Philosophy • the microdelivery exfoliating wash • Cleansers

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lollygirlbris on 8/25/2007 5:28:00 AM more reviews by lollygirlbris

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Absolutely love this cleanser! It makes my skin glow. Highly recommended.

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*TOP REVIEWER* cosmokid on 8/15/2007 6:24:00 PM more reviews by cosmokid

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I recently started using a retinoid and my skin is starting to go through the 'flakies' stage so this stuff is an absolute Godsend. It not only cleans my face in the morning, but makes my skin a nice soft and smooth canvas for putting on my makeup in the morning. Even though this feels quite gentle, it easily banishes any flakey areas.

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*TOP REVIEWER* rugby on 8/12/2007 1:30:00 AM more reviews by rugby

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I loved it until it broke me out =(...My skin was smooth to the touch..the kind of smooth where you cant stop touching your skin to see just how smooth it is..I actually contemplated using off and on ( in denial) but yes this caused me to breakout...better luck to you!

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*TOP REVIEWER* vanbergc on 8/10/2007 7:55:00 PM more reviews by vanbergc

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

A great exfoliator! This has really mild micro-mini beads. Finer, even, than most of the aluminum crystals out there. AND, sometimes you get a scrub that exfoliates, but leaves a film behind, and you have to rewash. This cleanser, however, washes very clean, leaving soft, clear skin. It's fast and skin friendly. Love it. Another staple in my arsenal.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Poppylovee on 8/7/2007 6:40:00 PM more reviews by Poppylovee

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Other, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I wanted to love this product, honestly. I ordered it online, and waited practically forever for it to arrive. I became so impatient, and maybe it was in that waiting time that, in my mind, I made this cleanser into this amazingly-fantastic-skin-perfecting dream product that it doesn't even come close to being. I like how it is fragrance-free, but, then again, I don't mind it if cleansers have a mild scent. I do like the packaging, but it isn't anything spectacular. But, these things aside, the cleanser really wasn't any miracle product. I actually would have been happier with this cleanser if it had managed to do nothing to my skin at all, but that is not the case. The first few days I used it I was fine. But after a week or so I got these little pimples around my chin (and I very rarely breakout around my chin). I stopped using it, switching back to my possibly-HG Aveda cleanser, and my skin cleared back up. I admit, that this did soften and smooth my skin slightly, but nothing dramatically different or special than from what cheaper products can do. I don't want to waste this, considering that it was expensive for a face wash, so I am using it as a twice-a-week scrub, because it doesn't seem to break me out when used just occasionaly. Maybe this cleanser just didn't agree with my type of skin (slightly combination, can be acne prone at times, but besides that, my skin is pretty much normal), because most of you seem to love this cleanser, but it's just not the cleanser for me.
UPDATE: I am changing my rating from 2 lippies to 3 lippies. This stuff now seems to make my skin very soft and smooth. I like how it lathers up nicely, too. Still not one of my favorites though, but definately not a bad exfoliating cleanser, either.

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jc2239 on 8/1/2007 12:46:00 PM more reviews by jc2239

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Black    

i received a few sample of this about a week ago, and after using it continuously for a few days, i'm absolutely in love with this. i've never been a huge fan of exfoliating cleanser, as they never seem to do what they claim, but this leaves me skin feeling clean and soft and looking great. i even got my boyfriend into this one! i'll definitely be purchasing the full-sized version for me, my boyfriend, and probably even my moher.

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Elurah on 8/1/2007 12:04:00 AM more reviews by Elurah

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Blue    

OK!. First of all, I do not own this product - I’m actually in the market for a new cleanser :o) However, I recently came upon a review by blissgirl that eluded to some rather shady ingredients in the microdelivery exfoliating wash. AHH! Rather freaked out, I did some research (answers.com, anyone? :oP), and thought it may be helpful if I shared it with you:

Diatomaceous Earth is a sedimentary rock, much like pumice, made from fossilized shells. It is in fact used as an insecticide, but only one site (Gardener’s dictionary) said that its sharp particles damaged soft-bodied larvae. The rest of the available resources said that it was not diatomite’s abrasiveness, but rather its highly absorbent nature that takes care of the little buggies via dehydration.

Even though the info is a little macabre, I guess that makes the cleanser really good at absorbing any oil. Also, the same ingredient is often used by the medical community to deworm patients, so that means people can handle it in some pretty sensitive places….

