Garnier Pure Active Exfo-Brusher Review

I was in Singapore recently and I picked this little thingamajig up when I saw it at Guardian Pharmacy. It's called Pure Active Exfo-Brusher from Garnier and what caught my attention was the brush like attachment at the top ~ although I must say the tester at the pharmacy was a little grimy looking....ewww! That did not put me off though so I purchased one to try. Apart from the brush, the other thing that caught my attention was the claim that the product would eventually fade acne scars. I do have a spot or two which I am in the process of trying to rub into oblivion and I thought that this could give it the much needed boost it needs.

It is a big bottle and you get 150ml's of product. I have been using this on and off for two weeks and I am quite pleased with what I am experiencing so far.

To begin with, I do have oily skin and this leads to the occassional breakout or two. As a result, I do have a few marks on my face, which is why I was interested to see if there was any truth to the claim that this will help diminish acne scars as well as lessen the sebum production a little too.

The active ingredient in this product is 2% Salicylic Acid. For those who would like to know, here is a little information on Salicylic Acid taken from E-How.com:-

• Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid derived from the bark of a willow tree. It has both cosmetic and medicinal uses. It is often found in skin care products because of its ability to treat acne, psoriasis, warts and other skin conditions.
• Salicylic acid has many cosmetic benefits and is usually used to treat blemishes. When applied to the skin, salicylic acid works by causing the cells of the epidermis to shed properly. This prevents the pores of the skin from getting clogged up and being infected with bacteria. It's basically a chemical agent that aids in the process of exfoliation by eliminating surface skin cells and opening up pores.

The Good:

The Exfo-Brusher head has180 ultra soft flexi-bristles which together with the liquid cleanser that it dispenses works to clean the face and exfoliate at the same time. I thought this was really unique that an exfoliator did not come with harder bristles to really rub the life out of your skin....so this was a pleasant surprise indeed.

What I did like about the product is the smell of the cleanser - it is fresh, pleasant and clean smelling and not at all cloying which is a big put off for me. The soft bristles was also another bonus and this meant that I would have to deal with a red face or be afraid of how much pressure I assert on it as I am scrubbing my face. I did like the lovely soft scrubbing sensation on my face as I used it. It cleans my quite oily face without leaving it taut and dry. My skin feels truly clean after washing with this.



To ensure maximum benefits, you need to turn the bottle upside down and press until some of the liquid comes out of the little hole in the middle of the brush (as you can see from the photo below). The cleanser is not gel like but rather very runny so you need to be sure that you do not over squeeze like I did the first time. This results in a lot of the product dribbling down the sides. Thoroughly wet your face and begin brushing this in a circular motion all over your face. For obvious reasons and you will see as you look at how the brush head is designed, this is not meant for more delicate areas such as the area under your eyes. I stay away from that area and concentrate more on five areas :- my cheeks; my forehead; my chin; my nose as well as my neck. A little bit of the product can go a long way as I use one generous squeeze for all these areas.

The cleanser is not overly foamy too which suits me fine.

I find that this product is more effective on a face that is devoid of makeup - so I do not use this when I get back from work to remove make-up. I remove my make up with moist towels which come pre-soaked in cleansing oil and then I wash with a cleanser. I keep this exfo-brusher for when I wash my face just before I go to bed. I like the slight tingly feel of a well cleansed face and you do get a tingly clean feel because the scrubbing action gets your circulation going and prepares the face well for night lotions and potions!

 

What Can Be Improved:

I think the overall design can be improved a little. For starters, the brush head is a little too big. If it were smaller, I would be better able to handle it and target specific areas. I found the areas on the bridge of my nose and around the nose area generally hard to handle because of the big brush head.

Also, the bottle becomes harder to manage when your hands are wet and soapy. I suggest rubber grips on the side to give more control over it's use.

If the cleanser was a little thicker, this can prevent too much product from dripping out as you turn it over to dispense the liquid.

I cannot comment on whether it has lightened my acne marks, because I have not used it long enough. I am not keeping my hopes up high but if there are any noticeable changes in a month or so,then I will report back.