Everyone has their own distinct bedtime routine; perhaps it begins with watching their favorite TV show, then brushing their teeth, washing their face, and finally climbing back into bed to wind down with a book or magazine or the news. While there can be an infinite number of variations on a typical bedtime routine, there is one important aspect of hitting the sheets that shouldn’t be ignored; exfoliating. Many people mistakenly believe that by simply using a cleanser to wash their face, they’ve done enough to rid their skin of any makeup, dirt, or free radicals from their day. Although some cleansers can be excellent for removing makeup, simply washing your face leaves residual debris from throughout your day lingering on your “clean” complexion. These debris leads to clogged pores, uneven skin tone and other unsightly side effects.
The potential side effects of sleeping with dirt and debris on your skin are the reason behind Dr. Lancer’s emphasis on the importance of daily exfoliation. Dr. Lancer stresses the importance of using an exfoliant—or polish, as we call it—before using your cleanser for all of his patients. Although this may sound unusual to some, it’s a highly effective way of caring for your skin, which contributes to more effective cleansing and better aging prevention. We’ve discussed the differences between mechanical and chemical exfoliation, but we want to stress how taking exfoliating into your own hands is a critical step in your skincare routine.
We like to call exfoliating “polishing” because it provides one of the best images as to why The Lancer Method® is so successful in uncovering radiant skin. Just as you might polish a tarnished piece of silver to bring back it’s shining beauty, Polishing your skin allows dead and dry skin cells to be swept away, revealing the radiant, youthful skin below. Exfoliating before cleansing is instrumental in preventing clogged pores and a dull complexion. When you use an exfoliant like the The Method: Polish, you are able to feel the superfine quartz and sodium bicarbonate crystals that provide even exfoliation without the risk of abrading the skin. Pumpkin and pomegranate extracts help to additionally break down dull, dead cells to more effectively clear your complexion. Once Polish has effectively lifted away the dirt and debris from your skin, your cleanser steps in to wash away all the particles remaining on your skin. In this way, your complexion is fully cleansed, with no pollutants or dirt left behind.
While you may have heard the rumor that you should only exfoliate once to twice a week, Dr. Lancer encourages daily exfoliation. Many exfoliants are formulated with uneven materials which may abrade the skin, like nut shells and particles. The Lancer® Polish, on the other hand, is composed of finely tumbled, uniform crystals, chosen specifically for their ability to effectively exfoliate the skin without causing micro-cuts or abrasions. A dose of brown sea algae also provides topical moisture, so skin is never stripped of its natural hydration.
When you gently exfoliate your skin every day, you’re able to Polish away skin’s dull surface layers, causing a chain reaction in the skin cells so that they regenerate more quickly in order to replace those sloughed-off cells. This results in skin that is fresher-looking, and more even. The Lancer® Polish’s gentle exfoliation, followed by The Lancer Method’s system of cleansing the residual exfoliant debris creates the perfect canvas for the luscious anti-aging ingredients found in The Method: Nourish. Following these three simple steps will leave your complexion rejuvenated and glowing.
For skin that will not only look and feel super clean, but smooth and glowing, try The Method: Polish. Once you see the results, you’ll understand even more why it is so important to manually exfoliate your skin every day before you cleanse.
Dr. Lancer. Younger: The Breakthrough Anti-Aging Method for Radiant Skin. p. 41-4