What is ExfoliKate?
Created by Kate Somerville, ExfoliKate is a collection of skin care products designed to improve texture, pores, fine lines, and wrinkles at home. There are four products in this collection: ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment, ExfoliKate Liquid, ExfoliKate Cleanser, and ExfoliKate Glow Moisturizer. Let’s look a little closer at each of these products so you’ll know exactly how they affect your skin.
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ExfoliKate products
Also referred to as “Kate’s signature Super Facial”, the ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment is by far the most popular product in the collection. It is claimed to visibly transform texture and pores in just two minutes. The formula includes a physical exfoliant (silica) and chemical exfoliants (AHAs and fruit enzymes). These ingredients work to exfoliate dull, dry surface skin cells to reveal smoother skin and also prep skin to better absorb the rest of your regimen, making every product and ingredient that follows more effective. It is recommended to use this product only once or twice per week.
ExfoliKate Liquid is a nightly leave-on exfoliating solution that is said to gently slough away surface dullness and refines the look of pores for smoother, softer, more glowing skin. The main difference between ExfoliKate Liquid and the Intensive Exfoliating Treatment is that this product does not contain a physical exfoliant, which may be more appealing to those who have sensitive skin. This product is gentle enough to be used every night.
ExfoliKate Cleanser is a daily foaming cleanser that gently cleanses away oil, makeup ,and surface impurities to reveal softer, smoother skin. This cleanser is gentle enough to be used twice per day.
ExfoliKate Glow Moisturizer is claimed to instantly reduce the appearance of surface dullness and uneven skin texture to reveal beautiful, glowing skin. You can use this moisturizer both morning and night, but it is recommended to follow with a sunscreen if you’re going to be spending time outside.
What are the key ingredients in ExfoliKate products?
The key ingredients that are found in all ExfoliKate products are alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs). The Intensive Exfoliating Treatment contains lactic acid, ExfoliKate Liquid includes a 10% Triple Acid Blend (glycolic, malic and lactic acids), and both the ExfoliKate Cleanser and Glow Moisturizer contain glycolic and lactic acid. But what exactly are AHAs and how can they benefit your skin? We’ll give you a brief overview below.
AHAs are frequently used in skin care products because they provide numerous benefits to the skin. One of the most well known benefits of AHAs is their ability to exfoliate the skin by targeting corneocytes (dead skin cells) in a process called corneocyte desquamation. By enhancing their breakdown and increasing the separation of skin cells, the rate of cell turnover is increased, leading to smoother, more radiant skin.
While exfoliation is typically associated with skin dryness and peeling due to the removal of the upper layers of dead skin cells, AHAs are known to produce the opposite effect. This is because AHAs have a hydroxyl (-OH) group in the alpha position. This hydroxyl group enables AHAs to function as humectant moisturizers. A humectant moisturizer is an ingredient that sits on your skin and grabs onto water, slowing it from evaporating. Plus, the ExfoliKate products contain several more humectant ingredients, such as aloe vera, honey, and glycerin, which also aid in maintaining skin hydration.
AHAs have also been found to stimulate collagen production. Collagen is a structural protein naturally produced by the body that is responsible for keeping skin strong and firm. Collagen production starts to decline around age 25 and continues to decrease with age. Collagen levels also decrease due to factors such as smoking, sugar consumption, and overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Ultimately, this decrease leads to wrinkles and sagging skin. Thus, the ExfoliKate products may provide anti-aging benefits due to the inclusion of AHAs in each formula.
In addition to AHAs, several of the ExfoliKate products include exfoliating enzymes derived from fruit, such as pineapple, papaya, and pumpkin. These enzymes work by dissolving keratin, the protein that acts as a “glue” to keep dead skin cells together in the stratum corneum. This is effective because dead skin cells can build up on the surface of your skin, leaving it looking dull and also possibly clogging pores.
One problem with the ExfoliKate collection is that all of the products contain fragrance ingredients. We understand that consumers appreciate when products smell pleasant, but we’d like to point out that fragrance is not skin care. Fragrance ingredients (both natural and synthetic) are well known to cause skin irritation and damage. You see, fragrance ingredients impart scent through a volatile reaction, and this natural reaction almost always causes a sensitizing reaction on skin. Even if you don’t have a full blown reaction to the fragrance ingredients, the damage may still be occurring every day. Ultimately, this can cause mild problems for your skin in the short term and worse problems in the long term.
Where is ExfoliKate sold?
ExfoliKate is sold on the brand’s website, as well as third party sellers such as Sephora, Ulta, Amazon, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and more.
What is the Kate Somerville return policy?
The Kate Somerville return policy states, “If you are not completely happy with your Kate Somerville Skincare products purchased from KateSomerville.com, you may return them within 30 days of your order date. Returns will not be honored for Kate Somerville Skincare products purchased from other sellers or through unauthorized distribution channels. If you purchased a kit or duo, all products within the kit or duo must be returned – partial refunds will not be issued.”
Is Kate Somerville cruelty free?
Kate Somerville is cruelty free. The brand does not test finished products or ingredients on animals, and neither do their suppliers or any third-parties. In addition, Kate Somerville does not sell their products where animal testing is required by law. Even though Kate Somerville is cruelty free, it’s important to note that the brand is owned by Unilever, a company that tests on animals.
ExfoliKate reviews
ExfoliKate reviews on the brand’s website are overall very positive. By far the most popular product is the ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment, which has over 1,400 customer reviews and an average of 4.9 out of 5 stars. Positive ExfoliKate reviews confirm that these products really do help the skin to feel soft and smooth while also giving the skin a glow. One review even says the Intensive Exfoliating Treatment is better than a facial!
Negative ExfoliKate reviews are primarily concerning irritation and other side effects due to these products. Several customers report burning, redness, dryness, and flaking. These reactions could be due to sensitivity to one of the ingredients, a reaction to the fragrance in these products, or maybe the customer has never exfoliated with an AHA product before. While we don’t know for sure what caused these reactions, it’s still important to consider these negative ExfoliKate reviews before purchasing the products.
What are some alternatives to ExfoliKate?
Overall, we like that the ExfoliKate products include high concentrations of AHAs because this group of ingredients is well known to provide numerous benefits to the skin. The main disadvantage of the ExfoliKate collection is the inclusion of so many fragrance ingredients. If you’re interested in all of the benefits of using AHAs but don’t want to expose your skin to so many fragrance ingredients, we’d recommend Formulyst’s Clarifying AHA Cleanser.
The Clarifying AHA Cleanser is formulated to gently cleanse and exfoliate the skin while removing dirt and makeup. It contains glycolic acid to help refine pores, control excess oil, and smooth away any surface-level roughness. The formula also contains ingredients to moisturize and soothe the skin, such as rosehip seed oil, sunflower seed oil, and chamomile flower oil. Overall, Formulyst’s Clarifying AHA Cleanser can help your skin to feel clean, clear, and beautifully refreshed.
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