on dry skin and exfoliation
So often in the wintertime we hear clients complaining that their skin is dry. Dry skin is, of course, not unusual for this time of year, and especially in the DMV, where it tends to be pretty windy. But I have found that oftentimes that complaint stems from a completely different issue: exfoliation.
People are afraid to over-exfoliate in the winter because skin can sometimes be sensitized by the colder temperatures and higher wind speeds, but if you’re not taking off that top layer of dry, flaky skin, your serums, oils, and moisturizers are simply sitting on top of the skin, useless, and your skin can start to look dull. Furthermore, your foundation and concealer won’t go on as smoothly, making you look and feel that most dreaded of all makeup adjectives: “cakey.”
There are so many great ways to exfoliate–there’s a style for every person! Enzymatic (acid) exfoliation is when a plant-derived acid (like malic from apples, lactic from a variety of different plant fermentations, or glycolic from sugarcane) is used to eat away the dead skin, Pac Man-style. We adore the Jack Black Deep Dive Glycolic Facial Cleanser, which uses kaolin clay and volcanic ash to purify, and glycolic acid to loosen the dry flakes.
Physical exfoliation refers to the use of a scrub (find one with spherical beads, to avoid micro-tearing the skin) or an exfoliation brush, like the Clarisonic or the Dermalogica Exfoliating Face Brush. For a double-dose of exfoliation, to make use of both kinds, we love the M. Steves RHSO Power-Packed Reviving Exfoliator, which uses a combination of citrus extracts and a microdermabrasion powder made of walnut shell.
If you’ve chatted with me in the shop, you know how much I love to exfoliate. But it’s also such an important aspect of proper skin care, and one that’s so easy to get into. Don’t waste your serum investment on skin that just won’t let it in!
