Revival is a fan favorite among our community, so it was not an easy decision to tweak the formula! But, ultimately, we made the decision to make some small updates to the formula as part of our larger efforts to create a more intuitive skincare line.

What do we mean by intuitive skincare?

Not only do we fully believe in your ability to tune into your skin and your unique needs, we believe that’s the best way to support your skin and achieve lasting results. So, whether that be accomodating your unique skincare preferences (i.e. essential oil-free formulas) or unique skin states (i.e. fungal acne), it’s our goal to create tools you can reach for to meet your skin where you find it.

The updates to the Revival formula are minor. It is still essential oil-free, but is now also safe for individuals who prefer fungal acne-safe formulas. It can be mixed with our new Nectar cleanser to re-create the original Revival experience or with Purity for a fungal acne-safe exfoliating cleanse. The new Revival formula is also more concentrated, giving you more control over the intensity of your exfoliation without having to use a ton of product.

We truly believe this updated formulation is a formula that will better meet and adapt to the dynamic needs of your unique skin. We’re so excited to hear what you think!

Revival is a cleanser, yes. It can be used however is most convenient for you — as an exfoliating step after cleansing, mixed with one of our gentle cleansers, or in place of our gentle cleansers 1-3x per week. If you are especially prone to blackheads and congestion, you may find that using Revival aftercleansing is more effective for supporting smoother, clearer skin.

Microtears, a term coined to describe microscopic damage to the skin, often come up in conversation when talking about physical exfoliants. While it is possible to scratch the skin with harsh physical exfoliants, it’s important to know that the concept of microtears doesn’t come from and has never been documented in scientific research. And even if microtears did exist, we don’t know what the consequences of microtears are, what layers of skin they affect, or if they have any meaningful effects on skin health. After all, microneedling is a well-known modality that creates microscopic damage to the skin, but the result of this damage is positive: a therapeutic rebound response in the form of increased collagen, elastin, and microcirculation.

The theoretical possibility of microtears is also dependent on the shape, particle size, and structure of the exfoliant being used. Crushed fruit seeds, shells, or kernels are often large, irregular-shaped, hard particles that are more prone to scratching the skin. On the other hand, finely-milled, soft, uniform particles from exfoliants like our rice powder are extremely gentle.

Exfoliation is an amazing tool for supporting skin health, especially if you struggle with “hyperkeratosis”, a.k.a excess skin cell production. When skin cells proliferate on the skin surface, it reduces skin oxygenation, contributes to skin congestion, texture, and breakouts, and causes dull skin tone. It also interferes with the efficacy of skincare actives by reducing the delivery of active serums deeper into the skin.

So, not only does effective exfoliation improve skin health on a multitude of levels, it also helps your active skincare work more effectively.

But, it’s important to not overdo exfoliation. This is a careful balance between listening to your skin and making sure you’re using products that are supporting and protecting your skin barrier.

We all have different exfoliation needs. On top of that, you might find that different parts of your face or your body have different exfoliation needs to other parts. For example, you may find that your T-zone is often congested whereas your jaw or neck doesn’t require as much exfoliation.

The key to avoiding overexfoliation is listening to your skin and its needs — when do you start to feel congestion build up or see blackheads? At what frequency of exfoliation does your skin start to feel irritated or dry, if at all? It can take a little bit of trial and error to learn your skin’s needs and customize your routine accordingly, but most people do well with exfoliating 1-3x per week and can handle up to daily exfoliation on highly congested areas like the T-zone.

You can also reduce the chances of overexfoliation by using barrier-supportive ingredients like barrier-building lipids, antioxidants, and soothing botanicals (all found in our Sana lipid serums).

Yes, you can use Revival with chemical exfoliants. In fact, chemical exfoliants are good at loosening the “glue” between dead skin cells that keep them trapped on the surface of the skin, while physical exfoliants (like Revival) are great at removing these loosened dead skin cells. Put simply, gentle physical and chemical exfoliants work synergistically to provide better results.

However, it’s important not to overuse chemical exfoliants. Our general rule of thumb is to use as little as possible with any type of exfoliant, but especially with chemical exfoliants that can have effects on the deeper layers of the skin that can take longer to heal. Just a few drops of an AHA or BHA toner is enough to acidify the skin and promote natural desquamation without overexfoliating.

Alternating Revival with chemical exfoliants is a good idea. Especially with direct acids, chemical exfoliants used immediately after a physical exfoliation can cause the active ingredients to penetrate deeper into skin and lead to inflammation or irritation. To be safe, wait at least 24 hours after using Revival before using a direct acid and prescription retinoids and at least 12 hours before using a gentle retinoid (like Granactive Retinoid, and preferably use a smaller dose).