Speed Review: Philosophy The Microdelivery Peel

I've recently tried Philosophy The Microdelivery Peel, a two-step at home microdermabrasion kit which is one of the "heroes" of the brand's skincare range.

Early last year, I reviewed the Vie at Home Skin Sparkle Set (click here for the review) which retailed for approximately £15 so I was intrigued to see how the Philosophy set would compare.
On first impressions, whilst I liked the aesthetic of the Philosophy products, I preferred the functionality of the Vie at Home ones which are presented in convenient and hygenic tubes.

As with the Vie at Home set, Philosophy The Microdelivery Peel has two phases, starting with Vitamin C/ Peptide Crystals which are suspended in a balm-like formula. The directions for use are easy to follow, stating that you have to massage the balm into clean, dry skin for 60 seconds in a circular motion. I absolutely loved the formula of this which lent itself well to the massage technique. The balm sinks into the skin beautifully and the crystals are very finely milled for a gentle yet thorough exfoliation. What's more, the balm has an incredible sweet orange fragrance. The only downside is that I found I needed to use quite a bit to cover my entire face.

The second phase involves the application (on top of the balm) of a Lactic/Salicylic Acid Activating Gel. This has a very liquid formula which foams upon application. There is also a warming sensation upon application which I quite liked as I felt reassured that the product was working. The directions state that you have to leave the foam on your face for 2-3 minutes to allow the Vitamin C to infuse into skin, before rinsing thoroughly. During this time, the foam remains very liquidy so you can't really move around.
I really liked The Microdelivery Peel and was impressed with the results. It left my skin looking and feeling wonderfully soft, smooth and radiant. I do feel that it delivers on the claims of helping to brighten and even skin tone & believe that it would help to minimise hyperpigmentation with use over time. It would be a great at-home treatment to use before an event, although it may not be suitable for those with very sensitive skin.

I definitely think that kits like this give better results to a standard exfoliator- they are, after all, more intense and designed to be used as a special treatment. The downside is that they are more fiddly and time consuming to use and as a result, I've used the kits I own a lot less regularly than I originally anticipated.

Philosophy The Microdelivery Peel kit costs £59. The Vie at Home kit is approximately a quarter of the price at around £15. The products are pretty much identical so whilst I'd recommend the kit, I'd suggest saving yourself some money and picking up the Vie at Home kit instead.