You've probably heard about exfoliation and how it’s good for your skin—but only if it's done correctly. When you use the right ingredients, exfoliation will keep your skin active, smooth and youthful.
Here's how enzymes, BHAs and AHAs exfoliate your skin differently so you know which ones you need for your skin to get the results you want.
Considered the "Pac Man" of skincare, enzymatic exfoliation uses fruit enzymes to gently eat away the dead cells sitting on the surface of your skin, much like the little yellow heads in the popular video game.
While there are many fruit enzymes, the most common you'll see in skincare are bromelain and papain, which come from pineapple and papaya. You will also see pumpkin and protease enzymes, which produce stronger forms of exfoliation.
If you're looking to smooth and brighten your complexion, use enzymatic exfoliation.
Dissolves and detaches desmosomes that hold skin cells together. If you picture our epidermis like a brick wall, the cement is the intercellular cement and the bricks represent our skin cells. Chemical exfoliants go in and dissolve and detach the cement holding the bricks together, allowing for a deep exfoliation.
BHAs, such as salicylic acid, dissolve desmosomes, oil and dead skin cells while also cleaning your pores to relieve congestion. They also help clear bacteria and reduce inflammation, making them perfect for combination and oily skin types, especially those with acne.
These acids detach desmosome (glue) connections between cells and penetrate deeper into your skin than BHAs for a stronger exfoliation. AHAs such as glycolic, lactic, malic, mandelic, tartaric and citric acids are derived from fruit and plants and work for all skin types, acne grades and skin conditions, especially photo-damaged or aged skin.
This exfoliation involves physically rubbing and removing dead skin cells from the stratum corneum to reveal smooth, new skin.
Ingredients such as jojoba beads, micro beads, refined powders and corundum crystals found in cleansers and masques safely remove dead skin build-up. Each of these ingredients achieves a different level of exfoliation and is especially great for thick or resistive skin.
Remember, exfoliating is different from tearing the stratum corneum. Ingredients that are too textured or abrasive, such as walnut or apricot shell, can cause trauma by creating micro tears that can inhabit bacteria, making skin conditions like acne even worse. An abrasive texture does not make it better, so stick to gentler mechanical exfoliants. Use them for all skin conditions except rosacea and Acne Grades 3 and 4.
Knowing and understanding how different ingredients work will help you determine which exfoliation is best for you and your skin condition. Using the right exfoliator will help you to achieve optimum results!