Exfoliating, Explained

Exfoliation is a lot like cleaning out your cupboard – slightly messy, sometimes emotional, but a necessary task! In perfect self-care exfoliation happens regularly, ideally twice a week. But we are all busy and life gets in the way, but worry not – now is your time to shine! But you might be thinking “How do I exfoliate properly?” Well you’ve come to the right place.

Exfoliants slough-off dead skin to leave skin radiant and glowing. And you want to make sure you are doing it right, because proper exfoliation allows your moisturisers, serums etc to sink in a whole lot better. Generally exfoliants come in two forms – chemical which dissolve dead skin cells and physical to polish away dead skin cells, and some even do both.

Our expert facialist Kirsti recommends regular weekly exfoliation for beautiful skin, once to twice a week depending on your skin type and the time of the year. If your skin is sensitive once a week may be enough whilst twice a week is recommended for more congested and oily skin types.

“You may find you need to exfoliate more during the warmer, more humid summer months when your skin is more oily and less in the winter when skin tends to be dryer and more dehydrated,” Kirsti explains.

And it’s important not to over exfoliate too as this can strip the skin of its natural oils and upset the pH balance of the skin, and paradoxically make your skin more dry and irritated.

At Bodhi J we have a range of natural exfoliants that we use in our facial treatments. The Sodashi Enzyme Face Polish is amazing for serious radiance. A one-minute treatment for use once or twice a week, it instantly brightens and softens skin to reveal a glowing, smoother complexion.  It uses ground rice powder to polish and pomegranate enzymes to dissolve dead skin cells, working to seriously smooth the skin. This product works extremely well for all skin types, Kirsti explains.

A number of our facials also include unique compress rituals using Sodashi Concentrates – skin-transforming blends of beautiful botanical extracts that gently exfoliate and brighten the skin. Exquisitely aromatic, these blends are so gentle actually that they can be used daily and leave the skin supple, revitalised and even-toned, whilst working to reduce scarring and pigmentation.

To kick start your exfoliating routine I’d recommend Bodhi J’s Hydro Microdermabrasion facial with one of our expert therapists. It erases surface skin layers at varying depths in a controlled manner, leaving you with the cleanest, smoothest skin you’ve ever had. It’s the perfect remedy for dull lacklustre skin or conditions such as congestion, acne scarring and pigmentation. Your therapist will also be able to advise you exactly which exfoliant would best suit your skin.

For more tailored skincare advice, come in and talk to our expert therapists. Happy exfoliating!