Welcome back skin students!! It’s almost Halloween, so to celebrate (and get in the fall mood, since we don’t get much actual Fall weather here in Los Angeles) I’m sitting on my couch with a pumpkin peel on my face, trying to figure out what to be
for Halloween this year. Sexy Alice? Sexy kitten? Why do all the costumes have the word “sexy” in front of them? Do they make a “sexy cosmetic chemist” costume? If so, I’m IN! (That’s pretty much the path my brain went down). Anyhow, speaking
of Pumpkin Peels, this is the blog where we are gonna give you the lowdown on Exfoliation. So get out your notepads, or iPads, or whatever the kids are using these days.
Why is exfoliation important? Exfoliation is one of the best and fastest ways to see results, no matter what your skin type!!! If you have acne, exfoliating will clear dirt, oil, and dead skin from the surface and even sometimes from within the pore (depending on the type of exfoliator) helping to drastically reduce breakouts. If you are concerned about aging, exfoliation helps speed up the process of cell turnover and collagen production, helping the skin look more plump, helping minimize fine lines, and helping with overall tone and texture. If you have dry skin, it will slough off the dead skin so that your moisturizers can penetrate more effectively. If you have oily skin it will clear that layer of gunk from your skin and pores. It really is a one-size-fits-all element to your skincare routine. Which is why we love it so much!
What are the different types of exfoliators, and is one better than the other?? There are 2 main types of exfoliators on the market: Manual and Chemical. Manual refers to scrubs… anything that physically, through rubbing and friction, removes the surface layer of your skin. Remember that horrible Apricot Scrub that we all used at some point in our young life? (Oh dear god, if you are still using it… put DOWN the scrub, back away slowly, and no one will get hurt) That is an example of manual exfoliators. These products always contain some abrasive ingredient meant to slough off dead skin. Sometimes it’s walnut shells, sometimes it’s sugar, sometimes it’s salt, etc. We suggest steering clear of these types of sharp edge exfoliators. Why you ask? Well, those same ingredients that help buff away the dead skin can also leave little microscopic cuts on your skin, which over time can make your skin look dull. If you absolutely MUST use a scrub, we suggest using something with Jojoba beads or something smooth and round. And even still, please make sure you are VERY gentle with it.
The 2nd type of exfoliator and our personal favorite is a chemical exfoliator. These products use various fruit acids (most often Alpha Hydroxy Acids – Glycolic, lactic,citric… and Beta hydroxy acids) to do the work. Alpha Hydroxy acids come in
various molecule sizes, and therefore all have specific uses, and combining them can attack any number of issues. For example, Glycolic Acid is the smallest of these acids. So small that it can actually penetrate the pore. So the purpose of Glycolic is to go into the pore, and essentially liquefy all of that gross buildup that can happen. On the other hand, Salicylic Acid, a beta hydroxy acid, is a much larger molecule. So it works on the surface of the skin to help slough off the dead cells, kill surface acne and improve skin texture. Put them together and it’s like the Dream Team of exfoliators.
So now you know. And knowing is half the battle, right? Choosing a product and incorporating it into your routine is the other half. (Wait, that’s 3 halves? Knowing is 1/3 of the battle? That doesn’t sound nearly as cool).
Check out the Exfoliators section on our website here: http://facialbungalow.com/
store/category/exfoliators/ .
We have hand-picked our favorite options.
If you’re the kind of person who does best with adding something as a part of an every day routine, there are some exfoliators for every day use. Some options are meant to be used one to two times a week, if you are the person who can’t be bothered with another step every day.
As always, if you have ANY questions, feel free to ask us here, or give us a call at 323.570.2664
Happy Halloween! And we’ll see you in the next blog for Chapter 4: Moisturizers!
Till then, stay beautiful darlings!
T&T