Exfoliant - what is it? Cream mask “Bark” with fruit acids

Hello everyone!

If the mask dries out, you can spray it with ice spray or thermal water(tonic).

After the time has passed, wash it off)


And although the photograph does not convey the difference, it is there and palpable. Before the mask, I plucked the hairs between my eyebrows. there was redness. The paste calmed this irritated area.


My T-zone is prone to breakouts. She's fat. Those with oily skin (pressors) will understand me perfectly - when you squeeze an area of ​​oily skin, a “bump” may come out. So the mask absorbs this excess sebum (nothing is squeezed out anymore, and you don’t want to squeeze).

I also noticed a slight narrowing of the pores.

With regular use, exfoliant paste Oxygen balance can really transform your skin.

COMPOUND:


Among the usefulness I will highlight:

white clay kaolin,

deep sea algae powder

zinc oxide,

fireweed extract,

lactic acid

Well, as I already wrote above, this paste very much reminded me of its predecessor, the “Instant Beauty” triple-action mask, which I took more than once.

The products are very similar in appearance. Can't tell the difference. I even forgot where something)))

They are also similar in action. But packaging in a tube is much more convenient and aesthetically pleasing than a jar:


So thanks to the manufacturers). It seems to me that they changed the natural ingredients, added something, but the mask (sorry, paste) did not become any worse. Anyone who wants to compare the compositions can look at the ingredients of the "Instant Beauty" mask

Let me summarize). It's positive. The exfoliant paste pleased me both with its volume and packaging, and with its effect. Now I have a fat-absorbing paste and a nourishing mask (oil with clay) for oily skin. I love both products dearly and they will last me a long time)


In the fall I’ll switch to my favorite “Prolixir”, but while it’s still warm I’m happy to use the new line).

Take care of your skin) and it will please you with its condition)

With love - Kuzik)

Modern cosmetology offers us many means for effective care for the skin of the face and body. Thus, drugs aimed at exfoliating the skin are popular.

They are called by the mysterious word “exfoliants”. They will be discussed further.

In this article:

Difference from peeling

Known about exfoliant, what is it a product that is used in the process of cleansing the top dead layer of skin through exfoliation. Special particles in its composition make it possible to mechanically remove the so-called “skin” of dead cells.

Such drugs do not leave marks on the skin, do not spoil its integrity, and also provide the opportunity to split or dissolve the stratum corneum.

The active component in the composition corrodes and dissolves the upper layer of the dermis, passing through dead cells to the basal structure of the skin, where new cells are formed.

At first this effect was needed in the solution dermatological problems, when it was necessary to reach living cells through old flaky skin. The same result was of interest to cosmetology, which started using exfoliating exfoliants to rejuvenate and cleanse the face and body.

What is the difference between peelings and exfoliants? And are they different at all? The concept of “peeling” literally means “cleaning”, “cleansing”. The term refers to the direct function of cleansing the skin. Any type of peeling, mechanical, chemical, bio, is aimed at removing dead skin cells. An exfoliant is not a peeling, but a means for carrying it out..

Exfoliants are usually divided into the following categories:

  • Mechanical;
  • Acidic;
  • Acid-free;
  • Enzymatic.

Mechanical agents are scrubs. They include large abrasive particles and have a very intense effect. Like sandpaper, the products remove dead cells from the surface without affecting the processes inside it. Therefore, due to the use of scrubs, regeneration processes are not accelerated.

Exfoliants with acids of lactic or fruit origin work “from the bottom up”. Getting into the skin, they dissolve and eliminate dead cells, providing high-quality cleansing.

These drugs accelerate skin restoration processes, so it renews itself faster.

Acid-free exfoliants work in the same way as previous products. The main difference is that aggressive acids are replaced with more gentle components, for example, cereal and plant extracts. The compositions act carefully and carefully. This a good option for mature skin care, since its sensitivity grows over the years, and it is easier to injure it.

As the name suggests, enzymatic exfoliants are so called because of the enzymes they contain. They act in the same way as scrubs, but they rejuvenate the skin better, since they significantly accelerate cell restoration processes.

