as you saw in Chapter 1, your skin is constantly on the move. Skin cells are born deep in the skin’s

lower layers, migrate to the surface during a period of two to four weeks, and then serve as part of the
thick and dense keratinous layer before being sloughed off.

For many reasons, cells in the horny layer don’t always shed as regularly and completely as they
should. Sometimes sebum becomes stickier, so skin cells clump together after they reach the surface.
Sometimes new bacteria and fungi on the skin’s surface make skin cells more prone to excessive
shedding, so they form a thicker layer on top of the skin. This dry and weathered crust of old cells
starts to crack and peel, and the skin looks dull and uneven. Acne may erupt at this point, because
dead skin cells, teaming with bacteria and oxidized sebum, clog skin pores, triggering an
inflammation that forms zits.

Will getting rid of old skin cells save your skin? Not likely. Cosmetic companies make us believe
there’s a gorgeous, clean, and clear new skin just a few dead skin layers away and that exfoliating a
few skin cells (they are dead anyway!) will unveil a brand-new face. Keep in mind that shedding your
outer layer of dead skin cells a few nanometers thick (that’s one billionth of a meter) will not
magically clear all your skin problems. Prudent exfoliating won’t stimulate your skin to produce new
cells, nor will it give you a blemish-free complexion. Clear skin takes a little bit more than that.

So why do we pay so much money for expensive exfoliating lotions, at-home microdermabrasion
kits, and spa facials? Because most of them really work and can make our skin look healthier and feel
less congested. Exfoliating facials remove the dead layer of skin cells so that new, healthy cells can
enjoy all the goodness of the new, perfectly organic moisturizer or mask. This moisturizer, and
especially a mask, will absorb a lot better because dead skin cells won’t cling like a plastic wrap to
our skin’s surface (and we know that Mother Nature designed our skin to be waterproof, even when
we trick it into absorbing more chemicals than it needs). Microdermabrasion, an intense scrubbing
with mineral particles and special rotating tools, sheds dead skin cells at a much greater rate. Spa
facials use intensive scrubbing and steaming, complete with extraction procedures, when a skillful
aesthetician removes pore blockages manually, which results in smoother, less irritated skin.

Unfortunately, most spas and high-end skin care clinics use chemical skin care products loaded
with petrochemicals, synthetic preservatives, penetration enhancers, sodium laureth/lauryl sulfates,
artificial fragrances, and dyes. Even when the spa reception area smells heavily of lavender and
chamomile, chances are high that you’ll be treated with synthetic skin care “inspired” by essential
oils. When essential oils are used, they may contain preservatives and artificial fragrance enhancers.
This doesn’t help in your quest for green beauty, but you can recreate the spa experience at home and
enjoy virtually the same procedures—minus the chemical junk.

Deep-Cleansing Routine:Masks and Scrubs

To schedule a facial, you need to call the spa; you need to wait a few days until they see you,
depending on how busy the particular establishment is; and then you waste an hour, possibly two, to
get a really good facial rub, a facial steam bath, a massage, and a clay-based mask. They may also
pluck your eyebrows and apply a light makeup, possibly at additional cost. And they will always,
always try to sell you their products and feel insulted when you pass on their offerings.

It’s not that I am against spa facials. I enjoy all those lunchtime peels and minifacials. I love the