3 Legit, Inexpensive Exfoliators

Jan 24, 2012

 

Skin has a way of taking on reptilian qualities this time of year. In order to allow your creams and serumsto fully penetrate your skin, exfoliation is key. The Beauty Girl and I are both maj fans of ExfoliKate (check out her interview with Somerville!), but the stuff can cost you close to $90. Here are three great exfoliators, at lower price points, that I’m digging right now:

Queen Helene Gentle Oatmeal ‘n Honey Natural Facial Scrub ($5) Cheap, gentle and light enough for everyday use: it’s the Cetaphil of exfoliators. It’s esthetician approved and the creamy formula sloughs off dead skin cells lickety-split.

Biore SkinPreservation Even Smoother Microderm Exfoliator($14) A quick 30-60 second massage of the alumina crystals, the same type used in professional microdermabrasion, clears all traces of sallowness. It’s also infused with ceramides and antioxidants that amp up its anti-aging benefits. My makeup is going on smoother.

philosophy the microdelivery micro-massage exfoliating wash ($8-$58) Virtually fragrance free with eensie weensie particles, it’s far from irritating. Again, a 30-60 massage reveals a refreshed, glowy complexion. I’ve found that the scrubbing action works up a satisfying, light froth. Use it at night to clear pores of a day’s worth of grime and prep skin for the rest of your nighttime routine.

(Posted by Cody)

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An Incredible Oil-Based Cleanser

Oct 7, 2011

Here it is: my first official post on The Beauty Girl. I’ve been Nicole’s intern since this summer and now that she’s busy with her new job as baby Rex’s mommy, I’m helping her stay afloat during this wonderful and busy time in her life. I’ll be reporting from my college dorm room with the scoop on beauty’s latest and greatest from oscillating thing-a-ma-jiggs to moisturizing what-cha-ma-call-its starting…now…

I love to wash my face—just one of the simple pleasures of my life. But getting cleanser crazy can turn a simple pleasure into a simple disaster. Think: flakiness, redness, dehydration, the works.

Cetaphil has been a long-time favorite, but there’s a new kid on my block who’s got my pores in love. Origins Clean Energy is God’s gift to the earth — especially if you have dry skin or live in a cold climate. It’s a hi-tech, hybrid formula of olive, sunflower, sesame and safflower oils. It’s not what you’re thinking—a thick, pore-clogging, residue-leaving, crude oil type of situation—it’s a silky fluid that turns into a frothy lather when it meets water. So, instead of feeling like you’ve rubbed grease on top of existing dirt and makeup, skin feels refreshed as the oil washes away.

One complaint: the packaging. The bottle has a wide opening, which makes it very hard to dispense the small amount of oil that’s needed. I recently discovered that the company makes a pump to replace the regular cap that comes on the bottle. It’s a few dollars, but well worth it for the extra product that ends up dumping out of the wide spout.

 

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