So as we all know(most of us I'd like to believe)- exfoliation is a crucial step in any and every skincare routine. Performed atleast twice a week, exfoliation helps get rid of dead skin cells and dirt, which in turn reveals healthier and glowing skin. The topic of exfoliation has certainly become more popular over the years with now having different types/methods of exfoliation being introduced. This might be confusing to most as even I do admit that before the past year or two I believed that scrubs were the only type of exfoliant out there.

There are 2 main types of exfoliation- physical/mechanical and chemical. The most traditional/familiar method being physical exfoliation which uses microbeads or small grains to physically get rid of dead skin, a common example being a scrub. The other, more newly introduced method is chemical exfoliation which uses acids such as BHA's(Beta Hydroxy Acid) or AHA's(Alpha Hydroxy Acid) to penetrate into the skin and promote a healthy cell turnover. Many people are deciding to ditch the traditional method of scrubs and chemical exfoliation has become more popular option, which led me to think- which method is better?

Dealing with sensitive and problematic skin most of my life, I was always constantly recommended to exfoliate my skin. So every 2 days I would religiously use my scrub and exfoliate with hopes that my skin/acne would improve. It did exactly the opposite- much to my dismal, the harsh beads in the scrubs I was using was in turn irritating my skin further and spreading my acne even more. Low and behold I discovered chemical exfoliation, which ofcourse I was at first skeptical about- I mean, literally applying acid to your skin.. sounds pretty scary right!

Since switching to chemical exfoliants, almost immediately I started noticing visible differences in my skin- my acne, acne scaring and skin texture improved drastically. Some might argue that you just can't beat the feeling and effect of a good old scrub- which I don't totally disagree with but for many dealing with sensitive and problematic skin, chemical exfoliators are definitely the better option. Not only is chemical exfoliation better for sensitive skin sufferers but it is also more eco-friendly compared to scrubs which contain microbeads that are harmful to the environment. Chemicals also allow a more healthier turnover of new cells and penetrates deeper into skin layers, whereas mechanical exfoliators only work on the surface layer.

And so creating along with creating Skin Me, my very own natural skincare range- I knew I had to create a chemical exfoliant that was gentle yet effective enough for sensitive and problematic skin sufferers like myself. Skin Me Brighten Me pads, combines lactic acid(a natural AHA derived from fruit), lemon peel and cucumber extract to gently exfoliate, brighten and even skin. These pads have personally been a savior for my skin and I literally cannot live without them.

Why Lactic Acid?

Compared to all the different AHA's out there, lactic acid was a definite must for me. I chose lactic acid as it not only was the most gentle out of all the AHA's which was perfect for sensitive skin but also performed various functions- such as exfoliation, improving skin texture and also lightening sun spots/scarring. Lemon peel enhances skin clarity and brightness, giving tired and dull skin a natural healthy 'glow'. Cucumber extract soothes and tones skin which helps improve issues suchas redness and uneven skin tone. The solution is soaked in these biodegradable bamboo pads which have a rough textured side that help assist with exfoliation and give the skin a 'mini massage' which feels ah-ma-zing!