st ives elements - daily microdermabrasion

i have decided to focus my first post back on a product which i have been using regularly since returning from my last holiday, which is this st ives product which is labelled as a 'daily microdermabrasion'. although it sounds like quite a harsh product with the title of 'microdermabrasion', it is actually quite delicate and although perhaps not suitable for use every single day, i do tend to use it at least every other day.

'microdermabrasion' is a treatment which removes the outer layer of skin, generally using tiny rough grains to scrub away surface layers. this surface layer, the 'epidermis' is the layer of skin which faces the most trouble, and also the layer where fine lines and blemishes appear. therefore using treatments such as 'microdermabrasion' scrubs away this surface of dead skin to hopefully reveal fresher and younger looking skin underneath.

this product claims to:

1. 'reveal younger looking, refined skin'
2. contain 100% natural fine mineral crystals
3. reduce appearance of fine lines
4. improve the overall texture of skin
5. be suitable for everyday usage

i am a big fan of face scrubs, generally using anything neutrogena, however, this product acts as more than a scrub. i use my normal scrub first before applying st ives. st ives holds a different texture to most scrubs, it is more like a paste with mini crystals making it easy to apply and giving it a smooth feeling once on skin. it has a subtle hint of chamomile and overall smells and feels pretty lush. it isn't sticky and washes off easily. i find with a lot of scrubs that they can be quite drying, perhaps it just my skin but either way this product is not drying at all, it leaves skin smooth and soft and i feel works as a perfect accompaniment to my normal scrub. using my normal scrub alone, my skin feels refreshed but st ives makes skin feel much fresher and much more refined, as well as softer and brighter and it is perfect to use just before applying make up, perhaps rather than using a primer, so you don't clog up your skin too much before foundation.

therefore, at £4.99 (Boots), i think this is a pretty nifty little product which is very reasonably priced, and a little also goes a long way, (especially if you use every other day rather than daily), and whether you have combination/normal/dry skin i think it works perfectly just to keep skin looking bright and refined. also even if you dont tend to use face scrubs this works perfectly just to really cleanse the skin without having a harsh scrubbing effect. 

very much recommended ...

kisses and such like,

lucyx