Anywho, just for reference I compared the diatomite in the philosophy cleanser to the scrub in the proactive cleanser (supposedly really gentle), which is magnesium aluminum silicate. MSDS said that they were both slight irritants in their pure form. However, I don’t think that there should be any problem with either product in terms of irritation. In fact, I think I am going to buy the philosophy cleanser myself, especially after all the lovely reviews!

I guess that concludes today’s science lesson :o). Hope this was in some way helpful!

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*TOP REVIEWER* ashmiaka on 7/23/2007 11:54:00 PM more reviews by ashmiaka

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

recently while browsing the mall with a friend, i stopped by the philosophy counter in macys just to look. an over eager sales lady came rushing over to us, insisting on testing a few products on us. coincidence or not, i had been so obsessed with my seemingly increasingly prominent strawberry nose that i let her try the microdelivery exfoliating wash with the cloth on my face. wash, scrub, jab, poke, rinse... *poof* my skin was glowing AND upon closer look, a lot of my blackheads were gone and pores were tighter. i took one look at the used cloth and couldn't help wondering just how dirty my face was. but being that i'm not one to casually drop a fistful of cash without forethought, i told her that i'd come back later.

walking through the mall, i kept staring @ my reflection in the mirrors i passed by and every time i was in awe @ how much clearer my complexion was after one use. finally i folded just as we walked by sephora so i ran in and bought both products, absolutely delighted (and slightly guilty that i hadn't returned to macys to let the salesperson get the commission).

now i've had the wash for 2 weeks.. i have to say that i'm still impressed. i have found the best way to use the product is to slap some cold water on my face, dry my hands on the towel, shake the bottle, then squeeze a dime-sized amount onto my fingers.. then massage in circles on my face, focusing on the nose. then, of course, rinse and towel dry. blackheads not completely gone, but it has decreased A LOT. and my skin has that baby's bottom softness and healthy glow. love it.

8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* ocarina on 7/11/2007 7:06:00 PM more reviews by ocarina

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Oily, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Hazel    

Fabulous! This works well to maintain the results of the Microdelivery Peel between uses. Not too scrubby but nicely exfoliating, leaves my skin super-soft and not sticky after use. I've mostly sworn off foaming cleansers but this does not irritate my skin nor does it cause a mid-morning oil surge. Cost-effective too, very little is needed. Haven't used it to remove makeup yet. Will absolutely use it again.

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Sallyh88 on 7/1/2007 4:43:00 PM more reviews by Sallyh88

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

This is slowly becoming my HG morning cleanser! I love using it is the shower. It makes my skin really soft and does a nice job of exfoliating but its not too harsh, so I use it almost everyday. I only wish it smelled like the Microdelivery Peel which is heavenly but the scent of this is nothing to complain about.

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*TOP REVIEWER* curlycuesue on 6/28/2007 10:10:00 PM more reviews by curlycuesue

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Before this scrub, I used Philosophy's Purity Made Simple 2x/day, and Microdelivery Peel 2x/week, so I didn't think I needed a daily scrub, but I'm glad I bought this (thanks to MUA :p). I use it every morning, and love how my skin feels afterward - so smooth and refreshed. I feel like my large pores are shrinking and my freckles and acne scars are less visible. Also, the scrubbing particles are teeny-tiny and gentle, not jagged and harsh, so I don't feel like I'm tearing my skin. Now my routine consists of using this scrub every morning, Purity every night, and the Peel once a week. I love this scrub!

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jasbel on 6/25/2007 6:06:00 PM more reviews by jasbel

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

IMO This was the only thing lacking int he Philosophy product line. The Great Mystery just wasnt cutting it. But this product is darn near perfect. I understand the concerns the other reviewers had, but my experience has been the opposite. My skin needs a good exfoiation and I alternate this w/Purity. My skin is in great shape. When I went for my monthly facial she didnt have to dig any blackheads out. Trust me that was pretty cool! I would definitely buy again... and highly recommend this product.

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*TOP REVIEWER* blissgirl on 6/4/2007 12:25:00 PM more reviews by blissgirl

