Exfoliation

Spring has sprung! For most Canadians this means sweeping the dust bunnies from under the bed and swapping out the winter gear for lighter spring and summer wear. Who knows better that April and May can go from 15 to 28 degrees Celsius in a heartbeat than us? But there’s more to do when the flowers start to bloom than clean up the house and freshen your wardrobe. We’ve also got to prioritize renewal of our bodies. We’re talking cellular level clean up. It’s time to exfoliate!

To be clear, exfoliation is something we should be doing weekly, or at least monthly, all year long depending on the thickness or sensitivity of the skin and body part. Our largest organ, our skin, is composed of water, proteins (collagen, elastin, keratin), and lipids. The self-renewing, protective barrier is composed of three layers (the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis). The outer layer, the epidermis (itself five layers) protects us from the environment and takes a beating. Varying from 0.5mm to 1.5mm depending on the body part, it contains the melanocytes (the cells in which melanoma can develop), as well as cells related to sensory nerves and immunity.

Exfoliation removes dead skin cells, helping to brighten dull complexions, improves skin texture and radiance, unclog pores, boost collagen production, and reduce acne. In other words, exfoliation makes your skin look younger and healthier. Oh, and even better, it helps your new $100 face cream work more effectively by allowing it to penetrate deeper. For black people prone to ingrown hairs (for many men on the face and neck and for women in the sensitive pubic area), exfoliation can be a lifesaver, helping to release trapped hair and stave off the bumps, redness, soreness and pus that often accumulate under the surface.

So, how should you get started? First, realize that there are very few places on your body that do not require exfoliation (like the sensitive area of the genitals and the skin around the eyes). But for many, the legs, chest, stomach, back, buttocks, arms, face, heck, even the underarms are fair game. Oh, did we mention the feet? Please do your feet!

There are several approaches, products, and tools to consider. As for the tools there are sponges, gloves, brushes, and mittens, all designed with a level of abrasiveness to polish away dead skin cells with or without the addition of products. While many experts advise twice weekly body exfoliation, it is best to choose a tool that you will remember to use, feels good, is easy to adopt as a routine, and that will not irritate your skin. For those of us who enjoy a good scrub down in the shower or bath, the best option is likely an option that works well when wet or a rich cream or oil based exfoliant that you apply by hand, rinse, and remove. When opting for the tool or cream/oil route, it is good to consider your lifestyle and choose an option that can become habit.

Good exfoliants also come in jars and tubes, many with luxurious ingredients inspired by nature or the most tempting foods in your pantry. If you want to combine an exfoliating product with an exfoliating tool, by all means give it a try, but be mindful of overkill.

But when choosing a product, the first step is to consider which body part you wish to exfoliate. Do not confuse face and body exfoliants. In general body exfoliant are harsher, and well, for the body. So, do not try a foot exfoliant on your face! Face exfoliants tend to have abrasive ingredients that are more refined, luxurious, and gentle, precisely formulated for the more sensitive skin of the face.

For the face, we tried a tube of Himalaya’s Purifying Neem Scrub, a white creamy, lotion-like product with fine, gentle, blue beads formulated for normal to oily skin. This product contains neem, a versatile, fast-growing, evergreen tree from the mahogany family. While neem is ingested and used for oral hygiene, its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties also make it desirable for topical application for healthy skin, hair, and nails.

Another face option is Marée’s Face Exfoliator. This exfoliating cream comes in a jar and contains collagen and glycolic acid. Derived from sugarcane, glycolic acid is a water-soluble alpha hydroxy acid that acts as a chemical exfoliant to reveal smoother, brighter skin. This means that this product packs a double punch and exfoliates through the finely textured particles in the cream and the chemical action of the glycolic acid. Hence its dual labeling as a microdermabrasion. They recommend that you apply, massage it into your face, and leave the product on for two minutes before rinsing for best results. In all cases with topical exfoliants, test a small amount on a less sensitive part of the face or body and wait a day or two to ensure that the product has not triggered an allergic reach before full blown application. Fellas, please don’t forget that there’s skin under that gorgeous facial hair that also needs a good scrubbing.

For the body, we tried First Botany Cosmeceuticals Arabica Coffee Scrub. This body exfoliant contains dead sea salt, Kona Coffee, coconut, Arabica Coffee, and cacao and smells heavenly! The exfoliant properties are formulated for the body and perfect for dull, dry skin, since the combination of olive, almond, and grape seed oils, and shea butter instantly moisturizes the newly buffed skin that the salt and coffee have renewed.

So now that you know that Spring is not just for cleaning houses and packing away winter gear, grab your exfoliating tool, cream, lotion, or oil of choice and get to scrubbing. Swimsuit season is just around the corner!