Get your skin ready for summer – exfoliate!
It’s important to exfoliate your skin, especially after the dry winter months. Exfoliating helps remove some of the top dead-layer of skin and opens the pores. Exfoliating helps acne prone skin, particularly heat or sweat-induced acne breakouts. Exfoliating also decreases the look of fine lines so we look younger and more fresh – glowing skin is in!
There are different ways to exfoliate, from office-based procedures such as gentle chemical peels and micro-dermabrasion, scrubs you can use at home (once a week at most to avoid irritation), the Clarisonic, and washes (great for sensitive skin) or leave-on serums/lotions that include alpha hydroxyl acids (glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid, citric acid and malic acid) and beta-hydroxy acids (such as salicylic acid).
The leave-on products are gentle and work wonderfully for daily exfoliation. Glycolic acids are especially useful for their anti-aging properties, hyaluronic acids help moisturize, and salicylic acid helps reduce inflammation and reduces oil production (helps calm acne lesions). Use these products once or twice a day to the face, neck, and upper chest.
Here are some products that I regularly recommend – they’re a great value and work:
Revision Skincare Brightening Facial Wash. This is great for sensitive skin. Because it’s a wash, you get the benefits of glycolic acid in a form that is gentle and non-irritating. This can be used once or twice daily and followed by a moisturizer
Skin Medica AHA/BHA cream. This cream is great for most skin types. It contains 15% alpha-hydroxy acids, beta-hydroxy acids (salicylic acid), vitamin E and panthenol. These ingredients work together to exfoliate, hydrate, and protect the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Nia Rapid Exfoliating Serum. The Nia products are fantastic, particularly for anyone with some sun damage. Nia products contain niacin, which promotes the growth of healthier skin cells to reduce sun damage. It also improves redness, which is great for those prone to rosacea. The rapid exfoliating serum works within a couple of weeks to improve texture and even tone.
Nia also has a new product, Rapid Depigmentation serum. In addition to exfoliating, this product also contains vitamin C and hexylresorcinol to brighten the skin and fade dark spots.
