I love me some chemical exfoliators: they make my skin smoother, keep any wrinkles and acne at bay, and when used in moderation, really amp up the quality of my skin.

I guess I was too comfortable using chemical exfoliants in the form of toners and masks, for I was sent the By Wishtrend Green Tea & Enzyme Powder Wash*  to try out and felt like sorcery was at work!

I was VERY perplexed by enzyme powder washes. My friend loves them, but I just couldn’t comprehend how a powder cleanser could be that amazing. I’ve used powder cleansers in the past, and although they’re handy for travelling purposes, I couldn’t bring myself to to find them a necessity. This is where the noggin’  wasn’t processing the word “enzyme” in enzyme wash!

From my understanding,  (food-derived) enzymes are chemical exfoliants that are gentler, and quicker at removing dead skin cells. These types of enzymes are proteolytic, meaning they break down other proteins.

In the case of our skin, they remove old keratin, a skin protein that glues cells to each other to form a protective layer outside the skin. Usually too much keratin is what causes scaly skin and too much build up, which can lead to skin conditions like keratosis pilaris.

While researching the effectiveness of enzyme washes, I could not find any scientific study on its beneficial (or detrimental) uses in skincare. Only sources for enzyme washing detergents popped up, so I’m even more perplexed by enzyme facial exfoliants.

Before we get into the use, let me just say I grossly underestimated this product.

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