As we welcome a new year, many people are committing to achieving their unique skincare resolutions—whether that’s hydrating dry and dehydrated skin, streamlining a current routine, or going for a glow. No matter what yours may be, there is a common thread that connects every skin type, one that shouldn’t be overlooked: keeping skin fresh by supporting cell turnover.
Cell turnover is vital to skin health. It’s the process of our skin cells shedding, and it’s about a 28-day process—but it slows as we age, so exfoliation is a real hero when it comes to keeping it moving. Not only does it (along with cleansing) promote a clean sweep of any acne-causing bacteria that may have piled up on the skin during the day but it also preps the skin for a slew of award-worthy products that work hard to keep the skin in tip-top shape.
For an energetic refresh, give both physical and enzymatic exfoliation a whir with the Yerba Mate Resurfacing Energy Facial. In just two minutes, it clears away dead skin cells and energizes skin.
“What’s beautiful about the Energy Facial is that it has chemical elements from enzymes from pineapple and papaya,” says Jacob Tomás del Rosario, Youth To The People’s Director of Field Sales + Education. These break up the “glue” holding the dead skin together. Unique to the Energy Facial, it also contains micro-exfoliants from diatomaceous earth, which, with gentle circular motions, help to polish the dead skin away.
To use, apply a thin layer of the Energy Facial on clean, damp skin. Let it sit for just two minutes before using your fingers to gently massage it into the skin. No added pressure needed. The micro-exfoliants do that for you.
“I like to think of cell turnover as a freeway. As we mature, that freeway gets blocked. There’s a lot of ‘traffic,’ especially as you get closer to the surface,” says del Rosario. “Physical exfoliation clears that traffic jam and allows your skin to really push through any of that buildup that’s on the surface and encourages that natural speed of cell turnover.” Bonus points if you follow it up with a vitamin C-rich serum like the 15% Vitamin C + Caffeine Energy Serum or peptide- and 4D hyaluronic acid-infused serum like the Triple Peptide + Cactus Oasis Serum—both of which will be better absorbed by freshly exfoliated skin, and their benefits increased.
In addition to regular exfoliation, incorporating serums and moisturizers is key to a new and improved skincare routine in 2022. Think of them as the last two building blocks of a soon-to-be sought-after ritual that’s equal parts of smoothing and hydrating.
Just take it from Yuri London (@thedewiest on Instagram), a licensed esthetician who’s as passionate about YTTP as she is about skin hydration.
“Everybody and their mama could benefit from a well-rounded, hydrating serum,” London says, adding, “Many people think that their skin is dry or aging when really they are dehydrated and are begging for water-binding ingredients.”
For an explainer on dry vs. dehydrated skin ^^
In fact, hydration shouldn’t just be a focus when temps begin to drop.
“Boosting the skin with hydration is essential all year-round,” shares London. “We tend to have air conditioning blasting during the summer, which causes water loss within the skin, as it does during the winter when we have heating systems on high to keep warm.”
Seal in the moisture and glowing benefits with a moisturizer like YTTP’s Superfood Air-Whip Moisture Cream for daytime or fan-favorite Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask for nighttime—both are award-winning.
An effective, step-by-step skincare routine that works for you, your skin health, and your goals is a few clicks away. Start stocking up below.
Written by Grace Gavilanes for Youth To The People. Grace is an NYC-based writer, editor, and content strategist. She’s also the founder of Viva La Mujer, a Latina empowerment blog.
