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.
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