The other day I was having a product demonstration/facial performed on me by a representative of Philosophy products. I will give him the respect of saying he was very friendly, however I have to disagree with his theories on skin care. Through multiple steps and (overpriced) products my face was subjected to creams and oils and a salty facial scrub which inevitably got in my mouth and nose—not so appealing. The commentary included explanations that our skin really needs the oils it produces and “product in hand” mimicked said oils we just whisked off my skin when we cleansed (step 1). Unless I am one to have extreme dry skin I hesitate when encountering a product that contains oil, let alone is literally OIL. Besides if this is precious facial oil why are you in a hurry to wash it from my skin if you just want to put it back on?
In the middle of the demonstration I was diagnosed with milia. (I say this with disdain because I already knew I had milia and it is not something I enjoy being pointed out.) Milia are small white bumps that appear just beneath the skin, usually around your nose or eyes. They are often confused with whiteheads and people try in vain to “pop them out”. Unfortunately, they are keratin deposits of oil and sebum beneath the skin with no escape and require the help of dermatoligist for removal. Long story short the knowledgeable representative asserts that my milia can be helped by the application of more oil onto my face and that they are the result of a lack of oil on the surface of my skin. WHAT?!?!
Finally the demonstration ended and I proceeded straight to the restroom to wash my face of said oily glowliness. Yuck! I will clarify that I am normally open to new opinions and theories—as this is how we get new discoveries and breakthroughs, via someone challenging the accepted norm—but please be compelling when you do so and let’s not do it will oil application to my face. We do live in a world with an entire industry consisting of: oil-blotting paper, oil-free acne washes, oil-free make-up, astringents, toners, oil-free sunscreen, oil-free facial lotion, etc.
My next experiment—Milia treatment by Naturalis
Let me lastly add that once my face was aglow with oil, the representative wanted to “mattify” me. Mattify, meaning to reduce the shiny appearance of the skin. To do this he brushed on powdered foundation. The brush stuck to my face, the bristles getting soaked in the excess oil like a pair of jeans on a rainy day. The process did improve some of the shininess while simultaneously clogging up my pores I’m sure. Hello more milia! Thank you Mr. Philosophy, I will not be buying any of your company’s products for a long time as my face is still recovering from the personal oil spill it endured.
