There are two categories of exfoliants: physical and chemical. Chemical exfoliators are acids applied to the skin to assist in the shedding of dead skin cells. In this article, we will focus on physical exfoliation methods designed for that purpose. Physical exfoliation ingredients and devices are not new. In fact, ingredients such as sugar, salt, grains, shells, and even baking soda have been used for…

Exfoliation is a vital part of every skin care regimen with numerous benefits. Granular exfoliation (scrubs) provides a tremendous difference in the health and beauty of the skin. Today’s aesthetic market offers an abundance of facial scrubs making refining and retexturizing to reveal younger-looking skin effortless. Clients may already have a preferred regimen, including a cleanser, serums, eye cream, masks, moisturizers, and sunscreen. Visible improvement…

 I still remember the first time I dropped wax in a client’s hair. “Don’t be silly. Of course, I won’t have to cut it out,” I tried to convince myself – but my stomach churned with anxiety. This was not something we covered in aesthetics school. I would have remembered a class on removing wax from a client’s scalp. As I looked down, I had…

The stratum corneum is the skin’s barrier and is the top layer of the epidermis. In the epidermis, keratinocyte stem cells reside in the basal layer, which is the lowest layer of the stratified epithelia. These cells divide further and differentiate as they move upwards in the epidermis towards the stratum corneum. Found within the stratum corneum are corneocytes which are dead keratin-filled squamous cells…