Our skin, like our entire body, is a machine.  Its purpose is to protect the vital organs, muscles, and bones underneath it.  To do this it must constantly revitalize by churning out new skin cells.  The skin has several layers. New fresh cells are generated in the lower most layers and slowly move toward the upper levels.  The movement takes about two to four weeks.

Skin cells should naturally slough off when they reach the upper layers. This doesn’t always happen.  Skin cells may get congested due to varying factors.  Sebum, the skin’s naturally occuring oil, may cause the cells to stick together is an example of this.  

Does this mean to scrub your tender skin till it glows red?  No.  However helping to get rid of some of those pesky dead skin cells can help with making our skin look healthier and be a better surface to absorb mosturizers and masks.  Keep in mind that if those moisturizers and masks are chock full of chemicals – the chemicals will be absorbed through your skin.  Try to keep your natural skin treatment care routine as chemical free as possible.

One over the counter product to try is Ecco Bella Leave-On Invisible Exfoliant and Blemish Remedy:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s what one reviewer from Amazon had to say:

I’ve been using this product every morning for six months, and, coupled with a 5% benzoyl peroxide product at night, I’ve seen a significant improvement in my skin’s tone and texture. The benzoyl peroxide cream helps control my acne, and the salicylic acid/AHA complex in Ecco Bella’s product makes my skin noticeably softer, smoother, and more radiant. I’ve actually gotten a some compliments on my skin tone in the past few weeks — something that has NEVER happened before! Ecco Bella’s Blemish Remedy is a thin, yellowy-beige liquid. To apply, I press my index finger against the mouth of the bottle, flip it over and back, and then use my fingertips to spread the liquid around. I repeat this until I’ve covered my entire face. (I imagine you could use a cotton ball/pad if you wanted, but you’d probably go through the bottle fairly quickly.) I give it 10 minutes to really penetrate into my pores, and then I apply moisturizer/sunscreen and makeup. There is only one minor downside that I’ve experienced with this product: it has a strong “aromatheraphy” scent. To me, it actually smells a little like men’s aftershave. Luckily, the scent doesn’t linger. Some people will doubtless find it very pleasant. All in all, I highly recommend this product for those who are looking for an effective leave-on salicylic acid/AHA treatment. Additionally, Ecco Bella’s Blemish Remedy has no animal ingredients, and the company never tests on animals, making this product 100% vegan — a must-have in my book.

*******

Here’s a Homemade Recipe for your natural skin treatment exfoliator

Mix one tablesppon of sugar, one tablespoon of olive oil, and three drops of rose oil.  Massage over face and neck.  Rinse with warm water and washcloth.  Be aware to remove all of the oil from face.