An excellent facialist once told me that she uses only Dermalogica products, and so I decided to try out a few samples. Like any other line, Dermalogica is hit or miss. The Special Cleansing Gel wasn't all that special, for instance—at least, it didn't do anything better than Cetaphil [0] cleanser does. Skip that one, but save your pennies for Daily Microfoliant [1] ($47.50). It's not only a soap-free product, it's a non-liquid one, too. It's actually a rice-based powder that you start using by adding the dry product to damp hands. After working it into a paste, you just massage it into skin in small circular motions.

This might sound like a mere novelty, but this paste is actually an excellent exfoliator. It's gentle enough to use every day, and I like the fact that it contains salicylic acid—so it's ideal for dull or acne-prone skin. Another plus is that it's easy to bring along on vacations and trips, because you don't have to worry about the three-ounce rule at airports. My only problem is the packaging. After about a month, the holes of the shaker became clogged, and I had to take a needle and poke through the buildup. So I'm taking a half-star off for that, and another half-star because, well, $47.50 is more than I would normally spend for an exfoliator. Otherwise, this is fantastic stuff.

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