Wednesday 4 July 2012

The acne series: Guest review of Dermalogica

In the third post of my series of guest reviews on acne treatment ranges, I recruited Bianca to trial some Dermalogica products. This is Bianca's review:


I have had the pleasure of trialling some Dermalogica products as a part of an acne trial for about a month so far. Thanks to Sarah and Dermalogica for this opportunity. Here is what I received and how I used them:
  • Dermalogica oil control lotion (used in the morning after washing face with the microfoliant) RRP $64.00 50ml
  • Dermalogica overnight clearing gel (used at night time before bed and after washing face with the microfoliant) RRP $60.50 59ml 
  • Dermalogica daily microfoliant deluxe sample (used both day and night replacing my normal cleanser)


Before I get into what I think about the products I will give a quick run-down of my skin type and concerns. I am in my early 20s and still suffer from acne, it is no fun and I have tried so many acne-targeted products and had much trial and error over the years. It’s sad to say but one person’s acne miracle is often another’s biggest downfall.

I suffer from breakouts mainly around my mouth and on my chin (not a good look at all) and often have hidden pimples on my forehead. During the day, oil builds up on my skin contributing to my breakouts and I often do not feel comfortable in my own skin unless I wear makeup to cover my acne scarring.
So as for the results of using this range I cannot say too much unfortunately. I wanted this to be the one thing I would repurchase again and again as I have heard so many great things about the Dermalogica products.

When I first started using these products I still experienced the same amount of (if not more) breakouts and new pimples and I have only started to see a small difference now. But unfortunately I honestly believe that if I noticed a difference it was because I have just finished my uni exams and started holidays. Stress is a major factor that plays a role in the number of pimples I get and right now my stress and pimples have died down.

What I thought about the products:

Oil control lotion: very lightweight formula but consequently that leads to it being quite runny. My skin usually is very dry after cleansing and so this didn’t put enough moisture back into my skin so I had to apply two coats waiting for the first to dry before reapplying. But in saying that it dries very fast, is easy to smooth over the skin and helps control oil throughout the day. However, I do not think it has an SPF which is a must for me as I have very fair skin.
Overnight clearing gel: a little goes a long way and this smooths over the skin very easy, although as I mentioned before I do have very dry skin after I was my face and I was not too sure when to apply this product as it recommends after cleansing and just before bed.

Daily Microfoliant: this unique powder formulation has been impressing the beauty world for a while now and I had no idea what was so good about it until I got to try it out myself. It’s a lovely soft formula that is very gentle on the skin. The water activates the rice-based powder and gets to work gently removing skin cells and penetrating the skin for a very thorough cleaning. As I said I was using it both night and day as it is really that gentle. A little bit of the powder will go a long way when mixed with water but it took me at least a week to get it right as I kept pouring too little or too much. The only thing I would have preferred was if the lid of a twist to open (like a salt lid) as in the shower it can get slippery when having to unscrew the lid and then worry if you are going to drop it. I would consider repurchasing this product.
As a final note I am going to continue using these but do not think I would repurchase the lotion or the gel as the products are quite expensive for a uni student like myself and if I was paying that much for something I would expect to see instant results. But this is just me, I do believe products are different on each person’s skin so if you get a chance to try these out for yourself then I would highly recommend it.

Thanks for your honest review, Bianca!


Have your tried Dermalogica for your acne? Was it your miracle treatment or your downfall?


All opinions stated in this blog are my own (or in this case are Bianca's). I have no affiliation with Dermalogica and received no remuneration for these comments. These products were provided to Bianca for her consideration.