Exfoliation Explained: Part 2
The goal is never to copy what someone else does! This goes for many things in life, especially exfoliation! What exfoliation looks like for one person can look completely different for someone else. So, how do you navigate which type of exfoliation is right for you? Today we will explore some of the different ingredients that can be used for exfoliation so you can play around and navigate with what is right for you :)
Understanding the different ingredients used to exfoliate will empower you and help you decode the language of exfoliation! Here is a quick guide of some common forms of exfoliation that you can use the next time you are picking out your exfoliation products!
Chemical Exfoliation:
You will often hear the term Alpha Hydroxy Acids or AHA’s. These are a form of chemical exfoliation and are naturally occuring acids that are derived from various foods. Many ingredients fall under this category! Let’s take a look at some of them.
Lactic Acid (from lactose) : this is a gentle form of exfoliation making it great for sensitive skin. It can help increase hydration levels as well as barrier function making it great for dry or dehydrated skin. It also helps with discoloration, hyperpigmentation, or those “dark spots” that can come from sun damage.
Glycolic Acid (from sugar cane): an ally to the person wanting to combat aging or texture. But be careful! This has a very small molecular structure so it travels fast and deep in the skin and can be irritating to some, especially those with sensitive skin. However, it is a beautiful ingredient if your skin responds well to it.
Mandelic Acid (from bitter almonds) : a very gentle yet effective acid! Improves overall texture and tone with an emphasis on regulating sebum/oil and having antibacterial properties. This makes it particularly good for those with problematic acne prone skin while also having dry or sensitive skin.
Malic Acid (from apples) : gentle form of exfoliation making it great for sensitive skin. Particularly helpful with increasing elasticity making it great for wrinkles and expression lines!
Azelaic Acid (from wheat) : gentle exfoliation that combats hyperpigmentation as well as fighting acne causing bacteria. This combo makes it great for acne and preventing acne scarring as well as hyperpigmentation.
Kojic Acid (from mushrooms) : a wonderful gentle exfoliation ingredient to support brightening the skin and reducing hyperpigmentation
Tartaric (from grapes) / Citrus Acids (lemon, lime, etc.): these will typically be supportive ingredients that help with overall new cell renewal and gentle exfoliation!
Another category will be Beta Hydroxy Acids or BHA. This is interchangeable with Salicylic Acid. What makes it different from all the other AHA’s is that it is oil soluble, meaning it can cut through oil and thoroughly clean out congested pores making it great for acne! It is also anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory which further supports clearing acne! It can be a bit strong or intense for some people so it is always good to use sparingly or replace it with Mandelic Acid if you have sensitive or dry skin. It’s natural derivative is Willow Bark so whenever you see that on any package, you can now know that it is talking about a form of BHA!
This blog would not be complete if we didn’t mention enzymes! Enzymes are a world in and of themselves and I talk all about them in my blog here if you would like to learn more. But essentially, they are derived of fermented fruit and each hold their own quality that makes them special! They not only support healthy exfoliation but also support healthy enzymatic function within the skin. Here is a list of common ones you will see.
Pineapple: Brightening and even skin tone
Papaya: Repairs and restores damaged cells
Pumpkin: filled with zinc making it really great for healing the skin
Skin Conditions
As we are building our little roadmap to finding your perfect form of exfoliation, let’s break things down by category of skin condition.
Acne: pumpkin, BHA / Willow Bark, mandelic
Hyperpigmentation: lactic, pineapple, kojic, azelaic
Aging: glycolic, malic, pineapple and papaya enzymes
Rosacea / Sensitivity: papaya and pumpkin enzymes, kojic, lactic, azelaic
Dry / Dehydrated: lactic, all enzymes, mandelic, azelaic, kojic
Physical Exfoliation
Physical exfoliation includes things like mint poppy seeds, eco beads, jojoba esters, etc. These are a lot of fun and make the skin instantly feel refreshed! The main thing I will say with this is please avoid physical exfoliation if you are dealing with lots of redness, inflammation, or active breakouts as they can be a bit irritating. If you are dealing with any of those conditions, stick to gentle chemical exfoliation.
Lifestyle
Lastly, let’s talk about lifestyle! Because what you do day in and day out will absolutely play a role in what you use and when you use it! However, it is hard to put a blanket statement that will pertain to every single person. Rather, I will offer some suggestions that you could use to play with.
An active and high intensity lifestyle includes lots of outdoor time, hard workouts, traveling, and anything that requires you to move around a lot, creating heat or stress on the body/skin. I would stick to something gentle a little bit more often. This could include lactic or enzymes that are used throughout the week.
We can also think of spring/summer time as our active time. When there is heat and more exposure to sun, we want to keep the skin protected and nourished. Gentle exfoliation helps us do this!
A restful lifestyle can include working at a desk, staying inside more often than not, or any situation where our bodies are more still. If this is the case, I would say that you could use stronger exfoliation less often. So, something like enzymes, glycolic, or BHA a couple times a week, again taking into consideration current skin conditions.
Here, we can think of winter/fall time. When the body is more calm, we can use more intensive ingredients because our skin isn’t as vulnerable to exposure and can have time to heal. Exfoliation treatments like chemical peels and dermaplanes also fit under this category!
Is this a lot of info, definitely! But, all of this is used as a guide to help you navigate exfoliation in your own life! I like to tell my clients to take a curious eye to their skincare and learn to have fun with figuring out what works best. Our skincare is a lifelong journey and exfoliation is a very fun contribution to that! We will explore different at home care for exfoliation as well as professional treatments that can boost your results and experience next time!
Alla prossima! ✨
