On trial... Face exfoliators

Every fortnight, we'll put your favourite beauty goodies to the test. This time, we're getting in on the winter skincare vibe as facial exfoliators are put in the spotlight...

Colder climes are fast heading our way, and with them come the harsh drops in temperature, whipping winds and cranking up the central heating that all leave our complexion dry, flaky and far from radiant. Lillie Potter, a 27-year-old Manager from London and skincare junkie, has tested five of our favourite skincare brands' face exfoliators to see which will leave our complexions buffed and polished to perfection all season long...

Biotherm Biosource Exfoliant Gel
£15
'This scrub had a lovely fresh, cucumber scent. The texture was delicate although the granules felt a bit abrasive, and I needed a sponge to fully remove the scrub - not just a splash of water. My skin felt smooth and tingly, but not glowing. Still smooth the following morning, although a little dry and tight, and any blemishes had dried up – which is good! Perfect for oily, blemish-prone skin, but otherwise too drying to use on my face regularly.'
Stockists: 0800 037 1020


Elemis Skin Buff
£20
'The very fine granules felt like sand – a bit harsh on my face and certainly the most abrasive of the products tested. Having said that, it gave my skin a very thorough, deep-down cleanse and left my face clean, smooth and glowing with health, but the roughness of this exfoliator means I wouldn't be keen on using it too often.'
Stockists: www.timetospa.co.uk



Sisley Gentle Facial Buffing Cream
£38
'This scrub had a deliciously fruity and floral scent which I absolutely loved. The packaging was also winning, the glass jar gave it a more premium look than the others. The gritty, grey paste looked less than appealing but gave the product a “natural” feel. Took a little more time than the others and was quite difficult to remove, but on the plus side it left my complexion silky-smooth and clear, with results still evident the next day.'
Stockists: 020 7491 2722



Dermalogica Skin Prep Scrub
£18.70
'A gorgeous, oaty, natural scent with notes of cucumber and honey, and a lovely, rich creamy texture made this scrub a real pleasure to use. Much softer and natural feeling than the others, it was quick and simple – just applied to dry skin rinsed – and super-effective. Skin looked sparkling and radiant, and felt silky smooth and squeaky clean. Two days later my skin still shone with the results, a well-deserved winner.'
Stockists: 0800 591818



Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Refiner
£18.95
'I'm a big fan of Clarins' Beauty Flash Balm so I was looking forward to trying this product. It had a lovely creamy texture but still light to the touch with very fine granules - much less abrasive than the Biotherm and Elemis scrubs. Easy to use and relatively easy to remove, my skin immediately felt smoother, cleaner and more radiant. Good results, just not good enough for first place.'
Stockists: 0800 036 3558