You Little Scrubber

 I was unfortunate enough to suffer a bout of adult acne during my early twenties, let me tell you nothing knocks your confidence like a good old spot (or twenty). I did not see it coming  - it popped up over night, quite literally. I spent a year trying every product on the market and became quite the expert, I could give any dermatologist a run for their money. When I finally found Roaccutane to be the miracle I had been waiting for my skin was clear within weeks.

I am very lucky and grateful to be spot free nowadays (I do not count the odd pre-menstrual breakout), but I am still very strict with my skin routine and am constantly on the look out for a product that will transform me into Nicole Scherzinger. Following endless research for a smoother and rejuvenated face I tried a course of microdermabrasion at a Manchester salon and it was fantastic. The process was painless and involved crystals propelled onto the skin whilst a vacuum system sucks at the top layer of the skin removing dead cells.

The treatment lasted 30 minutes and I completed 3 sessions over a four week period. My skin was ever so slightly red immediately after treatment but I made sure the appointments were booked after work so I would not have to wear make-up until the following day. I could feel and see the difference after just one session, my skin was smoother and I had an even complexion. However, it is not cheap and I spent £120 for the three sessions. Due to the expense I tried home kits with hope I could do the job on a budget, but nothing had the same impact - the creams did not have the same umph the vacuum machine in the salon had. I even contemplated buying the equipment to use at home but it is way too pricey.

It was only the other month when I was spending my usual Saturday afternoon wandering Boots for some bargains that I spotted Olay Regenerist Microdermabrasion kit and thought for £25.99 I had nothing to lose.

The box includes;
Derma-Crystals Microdermabrasion Cream  - standard microdermabrasion cream found in most skin care ranges except it uses bicarbonate sodium crystals instead of corundum crystals.
Peel Activator Serum - An Amino-Peptide Complex which is designed to chemically stimulate collagen and elastin production in the skin.


How I used it:

1) I cleaned my face and neck with a gentle toner

2) Apply a 50p piece size of microdermabrasion cream to your entire face (you only need a small amount as it goes along way)

3) Massage the crystals into the face and neck for one-two minutes

4) Apply the Peel Serum (again you only need a small amount) - and massage into the face for another minute, the crystals will dissolve and create a white paste

5) Rinse with luke warm water

It is a quick and mess free process, although I would recommend tying your hair back as the crystals can get into the hair line. The instructions recommend using the kit once a week - depending on how sensitive your skin is I would definitely use it at least twice a week.

Does it work?

I like the combination of the crystals and the peeling serum as a double whammy of exfoliation, it certainly leaves the skin feeling soft and smooth. However, the strength of the peeling agent is very very mild, making it impossible to achieve the same results of a professional chemical peel or microdermabrasion treatment. I personally think Olay has created a great facial scrub, but in comparison to other home kits is neither better nor worse. If you are hoping to eradicate fine lines or acne scars then stick with the salon treatments it may be expensive but trust me it is more effective than any over-the-counter cream.