How And Why To Exfoliate In Winter

Dear Santa, I’ve been very good. All I want for Christmas is beautiful glowing skin. If only it were that simple huh?  Unfortunately, we can’t get beautiful skin from Santa, we can learn how to get beautiful skin thru exfoliation. And who better to help guide us than skin experts. One of the key secrets to gorgeous flawless skin is exfoliation, which is why there are many different ways to safely exfoliate your skin to help you achieve your own HOLIDAY GLOW this year.

What is Exfoliation?

Exfoliation is basically the action of stimulating new cell growth by removing the cells your body no longer sheds. There are basically two types of exfoliation: chemical and physical (also called mechanical) exfoliation. Physical exfoliation like face scrubs (remember St Ives?) and facial brushes, remove dead skin cells by causing friction and sloughing them off.  While Chemical exfoliation most commonly uses acids such as salicylic to remove dead skin cells by dissolving the “glue” that keeps them bound to other cells. That “glue” is what causes dull, thick skin we all hate.

MANUAL EXFOLIATION:

A manual exfoliant is any product that requires a rubbing or scrubbing action, hence the term ‘manual exfoliation‘. This could be a liquid, gel, or scrub with granules like microbeads or sugar to smooth and refine the skin that you apply with your hands onto your face in a circular motion. Using a facial brush enhances your exfoliation process and is very gentle to use on a daily basis. Our top recommendation: Nelly De Vuyst Facial Brush– Made from boars’ hair, the brush gently exfoliates the skin while stimulating the microcirculation of the face, neck and décolleté.

Physical (or manual) exfoliation is best achieved when partnered with your skin expert. In the treatment room while getting a facial treatment, your therapist will use some sort of safe scrub or gommage to help slough away rough dead skin. What’s important is that as an expert, your esthetician will know exactly which exfoliation product is safe and effective for your skin, will know what areas must be avoided if necessary, and is constantly checking your skins response to various pressure and ingredients being used. The use of steam also helps to open the pores which allows a deeper clean and exfoliation. If you want to continue this great skin, then you would definitely want to continue to exfoliate at home using your customized protocol.

CHEMICAL EXFOLIATION:

Chemical exfoliants are much easier on the skin than a lot of physical scrubs. There are two types of chemical exfoliants: AHA, or alpha-hydroxy acids, and BHA, beta-hydroxy acids. These chemical exfoliators, (AHA’s, BHAs, or enzymes) are used to loosen the glue-like substance that holds dead skin cells together, so they are easily removed. The two most popular AHAs are glycolic and lactic acids. The new, regenerated skin is usually smoother and less wrinkled than the old skin.
Chemical Exfoliation is also provided in the treatment room and is sometimes considered the second exfoliation treatment via the use of acids in the service treatment. Acids range in strength. The molecule size of the acids is what influences your therapist to decide what type of acid is best to use for your particular need. From Glycolic to Salicylic, Jessners to TCA and everything in between, you definitely want a professional using chemicals on your skin. Here at Beautique we have years of training, so we are able to customize each treatment based on what is going on with our client’s skin during the visit.  When we want to accomplish a deeper chemical peel, we love to use the VI PEEL because it is the safest peel for all skin types on the market today. In fact, there have been over 5 million VI PEELS administered worldwide! That gives us the comfort that it is an ideal peel for our Latin clients.  Often times we will incorporate products in the home-care routine containing glycolic, AHA, or salicylic etc. to continue exfoliation safely at home.
Those are the most basic forms of exfoliation, but we aren’t basic. We are able to take your skincare up a notch by incorporating services such as Fraxel, microdermabrasion, Silk Peel, and Dermaplaning to your monthly skincare visits. Now talk about getting your Glow on.  Depending on what your skin is going through and what you are trying to achieve, as your therapists we will explain each service and together develop a plan that you feel comfortable with, will actually follow, and can afford to get your beautifully glowing skin.

We have learned that every month, your skin renews itself. Dead skin cells naturally detach from the surface of the epidermis giving way to new cells formation deep within the dermis. If these dead cells do not detach, they can accumulate on the surface and contribute to the appearance of a dull, rough, lackluster complexion.
Exfoliation is one of the best ways to improve your skin’s texture and tone, and it’s something all of us can do right at home. However, it’s also really easy to overdo it by exfoliating too often or using the wrong method for your skin type.

WHY YOU SHOULD EXFOLIATE YOUR SKIN:

Your skin is constantly repairing and replacing itself and because of this, you can be left with layers upon layers of dead skin all over your face (and body). Exfoliating helps rid your body of these leftover dead skin cells, revealing healthier, brighter skin immediately after.
While brighter skin is certainly a perk, exfoliation can actually help improve the health of your skin as well. If your skin is full of dead cells, your skin care products may not be able to penetrate deep into the skin and do their work, and your make up can also sit on top of the skin making it look dry and dull on the skin.  By removing the top-most layer of skin, you’re making it easier for your topical skin treatments to sink deep below the surface where they could make a difference.
If you have acne-prone skin, exfoliation can help clear out clogged pores that often lead to breakouts. It can also help fade acne scars faster by accelerating skin cell turnover and stimulating collagen production. Just keep in mind that if you are acne prone, you especially must work with a skin specialist or you can aggravate your acne making the situation worse.

How to Exfoliate Your Skin Using Some of our Favorite Skin Exfoliators:

PHSYICAL/MANUAL EXFOLIATION:

When using a physical exfoliant, start by washing your face with your regular cleanser- we personally love Rhonda Allison’s Citrus Gel cleanser. Then, take a quarter-size amount of your scrub exfoliator (we recommend Rhonda Allison Brightening Scrub or DNA Phyto-Lipid Hydrating Scrub)


and apply it onto your face in circular motions, avoiding the eye area. Gently massage the product onto the skin, usually from 30 seconds to a full minute. Then, rinse off with warm water and gently pat your skin with a clean towel. Follow with your favorite hydrating mask, serum and/or moisturizing cream.

CHEMICAL EXFOLIATION (at home)

: Apply the gel or serum all over your entire face, neck, décolleté and you can even place on the tops of your hands. Allow a few minutes for the chemicals to be absorbed into the skin before moving on to the next step in your regimen, again we recommend finishing with a hydrating serum and moisturizing cream.

CHEMICAL EXFOLIATION (in spa)

: after a thorough skin analysis we will recommend either a microdermabrasion, Dermaplane, silk peel, or Fraxel to make sure that we give you the best treatment to help shed dull lack-luster skin.
Many skin concerns can be improved through the proper treatment of exfoliation such as: wrinkles, pigmentation, dry skin, dull and irregular complexion, pores, blackheads and acne. To improve the oxygenation of your skin, perform a superficial mechanical exfoliation at least 2 to 3 times a week.
If you or someone you know is interested in getting a personalized treatment plan created with customized steps to provide you with your Holiday Glowing Skin please call us at (956) 664-1234 to find out the first step you need to take towards achieving flawless skin.