The best natural ingredients to exfoliate your skin

The best natural ingredients to exfoliate your skin

Posted by Rebecca Hopkins on

If your goal is a brighter, clearer and healthier complexion, exfoliating should be a regular step in your skincare routine. Keep reading to discover the natural ingredients we recommend for optimal exfoliation without damaging your skin’s barrier.

There are two main types of exfoliants, physical and chemical.

Physical Exfoliants

Physical exfoliants are made of particles that physically rub against your skin’s surface to slough them off. Walnut, pumice and apricot pits should be avoided as they can scratch and damage your skin. Microbeads are obviously avoided (and banned in most countries) due to their environmental impact. Instead go for much smoother ingredients like very fine oat powder to restore your radiance.

Oat Powder – the finely milled oat powder gently cleanses and removes dead skin cells. Oats also contain water-binding polysaccharides and hydrocolloids that create a protective barrier to help keep the skin from loosing excess water. We’ve used fine oat powder in our radiance restoring, antioxidant rich Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm.

Chemical Exfoliants

Chemical exfoliants dissolve the bonds that holds cells together, so dead skin cells on the top layers of your skin are washed away. This process reveals healthy skin and allows your skincare products to penetrate deeper into your skin.

AHAs

AHA, or alpha hydroxy acid, is actually a category of ingredients derived from plant sources or milk. They are often used in anti-ageing skincare and for helping congested skin. See below for the different types of AHAs:

Lactic Acid – This acid is naturally derived from milk or plants and is a very gentle form of AHA. It can be gentle enough to exfoliate sensitive skin.

Glycolic Acid – A powerful exfoliant, its perfect for deep congestion and restoring radiance to dull skin.

Citric and Malic Acid – Derived from fruit, these acids work on the top layer of your skin to smooth, soothe blemishes and address signs of ageing.

Our triple action AHA Glow Mask using a powerful blend of glycolic, lactic and malic fruit acids for maximum efficacy, restoring radiance and deeply purifying.

BHAs

BHA, or beta hydroxy acid, is a category of ingredients normally referring to salicylic acid. It’s an oil loving acid that can penetrate deep into your pores and help dissolve the mix of sebum and dead skin that results in blackheads, whiteheads and breakouts.

Our leave-on BHA Exfoliating Concentrate is formulated with willow bark, a natural salicylic acid to help skin shed dead skin cells and clear pores.

PHAs

PHAs or polyhydroxy acids, are much gentler than other exfoliating acids so can be used on sensitive skin. They have a larger molecular weight so penetrate the skin at a much slower weight and don’t travel as deep as AHAs or BHAs. Instead, they work on the surface to reveal softer, smoother skin and a more even skin tone.

Our PHA Clarifying Mist is a gentle daily treatment formulated to help tackle shine, calm breakouts and hydrate skin.

Please Note: when using exfoliators, always follow with a hydrating serum and moisturiser to help protect your skin’s barrier.

Need help or advice? Book a free skin consultation with one of our team.

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