Review: Body Shop Vitamin C Micro Refiner

The Micro Refiner is a product I'd been eyeing up in store, I'd actually got a sample of it from the Body Shop at Regent Street before discovering a full sized tube in the giant bag. My Mum quickly claimed the sample!

So, this is £12.20 for 75ml (2.5 US fl oz) which, as Mizz Worthy points out, makes this more expensive ml for ml than MAC's version. But to the average person, in the UK at least, the Body Shop version is going to be far easier to get hold of.

Contains Community Trade Shea Butter from Ghana. The details for Community Trade ingredients are given on each product that contains them.

I've tried a lot of exfoliators in the past, only to stop using after a couple of uses due to the coarse nature of the scrubbing particles. They hurt!! The only exfoliator I've had any success with is the MAC Micro Fine Refinisher. I'll be doing a quick comparison at the end of the review.

This is a very thick white cream containing very fine exfoliating particles. The tube gives instructions to apply in circular motions to wet skin, once a week. It also states it is not suitable for sensitive skin. However, the website suggests to use it as part of your daily skin regime. I'm trying this twice a week for a couple of weeks, then I'll probably go down to once a week. There is a slight "orangey" scent that isn't overpowering and is quite fresh and pleasant.

I apply it as stated: on wet skin with circular motions. I can certainly feel the particles scrubbing away! But not in the scratchy, painful way I've felt with previous exfoliators. I wouldn't call it a gentle exfoliation, I agree that this wouldn't be suitable for sensitive skin. After careful and thorough rinsing, my skin felt very soft and smooth. I didn't notice any improvement in the radiance of my skin, but I suspect that will come after a few more weeks of use. I've noticed, even after only a couple of uses, that a small dry patch on one of my cheeks has virtually gone.

Overall, this is going to be a welcome addition to my skincare regime. As I said earlier, I'll begin with twice a week usage for the first couple of weeks then decrease it to once a week. I have normal/combination skin.

Compare to MAC? Well, I had a tube of their Refinisher not long after it was released and I haven't repurchased it simply because something more interesting distracts me when I get to go to a MAC. As it has been a few years since I used it, I'm going on memory! The MAC has a much more fluid texture, it was still thick but not as thick as the Body Shop's. Other than that, I think the two products are pretty much the same. The MAC one may be cheaper ml for ml than the Body Shop's but there's a Body Shop in pretty much every decent sized town in the UK, so it's far easier to get hold of.

Repurchase? Yes.