Howdy! I said on my last cosmetic review post, that I had an exciting new product I was using, and from the title I'm sure you can tell it's a microdermabrasion machine; which it is. I did a lot of research before I purchased one, and found the NV-60 from Amazon to have the best reviews.
Although despite the fact that I did pretty extensive research, I'm kind of thinking I should have went with the PMD personal microderm machine, only because it's so much smaller. So I'm going to give a review on the NV-60, which I think works great, I just wonder if the PMD might have been a better option due to size. Please use this post to decide what's best for you! Also I would like to point out that there are many personal microdermabrasion machines on the market, and a handful of them are designed for home use. The ones that are designed for home use besides the NV-60 and the PMD didn't get very good reviews, especially the most popular one that has infomercials. So the reason I'm discussing the NV-60 and the PMD only, is due to the high-number of 4-5 star reviews these machine received.
The NV-60 microdermabrasion machine arrived in the mail from an Amazon seller two weeks after ordered as promised. It came in clean modern packaging, like I would get in a store. Sometimes when I order from people and companies from Amazon I'm often unsure of what will arrive. The company describes the NV-60 as "The HEALTHandMED At Home Microdermabrasion Machine NV60 refines, rejuvenates and softens skin. All of the accessories are included. It will not only work on the face, but also other parts of the body. You will have soft, shiny, and perfect skin! This unit will easily pay for itself within 1 month of use. Consider the treatments cost in many salons! Because there are no crystals propelled onto the skin, the system allows treatment to those fine wrinkle areas close to the eyes and around the lips. It is safe for all skin types. It helps with Enlarged Skin Pores, Blemishes, Fine Wrinkles, & Aging Skin! VERY safe, and CE certified. Great for a budget minded spa as it offers near professional level performance at an unbeatable price point. Does not use crystals, chemicals or lasers! 60cmHg vacuum suction and 2mm friction depth." Taken from Amazon.com
I'm not going to get into the difference between microdermabrasion machines that have diamond tips, and machines that blow-out micro-oxide crystals. What I will say is the diamond tips makes microdermabrasion at home much more possible. Feel free to research the difference, it's pretty interesting.
I have been using the machine four weeks now, however I was so delicate on my skin during the first use, I would say I have been seriously using it for three weeks now. The first night I used it I was very nervous of how my skin would be the next day, or if I would over-do-it. My skin was fine the next day, and I actually under-did-it, but I would recommend with this machine to build up usage and start on the lowest settings. I have used it since then once a week on Monday's, which I call Microdermabrasion Monday's:) I have really increased the suction and the coarseness of the diamond tips, which is fine for me to do, with my tough, oily skin. I'm not kidding when I say I was breaking out enough to visit my dermatologist, which I haven't had to do for nearly twelve years. The dermatologist put me on Retin-A and a few other things. *Important note, do not do microdermabrasion on your skin while you are using any Retinal products, especially Retin-A. The first week my skin felt sun-burned. I discontinued the Retin-A and my skin feels great after microdermabrasion. I am no longer breaking out. My large pores are not noticeable, my age-spots are no-kidding disappearing!!! My skin looks so healthy. It hasn't really done a lot to my fine-lines, but I'm supposed to use this machine for two months and I still have a month to go. The typical program for microdermabrasion use is, once a week for two months, then only once a month thereafter. This program is good for my skin, and may not be good for yours. I think towards the end, I'm going to bump-it up to twice-a-week.
My current facial routine which I said I would update is:
Ponds original Cold Cream ( I realize this has mineral oils, which I know isn't great for your skin,but interestingly enough I don't break out using it, also it's the gentlest way to remove make-up.)
I use a warm wash-cloth to remove the Ponds cream along with my make-up.
I use Ponds Cream on a q-tip to finish cleaning my eyes.
I then wash my face with Dove Bar Soap for Sensitive Skin. This product has never dried my skin out, nor caused breakouts. ( I would also highly recommend cetaphil classic cleanser as well)
After my skin dries (on Monday's) I use the microdermabrasion machine* See YouTube video's for how-to's.
