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Mon May 19, 2008 2:24 am  |
A friend of mine introduced this to me, I was skeptical of enzyme based exfoliants as I find them to be irritating but ineffective for removing dead skin buildup.
How it works - it is not made of traditional acids or plant enzymes, the active ingredient is a mushroom extract which contains the enzymes that are naturally found in the skin which assist the natural skin shedding cycle. It claims to have the ability to self neutralise when it detects hot spots, which I think just means that the enzyme only affects skin cells that are ready to be shed. Also it does not state that you need to use added sun protection after treatment which is an added bonus.
I like this product because I can use it daily, right after cleansing, and even before applying Differin (with a minimum one hour wait period).
I put one of the causes of my skin congestion to be an irregular skin shedding process, and Actifirm 15% Z-Peel is literally like the wax that removes only the hair and leaves the skin unharmed.
The first several uses did cause my skin to feel somewhat irritated, but the sensation always subsided and never had residue irritation after rinsing off. By the time I purchased the full size product, I can feel very very minute tingling, bordering irritation, around the nose area but nowhere else.
I have been able to avoid manual exfoliation for several weeks now, even my stubborn t-zone areas which tend to get congested and need strong exfoliation to smooth out. In fact, the smoothness and clarity I often experienced the morning after an exfoliation was nothing compared to how refined my skin has become since starting the peels.
The product is a viscous serum texture which works best on moist (and softened) skin, you can gently massage into the skin for a while before the peel starts to dry up. I usually wet my fingertips several times and continue to massage for a few minutes. On the packaging it recommends to leave on for three minutes but I don't think it is crucial to keep in time.
In conclusion, I like it enough to replace all my current exfoliants, although I might dabble in the microdermabrasion crystals for any stubborn problems. I think this is the type of exfoliant (and product) which absolutely does not worsen any skin condition and has the ability to help enhance the benefits of other products and to assist the skin to repair itself and restore some sort of happy medium.
Overall, I would highly recommend this as an alternative for people who cannot tolerate physical scrubs or chemical exfoliants but still need to ensure skin is exfoliated. I have skin that easily turns red and becomes taut when exposed to the wrong products and this certainly does not aggravate my thin skin even when using the massaging motion to apply the product.
I have seen this in a 30% concentration (I was told that this is equivalent to a 15% glycolic peel, if that helps with comparision). There is also a Plus version for both the 15% AND 30% peel, it just seems to contain some buffing beads for added exfoliation and costs a few dollars more. There is also a 200ml size for the original peel, but like the 30% peel they are professional sizes.
Available on EDS for a little over $80 for a 30ml size, the price might be on the high scale but I find that two pumps each use will go a long way. |
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Mon May 19, 2008 8:36 am |
| mirnets, I am curious how long you have been using the actifirm? |
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46 with combination skin,natural strawberry blonde, green eyes, fair complexion- using Karin Herzog and topping it off with osmosis shelter |
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Mon May 19, 2008 2:34 pm |
approximately a dozen uses
also, I have found this product is sometimes just called Actifirm Actizyme Cellular Peel with no % listing (in a syringe type packaging - could it be an old release?)
here are the ingredients:
Water, Butylene Glycol, Mucor Miehei Extract, PVM/MA Decadiene Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Succinic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Calcium Chloride, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Coriandrum Sativum (Coriander) Fruit Oil, Anthemis Nobilis (Roman Chamomile) Flower Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Sorbic Acid |
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Sun Jan 20, 2019 3:20 am |
I came across this product by accident, bought it because it was on sale.
I had no idea it had been around at least since the beginning of the thread (2008). I thought it was new-ish.
Anyway, I used it and found it to be extremely effectively. There is A LOT of granules in the PLUS version so if I was overzealous, it will be quite harsh but this can be controlled manually.
The instruction is to keep it on the skin for 3 minutes but do not let it dry out. I sit in front of my Panasonic Nano steamer for 3 mins.
Would I repurchase again? Prob not at its full price $80 30ml.
I found the Nia24+ Exfoliator to be almost as good without the enzyme. And I have a separate enzyme exfoliator so I can alternate or use them consecutively for the same results. |
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Sun Jan 20, 2019 8:04 pm |
| A quick correction. It's $82 for 2 oz (60ml) |
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| Wed Dec 18, 2024 10:26 pm |
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