Sunday, April 25, 2010

Decoding Alpha Hydroxy Acids


Ah, the wonders of Alpha Hydroxy Acids. AHAs can smooth deep wrinkles, refine pore size, lighten pigmentation, and help clear up acne & scarring. There are several AHAs: Malic from apples, Lactic from milk, Tartaric from grape wine, Mandelic from almonds, and Glycolic from sugar cane. 

In the world of AHAs, glycolic rules. The tiny molecule size of glycolic acid compared to the rest of the AHAs means that it is the strongest performer. Glycolic is the best AHA for anti-aging, refining pore size, and treating acne. The rest of the AHAs have different personalities and strong points. Lactic acid is my favorite for lightening pigmentation and hydrating. Malic and Tartaric acids are clarifying and refining. They are usually found in combination with other acids, but as a supporting actor instead of a leading role. Mandelic acid is perfect for sensitivity, redness, inflamed acne, and rosacea. Citric acid is usually not found in facial exfoliation products, but occasionally in pedicure products for callused skin.

AHAs for home use generally range from about 5-15% concentration, and they can be found in any formula, from cleanser to night cream. No matter what AHA format you use be sure to take a few days off per week from exfoliating to allow your skin to rebuild and recover. I can't stress enough how important the body's natural healing process is. With any AHA product that is left on the skin, you'll need to use it at night because it can cause sun sensitivity and pigmentation. Be sure to use a good SPF during the day.

Things you can expect when you start using AHAs: an intense stinging sensation is perfectly normal until your skin adjusts, temporary redness after application, a purging breakout for a week to a few weeks is normal for clogged or acne prone skin (followed by healthy, clear skin). You may want to work your way up, starting with alternating nights or with a AHA cleanser before you start using a leave-on AHA product.

Product DetailsLet's delve into glycolic products first, because they give the best results overall. I love using a glycolic cleanser a few times a week to exfoliate and control clogged pores. If you have dry/normal skin the best one is M.D. Forte Facial Cleanser I. If you have oily/acne prone skin get Serious Skin Care Glycolic Cleanser. Another easy way to incorporate glycolic into your regimen is with a liquid- just put a little on a cotton round and apply at night before your moisturizer. Try Epicuren Glycolic Polymer Solution 10%, jt's fantastic for clearing up stubborn acne (not cystic, I'll cover cystic acne treatment in another installment). 

Some of my overall favorites:


Cosmedix Defy or G.M. Collin Derm Renewal Cream for wrinkles & sun damage
Product DetailsAbra Alpha Enzyme Peel or Naturopathica Environmental Defense Mask as a weekly exfoliating treatment mask
Dermaquest Rejuvaderm or Jan Marini Bioglycolic Lightening Gel for pigmentation or acne scarrring (red or brown marks)


A series of AHA peels (or one really strong one) can give truly dramatic results, but I strongly suggest seeing an experienced esthetician for your peels instead of buying something off the internet and attempting it yourself.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Stripped down, cleaned up, polished off


First, I'd like to introduce you to a few of my old friends... These are some scrubs I absolutely adore. Scrubs are hard to control and easy to overuse. Just promise me you'll be extra gentle and try to use a uniform amount of pressure.

Astara Daily Refining Scrub is a gentle scrub with small, non-irritating particles. It's not necessary to use it daily, once or twice a week should be plenty. Remember: more exfoliating is not always better! Your skin needs time to recover in between exfoliation treatments, to rebuild and repair it's natural protective barrier.

If you want to take it up a notch, try Epicuren Discovery Micro-Derm Exfoliating Cream. This is the absolute best turbo-scrub on the planet. It's very powerful, so take it easy or you might over-exfoliate with this scrub. Be sure to add water to your fingertips as you massage it in and use an even amount of pressure. This one is so intense, it's better as a twice-monthly deep peel. 

If you want to exfoliate daily, use a Clarisonic Plus Brush with your regular cleanser.

Okay now let me explain this next category. A gommage is like a scrub mixed with a peel-off mask. You apply it, let it dry, then rub it off with gentle sweeping motions. It takes dead skin cells with it, and usually leaves the skin soft & velvety. Gommage is all about the glow, less about the real results that a deeper exfoliation offers.

YonKa's Gommage 303 exfoliates very gently and doubles as a hydrating mask. I love it for delicate, combination/oily skin, dehydrated, or dull skin. It brightens and tones, and can be left on overnight for a serious shot of moisture.

For very dry, rough, or sensitive skin I always get amazing results with Kerstin Florian Rehydrating Gommage Vegetal. It is super rich and it will wrangle the most difficult dry skin into baby-smooth submission. 

Are you adventurous? Really, really adventurous? Do you have oily, congested, sallow skin that needs a boost? Ilike Rolling Face & Body Exfoliator has HOT Hungarian pepper extract in it, and it burns like hellfire but if you crave wow factor, that glow that makes people wonder if you're in love, or you just feel kinda crazy you have to try this. Your skin will be about three notches past rosy for a while, be patient, it will be vibrant and gorgeous.


