New Year, New Face

It’s all about shedding the old this year

- Syed Zulfadhli

If there is anything we should know about a good skincare routine, it’s that everyone benefits from exfoliation. The term exfoliation simply means the act of sloughing off dead cells from the surface of the skin. But why do we need to do that if our skin already renews itself naturally every 28 days? Well, numerous scientific literature, including papers by Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (PRS) Global Open and The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, have claimed at least a handful of benefits to exfoliation for every skin type. Because exfoliation speeds up the skin renewal process and promotes skin shedding, it offers myriad benefits including acne and blemish prevention, a clarified complexion, and the blurring of the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. If you haven’t adopted this simple step in your routine, perhaps 2021 is the best time to take a dive into the subject and start the new year with a fresh new mien.

But where do you begin, and how do we know if it’s safe for your skin type? It can get downright confusing, given that the skincare industry is launching new formulations, ingredients and claims almost every other day.

Let us break it down for you. There are basically two methods of exfoliation: manual and chemical. The former is the act of using gritty bits like nut seed shells, sugar, coffee grounds and jojoba beads to scrub off the dead skin. This is a practice that has been traced back to ancient Egyptian times. Unfortunately, this is now frowned upon by the skincare community due to several reasons.

Physical Exfoliation