If damp skin is more receptive to skincare ingredients, it would make sense that exfoliated skin would be more open too, right? “An exfoliator will remove the barrier and buildup of dead skin cells, therefore any skincare applied to the surface will penetrate deeper into the layers than if an exfoliator was not used,” says Aslam.
To reap the benefits daily, Thomas recommends that you use a face wash with glycol, mandelic or salicylic acids. “The reason I prefer this type of exfoliation is because it is more controlled and gentler than a typical ‘scrub’ with beads or grains that can scratch the skin meaning you can use it daily.”
But it’s not just that the exfoliator clears the way; it actually changes the skin to make it more receptive to certain skin-boosting ingredients. Much like Thomas, David Jack, MBChB, recommends an acid-based exfoliator, “A low concentration of acid, such as lactic, will reduce the pH of the skin and allow much better access to the deeper layers of the skin by active products. The added benefit of slightly lowering the skin pH assists penetration of any acid-pH ingredient, such as vitamin C (ascorbic acid), hyaluronic acid and vitamin A (retinol).”
Take Advantage of Your Skin’s Internal Clock
For years, scientists have understood that our bodies are governed by time, 24-hour circadian rhythms that cause us to sleep and wake with the movements of the sun. But it appears that rather than there just being one “master clock,” our bodies are kept in sync by multiple clock systems in most of our cells throughout the body. “When this system is disrupted, it results in premature tissue aging, as well as a greater predisposition to developing skin tumors,” says Aslam. Our body regenerates at different times throughout the 24-hour window. “It is well known that the proliferation process takes place during the day at various times, many of us feel that our skin can feel a little tight and dehydrated around 4 p.m., this is a great time to rehydrate and boost the skin with a light face mist,” adds Aslam. But don’t spend money on an active-rich mist to sit on your desk, “Yes, you can use a mist easily during the day, but if you have makeup on you won’t get the full benefit of the mist,” says Thomas. In other words, save your money on your a.m. and p.m. products.
Cell turnover is at its highest at night. “It happens at least 30 times more rapidly at night than during the day, as this is when the regeneration process takes place,” says Aslam. “It is vital to effectively remove all impurities before applying your nighttime skincare products; we recommend active ingredients such as retinol. The rate of water loss and blood flow is 20 to 30% higher at night than in the morning or afternoon. Circadian rhythms in the skin affect the biology of appearance and also have a profound effect on the absorption of applied treatment products,” adds Aslam.
“Our cortisol levels (the stress hormone) are usually highest when we wake up in the morning (8 to 9 a.m.),” says Jack, “so the levels of potential skin inflammation may be higher at this time generally. I always suggest using products containing things like vitamin C and E at this stage, which have anti-inflammatory and strong antioxidant activity.”
