What technique is used to remove dead skin cells during a facial?

Exfoliation is the technique specifically designed to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin during a facial. This process is essential for promoting skin renewal, improving texture, and enhancing the overall appearance of the skin. By sloughing off old, dead cells, exfoliation helps reveal the fresher, healthier skin underneath, which can lead to a more radiant complexion.

Exfoliation can be performed through various methods, such as physical exfoliants (like scrubs or brushes) that manually remove dead skin, or chemical exfoliants (like alpha hydroxy acids or beta hydroxy acids) that dissolve the bonds between skin cells, allowing them to shed more easily. This step is crucial in facials as it prepares the skin for better absorption of subsequent products, such as serums and moisturizers.

While hydration and moisturization focus on adding moisture and maintaining skin's water balance, and extraction deals with the removal of impurities such as blackheads or clogged pores, these techniques do not specifically address the removal of dead skin cells. Thus, in the context of a facial, exfoliation is the clear choice for achieving this particular goal.