Being stuck at home has brought me face to face with something I don't normally see for hours on end: my bare face. Demi Lovato is proud of her freckles, so maybe I'll finally fall in love with mine. And while I wish l had stocked up on Neutrogena's bestselling rapid wrinkle repair treatment, I also hope to eventually come to terms with my crow's feet.
But so far, the best thing that's come out of spending so much time at home lately has been discovering the product that's become known as "Hollywood's two-minute facial." From now until April 5, you can score 20% off on Kate Somerville's site when you use the code FAM20 at checkout!
Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Pore Exfoliating Treatment
Meet Kate and ExfoliKate
What I hate about shopping at Sephora is the sheer number of brands they carry. Similarly, what I love about Sephora is the sheer number of brands they carry.
For example, there is Kate Somerville. I'd never heard of her, so it wasn't her name that got me to click on her product (although I now know she's given facials to Demi Moore, Kate Hudson and Eva Mendes). What enticed me was the nearly 2,500 reviews — 1,600 of which are five-star — and the $24 price tag.
Ingredients I would eat
Most skin-care products have ingredients I can't pronounce. While this one has a few of those, the majority of its ingredients are things I love to eat. There's papaya, pineapple and pumpkin, whose enzymes are natural exfoliants. The formula even includes honey, which does wonders in the hydration department. Other ingredients worth noting include aloe vera, vitamin E and lavender oil.
Instant gratification
Sure, if you use a lot of the green paste you might find the Wicked Witch of the West staring back at you, but I just use a dime-sized drop because I want the tube to last an entire month. I use it three times a week, so that's about $2 per facial.
First, I apply the exfoliator in a circular motion all over my face. It feels like a sugar scrub and tingles at first, but that's just the fruit enzymes doing their job. I then rinse my face after scrubbing for two minutes — but not before taking a look at the dead skin flakes that have accumulated on my fingers.
That doesn't even happen with some of my most abrasive exfoliators! It's so satisfying to see what you're trying to get rid of. While Kate Somerville recommends using her moisturizer afterward, I prefer to use a few drops of the Beuti Skincare face oil I hear another Kate — Duchess of Cambridge — uses.
See it, feel it
Prior to trying ExfoliKate, I thought the only quick fix for my massive pores was this bestselling $5 instant pore eraser. Now I know it's not. OK, so this exfoliator hasn't gotten me any "Your skin is glowing" compliments yet (probably because I've also been isolated for weeks), and the before and after photos don't do it justice, but it has noticeably reduced the size of my pores. Instead of seeing annoying black dots, I see a brown dusting of what my grandma used to call angel kisses.
I know we're not supposed to be touching our faces since that's how the coronavirus spreads, but when I do feel my face after using ExfoliKate, the texture is more even and it certainly feels smoother.
I wouldn't wish being quarantined on my worst frenemy. But if it has to happen, I highly recommend trying "Hollywood's two-minute facial." It's helping me embrace my bare face and it might do the same for you.
For more stories like this, check out:
- This hydrating sleeping mask has TODAY editors hooked
- Best spring skin care products, according to a dermatologist
- I tried The Ordinary's Peeling Solution and my skin was immediately brighter
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