Peel, Baby, Peel

Where to begin?

The key to glowing, smooth skin is regular exfoliation, that is, accelerating our skin cell turnover cycle so that our old, dead skincells are rubbed away and new, fresh skin is revealed underneath!

Exfoliation is a fickle game, however. Too little exfoliation and you're left with rough, textured skin. Too much exfoliation, well, your skin barrier gets destroyed and your skin left red and irritated.

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What is Exfoliation?

Let's take a look at what the experts say.

One way to look at it is to think of exfoliation as a deep cleanse of skin. A regular double cleansing routine with oil and foaming cleansers will do their job of purifying the skin of any oils, sebum, and dirt, but a good exfoliating product will help breakdown those dead skin cells and debris built up deep within the skin overtime.

“Exfoliating helps buff away dead skin cells and leaves skin looking smoother and more radiant,”
Patricia Farris, MD

Moreover, an exfoliator will increase the absorption power of any and all the ampoules and serums you want your skin to soak in, making their ingredients' more effective.

There are a few different ways you can go about exfoliation.

Physical Exfoliators

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Here's one we don't really recommend: physical exfolators. Physical exfoliation involves scrubbing the skin with small, rough particles to remove dead skin cells. While this does technically work, the side effects can be regrettable.

Using a face scrub with tiny beads or nut particles can create tiny micro-tears in the skin that can leave it vulnerable to pollutants and bacteria that can cause acne. “Physical exfoliators that use rough or larger particles to exfoliate are too harsh for the skin and can actually cause micro-tears at the skin’s surface,” says Corey L. Hartman, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist and Founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, AL.

Using a harsh scrub may not be the best thing for your skin. We suggest two alternatives.

Gommage Exfoliators

'Gommage', which translates to 'erasing' in French, is a sort of mish-mash of physical and chemical exfoliation. It is the gentle alternative to otherwise harsh scrubbing or harsh chemical actives for those with sensitive skin.

Most gommage peels today combine a variety of ingredients to exfoliate the skin chemically with enzymes and through gentle scrubbing. Safer and more sensitive, the gommage technique will clear away just as many dead skin cells to leave the skin brighter and softer.

Gommage peels typically contain one of several enzymes that they break down the proteins of dead skin cells to easily remove them.

Papain (Papaya Enzymes)
Bromelain (Pineapple Enzymes)
Pancreatin (Enzymes from the pancreas of pigs and cows)
Trypsin (Enzymes found in animal intestines)

Our own gommage peel contains two of these enzymes.

Daily Botanicals Enzyme Peel

OxygenCeuticals' Daily Botanicals Enzyme Peel is our own gommage-type peel made up of Pineapple and Papaya enzymes. The gommage format is activated by water to gently remove dead surface skin cells and even out skin tone for a radiant complexion.

The enyzmes inside the peel gently break down the skin's dead cells while gentle rubbing helps to push all of the debris out. This combination makes this a great a option for those with sensitive skin who still want the benefits of exfoliation.

The formula for our Daily Botanicals Enzyme Peel contains:

Pineapple Fruit Extracts: Exfoliates and purifies the skin.
Papaya Fruit Extracts: Exfoliates and tightens pores.
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract: Enhances the skin's defense barrier

"Never found a product that really exfoliated my skin and removed the dead cells off my face. But holy moly I used this and the dead skin was literally cleared away. The fragrance is just perfect, and the feeling is so delicate yet effective. LOVE IT"
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To use the Daily Botanicals Enzyme Peel:

After toner, apply adequate amount onto dry face or neck.
Let sit for 30s-1m
Gently rub for 1-2m
Rinse with lukewarm water.

Chemical Exfoliators

To break it down, chemical exfoliators are acids that melt down dead skin cells or accelerate the skin's turnover rate to speed up skin cell shedding.

Chemical exfoliators with super strong acid concentrations are generally used in clinics to literally 'peel' dead skin off. You've probably seen the crazy photos of celebrities getting such treatments.

Other chemical peels contain much weaker concentrations and can be bought over the counter to safely peel and exfoliate your skin at home, getting the same results over time.

These peels usually contain one or both of the two following types of acids:

AHA (Alpha-Hydroxy Acids), like Lactic and Glycolic Acids, are water-soluble and penetrate the surface of the skin to exfoliate dead cells and promote cell turnover.
BHA (Beta-Hydroxy Acids), like Salicylic Acid, on the other hand, are oil-soluble, thus penetrate much deeper layers of the skin to declog pores and reduce the causes of blackheads and acne.

Double Peel

OxygenCeuticals' Double Peel is a Glycolic Acid Peel formulated with an optimal ratio of 24.5% AHA and 0.5% BHA. This AHA/BHA partnership helps both break down surface level skin cells while also deep cleansing the pores with minimal irritation. Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid (AHA) exfoliate the skin while Salicylic Acid (BHA) melts sebum and oils to regulate sebum secretion and prevent skin troubles. The additional ingredient, Panthenol, works to soothe and moisturize the skin.

Your skin will be left looking brighter and feeling softer after just one use.

*"This peel is so gentle and doesn't sting. I have super sensitive skin and my skin felt great during and after the peel application."*
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To use the Double Peel:

After toner, apply an adequate amount on the skin (stay away from the eyes area).
Let sit (For Normal Skin: 1-2min / For Oily Skin: 2-3min)
Rinse off with lukewarm water.

Oxygen Scaling

And last, but not least (and definitely one of my favorites), is Oxygen Scaling.

Oxygen Scaling is used in every single one of OxygenCeuticals' Oxygen Therapy Protocols as an essential step to skin recovery following a skincare procedure.

Scaling the skin with pure oxygen cleanses and purifies the pores before and after a treatment as a way to reduce the risk of infection. This deep cleansing of the skin doesn't just end with a clean, squeaky feeling however.

Infusing oxygen into the skin has several benefits. Like with exfolation, infusing oxygen into the skin helps our skin create cells at a faster pace. New cells help speed up the healing of acne scars, sun spots, and other blemishes.

OxygenCeuticals' Oxygen Scaling decreases the skin's temperature and thereby reduces post-procedure pain and swelling. It helps to even up skin tone to diminish the appearance of scars and hyperpigmentation. And it helps to soothe damaged skin for a faster recovery!

To get into one of these incredible Oxygen Treatments, email coizintl@gmail.com to request help with finding an affiliated spa near you!