Elizabeth Grant Vitamin C Hydra Moist Gold C Microdermabrasion

Why Exfoliate?
Exfoliation is a very important yet often overlooked step in the beauty regimen. It is the key to loosen and remove a dead layer of skin cells, while speeding up the skin's process of shedding (which slows with aging or mature skin). Exfoliation also helps to stimulate the blood circulation, brighten the complexion by improving color and texture, smooth fine lines and wrinkles, and prevent build-up that can lead to break outs.
Without exfoliation, skin can take on an uneven tone, looking dull, patchy or even ashy. After exfoliation, skin serums and moisturizers are able to penetrate more effectively, allowing the active ingredients to penetrate more successfully and thus leading to better beauty product results.
As a general rule, you will want to exfoliate at least once per week. You can adjust your schedule according to your needs. The texture of the exfoliant may also factor in the frequency of usage. A finer grained exfoliator might be tolerated well and could be used more often if desired. If your skin becomes irritated or flaky, reduce the frequency of exfoliating or switch to one with finer texture.
Sometimes exfoliating ingredients are added to toners or also come in the form of masks. These products provide more options to incorporate exfoliating ingredients into your regimen.

How to Choose an Exfoliator
Choose an appropriate exfoliator for your skin type. Sensitive, fine or aging skin will need a finer abrasive ingredient than other types of skin. The best way to select one is to read the label description to determine the item's abrasiveness or strength. Salt, sugar, plant fiber, nut hulls, jojoba beads, apricot seeds, kernels, oatmeal, and bamboo beads are all common ingredients used in abrasive exfoliators.
Enzymes, retinols, alpha hydroxy acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid and salycilic acid preparations are referred to as chemical exfoliators. They are typically available in varying strengths in the form of a gel or serum. They can also be used once per week, or as desired after cleansing and before moisturizing to attain the same effect. They exfoliate with less irritation, and are especially recommended if your skin is on the sensitive side.

How to Exfoliate
After cleansing and rinsing the face, apply the exfoliator to your wet face. Using your fingers or a soft cloth, scrub using gentle circular motions. You will want to avoid the delicate eye area and scrub gently on the areas bordering it like the cheek bones and temple area outside of the eyes. Rinse your face and softly pat it dry.

When skin ages, its collagen and elastin are produced more slowly. This causes gradual changes like hyperpigmentation, discoloration, dryness, sagging, wrinkles, crepe-like folds, loss of muscle tone, textural unevenness and loss of elasticity.

The topical application of key skin firming ingredients works synergistically to protect and strengthen the skin. Skin care products should have a combination of naturally occurring active ingredients. They will contain compounds to protect which will likely be in the form of extracts containing antioxidants. Another set of ingredients will firm the skin by penetrating through its seven layers to support the collagen process at a cellular level.

Skin firming creams are usually formulated as night creams. They tend to be richer, thicker and more emollient and should be able to stay on long enough to absorb for maximum benefits. In general, face creams are designed to minimize lines/wrinkles, improve skin density, firm, plump and decrease puffiness (especially in the eye area).

Many manufacturers describe their product as a "cocktail" of ingredients that work together to decrease the effects of aging. Skin firming and anti-aging ingredients often include antioxidants, minerals, seaweed, herb extracts and different kinds of oils like Vitamins A and E. Other ingredients attributed to having a firming effect on the skin include green tea, aloe vera, beech bud extract, alpha lipoic acids, shea butter, hyaluronic acid and the very exotic sounding emu oil. Some firming and anti-aging products also contain light reflecting pigments, such as mica, to enhance the glow and make the skin look radiant.

How To Use

Dampen skin, massage face and neck area in a circular movement to peel away dead skin cells. Rinse well. Use morning or night, 1-2 times per week.Due to the natural ingredients in this formulation, you can expect different variances in the shade of the product.

Ingredients

Aqua, Alumina, Palmitic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Glycerin, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ascorbic Acid, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Colloidal Gold, Panthenol, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dioscorea Villosa (Wild Yam) Root Extract, Trifolium Pratense (Clover) Leaf Extract, Sorbitol, Propanediol, Propylene Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Glutathione, Citric Acid, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Triethanolamine, Limonene, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, CI 19140/Yellow 5, CI 16035/Red 40