We all know how important exfoliation is for the health of our skin. It helps get rid of dead skin cells and improves the absorption of the products we put on our skin. So, today I’m writing about Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant.
There are a few types of exfoliants you can use:
1. mechanical
2. chemical
3. enzyme exfoliant
Today, I will write about the last one, an enzyme exfoliant – Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant.
A product that I discovered in my beauty therapy college. And I must say, no wonder professionals all around the world use it.
About Dermalogica
Dermalogica was founded in 1983 by skin therapist Jane Wurwad. Ever since then, the company’s focus is on professional-grade skincare.
Dermalogica is certified cruelty-free, gluten-free, and vegan.
Their formulas are free of:
- artificial colours and fragrances,
- mineral oil, lanolin,
- S.D. alcohol,
- parabens
- microplastics
Also, all paper and cartons Dermalogica uses are FSC certified to be sustainable for forests.
Dermalogica provides training for skin therapists all over the world and is the number one choice in most beauty salons worldwide.
I used Dermalogica products in my beauty therapy course. We were trained with their products and used them on all different skin types and concerns. After using their products for six months on various people, I learned that they work great for all skin types.
All in all, it’s a great professional brand available to everyone.
About Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
What does Dermalogica say:
‘Achieve brighter, smoother skin every day with this iconic exfoliating powder. Rice-based powder activates upon contact with water, releasing Papain, Salicylic Acid and Rice Enzymes to polish skin to perfection. A Skin Brightening Complex of Phytic Acid from Rice Bran, White Tea and Licorice helps balance uneven skin tone while a super-soothing blend of Colloidal Oatmeal and Allantoin help calm skin. Gentle enough for daily use.’
Essentially, it’s a powder that, mixed with water, becomes a soft paste. The granules, in contact with the skin, dissolve and provide very gentle exfoliation.
But even though Dermalogica states it’s gentle enough for everyday use and the name itself says Daily Microfoliant, I wouldn’t recommend it for daily use. We don’t need to exfoliate our skin every day. Once or twice a week is enough (depending on the skin type).
Ingredients
Microcrystalline Cellulose, Magnesium Oxide, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Colloidal Oatmeal, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Starch, Hydrogenated Coconut Acid, Allantoin, Papain, Salicylic Acid, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, PCA, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Cyclodextrin, Sodium Isethionate, Lauryl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Copolymer, Maltodextrin, Melaleuca, Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch Hydroxyethyl Ether, Water/Aqua/Eau, Limonene, Citric Acid.
All of the ingredients in this list are pretty safe for use in terms of sensitive skin.
Papain, salicylic acid and rice enzymes provide a gentle but powerful exfoliation.
Allantoin and colloidal oatmeal are excellent anti-inflammatory agents, and anyone who ever put some oatmeal on their face knows how calming it is.
As usual, some essential oils can be a problem for extremely sensitive skin, so precautions must be taken.
Always do a patch test before introducing a new product in your skincare routine.
Packaging, texture and use
Packaging
It comes in a bottle with a typical Dermalogica design. It’s nothing exciting, but it is easily recognisable for the brand. The lid is a screw-off top, and the bottle has a small hole on top where the powder comes out. As I said, nothing special, but it does the job.
Be careful not to tip it too much because you will dispense too much of the product.
Another thing to be careful about is not getting any water in it. If you do, you can pretty much say goodbye to it, as it will become one big clump.
Texture
It’s a very gentle powder which, in contact with water, makes a very soft creamy paste. It doesn’t have harsh microbeads or nutshells like usual mechanical exfoliators do.
Use
Dermalogica says:
‘Dispense about a half-teaspoon of Daily Microfoliant® into very wet hands and create a creamy paste by rubbing hands together. Apply to face in circular motions, avoiding the eye area. Massage gently for one minute, then rinse thoroughly.’
There are a couple of things I do differently with the Daily Microfoliant. And I see amazing results with my skin.
Firstly, I use a bit more than half a teaspoon. I feel like it’s not enough for my face, neck, and décolletage.
Secondly, I put it in dry hands and add a little bit of water to make a thicker paste which I slather on my face and other areas. Then, I wet my hands some more and start gently massaging the product into my skin.
Also, it’s essential to massage it for at least a minute because the enzymes need time to eat up all the dead skin cells. So, I usually do that for a minute or two.
Who is Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant for?
Again, this product is suitable for every skin type or concern.
It is gentle enough for sensitive skin but also works great for oily or acne-prone skin as well. The combination of ingredients covers all skin types. And I would say that your skin type will decide how often you use it. Even though Dermalogica says it can be used daily, I would not recommend that for sensitive skin. If you have oily skin that needs balancing, you could use it daily, but if your skin is very sensitive – I would stick to it once or twice a week.
I use it only once a week.
My experience with Daily Microfoliant
Again my skin is sensitive and acne-prone. Because of sensitivity, I use Daily Microfoliant weekly. Once a week, every Tuesday is my time to shine.
Honestly, that’s how my skin feels after using this.
It feels incredibly soft, and the complexion is bright and glowing. Also, my pores are tighter after using this product. But that doesn’t last very long, around a couple of hours.
Another thing to mention is that the products I apply after exfoliating with Microfoliant get absorbed so well into my skin that it feels even softer (I didn’t think that was possible).
And that is one of the primary purposes of exfoliating – removing that top layer of dead skin cells and allowing other products to work better and sink in the skin better.
Conclusion
I feel I’m saying this in every review I write, but this is a great product.
Any skin type can use it, and you can adjust the frequency you use it based on the skin type you have.
It leaves the skin feeling incredibly soft and glowing (if you use it correctly).
Also, it is of great value. I bought my bottle of Daily Microfoliant in June last year, and with using it once a week, I’d say I have another year of it in the bottle. What else can we wish for?
Packaging: 3/5
As I said earlier, the packaging is not attractive, but it’s recognizable for the brand. I give it a lower score because I think there might be a better solution for dispensing and protecting the product from moisture.
Ingredients: 5/5
The ingredient list does show what Dermalogica stands for. Clean from unnecessary ingredients, perfectly formulated to suit all skin types, from very sensitive to very oily.
And it does the job it says it will do.
Value: 5/5
This score might’ve been different if I was using it every day. But considering I use it once a week, it lasts for a very long time.
The size I bought is 13g for €17.
Another size available is 74g for €69.
Overall: 4.3/5
This is another product I adore.
I would recommend it to anyone. Honestly, the packaging is not that big of a deal to me, but I can see how some people might have problems with it. So that’s the only reason the overall score is a bit lower. Otherwise, it would be a straight 5/5.
The only thing I have left to say is that I will forever use Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant.
If you want to learn more about me click here.
Have you ever tried this product? Or any other enzyme exfoliant?
