Youth To The People’s newest drop, the Yerba Mate Resurfacing Energy Facial, is a dual-action microdermabrasion facial that gives you smooth, energized skin in just two minutes. You can find microdermabrasion facials at the dermatologist, or you can get that resurfaced effect right in the comfort of your own home with the Yerba Mate Resurfacing Energy Facial thanks to its dual-action exfoliation—but what exactly is dual-action exfoliation, anyway?
First, let’s start with the basics of exfoliation. Over time, our skin sheds dead skin cells and replenishes them with new ones. For the average adult, this regeneration process happens every 28 days, but it does begin to slow with age. By exfoliating with a physical or chemical treatment, we can encourage the process of turning over new skin cells. Notice rough, dry skin, blackheads, or larger-looking pores? That’s when it’s time to add exfoliation to your routine. How often you should exfoliate depends on your skin type. As for how young? Youth To The People’s Director of Education, Laura Cline, recommends making exfoliating a practice as early as your teen years.
“When the natural shedding process of your dead skin cells is uneven, the dead skin is trapped in pores, creating blackheads and congestion, accentuating lines, or creating a rough texture and dullness,” says Cline. “Exfoliants help encourage the natural progression of dead skin cells to minimize those concerns and in turn will allow for better performance from your other skincare and makeup products.”
Dual-action exfoliation, a process found in the Yerba Mate Resurfacing Energy Facial, combines both physical and chemical exfoliation. Chemical exfoliators, like papaya and pineapple enzymes, break down the “glue” that holds together dead skin cells. Physical micro-exfoliants, like super fine-milled bamboo and diatomaceous earth, are then better able to resurface the skin by moving the dead skin cells and glue away to reveal smoother, more radiant, and healthier skin.
If the thought of physical exfoliation gives you nightmares about micro-tears, the tiny tears in the skin caused by rough-edged physical exfoliants (like old-school walnut scrubs), Cline is here to calm all your fears: “Not all physical exfoliants will cause micro-tearing—have no fear! The micro-exfoliants derived from bamboo and diatomaceous earth, also known as sand, are tumbled to have smooth edges and will not tear at the skin.”
Use your Yerba Mate Resurfacing Energy Facial as instructed in the morning or evening for optimal results, no more than three times per week. “It’s easiest to rinse off in the shower due to the tiny micro-exfoliants,” Cline says. “Be sure to apply the Yerba Mate Resurfacing Energy Facial on clean, wet skin, and leave it on for up to two minutes, allowing the enzymes to go to work before massaging the physical exfoliants.”
“Always apply sun protection during the day,” Cline says, “And cleanse before bed to protect skin and help keep buildup to a minimum.”
