Why I'm Cleansing Twice: ExfoliKate Cleanser Review

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Exfolikate Cleanser Review

I've made no secret of my love of Kate Somerville. She's the esthetician to the stars in LA, and she has an amazing skin care line. Her products are a bit of a splurge for me, but they're well worth it.

One of my all time favorite products is her ExfoliKate, a green scrub that takes only a minute to work! It leaves my skin smooth and glowy, a tube of this stuff lives in my shower all time. I probably use it about once or twice a week, depending upon how my skin is doing. You can read my original ExfoliKate review, check out my 5 year blog anniversary ode to ExoliKate (which was 5 years ago now), or buy it from Sephora, Nordstrom or Kate Somerville. I don't even know how many tubes of ExfoliKate I've purchased. One tube lasts me about 10-11 months, and I've used it continuously for about 7 or 8 years. I even take it with me when I travel!

So, when I heard about the new Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Cleanser, I was at once excited about it, but also didn't really care. I love ExfoliKate! But, do I need both? Especially when I have already stocked up on Kate Somerville Detox Cleanser to the point that I will never need to purchase face wash again in my life? It's kind of hard to justify buying more expensive face wash when you own more Kate Somerville than most spas.

But, recently I was buying a few "staples", and needed another $25 to hit free shipping and a % off, so I went for the ExfoliKate Cleanser. I reasoned that it was free, so I wasn't really "wasting" my money, right? I would get to try it out, but I knew deep down that because it was Kate that I would probably love it. And I was right! I have already bought a "backup" tube to keep around, so I'll never run out!

ExfoliKate Cleanser isn't really a typical cleanser. It is a bit drier, and has some very fine and evenly sized grit. There's a very faint green tint, but it's pretty much just white. It has a light lather and rinses off super easily. It does not make my face feel overly tight or dry, just clean. I've been washing my face first with the Detox Cleanser to remove my makeup. I then rinse and wash a second time, using about a pea sized amount of the ExfoliKate Cleanser. It's just the right amount to wash my face, avoiding my eye area.

So, what's the difference between the two cleansers? Detox has Salicylic, Glycolic, and Lactic Acids, all of which help to gently exfoliate the skin and clean out pores. There are also a lot of soothing ingredients, like Aloe Vera and Allantoin, so it has been great for my mild rosacea. ExfoliKate cleanser also has Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid, but they've added in Pineapple, Pumpkin and Papaya Enzymes, and they don't have the added soothing ingredients. ExfoliKate Cleanser isn't harsh, but it isn't quite as gentle as Detox. I pay close attention to my skin, and if my skin is irritated I will skip a night of ExfoliKate Cleanser and my retinol cream.

Since I started using both cleansers instead of just the Detox alone, I've been pretty surprised in the improvement in my skin. It is smoother, my pores are smaller and I have had fewer blemishes. I saw improvement in my skin when I started using the Detox Cleanser alone, but I didn't expect to see this much change in my skin with adding in the ExfoliKate Cleanser. It's to the point that I have already purchased a second tube (I need a backup so I won't run out), and I'm ordering a travel sized version too.