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This week, our Online Content Executive, Carly shows you how to revive lacklustre skin with a quick at-home microdermabrasion treatment. If you were already halfway through a course of salon microdermabrasion treatments or you’re looking to step up your skincare routine now you have some more time on your hands, then this one's for you.
As someone with oily skin, I've always struggled with clogged pores. I’ve always been on the hunt for something that would help to deeply exfoliate and rid my skin of excess dirt and oils. I’ve looked into salon treatments before and contemplated microdermabrasion, but I’ve never been able to justify the expense (a recommended course of treatments can set you back around £300!).
An at-home microdermabrasion device just made complete sense to me. Treatment times can take anywhere from 5 minutes (depending on which areas you want to treat), yes you do need to complete treatments a little more frequently, but I can carry them out whenever I want and for a fraction of the salon price.
Of course it won’t completely replicate salon results but with long term use, at-home microdermabrasion can successfully combat a range of skin concerns from stretch marks, fine lines and acne scarring, to ageing skin, uneven skin tone and pigmentation. Plus you’ll immediately see dull, grumpy skin revived and smoothed out.
Cleanse
Cleansing your face before completing a microdermabrasion is really important. Cleansing helps to prep the skin for treatment, ridding the skin of any excess sebum and dirt build-up. Plus it will help to remove any traces of makeup left on your skin and make your treatment much more effective.
I’d recommend cleansing with a device if you can, I use the Clarisonic Mia Smart and would never cleanse my face without it again - it cleanses 6x better than with hands alone. Plus it's compatible with all of the Clarisonic brush heads and applicators so I can really personalise my treatments. However, for this treatment you could also use the Clarisonic Mia Prima.
My favourite brush head is the Radiance Brush Head, I have quite sensitive skin so I find that this is more than enough to complete a thorough cleanse. Plus, I don’t want to cleanse too harshly before my microdermabrasion treatment and cause any irritation.
I dampen my skin with warm water, then apply my favourite foaming cleanser and use the Mia Smart to deeply cleanse. After this I gently pat my skin dry, ready to start my microdermabrasion treatment.
Microdermabrasion
Now this is the really exciting part, you’re around 10 minutes away from beautifully soft, glowing skin. I use the Trophy Skin Mini MD Portable Microdermabrasion Device, which is a great option if you’re someone that’s new to microdermabrasion or you simply want a quick, effortless treatment. The device has a diamond-tipped exfoliating head and uses gentle suction to slough away dead skin.
I love the Mini MD because it’s super easy to use and completely fuss-free, you simply press the button and choose from 2 suction modes. I’d recommend starting on the first suction mode for the first few treatments until your skin gets used to it.
When I first started using the device, it took me a few uses to really get the hang of completing the treatments. I had to get used to how much pressure I needed to put on my skin, applying too much pressure and going over areas twice made my skin sensitive after treatments. But you'll get to realise really quickly what's best for your skin and how to perform the microdermabrasion treatment correctly.
Starting with my left cheek, I hold the device in one hand and pull the skin taut with my free hand. Working in an outwards motion, I push the device towards my ear in short motions. I then move downwards towards my chin, across to my other cheek, before finishing across my forehead and then working down my nose. I have to ensure I hold the area I'm treating taut at all times, with the device flush to the skin so the suction is most effective.
The treatment feels like a light scratching across the skin, but it's completely painless and non-invasive. It's quite soothing as it sort of gives your skin and invigorating massages as you move the device. My skin can look a bit pink afterwards, but I just embrace it because I know that it's boosted blood flow and helped to stimulate my skin cells. This does calm down after a few hours, but you could complete your microdermabrasion treatment in the evenings if you wanted when you know you won't need to go out.
What I really love about this device is that you can actually see immediate results. After the treatment I can see all of the dead skin and debris that’s been buffed away on the wool filter, so you can really see what's come off your skin (it's totally gross but also completely satisfying!).
Hydrate
Now I've removed the barrier of dead skin cells from my skin, this is the perfect time to apply my favourite hydrating serum. I follow up my microdermabrasion treatment with a product containing Hyaluronic Acid. It’s an acid that is found naturally in our bodies that helps to attract moisture and water to the skin.
My go-to product is The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid formula, it’s an oil-free treatment that provides long lasting moisture and strengthens the skin. I then follow this up with a hydrating overnight mask treatment (I perform my microdermabrasion treatments in the evenings) to really lock in the moisture and renew my skin.
So now all that’s left to do is let your favourite skincare products soak in and enjoy the feeling of deeply nourished and beautifully soft skin.
