Why we don’t offer chemical face peels in the clinic?
Imagine the scenario: you have a big do coming up and want to look your best. But you’ve been stressed out and neglected your skincare routine – your skin looks flat. Is a chemical face peel the perfect quick fix?
If your skin barrier could talk, it would beg you not to. At Tej & Co, we are often asked to repair post-peel damage such as sensitivity, acne or dryness. And long-term peel users often seek our help, frustrated with their thin, brittle, waxy skin.
Peel it at your peril!
We peel fruit, never skin
When did everyone start going peel-crazy? Dermatologists used to believe that the top layer of skin was dead; no wonder everyone started peeling and scrubbing it off, searching for fresh, glowing skin underneath.
But corneotherapists (skin-barrier-obsessed therapists) realised it was far from dead and loves to chat, passing vital repair messages to the skin cells below. Mother Nature created this clever self-renewing barrier for a reason: the strong hard cells (corneocytes) protect us from the elements before falling off. Why would we peel it off?
Peels couldn’t care less about your barrier, leaving your skin vulnerable to dehydration, sensitivity, hyperpigmentation and premature ageing. Peels don’t understand that Mother Nature needs mature, adult cells on the surface primed for defence. If the teenage cells come to the surface before they’re ready, they look good for a while but then start misbehaving. Like typical teenagers, they simply aren’t responsible enough to protect your skin.
Enzymes vs. chemical face peels
It’s time to say goodbye to peels and hello to enzymes. Your skin doesn’t naturally peel unless it’s burnt! It naturally sloughs off unwanted skin cells that have reached the end of the line and become sluggish. Think of it this way: if we don’t eliminate our bowels, we get constipated; if our skin doesn’t eliminate, it becomes clogged and ‘skinstipated.’
Peels are like laxatives, forcing the unwanted skin off. But they also remove living cells and natural oils: anyone over thirty-five needs to hang onto as many skin-nourishing oils as possible! Enzymes are like fibre, gently reminding the skin to slough off without any drama.
Our Hero product: Enzyme Skin Renewal Mask
Based on natural enzymes such as pineapple and papaya, our enzyme mask only removes excess skin ready to come off, so there is no peeling. It amazes us how one unassuming little sachet can achieve so much. Our clients love it:
“Once you do an enzyme before going out, it makes your make-up sit better, and your skin feels smoother.”
It understands that skin can be a diva and won’t release old skin cells unless the conditions are perfect. If the skin is dehydrated or the microbiome pH is off balance, she has a tantrum, holding their hands tightly and refusing to say goodbye.
Enzymes gently encourage Mother Nature to accept the relationship has run its course, and to move on without causing a scene. By contrast, peels show no mercy and force skin cells apart, like being dumped by text with no explanation.
We treat skin, not symptoms.
At Tej & Co, we see far better results when clients use our enzyme mask at home between clinic treatments: over time, their skin becomes softer and clearer, and products absorb more easily. Whereas peeled skin looks thin and dehydrated, enzymed skin has more water flow and bounce and feels more nourished.
Follow a consistent routine, and you won’t have to damage your barrier with peels or retinol to see an improvement. Instead of treating the symptoms, corneotherapists investigate why Mother Nature has gone on strike and let the dead skin build-up. Maybe she is angry after you stripped the barrier with scrubs, micellar water, or face wipes. Maybe she is angry that you dried out spotty skin with acids. Perhaps she is angry that you suffocated your skin with mineral oil and silicones.
We are like skin detectives, putting all the jigsaw pieces together until we discover the root cause of your skin concern. Once we’ve repaired your barrier, the skin is pretty good at looking after itself – it’s more clever than the rest of us put together.
Your bespoke Dermaviduals skincare routine.
We recommend booking a consultation at our specialist skincare and hair removal clinic in Stourbridge, West Midlands to take your full skin history before planning your personalised treatment plan. We need to learn about your skin before changing it – the skin has a long memory and is not very forgiving!
At Tej and Co, we are in awe of Mother Nature and never take the skin for granted. Like a fingerprint, no two skins are the same. We recommend Dermaviduals custom-blended skincare, which uses skin-barrier mimicking ingredients and is free from disruptive preservatives, dyes, pigments or additives.
Our clients love that we keep tweaking their serums depending on their lifestyle, season and skin concerns!
Let’s get your skin back on track.
