Neutrogena Advanced Solutions At Home Microdermabrasion System

I was sick and tired of waking up every morning with a new growth on my face. This was primarily the main reason for my $30 purchase of Neutrogena’s Advances Solutions At Home MicroDermabrasion System.

I ran into this kit at Costco’s, and with a $5 off coupon, I figured I might as well give it a try. My kit came with extras seeing how I bought it at Costco’s. Everything is the same, and the price is much cheaper.

A standard $30 kit comes with Micro- Oxide Crystallized Cream. 2.6oz. A system applicator, 2 soft sponge heads, 2 AA batteries, and a stand to place the wand in when not in use. Costco’s handy kit came with 2 jars of cream and 4 sponge heads.

You will need to buy refills of the cream, and refills on the sponge heads if you do not clean them properly.

After reading the promises on the outside of the box, I placed it into my cart without so much as thinking that I was getting ripped off.

Directions On Box:

Day 1: Immediately enhances surface cell turnover for visibly fresher, smoother, baby soft skin.

Week 1: Boosts skin clarity for visibly brighter skin that glows with youthful radiance.

Week 4: Diminishes the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and sun damage.

When I got home to put the system to use I figured this was pretty simple to use. You clip one of the sponge heads onto the wand, insert the batteries, dip the sponge head into the cream, and dab it onto problem areas before turning the wand on.

After that’s all said and done, you may now turn the wand on. There are two settings on it. You can put it on a high speed for a real good scrubbin’, or low speed for a softer scrub.

After you choose your setting you simply massage the cream into your skin using the wands sponge head.
I thought at first that it was going to hurt seeing how the cream was slightly abrasive. However even at my high speed, the only sensation I got was a tickling feeling.

If you apply too much cream it gathers onto the sides of the sponge and will fall to your shirt or floor, so honestly you don’t need to use giant globs of it on your problem areas, just a small quarter sized amount on each area will do just fine.

You are to massage this into your problem areas for 5 minutes.

This is where I had a problem with directions. Did they want me to massage each problem area for 5 minutes, or massage my entire face for 5 minutes? I choose the most obvious and massaged each individual problem area for 5 minutes, turning this exfoliation session into a grueling 20 minutes. My nose, my cheeks, my forehead, and my chin each got a 5-minute massage.

Next you simply rinse off. I figured once I rinsed off my face would be really red from the gritty cream, but after rinsing off it actually looked more like a slight beginning of a sun burn. My face felt cool and relaxed afterwards.

You also rinse off the sponge applicator with warm water. Don’t use any soap. Next you simply let the sponge applicator air-dry. (I usually pat dry it on a towel, and nothing bad has happened to it.)

Not only that I could feel how smooth my skin was. It definitely was what the box promised. Baby soft. However this baby soft feeling was masked with something else I know all too well. I felt greasy.

Not overly greasy to the point where I had to wash my face again, but I could surely feel something else coating my skin other than my very own baby soft skin. Something was masking the truth. And I feared that perhaps whatever this greasy feeling was would make me break out. My face usually reacts badly with any lotion I apply, so I was very nervous about it.

I woke up however pimple free, but my face no longer felt baby soft. So this baby soft feeling wears off in about 4 hours.

After following the schedule that comes with the system, I could feel softer skin on my face there was no denying that. But that was it. I was expecting after using this for nearly 6 months to see smaller pores, and a healthy glow. The glow is only present temporarily until the cream is absorbed fully and then the glow goes away, and it’s right back to dull face.

SCHEDULES:

One thing I disliked about this kit is that I have to follow Neutrogena’s schedule. It is recommended that I use it for 5 days straight, every night, and then skip a week. After skipping the week I should then use the system 3 times a week.

Okay, easy enough. But should I do it 3 days in a row or is that bad? Do I skip a day in between?

The instructions are sort of vague, and I really do hate taking instructions from machines. I would like to use it whenever I want, but fear the outcome if I don’t follow instructions.

So like a diet and exercise plan, I’m now on a face plan as well. Bah!

Warnings:

If you experience irritation or discomfort, use less frequently. If irritation continues, consult your dermatologist.

Sheesh, that’s good to know… but I’m sure there are plenty of folks out there like me that don’t have a dermatologist.

But wait, that’s okay, Neutrogena gives you a number to call. How nice of them. 1-877-399-2525. I bet they’ll tell you to call a dermatologist, or discontinue use all together.

That would be the brightest of solutions. I don’t know why Neutrogena would recommend using it less frequently. Any normal person is going to either throw it or, or ask for a refund.

Overall:

The system does work; I’ll give it that. However the glowing soft results last for only about 4 hours, and does not give and long term permanent benefit to the skin. My fine lines are still just as visible as they were when I bought the machine, my pores are the exact same size…I know; I’ve been studying this big one I have like crazy!

Recmmendation:

If you don’t mind having only a 4-hour change then skip this one. It’s really a huge waste of time, and money.

