Smooth Criminal
Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
Yesssssssss. Ya just gotta love that feeling of touching that smooooooth i-wanna-eat-it skin. Or that gloooowing gotta-touch-it, i-want it skin.
Some people are just so blessed. They eat all the junk, they never exercise, they drink, they smoke, they don’t sleep and yet… everything looks like it functions just fine. Or like those people who can manage to pack on unbelieveable pounds and still be alive long enough to get a reality show, while the gym bunny, who is slimmer than you are, is diagnosed with ‘normal weight obesity’ and is now living at the doctor’s office ’cause she’s at a “fatal risk for heart disease”. Yes, genetics a b!tch on a rocket stick.
Our skin is constantly shedding (skin cell turnover) cells and replacing them with new ones. It is the fresh new, hydrated and well nourished cells that impart this glow, and the dead skin cells that are just hanging around that can contribute to a dull sallow look on body. Skin cell turnover occurs naturally but slows down with age, and by ‘with age’ it is meant 25 years old or so.
…
…*crickets*…
…
Some of us are in the peak of the turnover party… yeeaaah!… Cherish it. For some of us memories of that mosh pit are a tad spotty but thankfully there are ways that we can assist our body in doing it’s thing and achieving this sexy glow by means of ~ Body Exfoliation.
In general exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells and can result in
~ Healthier skin complexion and clarity
~ Unclogs follicles and pores allowing skin to ‘breathe’ better and for better penetration of moisturizers, lotions and serums
~ Improves skin texture and makes it smoother (aka mas sexy!)
~ Other skin function such as stimulating skin’s overall functions, increasing circulation, energizing superficial lymphatic flow and stimulates nerve endings…
That’s a lot of stimulation right thuurr! 
… but that’s another topic
Now, this process of removing dead cells can be done manually or chemically.
Manual exfoliation stimulates circulation and involves the use of physical force (like rubbing) for example using a dry brush, mitts, loofahs, and a whole host of natural substances like salt (detoxifies skin), sugar (moisturizes skin), cornmeal and ground coffee (said to be good to help minimize the look of cellulite) mixed with water, oils or creams. Most of these natural substances can already be found in your home and *secret* ~ are the ingredients that are often used in high end Spas for that ‘natural’ experience. Makes you think!
In chemical exfoliation an ingredient(s) or ‘chemical(s)’ in the product (acids or enzymes) do the work and no physical rubbing is required as the ingredient itself dissolves the dead skin cells. A little creepy sounding but it works amazingly well. Some of these acids/ enzymes are found in common fruits such as papaya/paw paw, strawberries and pineapple. (food.Yum!) A common chemical exfoliation not found in food is salicylic acid, which usually found in acne treatment products.
Along with a healthy diet and lifestyle (ever realize how many times you hear that? lol) regular exfoliation (once or twice a week) is a great way to achieve softer, healthier, more touchable skin. However there are some precautions that should be taken when adopting a exfoliating regime for the body like avoid use on:
~ open wounds
~ surgical procedures where skin should not be moved
~ sensitive areas like varicose veins, open wounds, infection or inflammation
~ sunburns (see Sunkissed beauty)
Additionally salt and other exfoliates that dissolve (like sugar) should not be used immediately after waxing as this can potentially irritate skin. Aggressive exfoliation, involving larger, sharper, non-circular granules like cornmeal & ground coffee should be avoided on sensitive skin. And by all means in the excitement of having goddess skin do not over-exfoliate or rub too hard or fast (thank goodness I’m sharing this as a verbally cause I’m cracking to hell up) as over exfoliation can damage your skin and can lead to scarring in skin that is prone to hyper-pigmentation (or darkening)… so easy on the rubbing.
You know you want to. Go get your grind on.
POSSIBLY RELATED GC POSTS
Sunkissed beauty
Exfoliating vs. Peeling
Fact Sheet: Microdermabrasion
Mood busters: Brillo pads
Q/A: Cracked Skin!
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