Exfoliant composition

The active substances in exfoliants are AHA and BHA, alpha and beta hydroacids, respectively. The names seem complicated, but in fact we are talking about drugs that have long been used and popular in cosmetology.

  • AHAs are water-soluble acids. The most famous among them are glycolic and milk. In addition, apple, lemon, and wine are used.
  • BHA is a well-known salicylic acid. This component is not water-soluble, but it penetrates well through fat barriers into the deeper layers.

For cleansing, both individual acids and their combinations can be used, taking into account the type and condition of the skin and the desired result. The concentration of reagents plays an important role in this process. So, an exfoliant can be one of the components of the product, listed on its packaging as “peeling”, and used for chemical or combined facial cleansing.

How to use a facial exfoliant

When using exfoliant creams for the face, follow these recommendations:

  • Products with acids can be used no more than twice a day. Unlike many other similar drugs, they are allowed to be used on the skin around the eyes, avoiding only the eyelids themselves. If the product contains hydroacids, it is better to first apply tonic or micellar water to the skin. Here we wrote, . This will improve the penetrating capabilities of the active substances. There may be slight discomfort in the form of tingling, but it will pass quickly.
  • Pay attention to your skin's reaction. If after using an exfoliant it becomes irritated and red, this means that the product is not suitable for you. Then it is worth choosing a product with other acids or a lower concentration.
  • Paste-like products are easy to use. What is an exfoliant paste? This is a thick texture exfoliator that is similar in use to a regular mask, but cleanses at much deeper levels.
  • Facial exfoliant is especially useful in the summer. It creates a kind of protective barrier on the skin, preventing the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation on it. But don't overdo it, especially if your skin is young. In this case, having lost the upper layers, the coda will become too tender and vulnerable.
  • It is recommended to steam the skin before using an exfoliant. This way it will better absorb the substances. The exfoliant is applied to the face and neck according to massage lines. After a couple of minutes it will dry out and a kind of soft crust will appear. By removing it, you remove dead cells from the skin.

How to use on the body

Body exfoliant is also very popular to use. Most often, such products include fruit acids that cleanse the skin and stimulate cell production.

The composition can be applied to problem areas body to eliminate cellulite and tighten the skin. This is achieved due to the activation of blood circulation, the massage effect and the improvement of metabolic processes.

As a result, regular use of body exfoliants makes it possible to improve skin health and significantly improve its appearance.

They are extremely easy to use. First, the skin is cleansed (you can take a bath or a warm shower), then the selected product is applied. You must wait at least seven minutes after application.. You will find the exact information in the instructions for the purchased exfoliant. It is recommended to wash off the composition with warm water.





Contraindications and precautions

Exfoliant cream or paste should be used wisely and sparingly. It is worth considering a number of contraindications to their use. So, mechanical scrubs and exfoliants cannot be used in the following cases:

  • Allergy to one of the components of the product;
  • The location of the capillaries is very close to the surface of the skin;
  • Acne and severe inflammation requiring treatment.
  • Microtraumas that damage the value of the skin.

Mechanical exfoliation should not be carried out on very thin and sensitive skin, since even the smallest abrasives can injure it. Exfoliation is a procedure suitable for normal, combination and...

Chemical exfoliants cannot be used in such conditions.:

  • A number of forms of molluscum contagiosum;
  • Presence of papillomas and warts;
  • Psoriasis or eczema;
  • Active form of herpes;
  • Recent tanning or sunburn;
  • The presence of microtraumas, damage to the integrity of the integument.
  • Allergic reactions, individual intolerance to components.

The frequency of use of exfoliants depends on your skin type.

If it is oily or combination, use the composition a maximum of three times a week. For normal type, reduce this amount to twice every seven days. But for those who are sensitive, it is worth choosing a gentle alternative to rough cleansing and using the product no more often than once every two weeks.

When choosing an exfoliant, consider your skin type and condition. The more sensitive it is, the milder the product used should be. Otherwise, you risk not improving the condition of the dermis, but only aggravating existing problems.

