoliation. You don’t need to add another physical product to your routine. And just as with using a physical exfoliating product, you should only use your Clarisonic one or two times a week, with the gentlest brush you can find. You may add AHA products into your routine alongside exfoliation brush use, if you wish, as they will exfoliate your skin without additional physical disruption to the skin.
Do you exfoliate your skin?