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

Philosophy...where to begin? I loved Philosophy products, until I discovered the only thing they were doing for my skin was harming it - clogging, greasing, and aging my skin due to all of the chemicals and toxins in the products. Read the ingredients that comprise this product...diatomaceous earth?!!! Yeah it's "naturally occuring" but it's main use is as a parasite/insect killer! The microscopically sharp edges slice up the insects from the inside out and also pierce the flea/ticks bodies, which causes them to dehydrate and die. Why the hell would I rub this on my face? Do you really think this is better for skin than almonds or walnuts?! Not to mention the mixture of other chemicals and skin toxins which make up this product. Philosophy is all about marketing and advertising ingenuity, and a well-spoken creator that probably would never slap these chemicals on her own face. Scrubbing the skin causes rapid cell turnover and accelerates the aging process, which is contradictory to all of these scrubs on the market - but makes sense since they want you to purchase their chemical-laden moisturizers to "fix" what damage the scrubs do. Natural almond scrub is chemical-free, natural and is actually less-harsh for the skin, if you MUST scrub occasionally. It cracks me up how doctors and skin care companies think chemicals are the answer. Give it a few decades and then we'll see what they say. Personally, I won’t be using anything from this company again. Since I switched to chemical-free products, my skin has never looked better and I realize what a joke this company really is.

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puppyciao23 on 6/2/2007 8:34:00 PM more reviews by puppyciao23

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

LOVE this. I use it every morning. I used to use St Ives Apricot scrub but pretty much every skin care professional says that is too harsh, so I switched to this. The granules are smaller than the Apricot scrub, so they do a better job of exfoliating gently. Using this in conjunction with other philosophy products (especially the Microdelivery Peel) has made the blackheads on my nose go away!

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*TOP REVIEWER* tracita on 5/18/2007 2:54:00 PM more reviews by tracita

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I was skeptical, I admit it...recently (well, within a year, give or take) my skin has become very sensitive, especially around my nose, mouth and chin...I had to stop using scrubs and I couldn't use the Philosophy MD Peel any longer, which saddened me because I loved how smooth and soft my skin felt afterwards...basically anything with scrubbies turned me bright red. So I was apprehensive about this wash because of that redness-issue BUT I was pleasantly surprised...this wash is fantastic!! It's very gentle, the scrubbies are teeny tiny and not irritating to me at all...best thing is it's almost like using the MD Peel which I really had been missing...granted, it's not a peel, but my skin feels fresh and exfoliated after each use...I can wash with this once a day and have no irritation. A winner and a keeper...I got this in the Q's April TSV on auto delivery so I'll never run out!

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*TOP REVIEWER* piratequeen on 5/17/2007 3:44:00 PM more reviews by piratequeen

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I love this scrub. It made my clog-prone skin smooth like glass. At $25 a bottle, it is not exactly cheap but could be much more expensive. The cleansing cloths, however, look like a rip-off even though one of the girls at the counter insisted they work well. This is a great product!

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kajoyce1 on 5/16/2007 10:25:00 AM more reviews by kajoyce1

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Best facial cleanser / scrub I've bought. I used it every day with no problems.
UPDATE - I just finished my first bottle, so I wanted to give an update. One thing I figured out is that you should shake the bottle before you use it. The granules tend to settle, so for a while, the product was just so-so, but once I figured out the shake thing, I loved it again. I just ordered a second bottle, so definitely it was something I'd buy again, and I'm sure I will continue to purchase in the future.

6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

CarolynBergen on 5/16/2007 8:47:00 AM more reviews by CarolynBergen

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

This product shouldn't really be called a peel. It's a scrub/cleanser. I alternate this with Purity. It's a decent, gentle scrub, lightly scented. It's fairly easy to rinse off, leaves skin nice and soft. I don't really see a dramatic difference in buffing out fine lines. I think Dr Ajay's microdermabrasion crystals mixed with Purity do a much better job than this "peel" but this is still a nice product and is great for everyday use unless you have super sensitive skin.

UPDATE-after using for awhile now, I am taking away a lippy. It's just not worth the price in my opinion. The crystals are just too fine to make any difference. Peel? No way. Scrub? Barely. It's not for me. Just sold a full bottle on ebay and lost money.

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SqueakyClean on 5/2/2007 10:28:00 AM more reviews by SqueakyClean

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I'll add my name to the list of those who love this product. It's easy to use, the scent is subtle and non-offensive and it works! I feel like it is exfoliating my skin effectively, but it doesn't seem too harsh. That said, I might not use this every day b/c it's a little drying for me. That is certainly not enough to make me stop using this, though. Like another reviwer said, I saw a difference after one use - I love this stuff!

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NotAsFatAsIThink on 5/1/2007 9:25:00 PM more reviews by NotAsFatAsIThink

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

Even after the first use this wash was awesome. Philosophy really knows what they're doing with their facial cleansers. Purity has to share its shelf now. I use this at night and am going to phase out the pads because they make my skin feel itchy and weird. This just makes it soft and polished and primed for whatever night treatment I'm doing that night. Purity the next AM seals the deal.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No