Chemical vs Physical Exfoliation
Who doesn’t crave baby soft skin? Raise your hand if you, like us, have already booked your next facial. Exfoliation is as essential as washing your face at night. To get the perfect smooth skin canvas, you cannot skip the most essential step – exfoliation! Otherwise, you are opening the doors to dead skin cells that will happily camp out on your skin surface leaving you with clogged pores, acne and a dull appearance.
“Dead skin cells piling up can be problematic for two reasons, they can leave skin looking dull, rough, and dry" shares Dr Howard Murad board certified dermatologist. He further adds “which can appear to age the skin, and also it can result in excess oil and clogged pores, leading to blemishes and acne. Proper exfoliation removes the barrier of dead skin cells clogging the skin and uncovers fresh new cells below while preparing the skin for optimal treatment results."
Sounds like a nightmare doesn’t it? Let’s rejuvenate your youthful glow by suggesting the must-have products in your beauty arsenal and explaining the different types of skin exfoliation.
What is chemical exfoliation?
Have your experienced your makeup looking flaky or rough in texture? If you’re nodding in agreement then the root cause for this is not giving your makeup a smooth canvas to work on, meaning your skin is layered with dead skin cells. Chemical exfoliation, as the name suggests, is a peel that consists of chemicals which aid in cell turnover.
Chemical exfoliator is gentle on the skin, so it’s the perfect tool against blemishes and acne. They are packed with exfoliating acids such as alpha hydroxyl acid (AHA) and fruit acids which are smooth in texture. Annie Chiu, M.D, Los Angeles dermatologist says that “These chemicals essentially break down the glue between dead cells, allowing for improved skin-cell-turnover. A chemical exfoliator doesn’t create a mechanical force on the skin, so it can be more gentle,”
Our Beauty Tip – Indulge in a refreshing experience by using The Ordinary’s AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution which exfoliates your topmost skin surface and reveals a brighter and clearer appearance.
What is physical exfoliation?
Physical exfoliation uses an ingredient or tool that physically scrubs old, dead cells from the surface of your skin that make it appear dull. Scrubs must be the first thing that comes to your mind whenever physical exfoliation is the topic of discussion. All hail the good old scrubs, for they have been a blessing in disguise for all those acne filled years where we had nowhere to hide our face. Our personal favorite is Yoshimomo Botanique’s Rosehip Hibiscus Foaming Facial Scrub, which is as heavenly as the name sounds.
Our Beauty Tip - The key is not to over exfoliate. Opt for products consisting of natural grainy ingredients such as jojoba beads, sea salt, sugar and charcoal. Avoid scrubs that consists of large beads as they may cause micro-tear which result in skin inflammation. Look for products that glide smoothly over your skin. Cleansing brushes are all the rage these days and our personal favorite is the Clarisonic Smart Profile Uplift Anti Aging Massage and Cleansing Brush.
Sexy starts with a healthy and glowing skin. Invest in these chemical and physical exfoliation products right away and make your skin more supple and radiant than ever.