Every culture has had some sort of body exfoliation mechanism or way of removing dead skin cells from ones’ epidermis. We all know that our bodies are about 70% water and our skin sheds daily. Why not try a new “old fashioned” devise such as Le Edge recently introduced at Cosmoprof North America 2011 and coming to the USA from Australia? It is based on the concept of a “strigil’ in the Roman Times. They would have therapists massage oils onto your skin and then with the strigil gently scrape of your dead skin cells prior to entering the bathhouses. Each culture from around the world does it in a different way. At the Korean ‘mogyoktang’ a body scrub is called a ‘ttae miri’ using scratchy hand mitts and then washed off with soapy water. At the Russian ‘Banya’ bunches of dried birch leaves called ‘veniks’ are slapped or hit on your skin to exfoliate and increase circulation. Exfoliation comes from the Latin word exfoliare meaning to ‘strip off leaves’.
There are two ways to exfoliate; mechanical and chemical. Mechanical meaning that you do it with a little force or motion from someone’s hands, a pumice stone or various rough surfaces such as a washcloth. Salts and sugars may also be used. Also it’s done through a machine such as in micro-dermabrasion or with a hand brush. The chemical way can be with a fruit enzyme mixture or alphahydroxy acids (AHAs) used in all sorts of products in today’s marketplace. The third way has been receiving a lot of controversy recently in the news: Garra rufa fish nibbling off the dead skin cells. It is banned in the USA and recently in the UK. This manner of exfoliation is still done in Japan, Korea and other Asian nations.
With Le Edge you would want to use it in the shower or tub while bathing. Hold Le Edge at a 45 degree angle and place it on the skin and sliding it gently from one side to the other to exfoliate your skin in a steady even way. You may use it over hair on your skin without any pulls. Clean up the dead skin cells by running under warm water. Move to another area of the body and repeating by sliding Le Edge again from one side to the other. You may want to finish off your skin with a moistening agent such as a lotion or cream. In the Winter months you may want to use something richer such as a body butter.
Why is exfoliating important?
Our skin is constantly generating new skin cells and each one of them like shingles gradually comes out on the surface to die. This is often done in an uneven manner and parts of your skin may become dull and translucent. As we age this process slows down. That’s why it’s best to keep your skin cleansed, smooth and polished by exfoliating. This helps with many ways: the renewal process of skin growth, stimulating and massaging the body systems below the epidermis such as the lymphatic and circulatory systems and the prevention of ingrown hairs. Exfoliation prevents break-outs and other skin problems. Your skin will thank you with a brighter and healthier look!
The product retails for $34.95 at the Le Edge website https://www.le-edge.us/ .
MarktheSpaman lives in Dallas, Texas and is a spa and wellness enthusiast. Mark’s quest and passion for spa and wellness began years ago when he worked with the Upledger Institute in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida as an educational services representative. One of his favorite work assignments was the introduction of the Thai herbal ball/compress to the spa market at Sa-wan.com. Mark can be found on Twitter @MarktheSpaman and other Social Media or by e-mail at MarktheSpaman@gmail.com and 972-415-4SPA.
December 12, 2011
