Philosophy • the microdelivery exfoliating wash • Cleansers

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NaturalKickedUpaNotch on 4/29/2011 8:45:00 AM more reviews by NaturalKickedUpaNotch

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

The best!
Update: The packaging does get clogged to the point that you'll have to unscrew the top completely to get any product out, though. I am on my third bottle of the stuff and it has happened with all three.- ...mild annoyance at most.

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RussetBrunette on 4/25/2011 1:20:00 AM more reviews by RussetBrunette

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Best facial scrub by far. Its very gentle and soothing to the skin. Leaves my skin feeling fresh and not a flake of skin in sight!

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busyatdizzy on 4/19/2011 11:56:00 PM more reviews by busyatdizzy

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

Nice scrub which yields great results on your face as well as your your body. I use this to de-flake my dry skin on my arms, and sometimes mix it with the Philosophy body washes. It's a scrub so it does have a tendency to get your skin a little red, but that's to be expected. I use this at night, and have soft new skin in the morning.

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*TOP REVIEWER* ImYourFavoriteDrug on 4/17/2011 1:50:00 PM more reviews by ImYourFavoriteDrug

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Medium   Eyes: Green    

Most exfoliator's are extremely harsh for my sensitive skin. This does the job without irritation. My skin feels smoother and looks brighter.


EDIT: After using this for a couple of months, I came to the conclusion that this is my holy grail exfoliator. I can't use it everyday but twice a week leaves my skin looking lovely. I will always repurchase this.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

huongttlan on 4/10/2011 11:58:00 PM more reviews by huongttlan

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

At first I hated its smell. Horrible was the first word that appeared in my mind for the first time I put the product on my face. But it works. My skin looks smooth and more even. It does ex-foliate my skin but gentle enough to use like 3 (or more like 7 :D ) per week. I do alternate between different products for a week though...

I bought my second bottle a week ago. So it is good :). A bottle does last for a very long time...

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*TOP REVIEWER* NYC22 on 4/8/2011 8:37:00 PM more reviews by NYC22

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

I never had much faith in skin care products as in the past I had only noticed marginal improvements, if any at all. However, this exfoliating wash has completely restored my faith in skin care! I noticed immediate results in two days, and it has just gotten better from there. Here is my story.


I've always had average skin. Once I got into my late twenties, my mild acne finally relented and I was left with only the nuisance of run of the mill blackheads. Then something changed. Several months ago my blackhead problem worsened. Not only were the usual suspects becoming larger and blacker, but I was suffering from recurrent blackheads in new places. My pores looked large and dirty and I was forever extracting blackheads, often with disastrous results. I also developed a problem with my frown lines in that tiny blackheads were forming in the creases, thus making the frown line into a prominent, ever-present wrinkle. I began to use Neutrogena's Fresh Foaming Scrub religiously as it had proved to be a superior product in the past. This time, nothing much happened. I was in a panic about my skin and didn't quite know where to turn. Fortunately, I had seen Philosophy's Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash many times on QVC and I thought it was worth a shot.


I used this scrub and within two days many of the blackheads either went away or decreased dramatically. By the end of the week I noticed further improvement in the reduction of blackheads. And by the week after that my skin was more radiant and my skin tone was more even. It's not an exaggeration to say that this scrub got rid of 90% of my blackhead problems. I can't believe my eyes! I didn't know that a scrub could work such miracles - and on blackheads which are notoriously stubborn!


The blackhead problem on my forehead and between my eyebrows has virtually vanished. The frown line which had troubled me was clear of 99% of the blackheads, and in general the wrinkle has pretty much disappeared - the area is so flat that I feel like Nicole Kidman minus the botox. My cheeks are 98% improved, with only teeny tiny blackheads that are detectable only if I examine up close to a mirror. My chin certainly looks cleaner, but still requires a little maintenance. The only area that did not dramatically improve was my nose - and I didn't expect it to. The severity of the blackheads has certainly decreased in that area, but nothing extraordinary.


