A strong case for double exfoliation
When was the last time you exfoliated? There’s a ton of emphasis on layering skincare, especially when it comes to moisturizing products, but sloughing off the week’s collection of debris can fall by the wayside. There are two good reasons regular exfoliation is integral to the skincare routine: One, it deep cleans the skin as it removes impurities and hurries along skin renewal. Two, it's a lot easier for skin to absorb product benefits when you don't have external gunk sitting on top. If you want to make your overall exfoliation routine more effective, a two-way method can be just the thing you need.
My skin had been looking and feeling dull, especially after suffering from a cold so I took it as an opportunity to put the Doll Face Brilliance Illuminating Face Polish (P1,250 at Beauty Bar) and Clarify Balancing Tonic (P995) to the test.
Suitable for all skin types, the Illuminating Face Polish is nothing if not thorough. According to the directions, you’re supposed to gently massage it on your face for three minutes at a time on a weekly basis. Silly me did not read the instructions prior to the first time I used it, so I gave it about a minute of scrubbing before rinsing. (In all fairness, my skin did feel noticeably smoother even with the under time!) The impression I got right off the bat was the irregularity in size of the scrub particles that I could feel as I was rubbing it across my skin. As it turns out, those are dual-sized, biodegradable jojoba beads meant to smoothen rough patches and refine the skin.
When I got out of the shower, I managed to give the bottle a once-over and realized my mistake. Complete the experience, then! I opted to repeat the process to last two more minutes, and I have to say that there is a difference between massaging for one minute and three: quickie smooth versus polished. The formula has a fine, flat lather and mild scent, so it was something I could keep on for the three minutes without my senses getting overwhelmed. Post-wash, my skin did not feel tight at all.
For daily exfoliation, there’s the Balancing Tonic (a.k.a. toner) that helps take impurities off on a lighter scale as an alternative to the scrub. I wouldn’t recommend using this after the Face Polish as it does tend to sting skin that’s still a little raw. Otherwise, I didn’t get any reaction to using it once a day, though I followed it up with my usual emulsion and moisturizer tandem. True to its name, the Balancing Tonic is definitely of the clarifying kind as it does have a potent feel to it, likely due to glycolic acid being one of the main ingredients.
Packaging-wise, these new finds from Doll Face add a chic, luxe feel to my routine. The gold caps and minimalist white labels on clear bottles show off the pretty pink liquids within, and allow me to see exactly how much product I have left! You can find Doll Face in Beauty Bar.
So, how often do you exfoliate? Do you rely on weekly traditional scrubs, or do you make sure to use a clarifying toner daily?
