Before You Buy: Philosophy Microdelivery Exfoliating Facial Wash Review

Product: Philosophy Microdelivery Exfoliating Facial Wash
Price: $28
Where to Buy: Sephora

Using It:

While the bottle suggests being able to use it once a day, I typically use it every other day. Use your fingers to apply a dollop on a damp face and massage for 30-60 seconds. The micro-exfoliating beads feel gentle on the skin, like a smooth little massage. Rinse off well.

Philosophy Microdelivery Exfoliating Facial Wash Review:

I use a lot of products due to the nature of my work. I try a lot of new treatments and test a lot of formulas nearly on a daily basis. Sometimes that means I see skin results and sometimes I’m left with a flop. While I like Philosophy, I stopped using them for quite a long time because other things crossed my desk.

Then, I found out they’re not cruelty-free, which was another dagger to my heart. When I first got my hands on this micro-delivery facial wash, I had mediocre hopes. I thought it’d be okay, but nothing to write home about. Boy, was I wrong.

First, there’s no detectable strong scent, which was a big plus for me. It’s very rare that a fragrance adds to the pleasing aspect of the product, not to mention the irritation fragrance causes. That’s not to say it’s completely fragrance-free, but it’s so mild that it’s practically unnoticeable.

Next, the texture is like smoothing the finest, smallest sand in the universe across your face. Maybe that doesn’t sound very appealing to you, but it’s akin to a gentle face massage or a nice scratch on the back. It’s a pleasant sensation. In fact, it’s so gentle that you’ll wonder if the “scrub” is actually doing anything.

The best part though? After you rinse the product off, you can physically feel the difference on your face. The skin feels smooth as a baby’s butt if I knew what baby butt felt like. I’m assuming this is what baby butt feels like. The skin is a supple, smooth canvas ready for makeup. It feels like a full chemical peel was done without the redness, irritation or skin peeling! This is my permanent go-to from now on.

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Notable Ingredients

• No alcohol or fragrance in sight, which is great if you have dry skin!
• Philosophy is NOT cruelty-free. They’re owned by Coty, which tests on animals when required by law.
• If you’re prone to fungal acne, watch out for the following ingredients in the formula which feed fungal acne: Polysorbate-20 and Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil.
• The bad: The duo methylisothiazolinone and methylchloroisothiazolinone are irritating preservatives in the formula. Both of these can sensitize and irritate the skin, so much so that they’re not allowed in any products that aren’t rinse-off. Certain countries, like Denmark, are considering banning it entirely. If your skin is sensitive, use the product for the minimum recommended time and sparingly.

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Nataliya Ogle

Founder

Nataliya Ogle likes making sure others live to their full potential. She publishes articles on her primary website styletomes.com and works as a freelance writer for other women's interest sites. Her physical body is in New York but her presence can almost always be found online. The internet is her first love.