let's talk about Skin Exfoliators!

How much are you concerned about removing the dead skin from your face or even from the body? I hope you will benefit from this blog after knowing what Exfoliators basically are and what Exfoliation actually is.

What are Exfoliators?
Exfoliators are the products that help you to remove the most upper layer of dead skin cells from the face or body and this process of removal is known as 'Exfoliation'.
There are 2 main categories of skin exfoliators, Physical and Chemical. 

Physical exfoliators
As the name itself says, physical exfoliators manually remove the dead skin from the skin's surface which may require rubbing or circular movements of hand or the tool, types include scrubs, skin pad, cleanser brushes, gentle razor, etc...

Chemical exfoliators
In the chemical exfoliators, the acids are used to remove the built-up layers of the dead skin cells while removing the excess oil and sebum, e.g. products containing AHA [alpha-hydroxy acids], BHA [beta-hydroxy acids], and PHA [polyhydroxy acids]. 

Fact
The result of chemical exfoliation is generally more uniform than physical exfoliation however physical exfoliators increase blood circulation which helps in the productions of newer skin cells.

Note
You need to avoid using Vit C products with Chemical exfoliating products.

                

Well, how does dead skin form?

If we don't exfoliate, our skin pores get enlarged and the acne, pigmentation, and wrinkles get worse, this basically happens because your skin starts to lack moisture and hydration. As your skin contains around 70 to 80 percent oil and the other 20 to 30 percent moisture, So, if the moisture level decreases below 15 percent, the enzyme that helps to decompose the aging skin starts to get compromised. And so why the lower layer of skin that becomes dead is unable to move to the very surface of the skin and fall off, which tends to make skin white or flaky. 

So, why does your skin worsen or look dull if you don't exfoliate it?

The dead skin that is unable to leave the skin surface can accumulate and result in blocked pores as if this happens then the sebum [natural oil] produced by the skin causes the 'pores to expand' and cause 'acne'. Note that not all types of acne are caused by the dead skin layer, it can have many other reasons too. Another problem is 'pigmentation', as the pigment melanin is produced in the lowermost layer of the skin, these cells rise to the surface of the skin after every 25 to 30 days, along with keratin cells to protect the skin and then fall off with the dead skin. And if the dead skin is not properly eliminated then the pigmentation develops and stays on the skin. Last but not least, sagging deep 'wrinkles' form if the dead skin accumulates such as large pores, pigmentation, and inflammation. In addition to this lack of moisture and lower collagen levels causes more wrinkles and deeper lines.

How often do you need to exfoliate?
It is based on totally based on your skin type, let's talk about it if you have:
-Dry skin: you need to exfoliate once in 1-2 weeks
-Oily skin: you need to exfoliate twice a week
-Combination skin: you need to exfoliate once a week