What is exfoliation?

Exfoliation simply means the removal of dead skin cells.

Why do I need to exfoliate?

On average, skin cells reproduce every month. Old cells die and new ones form. For a healthy glowing complexion, you should exfoliate regularly to loosen and remove the old dead skin cells. Exfoliation will remove flaky skin, unclog pores, prevent breakouts and leave you with a much brighter skin! Whereas, a lack of exfoliation will lead to dry, dehydrated, sensitive and dull skin.

How do I exfoliate?

There are two different types of exfoliation: physical or chemical. Both are effective but suited to different skin types.

Physical Exfoliation

Physical exfoliation means to physically scrub dead cells from the surface of your skin. A physical exfoliant is usually in the form of a scrub and can feel gritty or rough on your skin. They are perfect for removing dead skin cells, getting rid of flaky skin and for smoothing the surface of the skin. However, overuse of scrubs can cause redness, dehydration and sensitivities. They can irritate the top layer of skin so use with caution.

One physical exfoliant I’d recommend is the AlumierMD Lotus Scrub. This is a gentle scrub with a jelly like consistency, suited to all skin types. Massage around the skin for 60 seconds and rinse off. Use twice a week.

Chemical Exfoliation

Chemical exfoliation means to exfoliate with the use of acids or enzymes, for example, AHA’s or BHA’s. The chemicals break the bonds between skin cells so that old cells fall off and fresh, new cells form. They can go below the surface layer of the skin and remove impurities at a deeper level than a physical exfoliant. Chemical exfoliants also, have the ability to create changes to your skin on a cellular level.

While the term ‘chemical’ sometimes turns people off, I feel that these are often better options for sensitive skin as there’s no scrubbing involved. Often, they can be much less abrasive and irritating than a physical scrub. Most chemical exfoliants don’t involve rubbing or friction. Lots of these are actually natural chemicals derived from fruit or milk.

A chemical exfoliant can be in the form of a cleanser, serum, toner, moisturiser or peel treatment. For example, a glycolic acid cleanser or a lactic acid serum. However, different chemical acids suit different skins. So, it is very important to choose the correct one for your skin type. Overuse or using the wrong acid for your skin can cause irritations and sensitivity. Do seek advice before starting any chemical exfoliants.

One I love is the AlumierMD AHA Renewal Serum. This contains Lactic acid and is suited to most skin types. Lactic Acid gives a nice gentle exfoliation. It smoothes the surface of the skin, hydrates, brightens and exfoliates. This exfoliant is in the form of a leave-on serum. Apply every second night after cleansing the skin. Contact me to purchase this as it is not available online 🙂 

Maria x

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Use a gentle cleansing wash every night to wash away dead skin cells or any dirt or oil that has settled in the pores. Cleansing can help prevent breakouts, reduce any oily shine and leave a healthy, clear complexion.

My Choice: AlumierMD Purifying Gel Cleanser is a gel face wash suitable for most skins, especially an oily prone skin. Guys tend to like the texture of this wash, it is a gel which foams slightly. There are no perfumes or fragrances added. Morning and/or night, apply a small amount to a damp face, massage around for 60 seconds and then rinse it off with a damp facecloth. This will leave you with a fresh, clean face and remove any oils or dead cells on the surface of the skin. You can also use this as a shaving foam.

2. What is the best moisturizer for men?

I usually recommend an oil-free moisturiser or a light-weight moisturiser as most male skins are prone to oiliness. Also, the moisturiser you use in the mornings should contain an SPF (or suncream). Applying sun protection every day not only prevents against skin cancer, it also prevents premature ageing caused by UV rays eg lines, wrinkles or pigmentation to the skin.

My choice: Heliocare Water Gel SPF50. This is a nice lightweight moisturiser that won’t clog pores. It will give you protection against the UVA & UVB rays. A lot of SPF moisturisers leave an oily, greasy feel on the skin, however, this is light-weight and absorbs quickly. This is €35.

3. Do men need different skin products to women? 

No. A male skin requires the same skin ingredients as a female skin. Both need exfoliation, hydration, sun protection and oil control.

A lot of guys tend to go for ranges like ‘Nivea for men’ or ‘Loreal for men’. These skin ranges are different only in that they are specifically marketed towards men. However, most skincare lines are actually suited to men and women.  If you are unsure what products are best for your skin concerns feel free to get in contact.

I offer skin consultations either in-clinic or via skype or phone chat. A skin consultation involves a thorough skin analysis and advice on your skin routine. Or, if you would like to purchase any of the products mentioned above just drop me a message and I can post them out to you.

I hope this helped some of you. Feel free to get in contact if you have any questions or post a question in the comments below.

Maria

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Any healthy skin routine should include cleansing twice a day, hydration with an appropriate moisturiser and sun protection. Once you have these basics you are off to a pretty good start.

1. Cleanse

All good skin starts with good cleansing! Ditch the make-up wipes and opt for a gentle cleanser that doesn’t strip the skin. Throughout the day your skin is covered with make-up, sebum and sweat that is secreted from your glands, dead skin cells and environmental pollutants. If not cleansed off at night, all this debris will build up and block the follicles. So, cleansing is an essential step in every skin routine, regardless of whether you wear make-up or not.

When choosing a cleanser be sure to pick one that suits your skin type and skin concerns. For example, one that works great for my dry skin may actually create havoc on someone with oily prone skin and vice versa. Usually, depending on the ingredients, I recommend a cream cleanser for dryer skin and a gel cleanser for oily skin. If you need help choosing a cleanser feel free to get in touch.

2. Sunscreen

In the morning, always try to use a sunscreen. UVA rays from the sun not only cause skin cancers, but also cause premature ageing, fine lines and pigmentation. Sunscreen is a step a lot of us in Ireland tend to overlook due to the fact that we have so little sun here. However, harmful UV rays are present whether it’s raining, cloudy or sunny. So, sun protection is still important throughout the winter months.

You can get a face moisturiser with a sun protection added to it. Try to use a moisturiser that has a broad spectrum SPF 30+ every morning for full protection. This is the secret to a youthful looking skin!

3. Moisturise

Every skin type needs to moisturise, even oily skin. It is just a matter of choosing the best moisturiser for you.

If oily-prone, try a light-weight or oil-free moisturiser. A rich or heavy cream will just leave you with an oily shine, open pores and breakouts. So, in the morning, apply a light-weight moisturiser with added sunprotection, as above. At night, apply either a light-weight moisturiser or just a light hydration serum.

For a dry or mature skin, you can use richer textures. In the morning, you will apply a nourishing moisturiser with added sun protection. The skin repairs itself overnight, so, before bed, you might like to add in a richer moisturiser or an active moisturiser with anti-ageing peptides.

Maria 

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