Are you up to date with your skin exfoliation?

Exfoliation has been ingrained in skin health regimes throughout history. Dating right the way back to ancient civilisation. For example, Polynesian people would crush seashells and mix them with sand to make their own scrubs, whilst the Native American Indians used dried corncobs as a scrubbing tool. The Ancient Egyptians were great fans of exfoliating, with various tools, such as pumice stones for tough skin. They were also well known for using the first known liquid exfoliation, such as sour milk, which contained powerful levels of lactic acid. Cleopatra was famously known to bathe in the milk for hours. It is prevalent that exfoliation is an important part of human wellbeing and culture.

Our skin cell proliferation or the rate in which our skin renews itself slows down unfortunately, as we age. The Average cell mitosis cycle in a healthy skin is pinpointed at 28 days. From around age 30 this starts to decline due to oxidation, general biological aging, and environmental stressors. Exfoliating with the correct technique is crucial to keep your skin healthy for as long as possible. Benefits of exfoliation include – increased cell turnover, removal of dull/dead skin cells, replenishment of moisture, brightening of the skin’s complexion, refining of skin texture, removal of harmful debris and pathogens, balancing of the skin’s microbial barrier and better penetration of other skin applications!

Exfoliation should be performed on average 2x per week, up to 3 for a congested, thickened, or younger skin. As our cell division slows down due to aging, we need to adjust our frequency of exfoliation to avoid over stimulation. Between the age of 40-60 once a week is sufficient. From age 60 onwards once a fortnight is adequate.

When considering an exfoliation product, it's important to remember that our skin is constantly under stress from our environment and internal stressors. It may be inflamed without noticeable symptoms otherwise known as silent inflammation. The most effective and safe option is using an enzyme exfoliant as it gently encourages the skins natural cell renewal process and restores hydration for a more even, healthier skin. Nimue Exfoliating Enzyme has been one of our top sellers for many years and enjoyed even by the most sensitive of skins.

Enzymes are protein molecules that act as catalysts in biochemical reactions. This means they speed up the rate of chemical reactions in our bodies without being used up or changed themselves. In the same way naturally occurring digestive enzymes work to break down food, the enzymes used in Nimue break down and remove dead skin cells.

Additionally, Fruit enzymes are packed with antioxidants which neutralise free radicals and induce a healthy brighter glow. Once these dead skin cells are removed, you are left with brighter, smoother skin, free of blackheads, blemishes, and breakouts. 

Enzymatic exfoliation is gentler than traditional exfoliation such as AHA, BHA and mechanical/ scrub techniques, as it does not interfere with the skin’s natural pH balance or cause significant irritation. Using aggressive exfoliation can cause a negative feedback cycle within our skin creating an inflammatory cascade which dehydrates and inflames the skin, this can cause more dead skin build up due to abnormal keratinisation and can cause unhealthy sebaceous production, resulting in a rough, unbalanced complexion.

Some of the best enzymes you can use are Bromelain and Papain – these are jam packed into the Nimue Exfoliating Enzyme. Bromelain from Pineapple and Papain from Papaya sounds tasty right.

These are proteolytic enzymes that specifically hydrolyse the peptide bonds of proteins in the stratum corneum. They promote biological exfoliation and faster skin regeneration. Both enzymes also hold high amounts of anti-inflammatory compounds, amino acids, and antioxidants, crucial for healthy cell function.

Now that you know all the incredible benefits of adding Nimue Exfoliating Enzyme to your skin care routine talk to your Nimue Skin Coach a sample and how to use for your skin concerns.