Stripped down, cleaned up, polished off

First, I'd like to introduce you to a few of my old friends... These are some scrubs I absolutely adore. Scrubs are hard to control and easy to overuse. Just promise me you'll be extra gentle and try to use a uniform amount of pressure.

Astara Daily Refining Scrub is a gentle scrub with small, non-irritating particles. It's not necessary to use it daily, once or twice a week should be plenty. Remember: more exfoliating is not always better! Your skin needs time to recover in between exfoliation treatments, to rebuild and repair it's natural protective barrier.

If you want to take it up a notch, try Epicuren Discovery Micro-Derm Exfoliating Cream. This is the absolute best turbo-scrub on the planet. It's very powerful, so take it easy or you might over-exfoliate with this scrub. Be sure to add water to your fingertips as you massage it in and use an even amount of pressure. This one is so intense, it's better as a twice-monthly deep peel. 

If you want to exfoliate daily, use a Clarisonic Plus Brush with your regular cleanser.

Okay now let me explain this next category. A gommage is like a scrub mixed with a peel-off mask. You apply it, let it dry, then rub it off with gentle sweeping motions. It takes dead skin cells with it, and usually leaves the skin soft & velvety. Gommage is all about the glow, less about the real results that a deeper exfoliation offers.

YonKa's Gommage 303 exfoliates very gently and doubles as a hydrating mask. I love it for delicate, combination/oily skin, dehydrated, or dull skin. It brightens and tones, and can be left on overnight for a serious shot of moisture.

For very dry, rough, or sensitive skin I always get amazing results with Kerstin Florian Rehydrating Gommage Vegetal. It is super rich and it will wrangle the most difficult dry skin into baby-smooth submission. 

Are you adventurous? Really, really adventurous? Do you have oily, congested, sallow skin that needs a boost? Ilike Rolling Face & Body Exfoliator has HOT Hungarian pepper extract in it, and it burns like hellfire but if you crave wow factor, that glow that makes people wonder if you're in love, or you just feel kinda crazy you have to try this. Your skin will be about three notches past rosy for a while, be patient, it will be vibrant and gorgeous.

Enzymes are pretty amazing, the ones used to exfoliate work by breaking down keratin, which is what dead skin cells are made up of. Meaning they only target dead skin cells, not live ones. Pretty smart little critters, those enzymes. The two most well known exfoliating enzymes are Papain (from papaya) and Bromelain (from pineapple), but there are also enzymes from mushrooms, pumpkin, and figs. I am not going to recommend a pumpkin enzyme because a shockingly high number of people are allergic to pumpkin enzymes. 

I'm so excited to tell you about GM Collin's Intensive Exfoliating Gel. It's a mild exfoliant, so it can be used a few times a week. It's fantastic for rosacea, sensitive skin, and aging skin. It's firming and lifting, and it exfoliates with zero irritation. You can even use it right around the eyes. As if all that wasn't enough, it smells like a margarita.

Sophyto Dual Action Exfoliating Treatment uses papain (the papaya enzyme). It is brightening and provides a really effective exfoliation with minimum effort. Just put it on, rinse it off after a few minutes.

This next one means business, it's a powerful, results-oriented peel that you can do at home. Actifirm Z-Peel exfoliates with a mushroom enzyme. It comes in 3 strengths: I recommend starting with the 15%, or the 10% if your skin is sensitive.

I've saved my favorite for last in the enzyme category: Cellex C Speed Peel Facial Gel is downright awesome. Combine a hydrating gommage with a nice deep enzyme peel, add a dose of glow, and you have the Speed Peel. This is a pretty damn tingly peel, and it leaves the skin rosy for about 10-15 minutes afterwards before it settles into a healthy glow.  It's not for sensitive skin but it's excellent for acne.

I have some more recommendations for you, but my hands tire and my attention span wavers. I'll get to those soon! Coming soon to a computer near you: Stripped Down Part II! Exploring the world of Alpha and Beta Hydroxy acids and other exciting exfoliators... In the meantime feel free to ask any burning (or tingling) skin-related questions.