Have a glow. (Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant)

Member Name: Vaula

Product:	Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant
Date:	03/06/09 (130 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very gentle but effective, minimizes pores, brightens skin, prevents breakouts.

Disadvantages: Could be cheaper. Clayish smell.

I don't want to imagine what my skin would look like if I wasn't using this. I've got combination skin, oily t-zone with often dry cheeks, prone to breakouts and blackheads and generally annoyingly sensitive to everything (can't use dpt store moisturizers, for instance, due to the cheap mineral oils that block my pores, but only 100% natural organic ones). This is one of the few products I can put on my skin without problems.

The main active ingredients in the product are alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs): lactic acid and salicylic acid, to be exact. Lactic acid is a very gently exfoliating acid, and salicylic acid is especially good for skin prone to breakouts as it's exfoliating effect is aimed more at the surface of the skin, compared to the more widely used glycolic acid.

As I can't use the old, crude (for my skin anyway) abrasive exfoliants that contain hard grains that physically exfoliate through scratching and scraping the surface of the skin, a "non-violent" chemical exfoliant like this one is perfect for me.

The exfoliant is packaged in a sober-looking white tube with grey text on it. The product itself is an off-white, smooth, milky, clayish paste. Like runny clay, but white. It's very easy to apply, and the beauty of it is that you don't need to cake your face in a thick layer. You can apply a very thin film of it on your skin, and the end result seems to be the same. I always pour a bit on the back of my hand, and apply it with one or two fingers over my face, or just on the bits that need it.

Once applied, you need to let it dry and work for 10-15 minutes, and then rinse off. During the 10 minutes the product will dry on your face a bit like a normal clay mask would. It may sting a little if you haven't used AHA products before, although it is a really gentle one. If you feel a distinct stinging, I would recommend starting out with leaving it on just for a couple of minutes in the beginning. (And please don't use it near your eyes, as usual.)

The product leaves my skin looking instantly a lot fresher, brighter and smoother, by having removed dead cells from the surface of the skin. It seems to minimize the appearance of my pores as well, and prevent breakouts, as well as get rid of the ones already there quicker than usual.
So basically, it does what any good AHA product would do, but seems to be a lot gentler than many others.

According to the instructions on the leaflet, the product should be used just 1-2 times per week. Because I love it, I use it every day before cleansing my skin in the evening, almost like a pre-cleanser. I don't always keep it on for the whole 10-15 mins, more like 2-3 mins and this seems to be enough.

Can't really think of many negative things to say about it. The smell is a bit clayish, but not very strong.

The price in my nearest salon is £28, but seems to be currently approx. £17-£20 on Ebay. The tube isn't massive, but lasts me a good 7-8 weeks.

This would be great for anyone with skin prone to blackheads/ breakouts, looking for a gentle exfoliant to be used more than once a week, or for anyone interested in starting to use AHA products and not wanting to go red as a lobster with the stronger potions.


Ingredients:
Aloe Barbadensis Gel, Diatomaceous Earth (Sloum Diatomeae), Butylene Glycol, Isodecyl Salicylate, Apricot (Prunus Armeniaca)Kernel Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol,Ceteareth-20,Papain, Bromelain, Glyceryl Stearate, Titanium Dioxide, Salicylic Acid, Algin, Lactic Acid, Sulfur, Sodium Hydroxymethyglycinate, Lavender (Lavandula Anjustifolia)Oil, Extracts Of: Cornflower (Centaurea Cyanus), Lemon (Citrus Medica Limonum), Orange (Citrus Aurantium Dulcis), Orange 9Citrus Aurantium Dulcis) Flower, Matricaria (Chamomilla Recututa); Silica, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylparaben.

Summary: Great exfoliant for any skin type, but especially for sensitive acne prone one, or for AHA virgins.