Recently, I purchased a travel size (0.5 oz) tube of the Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment. I was caught up in the moment of splurging but at least I knew better than to purchase the 2 oz tube at $85. Alright, so paying $19 for the travel size wasn't extremely painful but when I make the plunge for the full sized, I will be shedding pennies from my eyes not tears.
Sephora's Description:
A dual action exfoliation method.
What it is formulated to do
Kate Somerville ExfoliKate® Intensive Exfoliating Treatment is Kate's top-selling product, and the next best thing to seeing Kate in the Clinic! Treat yourself to this at-home facial for fantastic, instant results. This signature formula works both physically and enzymatically to deliver safe, dramatic results in one application. It effectively combats acne and blackheads, reduces discoloration, and polishes skin for a smooth complexion. Welcome to healthy skin, a healthy glow, and a healthy you!
What else you need to know
This expert formula harnesses the power of fruit enzymes to clarify skin by removing dead cells and eliminating bacteria. It is ideal for all skin types, except sensitive skin.
As characterized, ExfoliKate is a 2-in-1 treatment - it works like a mask and exfoliator. The treatment is to be left on clean, wet skin for 30 seconds tops. In the 30 seconds the treatment is left alone, you may feel the enzymes begin to eat away at dead skin cells. While rinsing off the treatment, the minuscule grains in the creamy moss green concoction will slough off the aftermath.What I find so spectacular about ExfoliKate is not how smooth it makes my face feel but how it also helps raise small whiteheads to the surface allowing me to deal with them sooner than later. After using the treatment, I take a blemish extracting tool to weed out the gunk in the pores on and around my nose. This part while gross really makes a difference in the clarity of my skin.
This is an intensive treatment in the sense it produces temporary redness but I felt no tingling or burning sensations like I've read about. I didn't experience tight, itchy, dry skin after using this either but it's always important to apply a moisturizer after.
Alas, such a promising product comes with two setbacks. First there is the heavy price tag and then a naughty ingredient that goes by the name, paraben. After reading Karley's insightful post on parabens - here - I am wary of buying any more products that contain them.
Bottom Line:
Based on ingredients alone, I don't think I can recommend this. If the other two versions (there are 3) of ExfoliKate yield the same results as the Intensive Exfoliating Treatment, then I would recommend giving those a try as they are paraben free!
Based on price alone, I would still recommend ExfoliKate. It does a far better job than I expected it would and it's well worth the money.
Ingredients
Water, Lactic Acid, Polyethylene, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Pectin, Carica Papaya Fruit, Lactobacillus/Cucurbita Pepo Fruit, Ferment Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Papain, Bromelain, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Mel, Acetic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Geranium Maculatum Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Oil, Aniba Rosaeodora (Rosewood) Wood Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil, Salicylic Acid, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cinnamal, Potassium Sorbate, Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Citral, Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol, Citronellol, Cinnamal, Eugenol, Benzyl Benzoate, Beta-Carotene (CI 75130), Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex (CI 75810).
