Noble Panacea DE

What's the difference between chemical and physical exfoliation? 

Exfoliation is an indispensable step in your daily skincare routine. Post-cleanse, this is the product that will help to smooth, clarify, and refine your skin barrier for long-lasting radiance.  
There are a few different methods for exfoliating the skin. Some more effective (and safer) than others, when it comes to maintaining the skin's integrity. 

What is exfoliation?
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Exfoliation is the process of removing dead or dull skin cells sitting on the surface, by breaking down the 'glue' that holds them together, and speeding up the renewal process.  
Without exfoliation, your skincare has a harder time doing its job; build-up acts like a barricade for high-performance actives which want and need to properly penetrate the skin for peak performance.  
When you slough away this invisible layer of congestion, you effectively reveal a more luminous complexion.  
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Now, let's look at the three different styles of exfoliation.  
At a glance: 

What is chemical exfoliation?
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Chemical exfoliation refers to products that utilize naturally occurring acids (alpha-hydroxy, beta-hydroxy, and poly-hydroxy) to dissolve old skin cells. This style of exfoliation is crowned for giving far more thorough and uniform skin results. However, irritation is possible.  
Faces unfamiliar with AHAs, BHA, or PHAs are encouraged to gradually test the skin's tolerance by incorporating chemical exfoliants into your routine every other day. Overuse can result in redness, dryness, itchiness, and a sensitized skin barrier. Once your skin is in this fragile state, it can take months to repair.  
When using active ingredients, always ensure you complete your morning skincare routine with SPF. AHAs and BHAs in particular, make your shiny new skin more susceptible to sunburn and sun damage. 
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What is physical exfoliation?  
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Physical exfoliation refers to products that use rough or jagged particles to physically create friction on the skin's surface, and scrub away old skin cells. This style of exfoliation is less celebrated because of its highly abrasive nature, which often leads to micro tears in the skin barrier, requiring continued care.  
Mechanical exfoliation refers to tools and technology (blades, lasers, or medical-grade peels). This kind of targeted skin resurfacing can only be performed by a dermal clinician or dermatologist as it requires professional guidance and monitoring and is best reserved for very targeted clinical concerns.   
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Which one is better for your skin?   
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Would you believe us if we said neither?  
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The secret to visible skin resurfacing, without sacrificing the skin barrier, relies entirely on the delivery system. Use Exfoliating Refiner as a prime example. It might appear like chemical exfoliation in the traditional sense, but our patented OSMV™ Technology allows active ingredients to be released in a micro-dose format, controlling the amount your skin is exposed to, in an optimized sequence, over a longer period.  
This time-controlled mechanism not only improves efficacy but ensures powerful yet gentle exfoliation.  