STAR BREAK DOWN:

1 star for making my skin soft
2 stars for not making me break out

-1 for the temporary results
-1 for the mess it causes, even after using less cream
-1 for the crazy scheduling instructions

3 out of 5.

Lush: Coalface Soap

I had been waiting to try this facial soap for nearly 2 months now. I didn’t add it in to my last order because the price was a bit high, and I had read not so pleasant reviews about it.

However recently Lush had a promotion going on where if I spent over $10.95 I could have a 3.5oz piece for free.

FREE! Coalface for free!

Of course I jumped right into that deal without even thinking about it, and went into an ordering frenzy. Come to think about it, I should have gotten 3 for free. Dang!

What is Coalface?

It’s a facial cleansing bar meant for people with oily skin and those who are prone to getting acne.

I have oily skin; I get pimples every now and then!!! I need it, yes, me, me, me! Over here, give me mine!

My bar of Coalface came in the usual neatly packed ‘sealed with a kiss’ Lush package. It had a thick layer of clear wrap on it, and underneath that wrap was the clear deli wrap that Lush is known for.
Yeah, I got a double wrap. It was annoying, but I got into it easy enough.

Coalface is cut from the block, so you never know what odd shape you may get. Lately I seem to be getting corner cuts, making the bar a little annoying to cut up into sample sized pieces. I will then end up with sample-sized pieces that look like daggers and crescent moons.

My bar was a black misshaped square, and reminded me of tar. At the end of the soap there were these grayish looking sparkly things. I don’t know if I’d label them glitter or poprocks. It looked like a bad dried out end, and I wanted to cut it off and chuck it.

I of course then began to cut the bar into sample-sized pieces, so I would only use one at a time for the soap dishes in the bathroom.

While I was cutting the soap though, I noticed a very, very slight scent of licorice, but it was licorice with something else that sort of ruined the lovely scent. I smelled sulfur and licorice.
Sulfur smells like farts, not only that I also noticed that same nasty funk smell I had remembered while using Ooh La La. It was pepper.

I was disappointed in the scent. It was pretty horrid, but I was also willing to give it a try. I wouldn’t be showering with it, it was going on my face and that was it. So I didn’t mind the Fart Bar. I have used much worse stinking things on my face before.

The soap was a thick glycerin like soap, and had a thick consistency. It was not overly soft like most of Lush’s soaps are and I knew it would withstand being placed in a soap dish without me having to worry about it melting away.

Wash Up:

It is advised on the Lush site to: Dampen face with warm water, lather up your hands and apply to face using small circular motions, rinse thoroughly and pat dry. For best results follow with LUSH Moisturizer that best suits your skin type.

So that’s what I did. My hands though were turning gray. I got a small lather; it was not luscious or bubbly. I wasn’t expecting it to be either. Most Lush products don’t lather very well at all. It was more like a lotion like lather that reminded me of the Sultana soap.

I then took the gray lather I did get and I began rubbing it all around my face. Soon my whole face was covered with the gray soot colored lather. I could feel some abrasive like grit that was softly exfoliating my skin. It didn’t hurt either, and usually I hate exfoliations.
Just as I began to hold my breath because the stink was getting to me…it got up my nose, and I nearly died. I have never had a facial cleaner burn so bad. I have had soaps get up my nose before, and usually a good blow gets it out without a problem or a teardrop.

Coalface however was a whole new ballgame. The gunk burned, I rinsed my face quickly, and tried my best to blow the soap out of my nose.

Once I felt better though, I could smell the soap farts in my nose for almost an hour after using it.

My skin however felt extremely clean. It did not dry my skin out, or make it tight. It did however make me feel clean. Too clean?

I know that sounds weird, but my face felt so overly cleaned that it sort of felt strange. It didn’t make my skin feel soft; it made it feel like rubber. Where if you run a finger down it, it will make… swwwweeeaaakkk sounds, sort of like rubbing your hand down a wet inner tube.

It wasn’t an uncomfortable feeling; it was just an odd one my face was not used to.

Long Term Use:

I have been using Coalface for almost 5 days now, and already I can see a difference. The pimples I did have when I began using it are now dried up and toast. That’s what I loved most about Coalface; it would dry up the pimples, and not the rest of the skin. Strange I know, but I’m just reporting my results. My skin is usually very oily looking by mid-afternoon or when it is hot out. I was glad to see this old habit has also died. My skin is no longer oily, and I don’t see any new pimples trying to make themselves known.

Where To Buy?

You can obtain one at either a local Lush store, or online at www.Lush.com for $10.95for a 3.5oz bar. Also if you plan on ordering online check www.Naughtycodes.com for any recent Lush promotional codes.

WARNING:

Try to avoid getting this one in your nose, or eyes. It'll burn like hell.

Overall:

Love how it works, but I hate the farty scent, and God forbid you get this gunk up your nose.

Reccomendation:

Yes, Coalface is a keeper in my opinion. I would recommend it to those with oily, or combination oily skin, and those who break out frequently or every now and then.

My review is also seen on epi