After the microdermabrasion I use Clinique's #4 Astringent to clean my face of dead skin and to fully clean out my skin. It works like a very gentle peel.
Followed by Clinique's Dramatically Different Gel (not lotion) I would also recommend Dermalogica's Active Moist.
On Day's I don't do microdermabrasion I use Clinique's #4 Astringent and use the lotion as need. I usually need it every other night. ( Again I have oily problematic skin)
I typically use higher end skin care. I love Dermalogica, but the Dove Soap, and Clinique always work well for me, when my skin starts breaking out. I also live in an extremely humid environment, where #4 works well for me. For my skin, when I break-out, using products designed for acne prone skin, just makes my skin worse. I have problematic skin, but I have that because my skin is so sensitive.
Right now my skin is not excessively oily and my skin is very clear and on it's way to looking very even toned and healthy.
For makeup I have been using the Korean brand beauty balm called Missha M . It is one of the beauty balms that had the better reviews and happened to be available in the store I was shopping at. It comes in a few shades but the store offered #21, and #23. I use #21 which is great for fair skin. I'm now going to talk about beauty balms, which are sometimes referred to as blemish balms.
First I want to give a brief history of beauty balms. Beauty Balms gained popularity in Korea, supposedly by the t.v. stars who had this amazingly flawless skin, very milky white. The Koreans had popularized it, but it was reportedly created in Germany as a product designed for Dermatologist and Plastic Surgeons to give to their patients to use after skin-laser treatments and other dramatic medical treatments. After the Korean women soap-opera stars popularized it, the Japanese were the next to pick it up and so it spread quickly through-out the world. The U.S. brands have even adopted BB creams such as Smashbox, Este Lauder and many more.
What are BB Creams? It is basically glorified makeup. It's a product that has a consistency of a luxury facial moisturizer, with a coverage that falls between a tinted moisturizer and a foundation. The BB Cream that I use has buildable coverage and can become a medium coverage foundation or as light as tinted moisturiser. I can't speak for every BB cream out there, especially the ones made in the U.S. but for the most part BB creams are a combination of moisturizer (light, not heavy) skin care products, and sunscreen all with a pretty great coverage. Currently I'm using Missha M Perfect Cover #21 (fair skin) with SPF 45.
All BB creams have healing soothing ingredients and sunscreen because they were designed to be used on patients who just had skin care treatments and needed a good product on their face, not pore-clogging foundation. If you use a BB Cream you do not need to use, skin-care products, moisturizer, primer, foundation. The one container of BB Cream does all of that for you. This makes my skin-care, make-up routine very simple in the morning. At night I still follow my same skin care routine. Here is the interesting thing, it's almost weird actually. I have oily skin, and I live in a very very humid environment yet when I use a BB cream, I do not have oily skin, but when ever I use a tinted moisturizer my skin gets so oily it's gross. I don't know how the BB cream is able to keep the skin from getting oily, while also giving off a healthy dew like look. A lot of people have reported improved skin. I have not been using it enough to be able to tell you yet. What I can tell you is, My skin while using it looks great, and not oily and provides a good coverage. My skin feels light-weight too. It has not made my skin breakout and probably has been additionally good to use, while I'm in the middle of my two microdermabrasion months. I would recommend a BB cream to anyone, all ages, even young girls just getting into make-up that usually wear a tinted moisturizer, because I think the BB Cream is better for their skin and will cause less breakouts! It also has lightening and anti-aging ingredients for aging skin as well, and there are a few who make a BB Cream for problematic skin as well. Although I have problematic skin and I'm only using a standard BB Cream. I'm going to try other brands and report the difference in them. I know some have more moisturizing qualities, some have illumination which is good in the summer and at night.
Well this raps up my new fun machine, skin-care during this next two months and my new awesome better than foundation! Please Subscribe to this blog and also comment on my blog. The first three-people that comment on this blog will receive an Every Day Spa Box with samples and one full-sized product in cute packaging (similar to those fun monthly sample subscription companies!)
~Cheers...Monique
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