Regular exfoliation is one of the foundations of healthy skin. Not only does it remove dead skin cells and build up from the top layers of your skin, and stimulate new cell production, but most importantly, regular exfoliation helps your serums penetrate deeper into your skin. That means, you’ll get the most bang for your buck out of your corrective products.
That’s why we added our Pumpkin Enzyme Resurfacing Mask to our Korean skincare line. Powered by enzymatic exfoliation, this mask will slough away dead skin cells, and increase cell turnover to reveal brighter, smoother skin.
Our CEO and co-founder Kayla Bertagna, who oversees product development, and our lead chemist, Natalye Hinkson, gave us the inside scoop on this new formula.
Why did you develop this mask?
Kayla: Exfoliating is really important to the health of your skin. We wanted to add an enzymatic exfoliation option to complement our mechanical exfoliant, the Polish Pack Exfoliating Wash Cloth and Mitt Duo. I’m a big believer in gentle exfoliation every day versus only using intense, less frequent physical and mechanical exfoliation. My skin really responds when I use a combination of exfoliants. The goal was to create a mask that can fit easily into any skincare regimen and give the option for regular, gentler exfoliation. Plus, who doesn’t love a pumpkin mask just in time for fall.
What is enzymatic exfoliation & how is it different from other types of exfoliation?
Natalye: There are three types of exfoliation - physical, mechanical, and chemical. All types clear away dead skin cells and debris, but they do so in different ways.
Physical exfoliators are manual, think small particles like coffee, scrubs, or sugar granules, that require rubbing the product on your skin to do their job.
Mechanical exfoliators are tools, such as a brush or mitt that scrub away dead skin cells.
Chemical (also known as enzymatic) exfoliators include AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), BHAs (beta hydroxy acids) and fruit enzymes that eat away dead cells when applied to your skin. That is where our pumpkin mask falls.
Why did you formulate with pumpkin enzyme?
Natalye: Pumpkin is chock full of all the good stuff: amino acids, fruit enzymes, vitamin A, vitamin E. The enzymatic exfoliation eats at the sebum and dead skin cells that sit on the skin and sloughs it all off. The enzyme is gentler than other types of chemical exfoliation like glycolic acid, because pumpkin enzyme’s pH is closer to your skin’s natural pH. You get the best of both worlds - you’re getting exfoliation and hydration without irritation.
What’s special about Soon’s pumpkin mask?
Kayla: We use 5% pumpkin enzyme to get the full benefit of this ingredient.
Natalye: A lot of other pumpkin enzyme masks are boosted with lactic or glycolic acids, which supplement the enzymatic exfoliation, but can cause more irritation. Our formulation includes a true pumpkin enzyme which provides the same exfoliation, but in a gentler formula.
What skin types is this product best for?
Kayla: It works for all types but is recommended for normal, dry and mature skin as it is an active formula. My skin can be on the sensitive side, but I am still able to use this mask. I just leave it on for less time, no more than three minutes.
Natalye: One of the things that’s great about this mask is you can tailor it to your skin type. Leave it on for however long your skin can tolerate it. When it starts to tingle, it’s time to wash it off.
How should people incorporate it into their regimen?
Kayla: This mask is meant to be used as needed when you have an excess of build up, making it an ideal regimen booster as we transition to fall. As the weather cools and the air gets drier, your skin cells also dry out and they don’t shed as quickly causing that build up. That is exactly when you should reach for pumpkin enzyme to unclog your pores, remove debris and clear out the dead skin.
Natalye: Follow your mask with your corrective serums. After washing it off, you’re going to have a fresh clean slate with no debris blocking penetration into your pores, so those serums will penetrate deeper into your skin. We love using our Mermaid Marine Collagen Serum post-mask.