Useful video

Exfoliant emulsion with glycolic acid 15% Académie Scientifique de Beauté.

In contact with

The abundance of cleansers in cosmetic lines can puzzle even an experienced dermatologist. There is a certain fashion for the names and composition of the contents of the tubes. Translation difficulties only complicate the choice, because the inscription does not always have a Russian-language description. Are there any significant differences between exfoliants and other products?

Strictly speaking, exfoliation is the process of cleansing the superficial dying cell layer of the skin through exfoliation. On the jars they wrote peeling; the lack of a Russian analogue for this word allowed all “exfoliating” products to be called peelings. This composition contains particles that allow you to remove the “skin” from unnecessary cells mechanically.

  • Scrubs made it with seeds and ground shells, grains, sugar, which was not at all suitable for delicate facial skin.
  • Exfoliants do not leave mechanical marks, do not violate the integrity of the integument and allow the dissolution or breakdown of keratinized cells.

This is a kind of homemade version, so it has its own advantages, features and disadvantages.

The active substance in the exfoliant corrodes the upper layers of the skin, dissolves them, penetrates through the dead stratum corneum closer to the basal structure of the skin, which forms new cells.

This effect was originally required for the treatment of dermatological problems in order to reach living cells through the layers of flaky old skin. Cosmetology quickly adopted this fact and figured out how to use it.

Exfoliants' capabilities as chemical agents are useful in the right hands. Amateurs and novices are capable of causing harm when armed with “heavy artillery.”

AHA and BHA are used as active substances - alpha and beta hydroxy acids.

These names hide familiar and frequently used preparations in cosmetics.

  • – these are water-soluble acids, the most popular are lactic and glycolic; citric, malic and tartaric acids are also used in cosmetology.
  • BHA is salicylic acid, it does not dissolve in water, but easily passes through the sebum in the pores and the lipid barrier.

When cleansing the skin, specific acids or a mixture of them can be used. Naturally, different types Various acids help solve skin problems. The concentrations of reagents play a significant role in this process. Of course, an exfoliant can be included in a tube labeled “peeling” and used for chemical and combined facial cleansing.

Choose by skin type

It’s not difficult to choose “your” acid; it’s more difficult to find a competent and honest specialist who you can safely trust with your face.

Helps care for problematic, oily skin. Blackheads won't stop her. Thick and uneven skin reacts worse to BHA; dry and irritable skin with incorrect or high concentrations during chemical peeling risks serious burns. However, BHA passes through the multi-layered skin flakes and is a vehicle for other drugs.

It is often included not only in antibacterial complexes, but also in anti-dandruff and anti-psoriasis formulations.

AHAs are suitable for cleansing normal to dry skin, sensitive, dry, and prone to pigmentation. At the same time, they affect the degree of skin hydration, its elasticity, ability to regenerate and increase sun protection properties.

There is also such a variant of AHA as PHA (a complex of lactic and), it is also called polyhydroxy acid). It has a gentler effect on the skin and does not cause an allergic reaction. However, the “renewal” of the skin and the degree of penetration will be somewhat lower due to the larger structure.

Shades of cleansing

In addition to the concentrations and peeling systems recommended by manufacturers, there are proprietary methods of cosmetologists. These variations literally “at random” and “by eye” strengthen or weaken the composition so that the peeling is suitable for a specific skin type.

Cosmetic concerns also love experiments, and since they are afraid of a “negative” reaction, they use bases close to exfoliants.

The skin reaction will be softer, and the result will be far from expected.

Cleansers. Therefore, it is important to understand when investments will not bring results. For example, “washes” with AHA and BHA are useless.

  • Firstly, in liquid form there is a risk of eye irritation.
  • Secondly, the time of contact with the skin itself and the concentration of the substance will be so small that they simply will not be able to act.

Absorbable agents. Therefore, you can only “believe” in gels and creams, and in the case of salicylic acid, also in lotions with this component. If there is a pronounced problem of acne, dermatologists may recommend the use of 2% salicylic lotions, if they are not available oily skin you can easily get by with a cream or gel with 1% salicylic acid.

