Tearing My Skin Off: An Adventure in Exfoliating

I feel like sometimes I don't really get the point of exfoliating. It's supposed to clear off all the dead skin cells so my skin is all radiant and such, right? Right. But sometimes it just feels like I'm scrubbing my face off. 

Okay so last post I talked a little bit about the Soap & Glory Greatest Scrub Of All (which is on sale at Sephora now for anyone looking for stocking stuffers). Super smooth, really gentle, smells really nice and pepperminty, and definitely a keeper. And I still love the Fresh Umbrian Clay Mattifying Exfoliant , but I'm running out of it. So it was time to try some of the samples that had come in my Glossybox/Birchboxes. 

So, I'm not as impressed with Birchbox as I am with Glossybox. I feel like I get higher quality and better sized products from Glossybox. But I wanted to try the Dr Brant Microdermabrasian Exfoliant because I've heard a lot of good things about the brand. 

I used it in the shower in conjunction with my Soap & Glory Clarity Face Soap which was probably a mistake because afterwards I felt like my face was on fire. Apparently cleansing and then exfoliating with this stuff is a recipe for disaster, which is weird because I didn't have that problem with any of the other ones. Maybe that means it's good, maybe it's supposed to burn my damn face off. Maybe some people need their faces burned off to get that ever elusive youthful glow. But now I'm terrified of it. 

However, not as terrified as I am of the Sesha Renu Exfoliating Gel which came in my Glossybox. THIS IS NOT A JOKE. IT PEELS YOUR FACE OFF. I'm not even kidding. You rub it on dry skin, and it's a gel formula so it goes on wet. And then it dries. AND THEN YOUR SKIN PEELS OFF. Little white flakes of your FACE. And it smells like a damn electrical fire, which is cool for the first minute until you realize that it's ON YOUR FACE. And it seemed to work pretty well, I felt nice and smooth after. But it's JUST SO WEIRD AND TERRIFYING. 

I think I'll try the Dr Brant again without cleansing, but honestly, I am not in this for my face to get destroyed.  In fact, quite the opposite. So I think I'll stick with Fresh and Soap & Glory, thanks. 

x

Christina

Glorificus

I have to admit that what first interested me in Soap & Glory products was the packaging. I'm a sucker for anything retro looking, and whenever I'd see S&G in Sephora, I'd think "Shit, that stuff looks so cool, it must be really good, I have to try it one day." So finally I did, and I'm really pleased about it.

I've had A Great Kisser for a while and it's one of the best lip balms I've ever tried. It's really moisturizing, but not sticky at all, so when I kiss my boyfriend I don't feel like I have to wipe it off (or wipe it off him). It stays for a really long time without drying out, which is awesome. Mine is peach scented, but I hear it also comes in peppermint or vanilla (which I think is the one I'll try next, when this runs out).

Both The Greatest Scrub Of All and Flake Away Body Polish are very gentle exfoliators, for face and body respectively. Last post I talked about the Fresh face and body exfoliators that I have, and in comparison, these are very much lighter and creamier. My skin is very dry so sometimes I feel like I need a really great scrub, but these are good for every day/every other day or if your skin is sensitive. The exfoliating beads are very gentle, and the smell is very subtle and pleasant.

Clarity 3-In-1 Daily-Detox Vitamin C Facial Wash feels much more gel-like in comparison to the Fresh cleanser, and also has little exfoliator beads for a gentle massaging effect. It's cooling and minty which leaves my face feeling very refreshed, which is great after a workout or a long day out when I feel particularly dirty and worn down.

There are a lot of other Soap and Glory products I want to try, particularly their hand and foot creams since everything else I have by them is so moisturizing. But all in all, the products are very gentle and smell great!

x
Christina