An effective, yet gentle exfoliator (Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliator)

Member Name: HonestBob

Product:	Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliator
Date:	23/08/09 (36 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A little goes a long way

Disadvantages: Can take a while to completely wash off

I've been a fan of Clinique products for 20 years now, since I discovered dramatically different moisturiser in my teens and have used many products in the range. I decided to give 'Sparkle Skin' a try after using Clinique deep comfort body butter and loving it. I thought Sparkle Skin would be a useful addition to my body care routine. I'm not getting any younger so I like to take care of what I've got (as the groaning bathroom shelves well testify to).

I've noticed that as I get older the skin on my knees and elbows is getting more leathery and sometimes I'm not confident wearing short sleeved tops, so my main hope for this body exfoliating cream was a softening of my elbows. The body butter does a good job, but I needed something to take off the roughness before moisturising as I find that a good exfoliation makes a body butter or lotion more effective. It also means that I can use less body butter for the same moisturising effect. All good when I want my body butter to soak in quickly so that I can get dressed and move on with my day.

This Sparkle Skin body exfoliating cream comes in an aquamarine coloured plastic tube making it easy to squeeze out every last drop. The MoneySaving Debt Free Wannabe in me has also seen me cut through the tube to scrape out the last crumbs of exfoliator so that there's no wastage at all!

The cream itself comes out of the tube in a thick aquamarine worm, mirroring the colour of the tube. It smells distinctively of menthol, something that I initially found offputting as it reminded me of foot cream. However, once applied to the skin, rubbed in and then showered off I do not smell like a tube of toothpaste. Good job really because I don't want the exfoliator to influence my perfume.

The exfoliator itself is full of tiny particles which buff the skin as you massage in circular motions. The particles are not gritty like some exfoliators so do not scratch at the skin. They leave my thighs feeling glossy and slightly tighter than they were before exfoliation and they leave my elbows and knees feeling much smoother. After an application of body butter to seal the effect I'm actually drawn to stroke my elbows, they feel that smooth!

I use this exfoliator once a week and sometimes more if I'm going on holiday. It costs around £15 for 200ml but I generally buy it during Clinique Bonus Time so that I get a few extras to burden my already overladen bathroom shelves a little more. One tube last me a couple of months but I only use it on my legs and arms, basically all the bits that are on show and get the most weather battered, and less frequently during the winter months when I hibernate in trousers and jumpers.

I recommend this for women (and men) in their late 20's onwards. It's quite a thick exfoliator and therefore can cope with older more weather worn skin. A little goes a long way so although it is pricey, it does last a long time. Washing the cream off can be quite time consuming and I often find particles lingering on the back of my upper arms and have to spend a little extra time ensuring they are all gone, but I think this is a sign that the exfoliator is good quality and does not simply wash away with the slightest bit of water before I've had chance to buff it around a bit.

Summary: Use before a good body butter to get smooth lump free skin.