I am a huge fan of regularly exfoliating the skin because it gets rid of dead skin cells, removes dirt and debris, smooths the skin, keeps pores from getting clogged and it makes your skin look fresher and more youthful. It is a simple and easy step that many people over look, but the results make a big difference. Some people can exfoliate daily while others should only do it couple times a week, it really depends on the intensity of the product and your skin type. I have personally found that regular exfoliation allows products to penetrate more deeply and has made my skin smoother and more even toned.

There are several ways to exfoliate your skin: physically, chemically, or more naturally through Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA’s). Below is an overview of each type of exfoliation and how it works. Feel free to use this as a reference guide in the future:

Physical exfoliation involves using a scrub with granules or a brush and manually exfoliating (removing) the skin. Microdermabrasion, which is often done with tiny crystals of some sort, is a more intense exfoliation and a brush with sonic wave lengths is a more gentle approach. Both are effective, but the latter is more gentle and shows results over time, while microderm is more powerful and instant.

Chemical peels are done by licensed professionals and involve using a potent pharmaceutical solution to aggressively peel the skin and reveal new, younger fresher skin. Chemical peels are more spendy, can be uncomfortable and involve varying degrees of downtime, but the results are often dramatic.

Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHAs) is a skin care ingredient made from fruit, milk or sugar cane. Lactic acid comes from milk, glycolic acid comes from sugar cane and citric acids come from fruits like oranges and lemons.  The strength of over-the-counter AHAs variesfrom 5-10%. AHAs penetrate the dead surface cells of the skin, loosens this skin, sloughs it off which in turn exposes newer fresh skin.

I personally think that all of these products and ingredients really make the skin smoother, fresher and younger looking and are definitely worthy investigating further. Your skin will thank you!