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Oil of Olay Regenerist Micro Dermabrasion Kit Review

Olay Regenerist MicroDermabrasion and Peel Kit is the first home microderm kit I've ever tried after the full facial microdermabrasion treatment I had in 2005. The acne scars and sun spots had gone almost completely and so had the lines around my mouth, but my aesthetician warned me that the results would not last without maintenance. Olay Regenerist had a lot of positive feedback so I hoped my $27 would be well spent. Turns out I should have saved a bit more and got the Youthful Essence instead. Recently, I've also invested in the Personal Microderm System which delivered good results.

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How Does Olay Microdermabrasion Regenerist Peel Work?

The box includes the Derma-Crystals Microdermabrasion Cream and the Peel Activator Serum. The Olay cream is your run of the mill microdermabrasion scrub (except it uses bicarbonate sodium crystals instead of corundum crystals) but it's the Peel Activator Serum that is supposed to be the special ingredient. It uses an Amino-Peptide Complex which is designed to chemically stimulate collagen and elastin production in the skin (I personally think it's the lactic acid that does some of the peeling, not these peptides).

Normally, the effectiveness of a microderm abrasion cream is directly linked to how much of a boost cell turnover gets. Olay Regenerist is supposed to be more effective than other micro dermabrasion kits because it uses a double peeling effect (mechanical peeling, from the crystals and chemical peeling, from the peptides and lactic acid). However, I have serious doubts about Olay's effectiveness.

How To Use The Olay Regenerist Peel

Olay Regenerist costs $26.99 and doesn't have a resurfacing tool which is why it takes 5 minutes, at most, from start to finish. I used do it after brushing my teeth in the evening. Here's what I do:

  1. Cleanse my face with a mild cleanser, rinse and pat dry
  2. Use a quarter-size amount of microdermabrasion scrub and spread it evenly across the face
  3. Add an even, thick layer of serum over the microderm abrasion cream and let it foam (it felt really odd at first but I got used to it after the first few times)
  4. Massage the skin for 1-2 minutes until the bicarbonate sodium crystals are completely dissolved by the serum
  5. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water

The instructions say to use the kit once or twice a week but after the first 2 weeks, it became obvious that if I wanted to see any effect, I'd have to increase frequency. I used the kit twice a day (morning and evening) for 2 more months.

What Does Olay Microdermabrasion Do?

It seems to me that Olay have sacrificed effectiveness in order to prevent adverse reactions (one of the main reasons people shy away from home micro dermabrasion). Bicarbonate sodium crystals are much softer than other types of crystals, while lactic acid is less effective than other alpha hydroxy acids used for peeling (glycolic acid). The double peeling effect (from crystals and acid) should make a good product but the Olay microdermabrasion system is nothing more than a good facial scrub.

The only real effect I saw from using Olay was a smoother and slightly brighter skin. I can't say whether I would have seen more of an improvement if I hadn't had the professional treatment beforehand. After bouncing ideas back and forth with other people who have tried it -- and agree that any improvement is minimal --, I just don't think the Regenerist Peel Kit is as good a product as Olay make it out to be.

I've tried 5 more microdermabrasion kits since Olay Regenerist: I've found Neutrogena and Dermanew to be good products (Dermanew being quite expensive, though) while Youthful Essence is now my favorite microderm kit.

Buy Olay Regenerist Microdermabrasion or read my article choosing the best home microdermabrasion kit.

Next, see my latest review - Personal Microderm System.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can Micro Derma Brasion Work For Removing Tattoo?

A: Microdermabrastion works by sandblasting the outermost skin layer but cannot abrade deeper skin layers where tattooed skin cells are which is why it cannot remove tattoos. Tatoo removal needs laser or surgical procedures which are invasive enough to reach pigmented skin cells.

Q: Is Microderma Recommended On Liver Spots?

A: Liver spots can be reduced or even removed entirely through several micodermabrasion sessions - the flow of crystals exfoliates the top layer of the skin and evens out skin tone.

Q: Is Microdermal Abrasion Recommended For Dry Skin?

A: Do-It-Yourself micro derm abrasion kit is appropriate for all skin types (including those with dry skin ) because this procedure sandblasts only the outermost skin layer which is made of dead skin cells. There's no damage to live tissue which could cause scarring or severe irritation. The exfoliation process involved in beauty salon microbrasion helps the skin renew itself quicker and more effectively.

Q: Can I Use Microdermabration With Chemical Peeling?

A: Micro derma abrasion is not recommended if you've had chemical peeling (glycolic acid, salicylic acid, phenol, TCA, Jessner or any other kind of peel) in the last 14 days because the two exfoliating procedures combined are too aggressive and might affect your skin's ability to recover. This applies to do-it-yourself kits and specialist treatment.

Q: Is Micro Dermabrasion Effective If You Have Rosacea?

A: Rosacea is one of the main contraindications of microdermabrasion, because the exfoliation process worsens rosacea symptoms (redness, itchiness, flaking). Personal microabrasions kits are not recommended either (even though they are milder).

Q: What Are The Effects Of Microbrasion?

A: According to thousands of online testimonials, salon Microdem abrasion does work on superficial skin imperfections. But like with most non-surgical procedures, the results depend on your medical condition, your body's ability to recover and on who performs the procedure on you. Most patients who have tried microderm say the treatment worked well in treating enlarged pores, stretch marks, acne scars, age spots, fine lines, red marks, and dull skin More serious skin imperfections cannot be treated with this non-invasive technique, because it only removes the top layer of the skin, not being able to reach deeper layers of skin.

Q: How Does Microbrasion Work?

A: Spa microderm abrasions are performed by a trained aesthetician or beautician who uses a hand-held, sandblaster-like device to spray and circulate a high pressure flow of aluminum oxide crystals onto the skin. The crystals gently exfoliate the very top layer of the skin. This hand-held tool also contains a vacuum system that sucks away the debris, dead skin cells and used micro crystals.