Other limitations of the product are few, but worth mentioning. In order to maintain the results, I have to use this everyday. If I skip two days then I can see a decline. Also, I personally think this requires some effort to use. In other words, I put some muscle into my scrubbing - which can be exhausting before bedtime. The application is a little tricky. The directions recommend using this on damp skin, so I splash my face with water once, and then apply the product. I use a dime sized amount and keep scrubbing until the product becomes tacky. I find that if I use more product or more water, then I feel less scrubbing action. Another limitation has to do with the cleansing aspect. Since this is an exfoliating wash, I expect it to cleanse my skin. However, I do feel that my skin isn't quite clean after using this so I have to follow with a toner. It is a minor step I'd like to avoid, if only to save myself an extra minute or two. Finally, I dislike the bottle this comes in. It is a hard plastic bottle with a spout on the top. It doesn't squeeze well at all so I end up having to shake some of the product to the level of the spout and then squeeze which means that I don't have much control over how much comes out. It would have been much smarter to offer this in a squeeze tube or pump bottle. But the above are minor inconveniences when compared to the rewards that you reap.


To wrap up, I should include a couple of random points. The first is that the scrubbing beads are in fact rather tiny and remind me more of sand than of microbeads - this is great news for me, because the more granulated the beads are, the better. The second is that Paula Begoun gave this product a so-so rating. I just glanced at her review, but her major complaint seemed to be that this scrub could make skin dry. I have to say that I haven't noticed this in the least.


I am looking forward to trying more from Philosophy, a line which I previously viewed as a mixture of pretentious and schmaltzy. However, I will sample their products with a skeptical eye as I already tried the Mini Peel Pads with disastrous results. I thought the pads would be the perfect supplement to this scrub since the scrub would be the mechanical exfoliation and the pads would be the chemical exfoliation. Well, the pads left a sticky residue on my skin and my prize the next morning was to wake up with more than one red bump. Upon investigation on MUA, I found that other reviewers experienced the same thing. I checked with Paula Begoun and her review noted that the oils in the pads were likely to cause irritation.

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sunshinelu on 3/15/2011 11:46:00 AM more reviews by sunshinelu

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

This helped clear my skin up and is gentle enough for my skin (normal/sensitive). It's a bit pricey though and not sure how much better it is than my St. Ives Apricot Scrub.

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buffylicious on 3/15/2011 11:30:00 AM more reviews by buffylicious

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

Unfortunately I found the negatives of this product outweigh the positives, so I don't plan to repurchase. In only used it as a scrub, not as a peel, and felt its performance was pretty standard. However, it's expensive, I personally found the chemical smell to be too repugnant to handle, and I cannot stand the packaging. The opening is constantly clogged and when pressure finally helps the product to break through a bunch comes out all at once... very wasteful.

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ninara on 1/30/2011 11:40:00 AM more reviews by ninara

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Green    

Microdelivery wash is nice to use if you don't have the time to do an exfoliating mask. It leaves skin very soft and doesn't dry it out. The odd thing is, when I use this product it always causes a little break out to my left cheek. Due this and because I find the product only little above average, I'm not going to repurchase.

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sanchita777 on 1/30/2011 1:02:00 AM more reviews by sanchita777

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

This used to be a HG product for me. I really liked the tiny exfoliating beads that massages my face. I felt like it was doing a good job, but for some reason after daily use it felt to be less effective. I think I will lay off of it and come back in a couple months to get its benefits.

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annetick on 1/26/2011 12:46:00 PM more reviews by annetick

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

My skin is acne-prone, so it is important that I exfoliate regularly. However, a good exfoliater that is not too irritating or drying is hard to find. My face is also little on the dry and sensitive side, and this is one of the few exfoliating cleansers I can use on a daily basis. The exfoliation is thorough, but not harsh or irritating. I have to follow up with a moisturizer, but with my dry skin, I have to use a moisturizer on top of any cleanser I use. I use an antibacterial soap and SA toner in the morning, followed by Microdelivery and Ziana (retinol) at night, and it seems to have helped me manage my acne quite well.

No cleanser is going to be perfect or work for everyone, but this is about as close as I've gotten.

