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What it is: Sephora Collection Brightening Dual Facial Enzyme Exfoliator is supposed to remove dead skin through both chemical and physical exfoliation. The chemical exfoliation is provided by enzymes from the fermentation of pomegranate fruit and the physical component is bamboo stem powder. It has a good amount of somewhat larger scrubby particles in a base that feels like a gel cleanser and is geared more towards oily skin types.
Price/Quantity: $14.00 USD for 125 ml / 4.22 fl oz
Availability: Sephora, Kohl’s
Packaging: Squeeze tube with a lid that flips open and snaps shut. I gave it a modest effort, but wasn’t able to twist the entire cap off of the body of the product. When it arrived brand new, the lid was sealed shut by piece of plastic that needed to be lifted and removed (similar to opening a plastic jug of milk).
Smell/Fragrance: This is unscented and smells like nothing to me.
Expiration/Shelf Life: 12 months after opening.
Ingredients:
Glycerin, Aqua (Water), Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Lauryl Glucoside, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Citrate, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate.
Sephora.com
Performance
Texture/Consistency: Somewhat thick, clear, cleanser-like gel base with a good amount of small to medium size physical exfoliant mixed in. It does not lather like a cleanser but it does become creamy as I work the product into the skin and has that stretchy quality that cleansers and liquid soaps sometimes have. There’s plenty of gritty exfoliant in the gel so I don’t feel the need to use a large amount of product to get it to work (a pea size or a bit larger is plenty for the whole face). The gritty particles are not as fine/small as what is in some other facial scrubs I’ve used and they vary in size so I feel some larger ones occasionally as I buff it over the skin. In general, they are smaller than something like a sugar/salt scrub and don’t feel like they have sharp edges. I don’t find the physical exfoliant too abrasive or irritating and it’s easy to spread evenly over the face.
Effect on my skin: Immediately after use, my face feels squeaky clean and almost stripped, as if I’ve used a face wash meant for oily skin. The usual moisturizers and facial oils I go to feel like they don’t quite do enough (when normally they do). I feel the need to add in a richer moisturizer or layer on an extra hydrating serum to combat the stripping effect the exfoliator has. I’ve used it quite a few times and it has never left my skin looking red at all.
Later in the morning, when applying makeup, I can see that this mostly smooths over larger, flatter, easier to reach areas well (like my forehead, and sides of my face). Makeup applies more smoothly over those areas when I use the exfoliator. However, there are some parts of my face that my exfoliators often miss (like around the corners of my nose and areas that are more prone to dryness and irritation). This is one of those products that doesn’t get my skin entirely smooth. It’s better than nothing but it makes me feel that possibly the chemical component isn’t effective enough for my skin.
After about two weeks of incorporating this into my skincare routine, I haven’t seen any type of drastic change. Nothing very negative or positive has resulted from using it, but it does temporarily help improve the condition of my skin for the next day or two after using it.
Pros and Cons
Things I like:
- There is enough physical exfoliant in here that I don’t feel the need to use a ton of product.
- It doesn’t leave my skin feeling red or irritated after use.
- Very cost effective considering the size of the container.
- Truly unscented.
Drawbacks and other considerations:
- The physical exfoliation particles aren’t as small/fine as some other products.
- I’m not convinced the chemical exfoliant is all that effective or may just be too gentle for me.
- Misses harder to reach areas (like the corners of my nose, between and near my brows). This is where I rely on the chemical component to pick up the slack.
- Leaves my skin feeling almost “stripped”.
Do I Recommend It?
I don’t recommend it if you have dry or combo skin and even normal skin types may find it too drying. It might work fine for someone with truly oily skin though. It’s not my favorite exfoliator but it’s an okay budget option.
Comparisons
Youth To The People Yerba Mate Resurfacing Energy Facial
This one has a creamier base that does not strip the skin of moisture. I wouldn’t say it adds any moisture but just leaves the skin feeling balanced after use. The physical scrub in this feels finer and more densely packed into the product. I get a more thorough, even exfoliation all over my face, including areas that sometimes get missed like the corners of my nose. This one has given me some mild redness, especially when I first started using it, but my skin quickly adjusted to it. For me this is the gold standard that I would love to find a cheaper version of.
Trader Joe’s Nourish Microdermabrasion Scrub
This also has finer physical exfoliating particles in it than the Sephora Enzyme Exfoliator but not quite as much of it. I feel the need to use a bit more product to get enough of those particles distributed over the skin. It does not include any type of chemical component and I feel that I don’t get quite as good of a result overall. After use, some areas of dead skin that might get smoothed over a bit better by the Youth To The People product, might still look and feel not as resurfaced as I’d like. It certainly is better than nothing though and is another okay budget option.
Trader Joe’s Blueberry & Acai Facial Scrub
I’m not sure if this is still available but it was another combo chemical/physical exfoliator that I used several years ago. I went through about 2 containers. This one definitely stung if I had even the tiniest tear in the skin from a breakout or from any facial hair removal. It’s was tolerable but not easy to miss. The physical scrub in this was all different sizes, including some larger seeds that looked cool but seemed completely unnecessary and distracting during use.