This blog is written by our Esthetician, Kasey Boyd.
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of an exfoliator? If that thing is St.Ives scrub than you are in the right place. There are many new “scrubs” in the skin care industry that have surpassed this drugstore favorite. All of the products I will mention when talking about the different types of exfoliants will not damage your skin. In fact if they are used correctly they will correct your problem areas whether it being acne, fine lines, wrinkles or hyper-pigmentation.
Exfoliation is the process of removing old or dead skin cells from the skin's outermost layer, assisting in the maintenance of healthy skin. I know ripped right from a textbook in its explanation but you need to hear it. Our body is making new skin cells every day. If we do not exfoliate those new beautiful cells the old ones will build up on our face and give you a thick, rough and dull appearance. As we exfoliate it lets the new skin to the surface and give us a fresh, healthy, YOUNGER appearance.
There are two types of exfoliants, physical and chemical.
The physical exfoliant will be the closest thing to that drugstore favorite. Your traditional scrub has the rough granules that make you think your scrubbing off all your dead skin. However, it is just because it is harsh doesn't mean that it is doing wonders for your skin. My favorite physical exfoliator is the Oat Cleansing Facial Polish from Naturopathica. This is gentle enough for daily use as a 3-in-1 cleanser, scrub and mask. I definitely underestimated this product. I let it sit in my draw for a month before trying it. It has changed my skin. The polish has oat protein that is soothing, calming and hydrating while using jojoba wax beads that gently polish away dead surface cells. Bonus, this product is vegan, nut and soy free. If you are looking for a product to ease into exfoliating your skin please try this one.
Our chemical exfoliants may be my favorite type, this will be your enzyme peels and our professional glycolic peels. The enzyme peels are more of a treatment that can be used 1 or 2 times per week depending on your skin goals and how sensitive you are. Using the Naturopathica peels we have three different types, cherry, pumpkin and pear and fig. The pear and fig enzyme peel is the only product that is a chemical and physical exfoliant, this had jojoba beads mixed into the product. All three of these enzyme peels are targeted to help different problem areas in your skin (brightening, clarifying and firming) but they all have a lactic acid as their main exfoliant. Lactic acid first became popular as an acne treatment but later had great results with diminishing fine lines and wrinkles. This treatment is great for at home care, it is a slow penetrating acid and it is less irritating to the skin. All three would be ideal for maintenance after your professional facial treatment here at Urban Allure. Now this last product is one that can only be used here in our treatment rooms, the Glycolic Refining Peel. This product is a 15% glycolic treatment, the highest percent you can get before going to a medical spa or dermatologist. This will aid in cell turn over leaving you with a smoother and youthful appearance. This product is also infused with Aloe Vera to help smooth the skin from the treatment. A glycolic peel can be used alone or added to the enzyme peels mentioned above to enhance your professional treatment. All of the peels are gluten free, nut free and soy free and the at home treatments are also vegan.
As always but definitely when using an exfoliant you should use an SPF all day, even in the winter and when it's raining. If you are using a chemical or physical exfoliant and are working to better your skin you must wear a sunscreen to protect all your hard work, time and progress you have made.
All of these products besides the glycolic peel are available for purchase at Urban Allure located inside the Newtown Athletic Club along with a moisturizer with SPF 17 and a sunscreen with an SPF of 50.
No matter which exfoliant you choose I would always say to use it less than the product recommends, start slow with your skincare. Let your skin get used to a new product especially with a scrub or peel. Work your way up to using it as suggested and then you can add in a second type of exfoliator to maximize your skins potential.
To get your skin properly exfoliated by a professional, call 215.968.2720 to book an appointment with Kasey Boyd at Urban Allure.
