Omg, even though I’m an Alaska Native, I SO hate the cold weather! Even my oily/combination skin gets flaky and dry, plus I hate being cold!
A great way to get rid of flaky, dry, winter skin is to book an appointment with your dermatologist for dermaplaning, which removes the top layer of dead skin, along with the vellus (peach fuzz) hair. This makes your skin soft, incredibly smooth and glowing, as well as makes makeup go on a lot more easily. The problem is that these treatments are expensive, sometimes hundreds of dollars per session.
Well, anywho, Influenster sent me this nifty sonic exfoliating device to try out. (More about Influenster in the video at the bottom- it’s free to sign up, and you do NOT have to be a blogger!) The Dermaflash
is basically a sonic shaver, which allows you to safely “dermaplane” your skin at home.
The Dermaflash comes with six “edges,” which are similar to razor blades, a pre-treatment cleanser, and a post-treatment moisturizer. The edges are supposed to be single-use only, and they “self-destruct” after each use (a blue tab breaks off when you remove it from the device). Once you charge the Dermaflash for at least five hours, or overnight, you insert an edge, then hold the button for a few seconds to turn the device on. While holding your skin taut, use the device at a 45 degree angle, and make sweeping motions over your face. (Be sure to check out the video below for a demo!)
To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about the Dermaflash at first. At the time we made the video, I was leaning more toward a negative opinion, but that has changed. So, I’m going to start off with those negatives to get them out of the way…
The device itself retails for $189.00, which is a bit pricey. That would be justifiable if it weren’t so expensive to continue using it. You’re supposed to do one treatment per week, but the edges are $39.00 for six. So, continued use will cost you $39.00 every six weeks. If you think about a Clarisonic or Soniclear, you only have to change the brush heads once every three to six months, at a cost of about $25.00. Granted, since you are shaving off a layer of skin, I understand why the edges are only supposed to be single-use, but I would think they could reduce the price a bit.
Other considerations: I didn’t know if the sonic pulsations actually contributed to the effectiveness. Furthermore, a cleanser and moisturizer are included with the edges. I do wish you could just buy the edges instead of being forced to purchase the skincare. The cleanser is foaming, so it does clean the skin deeply enough to prep it for exfoliation. However, the moisturizer made me think quite a bit. When I finished my treatment, I didn’t notice any skin flaking away. When I applied the moisturizer and massaged it into my skin, I noticed debris peeling off. My question was, since the moisturizer contained silicones, was it the moisturizer shedding, or was it actually dead skin? In the video, I mentioned that after a few more uses, I would update. Well, here’s my update!
It’s definitely dead skin coming off, NOT silicone from the moisturizer. I used the Dermaflash a few more times, with various products, and got the same peeling effect. I also didn’t know if the sonic pulsations really did anything. I tried it again, using the Dermaflash on one side of my face, and a shaver on the other side. The Dermaflash performed MUCH better.
I also found a way to make the edges last longer. Having been a surgical assistant, I know the blades are NOT sterile to begin with; they are CLEAN, but there is a difference between clean and sterile. But before I go on, I have to give a disclaimer:
Just because I do something for testing purposes doesn’t mean YOU should do it. Despite the fact that the blades are not technically “sterile,” you’re still shaving off a layer of skin. If you happen to nick yourself, or hit the dermis and draw blood, you can set yourself up for infection if you re-use an unclean blade. So, keep this in mind!
I was able to use the Dermflash for three weeks (once per week), with the same edge. How did I do this? Well, with each charge, you can use the device for up to 30 minutes. I just didn’t put the device on the charger after use. I have alcohol in a spray bottle for my skincare tools, and I sprayed the edge after use, and stored the device in a clean bag until the next use. I sprayed the edge again with alcohol, then let it air dry immediately before re-using. There was still some charge left after the third time, and I could possibly use it a fourth time without switching the edge, but I fear it won’t be sharp enough to be effective. So, the cost of use becomes much more bearable knowing I can get two or three uses out of each edge. Plus, even with one use each, it’s still a lot less expensive than going to the dermatologist!
Overall, after using the Dermaflash three times, I’m very pleased with the results. My skin is soft, glowing and SO smooth. If my Dermaflash all of a sudden disappeared, I would be VERY sad. I know it’s bad, but I can’t stop touching my face! The Dermaflash is available at Nordstrom, just click here, or on the link below or on one the banners to get FREE shipping and FREE returns, no minimum!
If you don’t see a YouTube video above, click here.
*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