The cream manages to “work” enough and penetrate as deeply as possible without harming the skin.

Salicylic acid reduces acne in the form of a lotion: at a higher concentration, it manages to pass the lipid barrier and inside the pores it extinguishes inflammation and reduces bacterial activity.

Peeling with AHA or BHA will be more effective than just a scrub composition. The peculiarity of the application is that the acid works only with the area of ​​keratinized or dead cells, which with age cease to self-clean as quickly and begin to serve as a crust for new skin.

  • Therefore, “in its neglected” form, the difference between “before” and “after” will be obvious.
  • With good care, the contrast will not be as bright, but the effect will last longer. Sometimes it takes several days for a correct assessment.

Studying the composition

Concentration is what you need to focus on with acids:

  • for alpha acids the working range is 5-10% at skin pH 3-4,
  • for beta acid – 1-2% at skin pH 3.

At a high pH level, acids become inactive and give a weaker effect.

A higher concentration of acids can give a temporarily high skin tone, which quickly subsides and is replaced by a “faded” appearance. Such “elasticity” sometimes turns out to be allergic edema, and can also result in a burn, the treatment of which will require a lot of effort.

When purchasing finished products in packaging, you are unlikely to find a mark indicating the actual concentration. Therefore, be guided by the place in the list of ingredients.

  • AHAs should be looked for in the first 3-5 components;
  • salicylic acid may be somewhere in the middle of the list - given its working concentration, this will be enough;
  • BHA is a derivative of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) and has similar anti-inflammatory properties;
  • but the willow bark from which it is extracted has low anti-inflammatory properties, so it is naive to judge its effectiveness or believe that it will give the effect of salicylic acid.

As for ANAs, they work only in their structural combinations. No other “similar”, “primary sources”, “derivatives” have them beneficial properties, so you need to look for these names on the label:

  • Glycolic acid – glycolic acid.
  • Lactic acid - lactic acid.
  • Gluconoalactone - PHA.
  • Citric acid - citric acid.
  • Malic acid – malic acid.
  • Tartaric acid - tartaric acid.

Application in practice

Hydroxy acids can be used on the face as part of creams 1-2 times a day. It is allowed to apply ANA to the skin around the eyes, avoiding the eyelids themselves so that the product does not get into the eyes. You need to use a cream or gel with hydroxy acid after the toner, lotion or micellar water has dried. There may be some slight tingling and redness, which should go away quickly.

Both types of acids help the skin develop a protective filter mechanism against sun rays. According to some studies, it helps prevent and treat skin cancer. At the same time, exposing the unprepared young skin layer, they do not give it such immunity. That is, it does not solve the problem entirely.

Therefore, the use of exfoliants must be combined with substances that have an ultraviolet filter, regardless of the season and solar activity.

Retinol and hydroacids

Retinoids are often confused with hydroxy acids, in the belief that they also exfoliate the skin. The removal of scales is an undesirable effect of using products with retinol and its derivatives. The intent of using retinol is for anti-aging benefits, but dryness and flaking indicate improper use.

Exfoliants form the basis of proper anti-aging care. The point of such a system is to prolong the health and youth of the skin in natural ways, without stress and alternative options (laser or plastic methods).

Of course, there are many more secrets to glowing skin, but your own reflection will speak louder than words. Long-term adherence to a specific technique will make you look younger than your peers and increase self-esteem with the results. The main thing is to be attentive to yourself and your skin.

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There is probably not a single woman in the world who would not like to have a well-groomed and beautiful appearance. There are so many skin care products sold in stores that it’s easy to get lost in all the jars and tubes. Moreover, it became possible to use it at home professional cosmetics, where next to the familiar word “scrub” the word “peeling” appears, and the effect of both products is similar at first glance. Let’s try to figure out together how peeling differs from scrub and whether it is different, and also what is behind the incomprehensible words “exfoliant” and “gommage” that can be found on packages of cosmetic products.

