Behind the Formulation: What I Learnt About Exfoliating the Right Way

A journal entry from our founder, Saya McDermott

Every change of season asks something a little different of our skin. Cooler, drier air can leave dry surface cells lingering and skin looking duller, while warmer, more humid days can bring congestion and uneven texture. Whatever the weather is doing where you are, a seasonal shift is a lovely moment to revisit exfoliation, and to make sure we're doing it well.

Exfoliation is one of the steps I'm asked about most, and it's also the one people are most unsure of. Which kind should I use? How often? Is it too much for my skin? So in this entry, I want to share what I've learnt over many years of formulating, and the thinking behind three formulas that grew from it: the Brightening Peel, the AHA Micro Exfoliant and the Coconut Body Polish.

Where it all began

My own skin was my first teacher. In my twenties it was sensitive and reactive, and I learnt quickly that what worked for someone else wouldn't necessarily work for me. Rather than keep guessing, I started educating myself. I read everything I could about how skin renews, how ingredients behave on the skin, and why the same step could leave one person glowing and another feeling tight and uncomfortable.

Exfoliation was where that learning changed the most for me. I came to understand that it isn't a single action but a family of methods, each working in its own way, and that the results depend almost entirely on choosing the right ingredients, at the right strength, for the right skin. Done thoughtfully, exfoliation is one of the most supportive things you can do for your skin. That understanding became the foundation for every exfoliating formula I've made since.

“Once I understood all of this, exfoliation became not just an option but a vital step in keeping my skin healthy, clear and strong.”

The three ways to exfoliate

Skin naturally sheds its surface cells, but that process slows with age, weather and stress. Exfoliation simply helps it along. There are three ways to do it.

Chemical exfoliation uses acids, most often alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), to dissolve the bonds that hold dead cells to the surface, so they release on their own without any rubbing. Different AHAs behave differently. Glycolic Acid is a very small molecule that penetrates quickly, which makes it powerful but more likely to sting. Lactic Acid is larger and works more gradually, and because it's part of skin's own natural moisturising factor, it also helps skin hold on to water. Polyhydroxy acids (PHAs), such as Gluconolactone, are larger again and among the most gentle of all.

Enzymatic exfoliation uses fruit enzymes, such as those from papaya and pineapple, to break down the proteins in the dull surface layer. It's one of the softest ways to renew skin and suits even delicate complexions.

Physical exfoliation uses fine particles to lift away cells that have already loosened. The shape of those particles matters enormously. Smooth, rounded particles polish the surface, while jagged, uneven ones can scratch.

Choosing the right exfoliation for your skin

If your skin is sensitive, dry or easily flushed, start with the gentlest options: Lactic Acid, PHAs and fruit enzymes. They renew without the sting and support hydration at the same time.

If your skin is normal, combination or looking dull, a combination of methods tends to give the most even, luminous result, with acids and enzymes loosening build-up and a very fine physical polish lifting it away.

If your body skin is rough or dry, particularly on elbows, knees and heels, a nourishing physical polish works beautifully, especially when it's cushioned with oils and butters.

How often, and how to know it's working

More isn't better when it comes to exfoliation. For most skin, two to three times a week is plenty for a regular exfoliant, with a deeper treatment once a week on its own evening. Begin at the lower end and build up slowly as your skin settles in.

Well-exfoliated skin looks smoother, brighter and more even, and your serums and moisturisers feel like they sink in more easily. If you notice tightness, stinging when you apply your usual products, redness, or a shiny, almost waxy look, your skin is telling you it needs a rest. Pause exfoliation for a week or so and focus on hydration and barrier care before slowly reintroducing it.

A few simple habits make all the difference. Use one exfoliating product per evening rather than layering several. Always follow with hydration. Patch test anything new, and avoid broken or irritated skin. And whatever the season, be mindful that freshly exfoliated skin is more sensitive to the sun.

The Brightening Peel: renewal that cares for skin as it works

The Brightening Peel came from a question I kept returning to: could a leave-on exfoliant brighten, hydrate and calm all at once, rather than asking you to choose?

I spent months testing combinations. Lactic Acid became the backbone, for all the reasons above, paired with an AHA Fruit Acid Complex and Gluconolactone for gentle, layered renewal. But I didn't want an exfoliant that left skin feeling depleted, so I built in ingredients to care for skin at the same time. Azelaic Acid and Liquorice Root help even the look of skin tone, Kakadu Plum brings vitamin C for brightness, Chamomile soothes, and Pentavitin® binds hydration to the skin's surface so it lasts through the night.

It's designed to work overnight, with no rinsing, so skin has hours to respond. For me, that's what makes it feel like a treatment rather than a task.

“I wanted a formula that went beyond the ordinary exfoliant, one that brightens, hydrates and calms in a single overnight step.”

The AHA Micro Exfoliant: all three methods in balance

In the earliest days of the brand, my exfoliants were humble blends of clay, granules, enzymes and AHAs, because I've always believed skincare should multitask. The ingredients available to me then couldn't quite do justice to the idea, so two years ago I returned to it.

The AHA Micro Exfoliant brings all three methods together. Lactic Acid and a Fruit Acid Complex of bilberry, sugarcane, orange, lemon and sugar maple loosen dull surface cells. Fermented papaya and pineapple enzymes gently break down build-up. And perfectly spherical, biodegradable jojoba beads roll across the skin to lift it away, rather than scratching as crushed shells or seeds can.

The challenge was balance. Each method had to be strong enough to work, but gentle enough that together they didn't overwhelm the skin. It took two years of formulation and testing to get there. It can be massaged in slow circles and rinsed, or left on for a few minutes as a mask when your skin would love a little more.

“It's a carefully balanced formula that brings together chemical, enzymatic and physical exfoliation, so skin looks smoother straight away and stays healthy over time.”

The Coconut Body Polish: bringing the same care to the body

The skin on our body deserves the same thoughtful care as our face, yet it's so often an afterthought. I wanted to apply the same principles, gentle renewal and real nourishment, in a way that feels indulgent enough to become a habit, that is the Coconut Body Polish.

Raw sugar does the physical work, smoothing rough patches on elbows, knees and heels. Sugar crystals gradually dissolve as you massage with warm water, so the polish becomes softer the longer you work it in. Coconut Oil and Shea Butter carry the moisture, so exfoliation and nourishment happen in the same motion rather than one undoing the other. Use it two to three times a week on damp skin in the shower, with slow, circular movements.

“Skincare should feel as good as it looks.”

A simple exfoliation ritual

• Two to three evenings a week, use the AHA Micro Exfoliant after cleansing, massaging gently and rinsing, or leaving it on briefly as a mask.
• Once a week, on its own evening, smooth on the Brightening Peel after cleansing and leave it overnight. Keep it separate from your AHA Micro Exfoliant evenings.
• Two to three times a week in the shower, polish your body with the Coconut Body Polish, then press a nourishing oil or cream into damp skin.
• Every day, hydrate generously. Exfoliation clears the way, but it's hydration that brings skin to life.

Ritual, not routine

Everything I've learnt about exfoliation comes back to one idea: it should never ask you to trade comfort for results. Chemical, enzymatic and physical methods, chosen thoughtfully and used in the right rhythm, work with the skin rather than against it.

“It's about caring for yourself with intention, respect and joy.”

Twenty years ago, my skin set me on a path of learning I'm still on today. These three formulas are what that learning looks like in practice.

Saya
Saya Skincare Founder 

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