Tamatha
Last week when I was getting my brows done, I asked Lisa to leave the tops of my brows alone (I have blond eyebrows, I can get away with this) because my forehead was freaking out. I don't usually have sensitive skin, but on this day, I did. She commented on how dry my forehead was and said I should exfoliate. When I told her I do, she gave me a look. Later when I mentioned that I use an apricot/walnut scrub, her reaction was, "That is THE WORST!"
She then explained that apricot and nut scrubs are actually bad for your skin, because the scrubby bits are too sharp and actually cut your skin. (And then Kolby linked to this article in Tuesday, December 6th's Hot Links, which confirmed what Lisa said, so there ya go.) Lisa then gave me a sample of Pevonia Botanica Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser to try.
In addition to the forehead freak out, the skin around my nose was also in rough shape because I was at the end of my second week of a cold, so the idea of something gentle had extra appeal.
Lisa said something else that got me to thinking about the need for a new exfoliating cleanser: she mentioned that women often like apricot scrubs because their faces feel dry after using them, so they assume it's done an excellent job of cleaning. Personally, I just figured my skin was dry because it's winter. In fact, I thought I was doing it a favor by not using something soap-based, and therefore drying.
I've been using the Pevonia Botanica Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser for a week now and I *really* like it. The base is nicely creamy, which is especially welcome on dry winter skin. The exfoliating beads are less rough than my old scrub (I think that they're jojoba), but still feel like they're doing the job. And the scent is really lovely, very subtly floral. I definitely notice when I get out of the shower that my face feels less dry, which is quite nice.
I checked out the product online, and it's right up my alley: the key ingredients are natural, they don't test on animals, and they use environment-friendly packaging.
Sadly, I won't be able to make Pevonia Botanica Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser my new facial scrub, because at $33.50 for five ounces, it's out of my price range. But for those of you who have a larger beauty budget, I highly recommend it. And a little goes a long way. This sample is only 0.17 ounces, and I probably still have half of the tube left.
So, I'll have to continue my quest to find a new, more gentle facial scrub (I'll keep you posted). In the meantime, I give Pevonia's Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser 7 out of 8 tentacles - I had to take away one tentacle due to price, not that I don't doubt it's worth it.
Rating: 7/8 tentacles
Rating: 7/8 tentacles
I really do like Clinique's 7-Day Scrub. It's gentle enough for every day use.
ReplyDeleteOoh, also, years ago my dermatologist told me it's not necessary to wash your face in the morning - just a quick rinse in the shower, or some light exfoliation, is all your skin really needs. A face wash will only strip your skin of all the natural oils that have built up while you sleep.
Pevonia is what my salon uses; they gave me a sample of that stuff to use and it's AMAZEBALLS. And expensive.
ReplyDeleteOooh, I recently started using the almost completely natural Neutrogena line, and their scrub isn't quite as good as Pevonia, but it's gentler and does help.
ReplyDeleteI have rosacea so I'm very careful about exfoliators. Thus far the Neutrogena Naturals scrub has been the best one I've found. It's gentle and smells nice.
ReplyDeleteMy other go-to is slightly weird, but works wonderously--coffee grounds. Keep the grounds after you've brewed some coffee, mix it with your regular cleanser (use however much or little that works best for you) and cleanse away. It doesn't dry the skin, gives it a bit of rejuvenation, and it's natural AND recycled!
The body shop has a vitamin c microderm exfoliator that is pretty nice. Personally, I really like Dark Angels from LUSH. Its marketed as a cleanser, but is more of a scrub. Its made out charcoal (good for oily skin) that has a subtle scrub in it so that you can use it daily. Its just a bit messy though.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestions, ladies! I'm intrigued by the coffee grounds (those of you who have read my few reviews, know I'm a sucker for natural things).
ReplyDeleteI have actually purchased a scrub that I haven't had a chance to use yet--that sample just ran out today--I'll let you know what I think. And I appreciate the other recommendations.