Video presentation of skin scrubs

Peeling: scraping in English

Exfoliation is the general name for the process of exfoliating skin cells. From time to time, the skin needs to be exfoliated, that is, the top layer consisting of old and dead cells is removed from it. This makes the skin smooth and soft, and begins to glow. In addition, after the peeling procedure, enhanced regeneration begins, and this produces a rejuvenating effect, increases elasticity and firmness.

A scrub will clean your skin like this brush

Mechanical peeling or scrub

You can force keratinized, dead cells to leave the surface of the skin different ways, the simplest of them is mechanical. Our great-grandmothers had only home remedies on hand, so they simply added fine salt to the cream and rubbed the skin with this mixture until it turned red. The grains of salt polished the skin like sandpaper, and the heavy cream made them glide easier.

A modern analogue of this product is called a scrub. Instead of cream, it contains cream or gel, and instead of salt, there are solid particles of natural or artificial origin (crushed fruit seeds, nut shells, wax granules, crushed coffee beans). The scrub is used once every two weeks, rubbing with a cotton pad into steamed skin for five minutes. The skin is polished, the pores open, the skin begins to “breathe” - all together this brings undoubted benefits.

Peeling with fruit acids dissolves dead skin cells

The scrub's little brother is chemical peeling.

Chemical peeling gives a similar result: the acids it contains lighten the skin, remove freckles and dark spots, polish scars. But acids can easily cause allergies, so chemical peeling products must be tested beforehand. To do this, they are applied to the crook of the arm and only the next day, depending on the skin reaction, a decision is made whether to apply it to the face.

Peeling also differs in appearance from a scrub: the solid particles in it are noticeably smaller in size, they almost do not scratch the skin and do not have a massage effect. The base of the product is watery and runny. Use it no more than once a month, when you want to thoroughly cleanse your skin. Unlike a scrub, chemical peeling is also suitable for thin, sensitive or aging skin.

Coffee scrubs are most often found on sale

When chemical peeling and scrubs are prohibited

Peeling and scrub are not used for skin diseases, irritation and fresh scars, as well as during any general illness due to the hypersensitivity of the epidermis. Both peeling and scrub are strictly forbidden to be applied to the area around the eyes, due to the fact that the skin there is very thin, delicate, without a fat layer. Those girls who, without heeding the advice, apply the drug to their eyelids will become closely acquainted with such a problem as inflammation and swelling.

Let's scrape it in the French way - gommage

Chemical peeling has another, more euphonious name - gommage. This is a French word that literally translates to “eraser.” This is probably a hint that peeling gommage, like an eraser, erases the top layer of skin from the face, and along with it wrinkles and other defects. But, no matter how tempting this promise may sound, reasonable people do not use this “eraser” more than once a month, despite the fact that some manufacturers indicate that the product they produce can be used almost daily.

Reasonable use of gommage makes the skin renewed, refreshed, and elastic. It improves the circulation of fluids, which increases sensitivity to creams and masks, which, after peeling, nourish and moisturize the skin with double activity.

Gommage - chemical peeling of the most delicate texture

Often gommages have a pleasant smell due to natural additives essential oils, which have a beneficial effect on the skin. Before applying the product, you can take a bath or warm shower to lightly steam the skin, then apply gommage to the face and neck along the massage lines. After a few minutes, the product will dry and form something like a soft crust. If you run your fingers over it, it will roll off your face along with the dead cells. Roll, avoiding stretching the skin; to do this, hold it with the fingers of your other hand.

If there are pustules on the skin, it is better not to roll off the gommage, but simply wash it off with water.

A word for those advanced in chemistry – exfoliant

There is another term that is not clear to everyone - exfoliant. Know that this is not a special product, but only the active substance of a chemical peel that is included in its composition. The gommage may contain one of the following exfoliants: malic, lactic, citric, salicylic, acetic acid or any other weak acids.

Apparently, the manufacturer himself does not understand what an exfoliant is and so calls the component of a regular scrub - amber

There is a third way to peel, that is, to get rid of dead cells on the surface of the skin. This is a series of hardware procedures - see other articles on our website.