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Hit List: Best Face Exfoliator
What’s the Best Face Exfoliator…?
What brand/products win this category? What makes it so great?
Thanks to Meme for today’s topic!
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ExfoliKate of course! It burns my skin but leaves it looking bright and feeling soft afterwards.
ExfoliKate is my favorite!!!
I like the St. Ives scrubs — I like the green tea one bc its not too rough on the skin, and its very affordable and they dont test on animals. The famous apricot one is good too but is rougher which I like sometimes as well.
I agree with this whole comment!
I use the apricot scrub for sensitive or dry skin, it works pretty well. But my all time favourite is the clarins one-step gentle exfoliating cleanser!
I purchase products from both of these companies as they don’t test on animals. It breaks my heart to think of what happens to those animals, especially since it is not required by law. It’s a bit of a bummer because I can’t try products from companies like L’oreal, MUF, Lancome etc., but as soon as they cease animal testing I’ll be sure to check their products out.
Cure Aqua Gel! It’s expensive, but I love it to pieces. Gentle enough to use every day, but so seriously effective. A little goes a long way too!
I totally agree with this! It’s the best exfoliator I have ever tried! I usually just use it once a week or so, sometimes even once 2 weeks. The results is so instant! I like how you can feel and SEE that layer of dead skin coming off! I love it!
Cure Natural Aqua Gel is my favorite too! It is SO gentle and yet effective. My skin is VERY sensitive and yet this doesn’t irritate it a bit. My face feels amazingly smooth, soft and refreshed after using it. I have to say, I took a complete leap of faith by purchasing a product that I can’t read the label on, but the positive reviews I read online and through youtube all held true. This is HG for me. I only use it once a week, and the bottle will last a long time. Not expensive compared to most high end brands. Most people don’t realize that exfoliators don’t have to be irritating or sting or harsh to work.
I have faith in acids for the best exfoliator, but once in a blue moon when I’m in the mood of scrubbing, I can only trust Cure Aqua Gel! It’s so incredibly mild yet verrrrryyy effective. It’s like microdermabrasion minus the pain!
So far, the best one I have used is the Philosophy Microdelivery Exfoliator. I love how gentle it is and the way it makes my skin feel 🙂
I agree!
My current favorite is Bliss Pore Perfecting Facial Polish! The beads aren’t too rough and irritating on my face like many can be.
If we’re talking scrubby exfoliators then I like the Soap and Glory ones. Otherwise for about a month now I’ve been loving Bliss Steep Clean Face Mask (it has Salicylic acid so we can call it an exfoliator right?) – I usually get little bumps on the tops of my cheekbones, not spots, but kind of “under the skin spots” (if that makes any sense at all!) and using this once a week has completely gotten rid of them and my skin feels amazingly smooth!
ExfoliKate! I tried a sample of the original, and fell in love. It cleared out my pores and it didn’t cause any kind of negative reaction on my skin. I ordered the Acne Treatment version, so I hope that works just as well.
I make my own. It’s really easy, and cheaper too!
http://themakeuptrain.com/2011/03/27/homemade-coffee-facial-scrub/
The ALL TIME BEST exfoliator for sensitive skin: Neutrogena Skin Polishing Acne Cleanser in the Complete Acne Therapy System kit.
Trust me – I don’t have acne, and normally any anti-acne product burns my face like battery acid – but for some reason this exfoliator is perfect. PERFECT! It has very low levels of salicylic acid, just enought to get the job done. I use it only once or twice a week, and my skin glows.
I love Lush Love Lettuce and Bioderma Sebium Exfoliating Gel
Origins Modern Friction – fresh, natural, effective!
I will second this! So nice to use!
third here! love origins modern friction
For me Dermalogicas Daily Microfoliant works the best 😀
Absolutely love Md Formulation’s face and body scrub!
Exfolikate! Got a sample and loved it enough to purchase. It stings a bit but I love that it is not abrasive and my skin feels baby soft afterwards. Use weekly and recommend for non-sensitive complexion guys and gals.
I like LUSH’s dark angels
Clinique 7-day scrub! A creamy scrub with beads that I always seem to go back to! Must be love haha. As far as Chemical exfoliants go I’ve been LOVEing la-Roche posay Derm AHA serum!
Kiehl’s Pineapple Papaya ! It’s not very abrasive, so you just let it sit for a bit then rinse. Sooo smooth!
Agree ! And I really like Kiehl’s microdermabraison exfoliant too !
I love the Burt’s Bees Citrus Scrub, It leaves my skin super soft and not at all dry and considering I have dry skin that’s a big plus for me.
Gotta be the St Ives apricot scrub for me, followed by the clean and clear energising facial wash (the orange one with the beads?) use the wash first thing of a mornin with a splash of cold water and it’s amazing! And the st Ives just adds to my silky skin. Have had a ton of compliments on how clear my skin is and it’s all thanks to this combo
I also LOVE the st Ives body scrub for oily skin as well, I suffer really bad withthe skin on my arms and this miracle stuff is slowly getting rid of it. I only useit once a week but it’s so worth the £5 price tag and you get lots of product for your money
Benefit Refined Finish Facial Polish
I never use manual exfoliants anymore. I prefer glycolic acid to exfoliate. I’ve been using Alpha Hydrox 12% souffle for many years and I have to say I have very nice skin. I also use Retin-A. I alternate these 2 products at night.
