We all have five layers of skin. The skin cells in the bottom layer, the stratum basalis, are plump, hydrated skin cells that the body has recently made. They look like a grape in appearance, are living functional cells, and contain lots of DNA information.
As the body makes new cells, the previous new cells get pushed up towards the surface of the skin. As they migrate up through the layers, they dry out, shrink, and eventually become dead skin cells which sit like crisps, on top of the skin. These shed off naturally, as the skin is replenished. This process of migration from brand new skin cell to dead skin cell, takes 28 days when we are young, and our skin is functioning healthily. As we age, this process can slow down to 60 days, causing ageing and skin problems such as spots, pigmentation and lines.