Exfoliation Q & A
We’ve been around the skincare block enough times to know that exfoliation is vital; it removes dead skin cells, polishes the skin, refines pores and even smooths out wrinkles. It also creates a blank canvas that is ready for moisturising, and makeup - if you’re into that. Those are some pretty promises but knowing how to exfoliate effectively and which method to use is where it gets tricky! Luckily, we’ve done the hard work for you and created an easy-peasy cliff notes version of everything you need to know. So, let’s get MOO-ve on* and dive in.
What happens if we don't exfoliate?
Armageddon!!... Just kidding, but still, it’s not something you want to face, on your face. Whilst your top skin layer is essential to protect you from infections (and more gruesome-ness we don’t care to go into), a build-up of too many old skin cells on the skin's surface will leave your skin looking dull, bumpy, and prematurely aged. *Cringes internally*. It can also result in all sorts of nasties clogging your pores (congestion, blackheads, acne, milia and pimples). *Cringes even more*. Not exfoliating can accentuate the appearance of fine lines, and block product absorption (even your good serums may not get through!). I don’t know about you, but this makes us want to go and do a deep exfoliation right this minute! But wait, there’s more…
Is there such a thing as over-exfoliating?
Absolutely! There is such a thing as too much, and too harsh. It's important to be careful which ingredients your exfoliation products contain. The main concern with some bead or shell particles for instance, (aside from not being eco-friendly) is their abrasiveness. Abrasive products can damage the skin by piercing, scratching and irritating the skin barrier, and even bursting blemishes (which leads to more blemishes, FYI). When using exfoliating skin peels, it's hard to control the layers affected. Our skin is a protective layer, after all, so we don't want to strip it back too much. Easy does it …
But there are so many moo-thods! Physical, enzymatic ... which one do I choose?
There are many ways to exfoliate and thankfully exfoliating is no longer limited to intense scrubbing or harsh skin peels that leave your skin red, raw, and ready to roar. No single method is bad, but it's important to find the best one for your skin type. Physical exfoliation is exactly what the name suggests; using grainy material to physically scrub your face. Like we mentioned above, this can go too far so be selective. On the other hand, enzymatic exfoliation, also known as chemical exfoliation, takes a less aggressive approach – which is always a good idea! This method uses acids and chemicals to dissolve the glue that binds these dead skin cells together. Sounds scary, but these acids and chemicals are already found naturally in your skin anyway – we’re just boosting them.
Because we’re all about making skin care that suits the extra-sensitive, we've found that a combination of a plant-based alpha hydroxy acids, and very gentle, natural physical exfoliants to be most effective. After lots of fun experimenting on ourselves and gossiping around the... ahem... water cooler (champagne counts as water, right?), we created our Gentle Micro Exfoliating Powder!
A little bit more info about this GOO-dness...
As many of our herd suffer from skin conditions and sensitivities, making soothing and gentle products is always our priority. We feel that dual exfoliation – meaning both enzymes and non-scratchy physical particles – is the most gentle. Salicylic acid (BHA) is the plant-derived enzyme that we use. It's attracted to oil and exfoliates into the pores, so it's the best thing for a deep cleanse and to address impurities that already exist. Also, we use a very calculated percentage of Salicylic acid, (1.5% to be exact) ensuring it's gentle enough for daily use on all skin types. Gentle physical exfoliation is the best thing for creating an even skin surface, and it also stimulates blood flow in the face. We've used Rice Bran Powder as it has a very delicate physical structure and contains antioxidant-rich, moisturising proteins. And who doesn't love antioxidants? The combination of these two magnificent exfoliating components will leave your skin noticeably fresh, glowing and soft.
Feel like you need a little extra boost after or between your exfoliation? Our Night Cream contains a fantastic ingredient called Lactic Acid. Lactic Acid helps loosen the glue that holds dead skin cells together and to your face, helping to remove rough, flaky skin. Exfoliation while you sleep! That's almost as good as making MOO-lah while you sleep...
If you've tried this product, please show us your glow and comment below!
*It's a contractual requirement that we use 3 cow puns per blog. Read at your own risk. Eye rolling and some smiling may occur.