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llewis01 on 1/14/2011 7:17:00 PM more reviews by llewis01

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Dark, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Relaxed, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

Where Purity is my night time cleanser, Philosophy Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash is my morning cleanser. It leaves my skin so soft and clean. It doesn't irritate my skin or leave it dry. Another wonderful Philosophy product.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

LBUJenni18 on 12/11/2010 3:32:00 AM more reviews by LBUJenni18

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

The first time I used this, my face turned reddish, I guess it was my skin reacting? Because it doesn't happen anymore. The first month I used this, I LOVED it - my skin was SOOOOOO soft it wasn't even funny! My friend touched my skin and complimented how soft it was.

It's honestly not as affective anymore... Maybe it's because I'm not using it consistently or something but it just isn't. Or maybe it's because my skin got used to being exfoliated?

My advice (if this has happened to you) is to start off dry - as in, no water, only a tiny bit to dampen your hands and then squirt a bit, start exfoliating both cheeks and once it starts getting dry, add water. I find this to be an effective method and it actually exfoliates (lol).

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putu on 12/8/2010 1:25:00 PM more reviews by putu

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Dark, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Black    

I love this! It reminds me of MURAD AHA/BHA that i've been using,it doesn't irrirate my face,will repurchase this

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suan2254 on 11/24/2010 2:09:00 AM more reviews by suan2254

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I am sorry, it does not clear my skin or anything. Yet it does its job of exfoliation? I guess. But i rather use Biore pore scrub, since it is cheaper and it works better to give me more clear complexion. It was too expensive for my taste.

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*TOP REVIEWER* joy2uandme on 11/19/2010 10:44:00 AM more reviews by joy2uandme

Age: 44-55   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

Really a heavy duty scrub product. Way too abrasive for me to use more than once a week so it might be a value for me at that rate, but saw no brightening effect just red irritated skin.

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*TOP REVIEWER* LittleViolet on 11/9/2010 5:37:00 PM more reviews by LittleViolet

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I usually go to St Ives or its Target knockoff because I like a firm scrub. I don't care for weak exfoliators, because I feel like, "what's the point?" why waste my time? I do like how thin this product is so the beads do a great job scrubbing without the product being too "creamy" and therefore ineffective. So I do like that--it is like the product is there to just help you smooth the beads on but doesn't interfere with the bead action itself.

I don't think I will buy this once I run out of my 4oz mini version; I just can't spend that much on products. I have had my 4oz version for nearly 2 years though and I use it once every 1-2 weeks.

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coocoovanille on 11/5/2010 11:34:00 PM more reviews by coocoovanille

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

I have bought this many times and will continue to do so. It is the best, most gentle yet most effective exfoliant I have ever used. It makes a huge difference in the appearance and clarity of my skin, and I would hate to be without it. The packaging is not the best because the cap gets clogged up and it becomes impossible to squirt the product out. It is also very pricey...but I continue to pay the price because the product is worth it to me.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Reservechic on 11/4/2010 8:43:00 PM more reviews by Reservechic

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

This product is a the best exfoliating scrub that I ave ever used! The scrubbing particles within it do not irritate my skin.It really helps in giving my skin a noticeable glow to it. And, it has helped with keeping my pores free from congestion as well.

This product doesn't have any added fragrance to it. So, what you will smell is all of the raw ingredients within the product. This product doesn't have the best smell to it. However, it also doesn't have the worst one either. Overall, the product's benefits far outweigh any posible negatives about it.

I am actually on Auto-delivery for the 32 ounce version. I received the one with the pump. I do know that some people have mentioned about the pump clogging up. To help offset such, I simply transfer some of it into one of those clear plastic bottles with the flip top cap. And, this works out great for me! bottle w/a the 32 ounce version.Mine's came w

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jvice2 on 10/31/2010 5:12:00 PM more reviews by jvice2

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

I decided to try this stuff after reading good reviews, but I couldn't stand the smell. I only used it a couple times and had to stop using it. Maybe it's just me, because I didn't read any reviews about the smell. I really wanted to like this product, but I couldn't get past the smell.

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