What it is
This magical little tub of powder exfoliates, brightens and smooths skin in one easy and super gentle step. It is essentially (in very basic terms) a powder and you mix a few drops of water with to make a nice creamy paste and then rub on your face and it does all the work.
Dermalogica's number one exfoliant is a rice-based exfoliating powder which activates when mixed with water, releasing Papain, Salicylic Acid and Rice Enzymes that when massaged into the skin micro-exfoliate dead cells away leaving skin instantly smoother and brighter. This is also great for sensitive skin as its formulated without artificial fragrances and colours. It has only the tiniest hint of a scent at all and even that is just lightly creamy.
The Ingredients
Papain Enzyme
Is derived from the papaya fruit which itself is known to have exfoliating properties. In-vivo studies have shown papain to give noticeably smoother skin after one use and more luminosity in skin after 21 used.
Salicylic Acid
It (and derivatives thereof) have been used for thousands of years, noticeably in Ancient Greece where it was obtained from willow bark and used to treat minor pain. It is present in many un-ripe fruits and vegetables, notably berries. Though out time it has been know to help break fever and reduce pain - it is a notable active component in aspirin.
It works as a keratolytic (anti-excess skin), bacteriocide (anti-bacterial) and comedolytic (anti-blackhead) agent by causing the cells of the epidermis to shed more readily, opening clogged pores and neutralising bacteria within, preventing pores from clogging up again by constricting pore diameter, and allowing room for new cell growth.
Rice Enzymes
Ive heard that this had been used in Asian counties for thousand's of years. That when making Saka (an alcoholic drink produced from rice) the makers hands were dipped in it for long periods of time and came out soft and smooth. In turn Geisha noticed this and started using it to smooth their skin.
In all honesty I'm not sure just how it works so i wont give you too much detail here but they are extraordinarily gentle and smoothing.
How i use it
This is in all honestly one of the most pleasant easy to use exfoliators i have ever used. You simply cleanse your skin with your normal cleanser. Then pore a little of the powder onto your hand and mix with a little bit of water ( i tend to have kept my hands and face damp after cleansing so put it straight onto my damp hands) and mix into a paste. Then simply rub over the face in circular motions avoiding the eye area for approximately one minute. Then rinse off, which is so easy. My pet hate is using any facial product which is a nightmare to remove, this is gone with only a few splashes of water. Then pat dry and continue with your usual skin routine. For me that is toner, serum, moisturiser, eye moisturiser and if day time makeup.
The result
Baby smooth skin from the first use, (continued use is needed for it to stay this way). My skin looks healthier and brighter, less weighed down in a way. I always feel fresh after using this and have the urge to use lighter makeup than usual. It gives me the confidence to use that tinted moisturiser and give the foundation a miss.
Before i used this i was firmly of the mind set that smooth/bright/unclogged skin would be had by scrubbing daily with facial scrubs with exfoliating particles or rough bits in them, Strong facial masks that quite frankly stung after using them, and left my face red. This little tub made me realise i wasn't actually doing my skin any good i was, for all intents and purposes, just scrubbing healthy skin off in a rough manner and quite frankly causing damage. Skincare has always been on the back seat for me a bit with makeup my first love, i never thought about how i could make my skin healthier, only how i could cover it up and scrub it down. This was really a turning point for me, and my face is definitely thanking me.
