www.womanthismonth.com April 2016 60 BEAUTY | review When it comes to skin care, the most basic and effective practice is what’s been described as the three-step process of cleanse, tone and moisturise. But if the first step itself is not done right, the other two may have little success. While regular skin cleansing is clearly beneficial, another absolute must when it comes to skin care is regular exfoliation. Whether you have dry, normal, oily or sensitive skin, exfoliation can bring new life to your complexion. Our skin regenerates itself constantly – in a typical 30-day period, a cell should make its way from the deep layers to the epidermis, that is the skin’s outermost shell. However, factors like age, pollution, diet and weather can contribute to dead cells not shedding themselves naturally. These cells clog your pores and create blockages, wreaking havoc for your skin. That’s where exfoliation becomes really important. The practice accomplishes a few things at once: it decongests pores, evens out complexion and brightens the skin and allows other products (like serums and moisturisers) to penetrate more deeply and therefore be more effective. Acne-prone skin sheds more cells than other skin types, but the cells do not fall away. Instead, they stick to the skin, clogging pores and hair follicles. As this dead cell debris builds, the skin produces excess sebum – which leads to blackheads and blemishes. Hence, contrary to many people’s belief, exfoliation is really important to manage and prevent acne. HOW TO EXFOLIATE What type of exfoliation best suits you depends on your complexion, health and the sensitivity of your skin. The two methods of exfoliation are chemical and physical. Chemical exfoliation can vary in its degree of abrasion and cost, from mild toners all the way up to dermatological peels that could cost up to a few hundred dinars. For physical exfoliation, there are a number of different products available in the market and their constituents can range from fruit seeds (apricot), nut shells (walnut), salt or sugar, chemicals, acids, ingredients that ‘digest’ your dead skin cell, circular exfoliates (jojoba beads) to grounds nuts, grains and even flours. Time to Scrub Up! Though hair and nails are in effect dead cells, we wouldn’t want to be without them. However, there are some less attractive areas of dead stuff that must be done away with. Ankita Mamgain looks at the hows and whys of exfoliation. Abrasive over-scrubbing is not healthy and a thing of past. It scratches, tears and rips your skin. No matter how tiny the abrasions, they damage your skin and accelerate aging. One should avoid any products that contain
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