Did you know harsh exfoliators and chemical peels can cause a fluctuation of harmful bacteria?
Our skin naturally goes through a cell renewal and regeneration process daily. By using harsh exfoliators or exfoliating excessively we remove all the dead skin cells and allow for toxins and harmful bacteria to enter the skin.
Why do we need to keep our skin's barrier intact?
During the skin's natural cell renewal process the base layer of your skin (Stratum spinosum) pushes up all the non-living cells to top layer (Stratum corneum). This means the top layer is mostly comprised of non-living skin cells. Chemical peels or excessive exfoliation aim to remove this "dead" skin layer.
Dead skin cells are the food source for surface bacteria so through too much exfoliation and scrubbing we’re removing the food source and allowing easy entry for toxins. This can disturb the microbiome of the skin.
These toxins can cause chronic conditions such as:
✗ Impaired lipid barrier; where the moisture and essential oils of our skin are completely depleted.
✗ Inflamed, itchy or dry skin, which can lead to acne, clogged pores and premature ageing.
What's the solution?
Keep exfoliation down to 1 - 2 times per week and when exfoliating with granular exfoliants, choose very gentle ones, perhaps with enzymes like our Enzyme Face Polish.