In the eternal quest for youthful skin, I’ve done a lot.
From slathering all sorts of serums and creams on my skin to having injections and lasers galore, I’ll pretty much try anything if it means the cashier at M&S asks for my ID when I’m trying to buy a Paloma tin.
However, even I’ll admit, the idea of microdermabrasion was something I wasn’t champing at the bit to try.
Microdermabrasion is a non-invasive cosmetic procedure that essentially ‘buffs’ away the outermost layer of dead skin cells from the face and body — either with a coarsely tipped tool called a ‘diamond wand’ or aluminium crystals — before mild suction carries those dead skin cells away and (hopefully) reveals a gleaming fresh layer underneath.
So you see where I’m getting at when I say it ‘sands’ away at the skin.
It’s claimed to improve not only the appearance of your skin, but also to blast away blackheads, make your pores look smaller, improve pigmentation, even your skin tone, reduce fine lines and help your skincare products work better.
No surprise then, that apparently the celebs love it, with Kim Kardashian previously saying she employs microdermabrasion to exfoliate in the warmer months.
Be that as it may, I was cautious of what could go wrong. Such exfoliation has to have a certain level of recovery time, right? I’d never used this device before either, and without an expert observing my attempt, I felt the odds of user error were high. Then I’m walking around with said ‘error’ on my face, healing for who knows how long.
Still, while the idea of dragging something akin to sandpaper over my face felt a step too far for even this skincare obsessive, I’ve been looking for a treatment to even out my skintone and help eliminate some pesky milia (small white bumps just under the skin) that won’t budge.
So it felt serendipitous that Skin Krush’s Microdermabrasion kit (£105) landed on my desk, and the lure of a new tool that may deliver a brighter, tighter complexion became too much to resist. If it can also reduce fine lines? Even better. If it can then do my washing up? We’re laughing.
Full caveat, I’ve not had in-salon microdermabrasion, so I can’t compare an at-home treatment to something done by an expert. I felt somewhat placated by the idea that the device wouldn’t be as ‘strong’ as something being wielded by a trained professional, and that I could do a few bursts and stop immediately if it didn’t feel comfortable. Plus, I could do it as and when I had a spare few minutes (in my pyjamas, too), and the cost-per-use would come in much lower than an appointment.
Opening up the package, I’m confronted by a cone-shaped tool that looks a little like the Blue Origin capsule that returned Katy Perry to terra firma, with a coarse tip at the end and a little hole that I assume is where the dead skin will be sucked after being coerced off my face. What a wonderful world.
The device comes with a range of ‘Krusher’ tips depending on the kind of intensity you’re after: a fine tip, a medium one, and a precision one for getting into all sorts of facial nooks and crannies, such as around the nose.
Now, to business. Before taking the plunge, I took a look through the brand’s website, where the before and after images from other customers were genuinely impressive, with clear improvements in blackheads and pores ‘after only one use’. Some users also raved about using it to remove stubborn fake tan from their limbs.
Seeing as the whole process of microdermabrasion sounded wildly intimidating to someone with dry skin, before I put the device anywhere near my face, I needed to talk to the experts behind it, Sinead Gallagher and Jeanette Dunne, from Renew Skin Clinic.
‘When you remove dead skin cells, you remove excess oil on the skin and allow the skin to breathe,’ Sinead told me.
‘You also improve the appearance of the skin and improve open pores and blackheads. That […]glow is due to skincare penetrating deeper into the skin and brightening it.’
Getting such a treatment done in the salon can cost upwards of £99 for a session (with various clinics suggesting anywhere between 6-10 sessions spaced out every couple of weeks, depending on skin type and concern) and while I’d imagine the professionals are doing a much more thorough job because they’re, well, professionals, the founders say their tool is designed to be used alongside any in-house treatments.
‘It’s for people who may be time poor or may want to maintain the results of in-house treatments,’ Sinead clarified. ‘[The Skin Krush device is] not as strong as you would get in a clinic, and we did a lot of research to ensure it was safe, effective and easy to use.’
Word to the wise, though, it’s not suitable for everyone, and people with active acne or Rosacea are advised to stay away from strong chemical or mechanical exfoliants as they can cause further irritation.
Even without active acne or Rosacea, I was warned that the first time I used the device it may leave me red. They were not wrong.
As the tool swept over my skin, drafting up dead skin cells like a street sweeper while suction hoovered them up into a small filter, it left a red, hot line in its wake, with some fresh flakes remaining on my skin (I started on the lowest setting, so perhaps I need to up the suck).
Despite the suction being described as ‘mild’ it’s certainly got some oomph, with the sensation akin to vacuuming a carpet without a brush head. As such, it’s recommended you pull your skin taut to make sure the device can sweep across without causing damage.
But although I was worried I’d leave the bathroom looking like Samantha Jones after a chemical peel (IYKYK), the redness and heat were all but gone within an hour, and left no lasting mark.
Sinead adds that you should ‘always test on your arm or the back of the hand before using it on your face’ and ‘only use on the lower setting and the fine tip until your skin becomes used to it’, using no more than once a week.
After one use, I did notice my skin was super soft and the texture of my skin, especially around my cheeks, had improved (one milia spot persists for now).
I had no acne spots pop up that week either, or even attempt to surface. In fact, one spot seemed to disappear faster than usual. And while that may simply be hormonal, I wonder if the removal of dead skin cells had anything to do with feeling less clogged.
A week later I used the device again, but I got cocky. I wasn’t as gentle in my sweeps, which meant I was left with a tighter, drier feeling and flaky skin on my chin.
Still, my skin felt softer again, and I write this eager to employ the crafty little treatment once more. Despite going a little too hard last time, my lotions evidently loved the easier access to my pores, with my skincare soaking in brilliantly and adding to the much-desired glow.
Looks like my dead skin cells aren’t the only thing that’s been sucked in…
