Exfoliating your skin once or twice a week is a recommended practice all year round, but it's also advised before exposing yourself to the sun. When we think of tanning, we think of sunscreen, after-sun care... but we often forget about exfoliating treatments. Discover the many benefits of exfoliation before sun exposure.
The importance of exfoliating your skin before sun exposure.
Summary
Published on April 5, 2023, updated on October 4, 2024, by Pauline, Chemical Engineer — 4 min of reading
Themes:
Exfoliation for an even tan.
The process of cell regeneration leads to an accumulation of dead cells on the epidermis. The role of exfoliation is to eliminate them, while softening the skin layer. In doing so, exfoliation brightens and evens out the complexion, resulting in a subsequent uniform tan.
Furthermore, exfoliating your skin before sun exposure can extend your tan. Indeed, the natural skin renewal cycle is 28 days. During this cycle, the various layers of the skin will completely regenerate. Thus, we observe a process known as desquamation, which is the elimination of dead cells.
By contributing to this process, exfoliation allows new skin cells to be tinted, which subsequently extends the duration of the tan. When you apply this treatment, do not hesitate to focus on areas of the body that have the most dead cells, such as the elbows and knees.
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Exfoliation aids in the application of sunscreen.
The presence of dead cells and other impurities on the skin's surface forms a layer that can interfere with the application of the sunscreen. When using a sun care product, it's important that it is spread evenly in a thick layer to optimize its action and the protection it provides against UV rays. Therefore, it is wise to exfoliate the skin before sun exposure to facilitate the adherence of the sunscreen to the skin, and enhance its effectiveness.
Exfoliating Care: Which One to Choose?
Before exfoliating your skin, it is essential to choose a suitable exfoliating product. This choice is typically based on the sensitivity and the typology of your skin. Thus, mechanical exfoliants are not recommended for dry, sensitive, or acne-prone skin. Indeed, this type of treatment uses granules that are abrasive and can damage the skin.
If your skin is sensitized, we recommend using a chemical exfoliant, which is gentler. It requires no scrubbing and works on the skin by enabling the detachment of corneocytes. This is facilitated by the breaking of bonds that hold them to the epidermis. All impurities present on the skin's surface are thus eliminated, leaving it purified.
Chemical exfoliants typically use AHA, BHA, or PHA. It is generally recommended for people with sensitive skin to opt for PHA. These acids have a higher molecular weight than AHA and BHA, and therefore penetrate less deeply into the epidermis. If you have oily skin, exfoliants containing BHA are intended for you. Indeed, these molecules act both on the surface of the epidermis and inside the pores to unclog them.
Now that you have all the keys to choose your exfoliant, it's time to focus on the practical part: theapplication. An exfoliant is typically applied in a semi-thick layer on the face or body, which should be previously cleaned and dried. It should then be left on for about ten to fifteen minutes before rinsing with clear water. It's worth noting that it's recommended toexfoliate your skin about 3 days before sun exposure , and to avoid doing so the day before, as it may weaken the skin and make it more susceptible to sunburn.