I use retin-a too, was told not to use a separate exfoliator but I did for a while anyway (Amie’s is lush, not sure if it’s just a British brand or what though)… The initial breakout left me feeling horrible so I used the Amie one anyway but now it’s *working* I have complete faith in it (even if it does make my skin stupidly dry)!
While I’m here, I LOVE Soap & Glory but their face soap and clarity (is that what it’s called?) broke me out 🙁
The Clarisonic Deep Pore Brush and Exfolikate. My skin has never glowed like it does now that I have both of those in my arsenal.
Ditto
Loving gatineau’s activ eclat radiance enhancing gommage. i love enzyme exfoliators and this is my current fav, so easy to use with great results.
I really like Kiehl’s microdermabrasion product, but lately I cannot be separated from my Eve Lom cleanser. Both the original one and the morning balm are phenomenal!! The morning one contains fruit enzymes that exfoliate “chemically”, whilst the night one obviously is more of a physical exfoliation since you use a cloth to clean the face. Both leave my face super duper smooth and I think my skin has never looked better. It’s a bit on the pricey side though
Dermalogica’s Microfoliant is the BEST I have ever come across- it is the only one out of many that has not scratched or burned me in the process and leaves me feeling silky smooth and soft. It also does not break out my sensitive acne-prone skin.
It is not harsh so you can (and should) use it 3x per week or more depending on your skin type.
Scrubs and manual exfoliaters are not my weapon of choice. Glycolic acid is a much more efficient exfoliater according to my derm so I go with Glycolix Elite 10 Percent Moisturizing Cleanser $17.50 available at dermstore. No stinging and does the job perfectly.
Most products with Salicylic Acid work well to help keep pores clean. I use clearasil i think.. and dont have anymore blackhead.. the key is to ACTUALLY keep things gentle and not scrub everyday..
I also like Philosophy’s Microdelivery Exfoliating Face Wash and for a scrubbing “tool”, I still love 3M’s good ol’ Buf Puf (the original white one for my body but the peachy coloured gentle one for my face). They’re increasingly hard to get and I think can only be purchased online now but I’ve got a whole bunch that I got in the US a few years ago, when they’d become scarce here in Canada but were still available readily in the US.
Kate Exfolikate works great for me. Leaves my face brand NEW!
I actually like using a mix of baking soda and cetaphil to make the most gentle but effective exfoliator.
Me too! the results are just amazing! I used to like Sisley’s face exfoliator (crazy expensive) but Cetaphil and soda are… amazing! 1.000 better than it.
It is amazing!!! I love it too!
Laura Mercier Face Polish works best for me. Not too rough but still very effective.
Laura Mercier Face Polish
“Exfoliating Scru” by Clinique. It’s the peppermint one. Does the job instantly and the formula has round spheres that don’t scratch the skin. I’ve used it for years now and tried other but always come back.
Definitely, cure aqua gel. I mean when I first used it I felt so much dead skin come off, and unlike other exfoliators it doesn’t leave my skin raw and red. It’s expensive, but the size can last you quite a while and it’s multifunctional in a way, you can use it on your elbows, knees, chest, etc.
Oh and Christine, if you are reading this go try out Cure aqua gel, I swear you will not be disappointed, it’s a product that speaks for itself, since one is sold every 20 seconds and they don’t even advertise at all. So yeah it’s that good.
Creme de La Mer with diamond powder, they say…..soft and refine…skin feels wonderfult…..exfolikate is too strong, burns
My skin can’t tolerate physical exfoliants anymore so I’ve spent lots of time looking for chemical ones. Right now I’m loving Paula’s Choice RESIST Daily Smoothing Treatment. She has a weekly treatment, too.
I recently started using baking soda with my purity made simple and clarisonic, and it really makes a difference! The baking soda is a excellent exfoliant and it doesn’t scratch the skin. I think it’s a better option for slightly oiler skin though.
i have tried many exfoliators but, my fave is dermalogica daily microfoliant. it’s a powder that you add water to, make a paste and scrub. my face has never felt that clean!
MD Formulations Face & Body Scrub! It’s amazing.
Dermalogica Skin Prep Scrub is the best I’ve found for my oily (and slightly dehydrated) skin.
i really love Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Foaming Scrub in Pink Grapefruit. What makes it work the BEST for me is to GENTLY put on skin while in the shower and wear it like a mask for a few minutes. Cleans deep down in my pores very well and does not dry out my skin.
I was a huge fan of the MAC exfoliator….. I can’t even remember what it was called anymore! Now it is discontinued and my face is sad 🙁 Looking forward to reading everyone else’s faves!
Baking soda and water
I love love the daily exfoliating cream by Jurlique swear by it it has your natural wheatbrands, honey extracts to brighten your skin tone and remove dead skins without stripping your natural oils away =)
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Baviphat Black Sugar and Honey Scrub!
I randomly picked this one, and love it. It isn’t too harsh, bet gets the job done, smells amazing, and doesn’t dry out my skin. Better yet, it’s totally budget friendly.
The best one I’ve ever used is 6 Minute Miracle by BlackBox Cosmetics! It’s like a microdermabrasion in a jar. Organic, no toxic preservatives, and it reduces fine lines, acne scars and age spots while promoting collagen growth!
I use a homemade mixture of olive oil and sugar to create my own scrub. Works like a charm! =)