Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Age Defying Exfoliator

My past few skincare purchases have been from the Josie Maran Argan Oil collection and I have been loving the more natural ingredients in these products.  I still have two more products to review from my purchases but I can already state how much I love this brand and all of the products that I have tried so far from it.  One item that is not available from Josie Maran is any type of facial exfoliator.  During the cooler weather months, I only exfoliate my facial skin one every two weeks and it takes me a long time to use a product up so I prefer to go through the samples that I have been sent in my past few Glossyboxes and try all of these out.

I have used one of the best selling facial products from Dr. Brandt the past two times that I have exfoliated my face and I still have quite a few more uses from this sample that I received in a summer Glossybox.  The Microdermabrasion Age Defying Exfoliator has been around for quite a few years now, I have wanted to try it before and I jumped at the chance to when I received the sample earlier this year.  I am glad that I was able to try this without ordering the full size as this product is not one of the best choices for my skin in the winter, I found it very drying during the cold weather and I will be setting the rest of the sample aside until next spring.

"A skin exfoliating scrub.  Get a youthful glow with this microdermabrasion solution. This formula contains aluminum oxide crystals, lactic acid, and soothing botanicals to polish away dead skin cells, provide a radiant, healthy look, and smooth skin's texture. Watch as the appearance of fine lines, acne marks, and skin discolorations diminish for maximum results in minimal time.", states the Sephora website. 

The product contains the following active ingredients...

- Aluminum Oxide Crystals: Polishes and removes dead skin cells.
- Lactic Acid: Gently sweeps away dead skin cells and softens texture.
- Jojoba, Aloe Vera, and Chamomile: Blend of botanicals that soothe and refresh.

Sephora recommends that this product be used once or twice a week, leaving three days in between applications.  I cannot use this product correctly this time of the year as it dried my face out after one usage.  My face was tight and dry after getting out of the shower and this is not a product that I can use until the warmer warms up and my skin becomes less dry.  I will be putting this product to the side and then trying it again later on next year. 

I am not sure what ingredients in this product dried my face out so much, I have never used an exfoliator with Aluminum Oxide Crystals in it before so I tend to believe that this is the ingredient that affected my skin so much.  I will have more details on it when I try it again in the spring and I will relook at this product then.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Melanoma Awareness Month - Tips To Detect and Prevent

In addition to May being my birthday month and national wedding shopping month, it is also Melanoma Awareness Month.  This is the best time of the year to get into some great sun protection routines since we are going right into Memorial Day weekend and then into the next three months of sun and beaches.  I have received some general facts on melanoma and tips of the preventation and early detection of this cancer.

"While the incidence of common cancers is falling, the incidence of melanoma continues to rise at a rate faster than any of the seven most common cancers.  In fact, 1 in 55 people will be diagnosed with melanoma during their lifetime.  However, the survival rate for patients whose melanoma is detected early with an incredible 99%."  Dr. Brandt goes on to state that, "Early detection is crucial when it comes to melanoma.  Prevention is best, but being proactive about self-examination and dermatologist visits can literally be the difference between life and death."  Knowing these somber facts, we all want to start good sun habits this month and continue all summer and well past Labor Day.

Here are some tips from Dr. Brant about how to inspect for melanoma...

- Throughly inspect every inch of skin, using mirrors to help you get a clear view of tough-to-see places.
- Don't overlook areas like lips, between fingers and toes, under nails, palms and soles of feet - these spots can be just as susceptible.
- Use a blow dryer to throughly inspect your scalp - skin that gets a lot of sun and can be tough to protect.
- Women should be sure to lift breasts to inspect the underside - you can still get melanoma on areas the sun doesn't reach.
- Ask someone close to you to help you with your cheek - the more eyes, the better.
- Be sure to use the "ABCD" guide to assess freckles and moles: Be on the lookout for Asymmetry, uneven Borders, uneven Color, or large Diameters.
- If you're concerned about discoloration or growth, don't hestitate to see your dermalogist!  It could be one of the best of the best decisions of your life.
- Finally, preventation is the best cure - be sure to wear sunscreen everyday, rain or shine.  Brandt's UV SPF 30 High Protection Face Sunscreen provides superior protection against UVA/UVB rays while decreasing pigmentation caused by UV exposure to prevent photo-aging.

UV SPF 30 High Protection Face - Formulated to provide advanced broad spectrum UVA (PA+++) protection against UVB rays (SPF 30).  Dr. Brandt advanced sun care helps decrease pigmentation induced by UV exposure; preventing photo-aging.  Designed with dry-touch technology to absorb quickly, leaving the skin smooth and soft with a shine-free finish.  Hypoallergenic and fragrance-free. Water resistant for up to 80 minutes."

This sunscreen is meets my qualifications for being 30 or over and absorbing quickly and easily.  I received a sample of this product from a PR company and I am very impressed with it so far.  It applies easily and absorbs quickly without feeling sticky to the touch.  It is easy for me to use foundation over this product without any caking.  It doesn't dry my skin out and hasn't irritated it at all so far.  This product also comes in a tinted version too that can be used in place of foundation for light coverage. 

I am hoping that I have touched at least one person with this detection and prevention tips.  I really recommend that you do a full self check and then head out to buy a good sunscreen before the upcoming holiday weekend.  Even though it wasn't mentioned as one of Dr. Brandt's tips, I still believe that one of tje easiest ways to not being tempted by the allure of the sun is to have a bottle tan.  Being a light-skinned, light-eye Irish lassie, I couldn't live without sunless tanner every summer.  I can be fine with my pale skin all fall and winter and even cherish my porcelain complexion.  But as soon as the warm weather hits, I get very self-consious about being in a bikini and even a sundress in general.  Being tan already allows me to not be interested in getting any type of tan from the sun.

photo courtesy of Dr. Brandt