Exfoliating the skin & unclogging pores is important. How often we should do both, will vary by person. I have dry/sensitive skin, so I try to exfoliate (chemically -
Dr. Dennis Gross Pads or
Murad's Intensive C Radiance Peel) at least once a week or every two weeks. Sometimes I will also use a physical scrub, such as
Murad's Skin Smoothing Polish during the week. I had a deluxe sample of
Dr. Brandt's Pore Dermabrasion Pore Exfoliator ($58) and it promises to 1) help unclog and refine the appearance of pores 2) provide dual exfoliation: physical + chemical exfoliation to effectively remove dead skin and improve skin’s texture. I want to note, this exfoliator is
Paraben, Sulfate, Phthalate and Fragrance Free. The ingredients in this exfoliator are as follows: Micro-size Aluminum Oxide Crystals: Blend of smaller crystals targeted to deep clean pores and improve skin texture.
Caviar Lime Extract: Improves exfoliation; promotes a smoother, brighter, and even complexion.
Salicylic Acid: Helps unclog pores.
Lentil Seed Extract: Refines the look of pores.
This exfoliator goes from a cream to a scrub. There are also tiny exfoliating beads in it. You simply dampen your skin with water. Massage the cream/exfoliating crystals in for one minute. Leave it on your face for 1-2 minutes to activate deep cleaning. Rinse well and pat dry. I got about five uses out of this tube. My skin felt exfoliated. It felt smooth. It did extract whiteheads. It had a little trouble with blackheads in comparison to the above brands I used. But I never experienced any adverse reactions while using this product. The brand does state this is better for oily to combination skin types, but once a week on my dry skin was not a problem. I still love the brands I use above more than this, but this isn't bad at all. I just prefer the others. They all got a Supersweet rating in my book. See if you can get a sample of this exfoliator and compare it to what you use. It's good, but there is better.
Sweet-Bittersweet-NotSweet
supersweet(run & buy it) sweet(really good,buy it) bittersweet(ok, issues)not sweet(not good,don't buy this stuff)
Dr. Brandt PoreDermabrasion Pore Perfecting Exfoliator is Sweet