Kellett Skincare Polishing Gel Cleanser, $45

I’m utterly addicted to exfoliating with this thing. So much so that I recently took out scissors and attempted to extract the last remnants out of the darn tube. (Just like in college when you ran out of toothpaste.) My made-up face needed it badly; This scrub removes dirt and makeup like nobody’s business, leaving your skin smooth like a baby’s bum. And when you wake up, you look so radiant, your face practically needs a dimmer switch. Yes I sound like a skincare junkie, but this stuff is seriously good for your skin. Exfoliating is a big must-do if you want to keep your glow on during the harsh winter months, but don’t settle for just any old scrub from the drug store, which often use irregularly shaped particles like nut shells that can actually cut the skin. Developed by a dermatologist, Dr. Lisa Kellett, this scrub is perfect if you’re battling both pimples and wrinkles. It contains a touch of blemish-fighting salicylic acid (a BHA used in this product for antimicrobial purposes), but most remarkable is the gel base, which makes it ideal for people with sensitive skin. The gel base helps to restore skin’s hydration levels so you never have to worry about over scrubbing and stripping your skin dry, which can cause wimpy skin to freak out and go into sebum-producing overdrive. So while the evenly-shaped micro beads whisks away dead skin cells to reveal radiant-looking skin, the gel hydrates to keep the skin feeling supple. Over time, breakouts become less frequent and fine lines look plumper. Win-win!

What’s in it?  Ingredients: Water, Coco-Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Polyethylene, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Glycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Salicylic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Epilobium Agustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Disodium EDTA, Papain, Bromelain, Allantoin, Hydrolyzed Algin, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Sea Water, Sodium PCA, Urea, Polyquaternum-51, Trehalose, Epilobium Fleischeri Extract, Boehavia Diffsa Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Triacetin, Methylochloroisothiazolinone, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Methylisothiazolinone. 

Why should you take a my word for it? I’m crowning it the best because, well, I can. You see, last spring I got to test out about 15 exfoliators for a beauty story I wrote for Elevate magazine on the pros and cons of exfoliation. The Kellett scrub was the only one of the bunch that I ended up buying with my own money after my sample tube was done (and cut apart by scissors). Beauty writers and editors see tons of products cross their desks each day so when we actually spend our scratch on something, it’s gotta be good. If you need more convincing that this scrub is worth it, swing over to Lainey Gossip  – Sasha’s Into It too. Or click over to Topbox, model Dajana digs it too.

Where to buy it? In person at DLK on Avenue located at 108 Avenue Road in Yorkville; Or online here. TIP: Use the online checkout code “theskiny” to get 20% off!

Use this cleanser twice a day, morning and night, before applying your topical products. Dr. Kellett and her staff swear by this tip. At first, I thought it was a bit much, but it has made such a difference in my complexion. As we age our skin’s cell turnover rate slows, which means that the cells don’t naturally slough off and renew themselves as quickly, leading to dull-looking skin. Because exfoliating increases cellular turnover, skin is able to absorb active ingredients better and thus function properly and look smoother.

Acne Dry aging skin Wrinkles