The Beauty Finds: The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion

The Body Shop has some of the best skin care products locally available. The Vitamin C range is available for all those who desire radiant skin - well, who doesn't?! I have used their Vitamin C Facial Polish as well - which made my skin feel uncomfortably "stretchy-tight" afterwards - and that turned me off from trying any of their Vitamin C products. Let's see if my decision to splurge on this (despite the initial not-so-good impression of Vitamin C) was worth it? A quick review follows:

You have seen my long rambling reviews. Will TRY to keep this quick & precise. Anyhow, the word Microdermabrasion might throw some people off. In simpler terms, micro-derm-abray-yan (as it is pronounced) gained fame as a non-invasive cosmetic method to buff the upper layer of the skin from the desired area using tiny rough particles. This micro peeling effect brings forth your healthy glowing skin. So, technically, this is done by a specialized professional using a machine (please Google for more details).

What I gather from the Vitamin C Microdermabrasion is that it's a "scrub" that delivers the results (remotely) similar to a microdermabrasion procedure - a step ahead of your regular exfoliation. I find this idea, gimmicky, so for easier reference, let's just consider it a scrub with fine granules. It doesn't lather, so this does not double as a face wash. It isn't a daily usage item either - twice a week, I'd say, is more than enough. This seems very gentle due to the absence of coarse granules, but the daily usage would definitely make your skin sensitive and over-exfoliated

The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion comes in a 75 ml tube, which would last you quite a while because you only need less than a coin-sized amount for your whole face. I've not seen the deluxe size of this (correct me if I am wrong, ladies), so the full-sized item is the only way forward. Unless, of course, if you can find a way to smuggle a little amount from TBS outlet using their testers. Haha, please do it the legit way, I wouldn't want to endorse shoplifting!

I've been using this for my weekly sessions of exfoliation for more than 6 months. After cleansing my skin, I take nearly a pea-sized amount and massage my face gently, concentrating on the nose and the surrounding area. What surprised me - the granules were not too visible, but they gave my skin good buffing! Don't underestimate this as one of your "vanilla" scrubs. The Vitamin C Microdermabrasion is thoughtful & gentle - haha, the ideal man. This suits my sensitive skin, but gets the job done :-P Plus, I didn't get those weird stretchy afterwash feeling on my skin. It didn't do much for my oil control and/or blackheads - but to be fair, it doesn't claim to tackle those either. I did find radiance on my skin with continued usage. That glow from within wasn't like the "whiteish" cast or "gori" feeling, but my skin looked super smooth and reflective without highlighter. I have drier skin in winters and the laziness doesn't help either, so I have been neglecting it lately.

The downside is the price. For a radiance scrub, it is currently available in Pakistan for PKR 2300 or so. This might deter some people from trying and there should be some deluxe kit/sizes for people to check. I got mine from lovely Dhanak last year when The Body Shop UK was on a whopping 50-60% sale and further discounts that come when you add more items. I don't remember the exact price, but it was less than a thousand bucks. Trust me, she offers some of the best UK brand prices and you can save up to go nuts in the sales season. My trick is to keep subscription of newsletters and offers, so that you can treat yourself the best way!

This might not be my HG scrub, but it sure is closer to that. I'd definitely repurchase - on an offer, hopefully ^_^ ! If you're looking for a gradual radiance enhancement with smoother skin, this is your best bet! My verdict (with a tiny winy deduction for high price that might not be feasible for everyone):