Decléor phytopeel – an exfoliating cream that is not quite a scrub and not quite a peel

I’m a well known Decléor obsessive, having been turned on to the brand in my early twenties when the agency I worked for did their advertising for them. I can always rely on this brand to have something extraordinary in its arsenal that is also perfectly gentle for sensitive skin. My latest addition to the Decléor menagerie is their Phytopeel exfoliating cream. Regular exfoliants can be harsh due to the scrub particles, and chemical based exfoliants can be OK for sensitive skin but need to be used sparingly and carefully (I have been known to use a peel and a scrub from philosophy and have found them to be OK, but on occasion my skin can be a little tender and red afterwards, or dry from overuse of the scrub).

This phytopeel, however, doesn’t seem to be as harsh. In fact, there is something a little luxurious about it. The cream itself is glossy and pearlescent, which you spread on your face like a mask, let dry and then massage off. The cream draws out impurities, and the massaging action stimulates the skin whilst exfoliating the mask off the skin. It doesn’t leave skin dry, and I think that is because of the essential oils and botanicals contained within. My complexion is brighter in the morning, and there is a marked improvement in smoothness, to the touch too. I’ve seen a reduction in blackheads appearing since I started using this exfoliating cream again.

Active ingredients include essential oils of marjoram, thyme, lemon and lavender, blended with burdock plant extracts, elder tree and green clay. Used a couple times a week, it’s quicker than a mask and just as effective in my opinion.

50ml costs £27.50 and can be bought here. By my reckoning a tube should last 6-2 months if used once or twice a week.