Enzymes are pretty amazing, the ones used to exfoliate work by breaking down keratin, which is what dead skin cells are made up of. Meaning they only target dead skin cells, not live ones. Pretty smart little critters, those enzymes. The two most well known exfoliating enzymes are Papain (from papaya) and Bromelain (from pineapple), but there are also enzymes from mushrooms, pumpkin, and figs. I am not going to recommend a pumpkin enzyme because a shockingly high number of people are allergic to pumpkin enzymes. 

I'm so excited to tell you about GM Collin's Intensive Exfoliating Gel. It's a mild exfoliant, so it can be used a few times a week. It's fantastic for rosacea, sensitive skin, and aging skin. It's firming and lifting, and it exfoliates with zero irritation. You can even use it right around the eyes. As if all that wasn't enough, it smells like a margarita.

Sophyto Dual Action Exfoliating Treatment uses papain (the papaya enzyme). It is brightening and provides a really effective exfoliation with minimum effort. Just put it on, rinse it off after a few minutes.

This next one means business, it's a powerful, results-oriented peel that you can do at home. Actifirm Z-Peel exfoliates with a mushroom enzyme. It comes in 3 strengths: I recommend starting with the 15%, or the 10% if your skin is sensitive.

I've saved my favorite for last in the enzyme category: Cellex C Speed Peel Facial Gel is downright awesome. Combine a hydrating gommage with a nice deep enzyme peel, add a dose of glow, and you have the Speed Peel. This is a pretty damn tingly peel, and it leaves the skin rosy for about 10-15 minutes afterwards before it settles into a healthy glow.  It's not for sensitive skin but it's excellent for acne.

I have some more recommendations for you, but my hands tire and my attention span wavers. I'll get to those soon! Coming soon to a computer near you: Stripped Down Part II! Exploring the world of Alpha and Beta Hydroxy acids and other exciting exfoliators... In the meantime feel free to ask any burning (or tingling) skin-related questions.

To scrub or not to scrub?


Now that your skin is so fresh and so clean clean it's time to discuss exfoliation. Chances are, you've probably heard of a scrub. You might have even heard of microdermabrasion and chemical peels. There's a ton of different kinds of exfoliants out there, from the meek & barely noticeable to the week (or even a month) of down-time while you hide in your house like a burn victim. Did that scare you a little? It's okay. Forewarned is forearmed. But don't let me scare you too much, because exfoliation is vitally important.

There is a bright, healthy and vibrant layer of skin just waiting to come out and play. It's right under that layer of dead skin cells that makes up the surface of your skin. How do you get to it, you ask? Exfoliation. There are a few different ways to exfoliate, the two main categories are mechanical and chemical. Mechanical involves rubbing off dead skin cells with an abrasive e.g. washcloth, scrub, gommage, microdermabrasion. Chemical exfoliation involves alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids, trichloroacetic acid, enzymes, and assorted un-categorizable stuff.

Different forms of exfoliation have different effects, but basically exfoliating removes dead skin cells. Exfoliating can reduce acne and clogged pores, smooth skin's texture, reduce scarring and wrinkles, lighten freckles and pigmentation, and prep dry skin for deeper moisturizing. Now that you're all pumped and ready to exfoliate, it's time to delve into the hows of exfoliation.

With a scrub, always apply to damp skin and massage in with wet fingertips. The objective is to use the same amount of pressure in every area of your face (except the eyes & neck which need much lighter pressure) so you get an even exfoliation. Also important: spend an equal amount of time massaging in to every area, and it's easiest to remove a scrub in the shower with plenty of running water.

A gommage is sort of a hybrid of a hydrating peel off mask and a scrub. Apply it, let it dry, then brush off gently with a sweeping motion. Gommage exfoliants generally work best for delicate, dehydrated skin types. Sweeping off the particles can get a little messy, do it over the sink or in the shower before you turn the water on.

Enzyme exfoliants usually come in mask form or in concentrated peel form, and it's best to follow the company's directions so you can get the most out of your enzyme experience. If you want a DIY enzyme peel, you can get a papaya and give it a whirl in the blender or food processor,  then slather it on for a few minutes. Most enzymes will work better if you swipe your skin with a weak baking soda solution (to neutralizes skin's pH) beforehand.

Acids come in a huge array of formulas, my favorites being the liquid/toner and the straight up peel which is usually a gel or liquid (a peel will be a higher percentage than the liquid or toner). You can also get acids in serum, wipe, cream, or cleanser format. Since acids can be found in basically any type of cosmetic formulation, I will narrow down my "how to" advice to just the straight up peel. My best advice is to find an intelligent & experienced esthetician to do your peels. Kind of like going to a hairstylist to get your hair colored, it usually turns out much better than doing it yourself. That said, how you care for your skin after a peel is almost just as important as the peel itself.

After a peel: Avoid sun exposure, sweating or hot weather, prescription retinoids (Differin, Renova, Retin-A, Tazorac) or harsh products on the skin for the next 48-72 hours. Wear a good (see my post) sunscreen to protect against UVA rays so you can prevent post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Use plenty of soothing balm, and if the skin starts to flake avoid the temptation to scrub it off, just use plenty of moisturizer.