Get the Glow: How Exfoliation Can Improve Young Skin Complexion

Exfoliating is the best ally for removing dead skin cells and promoting the production of new ones. As we saw in our previous blog, dead cells are related to blackheads and acne. However, exfoliation can be harmful when done incorrectly or with the wrong ingredients. In this blog post, we will go over what exfoliation is, the different types of exfoliation, and how to exfoliate properly the sensitive skin of a tween or a teen to improve their skin’s appearance and support an acne-free skin.

Exfoliation is when you remove dead skin cells that are on the skin’s surface to give a fresh layer of new ones. This process helps with acne breakouts and blackheads as it can unclog pores.

• Collagen Production – As we saw on our previous blog, the reduction of collagen starts in teenage. Exfoliating dead skin cells stimulate collagen production which keeps the skin tight and firm.
• Minimize pore size. The excess of sebum and the reduction in collagen production that is experienced during the teenage years enlarges the size of the pores giving an uneven complexion. Exfoliation increases collagen and reduces excess of sebum, which leads to smaller pore size.

There are two types of exfoliation: chemical and mechanical. The first one uses chemical ingredients to break down the dead skin cells, while mechanical exfoliants scrub away the dead skin cells manually.

This exfoliating method is very effective as while it removes the outer layer of the skin, also gets rid of dirt and impurities that can clog up pores. Physical exfoliants can be used on the face, lips, scalp, neck, knees, feet, and the area behind the ears where skin cells tend to build up.

The main disadvantage of using mechanical exfoliation lies in the materials used for this purpose. The skin can easily get hurt if we are not careful with what is used, how is applied, and how often is performed.

Many DIY exfoliating scrubs recipes include salt and sugar or brown sugar as ingredients. However, these ingredients are too abrasive and can cause skin irritation, redness, or dry skin. More gentle exfoliating agents are recommended and should be used once a week for tween skin, or a maximum of twice a week for teen oily skin. Increasing this frequency can lead to dryness and weakening of the skin’s barrier function.

As you saw earlier, there are different ways to exfoliate the skin, however, if you want to get the best results, we recommend you to use natural ingredients regardless of the method you want to use. Here are some ways to exfoliate naturally for a gentle and effective skincare routine.

This is one of my favorite mechanical exfoliation methods. It’s natural, flexible, and provides gentle exfoliation.

Clays are notoriously efficient in absorbing the excess sebum. These literally eat up the water and oil present on the skin surface. When a clay mask is used, it dries in the skin and when washed off, provides a great and gentle exfoliating effect.

In this video, you can see how easy and fast it is to prepare a clay mask at home

Best clays to use:

• Rhassoul Clay. Commonly used in sensitive skin.
• Bentonite Clay. For me is the one that has the best absorbent capacity. Recommended for oily skin.
• Rose Clay. Is in the middle of rhassoul and bentonite regarding its absorbent properties.

Clay is such an absorbent material, that it can actually take in other ingredients present in an activated formula. The problem with this? natural preservatives used in an activated mask are not strong enough and will end up being exterminated during the product lifecycle, therefore, strong chemical preservatives are needed.

I prefer masks as natural as possible. With all of these chemicals around nowadays, it’s tough enough keeping kids safe from everything else without worry about their skin becoming toxic too.

Jojoba Beads: this is one of the most popular exfoliating beads, made from jojoba oil. They are very gentle and suitable for skin types that tend to be sensitive or prone to acne breakouts.

Avocado Powder: Powder created by grinding the whole, dehydrated avocado fruit, accelerates skin renewal and brightens the complexion while removing dead skin cells and other impurities.

Bamboo Stem Powder: It´s a cosmetic ingredient for skin manual exfoliation. It is derived from solidified silica-containing material from bamboo stems and then milled to yield a fine powder. The characteristics of its particles make this product suitable for different face and body care formulations. It exfoliates, removes impurities, and regulates skin thickness, thus providing better cellular oxygenation and a purified appearance, reducing skin irregularities.

Honey: It is not an exfoliant itself, but it can be used to mix exfoliants at home. If you have dry or sensitive skin, honey is one of the best ingredients you can use. Honey often works as an antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory agent. Adding some natural exfoliants to honey and putting the mixture in the face with circular motions, will get your tween or teen a great gentle rub off dead cells and impurities.

In this video, you can see how easy and fast it is to prepare a natural mechanical exfoliant at home

DON’T exfoliate young skin too often. Even if your teenager has oily skin, shouldn’t exfoliate more than twice a week. This might lead to red and irritated skin.

DO exfoliate the skin gently. This is especially important for the young and sensitive skin of a tween.

DON’T use exfoliators that have high concentrations of alcohol. This is a common mistake when choosing products for teenagers, but alcohol can dehydrate their skin and affect skin barrier function.

DO exfoliate with skin care products that have skin-calming properties. Choose carefully, and read the labels of exfoliating products. Ingredients like calendula or aloe vera, among others, have soothing and anti-inflammatory properties.

DO Apply moisturizer immediately after exfoliation. Skincare poducts that have skin nourishing properties will help your skin to keep its skin moisture.

This method uses acids to dissolve dead skin cells away. It is usually done in a spa but there are cosmetic products containing acids that can be included in the regular skincare routine of your tween or teenagers.

Chemical exfoliants are classified as:

• Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs): This group commonly includes glycolic acid, lactic acid, and fruit-based acids.
• Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs): Salicylic is the common representative of this group, and works on acne-prone skin types without causing too many irritations or dryness like AHAs do sometimes.
• Poly Hydroxy Acid (PHAs): it is said that these have more hydrating properties than BHAs and less irritating effects when compared to AHAs. However, its use is not yet universalized in natural skincare.
• Pumpkin Puree: This is a natural, unprocessed and undiluted fruit mash. It contains various natural enzymes that induce mild skin non-mechanical exfoliation. Has a high content of natural vitamin A, beta carotene, and vitamin C. It´s one of the favorite ingredients for anti-aging products.

Using glycolic acid for chemical exfoliation is something that I do not recommend for tween skin, but sometimes it can be necessary for teen skin that already had acne and wants to get rid of acne scars.

Glycolic acid breaks down the cells so they can be easily wiped off with cotton balls after about ten minutes have passed. This process can be incorporated into the regular skin care routine of a teenager, twice or three times a week.

This is by far my recommendation if you are looking to exfoliate tween or teen skin, and is basically a way to treat acne before it occurs. Salicylic acid removes dead skin when used regularly. It’s usually incorporated in cleansing products because this way, the ingredient is in contact with the skin for a short time avoiding skin irritation.

If you read my previous blog about cleansing the skin of a teenager, you know that I recommend the use of the two-step cleansing process, where we include one step with an oil-based cleanser and one step with a water-based cleanser.

Salicylic acid can be incorporated at any of these steps however if it is incorporated in the water-based cleanser, this product would need a very low pH (3 to 4), which I find too harsh for the young skin of a tween or a teen. If this ingredient is dispersed in oil, provide the same benefits without the pH challenge.

Because salicylic acid is a regulated ingredient that can only be used in farmaceutical presentations, we, natural formulators use Willow Bark Extract instead. This contains salicylic acid naturally, providing its great exfoliating capacity.

Exfoliating the skin of your tween or teenager is not just a great way to help them look and feel healthier but is an opportunity to implement self-care rituals that provide them with love and self-esteem. Follow these tips for exfoliating their face and ensure to reap all of the benefits without any side effects! And remember to check out our other blogs on natural skincare for tweens and teenagers and share with other moms!