Why Exfoliate?
Our skin is pretty amazing, isn’t it? We bump it, bruise it and often abuse it, but there it is, always our number one protector. But as like everything else, as we get older it can get a little sluggish. To explain, when we’re young our skin has the natural ability to renew itself roughly every 28 days. That’s why it’s able to do miraculous things like quickly heal itself when injured. But the older we get (starting sometime around our late 20s, give or take), this renewal process starts to slow down. That means a buildup of dead cells that can clog pores and give skin a rough, flaky texture.
The good news is that you can kickstart this process by exfoliating (aka removing) the dead skin cells to allow the new, fresh cells to move up to the surface like they did in the olden days. This process occurs in the outermost later of the skin known as the epidermis. Think of it as layers that kind of look like a little brick wall. Cell renewal begins at the bottom (known as the basal layer) of the epidermis and then the cells migrate upward, pushing the cells above them closer to the surface. Eventually these cells live out their life expectancy and die, flattening out and sticking to the surface (the stratum corneum) of the skin. And then this cell circle of life repeats itself.
These flat, dead cells aren’t necessarily a bad thing. You want some of them sticking around to help guard your protective barrier below and keep you healthy and happy. The problem comes when the natural sloughing off process slows, and the cells pile up on the skin’s surface like a traffic jam at commute time. But there’s hope. Just like the feelings of joy when a lane begins to clear and your speedometer accelerates above 30 mph, your skin can be relieved of that heap of congestion.
Removing this buildup of damaged, dead cells not only smoothes skin, reduces the look of enlarged pores and boosts radiance, it also helps diminish the appearance of fines lines, wrinkles and discoloration. It does this by turning up the skin’s own rejuvenation process, allowing the new, healthy cells to come to the surface at a faster rate, just like when your skin was younger. Another great thing that happens when you slough off those dead cells is that it allows other skincare products to work better because they don’t have to fight as hard to penetrate the skin. And makeup goes on smoother, because you’re smoother.
An important thing to remember when using any exfoliating product is to start out slooowly. The trick is to remove the dead cell buildup, but not over exfoliate. As previously mentioned, you need a few dead cells on the surface to help protect what’s underneath. For instance, our new
Want to learn more about game changing Squalane + Glycolic Renewal Facial? For an in-depth overview, check out my previous blog, Instant Skin Gratification. Or if you’re ready to take on that pile up of dead cells now, grab it here on Biossance.com or pick it up at
Until next time,
As a lifestyle writer and journalist, I love sharing my passion for ocean conservation and obsession with clean beauty. I’ve tried almost every trend and ingredient, and Biossance’s science-backed formulas are the only ones that consistently calm my reactive skin and make it smoother, clearer, and healthier. I’m so excited to be on this journey of skincare innovation with Biossance, and to share it with you!
