13? Unlucky for some? Not for your skin! These 13 skin regenerating tips are achievable, effective and don’t involve fussy machines, procedures or strange looking light masks…..interested? Here’s how you boost your skin’s regeneration for renewed, fresher, brighter, glowing skin…..
13 Ways to Boost Your Skin Regeneration
1. Add exfoliation to your routine
Exfoliating is beneficial to all skin types as it helps boost our skin’s natural regeneration: a natural cycle that occurs as the skin cells turn over.
In other words, through exfoliation dead skin cells on the top layer of the epidermis fall away, revealing fresh, newly created cells beneath.
Exfoliation plays an important role in helping our skin look and feel better by:
- unclogging pores, clearing dirt and debris from the skin's surface.
- sweeping away breakout causing bacteria.
- improving skin texture.
- softening and smoothing skin.
- helping your skin absorb your serums, oils and other skincare products.
- evening out skin tone, minimising hyperpigmentation and dark patches and improving the texture.
- improving skin radiance by boosting cell turnover rate.
Plus, the results are quick. From first use of our Queen Bee exfoliator you will notice an instant look of renewed glowing skin and a smooth canvas allowing your follow up products to penetrate into your skin better and work more effectively.
2. Be age savvy
We are all lucky enough to be growing older and exfoliating our skin will really help us to embrace our best skin as we naturally age.
Like many things as we age, our skin’s natural exfoliation could do with a helping hand. Exfoliation is especially necessary for more mature skin as skin cell turnover slows as we age, as does our circulation and blood flow to the skin, making it so very important to slough away dead skin cells, promote drainage and circulation and encourage your skin to renew.
If not removed, dead skin cells tend to pile up on your skin’s surface to form mounds. These mounds are part of what create the colour, texture, and contour issues that lead to our skin looking older than it is – something we can act upon!
We often think of the age-related skin signs as being lines, wrinkles, and creases, but interestingly these indicators only account for 5% of the skin ageing you’re seeing in the mirror. The other 95% is the combination of colour and texture issues.
Exfoliating skin helps with these by sloughing off dead skin cells that can clog pores and cause rough, dull patches. This reveals the newer skin layers beneath, improving smoothness and promoting a more even skin tone by enhancing the skin’s natural renewal process and reducing hyperpigmentation. The fresh new cells underneath are much better at reflecting light, giving you that instant healthy glow.
3. Know that not ALL natural exfoliants are beneficial
Some natural scrubs contain more abrasive exfoliating particles than others, ones with fruit pits, salts, nuts, or shells are best avoiding as they can actually compromise the skin barrier and cause microtears in the skin.
Opt for gentle, natural exfoliating agents like those in our Queen Bee face exfoliator such as finely milled soft sugar, which is rounder and milder on the skin, and jojoba seeds which are extremely gentle on the most sensitive of skins.
4. Choose exfoliators that are kind to our skin and planet
Boost your skin’s regeneration process without weighing down your conscience. Look for exfoliators that are not only gentle on your skin but on the planet too, by avoiding harmful chemicals and preservatives.
Thankfully microbeads (plastics) have now been banned in the UK but that doesn’t mean they still aren’t floating around online - remain cautious and check ingredient lists for terms like "polyethylene" or "polypropylene," which indicate the presence of plastic microbeads.
Choose an exfoliator, such as Queen Bee, that contains natural ingredients, is preservative free and contains exfoliating particles such as jojoba seeds that are 100% biodegradable – happy skin and nothing nasty being washed down your sink into our waterways.
5. Know your physical and chemical exfoliators
In essence, a 'physical' exfoliator contains particles that encourage the dead cells and debris on the outer surface of your skin to fall away when the exfoliant is physically smoothed against the skin.
A 'chemical' exfoliator is made of acids which dissolve the glue that holds skin cells on the surface of the skin and they do not require any manual movement to work.
Which you choose may depend on your skin’s own sensitivities, needs and your personal preference. Perhaps you prefer to leave a chemical exfoliator sit on your skin or perhaps you prefer to manually exfoliate teamed with a lymphatic massage?
Our oil based face exfoliator cleverly combines both gentle and natural physical AND gentle chemical exfoliators. Formulated with fine grain sugar and jojoba beads - which act as the physical exfoliants - in addition to raw honey and pure sugar which act as the gentle natural chemical exfoliants.
So, you can leave your scrub sit on your skin to work its magic then gently remove, or you can work straight into warm damp skin with circular motions and then rinse off.
6. Know your acids
Exfoliating acids are divided into 3 categories: AHA, BHAs and PHAs. They are often found in chemical exfoliators but can also be included in physical exfoliators. They can be synthetic or found in nature.
Here’s the low down:
AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) include glycolic and lactic acid and exfoliate the skin at the surface level to clear dead skin cells. Most AHAs are recommended for normal to dry skin, and skin with past sun damage. A natural example of an AHA would be pure sugar.
BHAs (Beta Hydroxy Acids) include salicylic acid and penetrate below the skin’s surface into pores to unclog them. They are typically recommended for combination to oily, breakout-prone skin. A natural example of a PHA would be willow bark extract.
PHAs (Poly Hydroxy Acids) such as gluconolactone acid are the gentlest of all the acids, have a larger molecule size than AHAs and BHAs, meaning they take a longer amount of time to sink into the skin and do not penetrate as deeply so are therefore much milder and less irritating; as such they are ideal for sensitive skin types, skins with an impaired barrier (such as those that are dry, eczema prone or have rosacea/redness), providing surface exfoliation to help skin appear smoother and more even.
Raw honey is a natural example of the PHA gluconolactone acid and helps dissolve the glue which hangs on to dead skin cells, with the bonus of being moisturising and anti-inflammatory.
