Exfoliation: a crucial step in the beauty routine

A pale, dull complexion? Rough skin and blocked pores? It's time to pamper your skin and specially to pay attention to a crucial step in your beauty ritual: exfoliation!

Realising the importance of regular exfoliation, we have researched the different types of exfoliations for you to help you choose what is best for your skin. New from Druide® Laboratories: an Exfoliating Body Soap made from dried rooibos leaves for soft, clean, and hydrated skin.

The need for regular exfoliation

The skin, which is the largest organ in the human body, is made up of 3 layers of tissue and with the exterior.

The 3 canapes of tissues are: hypodermis (deep layer), dermis and epidermis (superficial layer).

The epidermis itself divides into five layers: the basal layer, the thorny layer, the granular layer, the clear layer and finally on the surface the horny layer.

To fulfill its primary function, the skin is constantly regenerating itself through cell division. The cells produced at the level of the basal layer gradually migrate to the upper layers up to the stratum corneum and then detach in the form of scales, this is what is called the desquamation process. This is a completely normal process but it can also result in direct damage to the skin (sunburn, use of detergents) or be a sign of an immune system disorder (allergy, eczema, infectious disease ).

However, the scales accumulate gradually on the surface of the skin and with age the process of desquamation is more ready, it is then necessary to carry out regular exfoliation.

The exfoliation will then rid the epidermis of dead cells, clean the pores of pollution, sebum and other impurities, and thus allow the skin to breathe again. Results, better penetration of active ingredients and care products, softer skin, and a luminous complexion!

Different types of exfoliators

1- physical exfoliation

When we talk about exfoliation we think directly of physical exfoliation, this is the case of Passion Fruit Exfoliating Body Soap, i.e. the use of small granules with properties abrasives found in many natural everyday products such as:

• Sea salt filled with minerals for healthy skin, perfect for a nice boost!

• Cane sugar which melts on contact with the skin while hydrating it for a gentle exfoliation.

• Coffee or coffee grounds rich in antioxidants and minerals, which exfoliate, tighten tissues and improve micro-circulation for healthy skin. Used on the thighs, it is also a good anti-cellulite.

• The ideal charcoal powder for oily skin, it purifies the skin by eliminating impurities, toxins and excess sebum.

• Dried ground leaves such as rooibos, nettle or seaweed with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that exfoliate while soothing the skin.

• The seeds or stones of crushed fruits such as avocado, apricot, blackberry, raspberry, or papaya effectively eliminate dead cells and restore tone and radiance.

However, be careful with sensitive skin because some physical exfoliators could be very or even too abrasive.

2- Chemical exfoliation

It can also be chemical exfoliation, which dissolves dead skin cells without rubbing it. This is the case with AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) or BHAs (beta hydroxy acids) both from plants or from milk.

3- Enzymatic exfoliation

This method relies on the use of enzymes naturally present in certain fruits for a deep but gentle exfoliation, ideal for all skin types, even the most sensitive. Thanks to their proteolytic action, the enzymes will dissolve the keratin (a protein) present in dead cells. These will then lose cohesion and eventually detach from the epidermis.

Among these enzymes we can cite, for example, bromelain from pineapple, papain from papaya or ficin contained in fig.

4- Mechanical exfoliation

Finally, it is also possible to exfoliate your skin using objects with a more or less abrasive surface in addition to your liquid / solid soap or your usual makeup remover, it can be for example, brushes, Kessa gloves or horsehair, pumice stones or Konjac sponges.

The Passion Fruit Exfoliating Body Soap from Druide® Laboratories

Thanks to the action of dried Rooibos leaves, with antioxidant and anti-aging properties, Passion Fruit Exfoliating Body Soap deeply cleanses and exfoliates the skin. You will appreciate its dense foam and the synergy of fragrances with refreshing and invigorating notes. It is recommended to use it preferentially on the legs and feet because of the strong abrasive power of rooibos leaves.

To be used daily 1 to 2 times a week, this soap will be perfect in the shower, after a day at the beach or to prepare the skin before waxing which will get rid of dead cells and thus facilitate hair grip.

Usage tips

No matter which exfoliant you choose, you should read the instructions carefully. Indeed, a too regular exfoliation and not adapted to your type of skin, could damage your epidermis and have the opposite effects to those sought.

In general, it is advisable to use a face and body exfoliant once or twice a week depending on the need felt. Also, for better effectiveness, an exfoliation should always be preceded by cleansing the skin and should also always be followed by good hydration. For this you can find our different cleansing and moisturizing products from the BioLove Facial Care, BioLove Body Care, Pur&Pure or Goat's Milk collections.

It should be noted, however, that exfoliating products are not miracle products, and the results will not be visible if they are not accompanied by a healthy lifestyle. Namely, hydrate and drink at least 1.5 L of water daily, avoid eating too much fat, too much sugar and too much salt, protect yourself from the sun or even do not smoke.

What about you?

We hope this article has taught you more about the importance of regular exfoliating skin and answered your questions about the choice of exfoliator for different parts of the body and your skin type.

Please feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of this article. We always appreciate your feedback and are curious about your feelings about our products.

And you, have you already tested our Exfoliating Body Soap Passion Fruit? Did you like it? How did you find its effectiveness?

Written by: Laurène Michaud