Chemical, Physical or Enzymatic? Exfoliating 101
June 2 | 5 minute read
Words by The MECCA Memo
Every day, our skin naturally sheds millions of dead skin cells, revealing newer ones beneath. “Exfoliation helps to encourage our natural cellular renewal cycle, and it it’s also an integral step in supporting certain skin concerns like pigmentation, breakouts and congestion and dehydration,” explains Francesca Hyde, MECCAversity’s Customer Education Manager.
Regular exfoliation can assist with sweeping away build-up and bacteria on the skin, plus pulling out any debris and oil that have become clogged in the pores. And with no dead skin cells blocking their path, your favourite face oils, serums and creams will do their job a little bit better. Just remember to always apply SPF the morning after exfoliation – new skin is delicate, meaning more susceptible to the harmful effects of UV rays.
"The way that I like to think about how to understand the different forms of exfoliation is to picture a brick wall,” Francesca explains. “All three forms of exfoliation are going to be working in different ways to remove the bricks from that brick wall.” Read on to learn about the three types of exfoliation, our favourite formulas and how to determine which is right for your skin’s ‘brick wall’.
Physical Exfoliation
When you think of physical exfoliation, those harsh, gritty supermarket scrubs of the ‘00s might be the first to spring to mind. While the abrasive formulas took centre stage in our teenage years, they've come a long way since – now taking the form of micro-fine, skin-polishing creams and smoothing, active-packed scrubs.
"These formulas are made up of tiny little particles that work to physically polish and remove dry, flaky skin. They are physically removing the bricks from the brick wall,” Francesca explains. A physical exfoliant is perfect for someone who likes the feeling of a satisfying scrub, or perhaps someone who doesn’t exfoliate very often and wants to remove the stubborn layer of skin that may have built up over time.
Our Picks:
The Goldfaden MD Doctor’s Scrub uses a combination of ruby crystals, red tea extract and seaweed extract to exfoliate, brighten and firm skin over time, while hyaluronic acid keeps freshly exfoliated skin plump and hydrated.
Combining physical and chemical exfoliation (more on that below), TULA’s So Polished Exfoliating Sugar Scrub is a gentle, probiotic-packed formula that gently dissolves as you massage it in, leaving skin radiant, soft and smooth.
Chemical Exfoliation
“Picture that brick wall again – chemical exfoliants are going to be melting away the mortar holding that brick wall together,” Francesca says. “They are the perfect option for when you want to affect change in your skin. If you’re looking to target pigmentation, add glow or combat congestion, go for a chemical exfoliant.”
Chemical exfoliators use varying concentrations of acids (think salicylic, lactic, azelaic, retinoic and more) to loosen dead skin cells, allowing them to shed faster. If you're on the sensitive side, opt for formulas with AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) like water-soluble glycolic, lactic or citric acids, which work gently on the outer layer and allow your skin to retain moisture.
If you have blemish-prone skin, BHAs (beta hydroxy acids) are oil-soluble, meaning they can sink deeper into the pores to further clear excess debris and sebum. The most popular BHA is salicylic acid, but others include beta hydroxy butanoic acid, tropic acid and trethocanic acid. Remember, you don’t need to use any friction when it comes to applying a chemical exfoliator – the acids do all the hard work for you. Easy!
Our Picks:
Based on the beloved in-clinic treatments, Dr. Dennis Gross' transformative two-step Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel blends AHAs, BHAs, retinol and calming chamomile extract for professional-grade radiance. If you’re new to peels, start by applying every other day, building up frequency as the skin becomes acclimatised.
For smooth, glass-like skin overnight, Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Night Serum is infused with AHAs, BHAs and hydrating raspberry fruit extract to gently sweep away dead skin, clear congestion and visibly improve texture over time.
A powerful leave-on liquid peel, Dr.Jart+’s Pore·Remedy 5% Multi-Acid Peel Exfoliator targets dullness, rough texture and clogged pores with a balanced blend of different exfoliating acids and calming panthenol. Slightly more potent than the Dr Dennis peel pads, start with weekly application and work your way up.
Enzymatic exfoliation
Usually derived from fruit or rice, enzymes digest the bonds that holds dulling skin cells together in a Pac-Man-like action, leaving behind new plump skin cells. “If you’ve found that physical or chemical exfoliants were a little but too much for your skin, go for an enzymatic formula,” Francesca says. “Because those enzymes just Pac-Man away those skin cells that are already dead, it’s much gentler on the skin.”
Our Picks:
A powder-to-foam formula, Tatcha’s The Rice Polish: Gentle harnesses the power of Japanese rice bran and a unique superfood complex for a smooth, refined complexion. Delicate yet effective, it’s a perfect texture-smoothing solution for sensitive types.
A miracle-like solution for dry, flaky skin, the Radical Skincare Express Delivery Enzyme Peel offers all the skin-sloughing satisfaction of a physical scrub in the form of a gentle enzymatic peel. Infused with a blend of 11 fruit acids, the cooling pink jelly visibly loosens dead skin cells for an instantly brighter complexion.