7. Use chemical exfoliators with caution
If you have a compromised skin barrier, meaning challenges such as dry skin, acne, eczema and sensitivities, a gentle natural manual exfoliator is likely to be the preferred choice over a chemical exfoliator.
This is because you have control over the pressure and how long you are exfoliating for with a manual scrub such as Queen Bee.
The hydroxy acids found in chemical exfoliators create a chemical reaction in the skin that you can’t control once it’s started, so if you develop irritation, it’s too late and there’s nothing you can do about it.
8. Do not overuse ANY exfoliator
As a guide we recommend using physical exfoliators once a week, or twice if your skin says 'yes'. With chemical acids and retinols, it is important to read the directions for each individual product as there are so many different types and strengths.
Also make sure to check which of your products contain 'exfoliating' ingredients as you may find that you are unknowingly overdoing it if you are using serums and moisturisers that contain acids and skin renewing agents such as retinoids, and then also using a separate exfoliator in addition.
9. Know how to use your exfoliator according to your skin type
Dry Skin: go gentle with your physical exfoliator, particularly over extra dry areas with a compromised skin barrier. Choose an oil based, gentle scrub like our Queen Bee Scrub to moisturise whilst exfoliating and to leave your dry skin protected instead of drying it out further. If your skin is feeling particularly dry, use your Queen Bee exfoliator as a scrub-mask, leave on for ten mins letting the natural PHAs in our raw honey help remove dead cells sitting on the surface of the skin and then gently smooth and pat off with warm water. If using a chemical exfoliator, proceed with caution as many stronger acids can be drying on the skin.
Sensitive Skin: avoid over scrubbing/rubbing when using your exfoliator. Choose an oil based, natural exfoliator such as our Queen Bee exfoliator, which is formulated without irritating preservatives and with gentle exfoliating agents such as waxes, seeds, beads and super fine sugar. Avoid salt, walnut shells and large sugar granules when choosing a scrub. Look for the gentler AHAs such as natural sugar or mandelic acid, and PHAs such as those found in raw honey. Manual exfoliation can prove very beneficial for flaky, eczema prone skins to help gently sweep away dead skin cells.
Oily Skin/Combination: oily and congested skin can really benefit from manual exfoliation with a face scrub. Oily skin is often prone to a layer of build-up on the surface that a manual exfoliation can effectively remove. Gently but decidedly use your physical exfoliator or scrub in circular motions for best results, focusing in particular on areas prone to congestion.
Balanced Skin: balanced or ‘normal’ skin tends to really benefit from physical exfoliation as the one challenge it often has is that it lacks any contrast in texture/radiance that the other skin types have so it can appear dull. This will help brighten and reveal it’s natural radiance.
10. Supercharge your skin's renewal
Can we let you into a secret? There are some simple things you can do to supercharge the power of your exfoliator. Want to know what they are?
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Yes, this means from the inside and from the outside so drink plenty of water daily and always apply products to damp skin and use plenty of glycerine rich face spritz in between your layers. Dehydrated skin holds onto skin cells, so get lubricated!
Apply your exfoliator to warmed and wet skin. The warmth of a face cloth or a morning shower softens the skin and releases the body’s natural oils while opening your pores. Also don't forget to exfoliate your neck and décolleté too!
Always follow up with an effective moisturiser to replenish and protect skin (although our Queen Bee exfoliator is oil based so will not dry skin and actually moisturises it at the same time.)
11. Get a helping hand from nature
Nature has an abundance of ingredients in her larder that naturally accelerate skin regeneration and here is our round up of what not to miss...
- Proteins. Essential for tissue repair and the construction of new tissue. The body uses protein to replace worn-out or dead skin cells. Eat more protein such as nuts, seeds, beans, yogurt, fish, eggs and chicken.
- Anti-oxidants. Including antioxidants like berries, ginger and turmeric in your diet will help improve the glow and lustre of your skin.
- Exercise & hydration. Simple lifestyle changes like exercise and increased hydration can keep the process of skin regeneration in tip top condition.
- Skin ingredients. Look for skincare products that contain natural ingredients to boost your skin’s health and promote the skin’s regeneration process such as rosehip oil, coconut oil, citrus peel, jojoba oil and fruit extracts. Humectants such as raw honey, hyaluronic acid and glycerine work to hydrate your skin and aid its natural exfoliation process.
12. You must hydrate, not just exfoliate
Practising an effective hydrating skincare routine alongside exfoliating is a MUST.
If you have previously found exfoliation has not benefitted your skin, or even upset it then it is very likely because your day to day hydrating skincare routine is falling short of the mark.
Here’s why:
In order for your dead skin cells to be shed the bonds called corneodesmosomes need to be broken. Your skin naturally contains enzymes that break down these bonds to exfoliate itself but ONLY if it is adequately hydrated.
Exfoliators give this process a helping hand but your skin must be hydrated first to reap the best results, otherwise you risk irritating, sensitising and drying out your skin.
13. Don't just stop at your face...
Why not treat your body to an all over renew and glow with our gentle exfoliating coffee, rose and cardamon scrub-soap? Summer rose garden vibes with top calibre ground coffee acting as the gentle exfoliating agent with the caffeine and antioxidants helping to boost skin health and tackle cellulite.
Oh, and you can use it on your face too! Suitable for all skin types, simply lather up this award winning soap and use all over to slough away dead skin, revealing soft, radiant skin on hands, face and body – easy peasy way to exfoliate and cleanse your face, hands and body all in one!
Can we help?
As always lovely, if you have any queries about exfoliation that we haven't covered, please drop us a line and we'll be here to help you with them or any other skincare questions you may have, please do not hesitate to ask away! We're always here to help.
Love,
Cath and Bec xx
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