So Dermalogica tweaked the Microfoliant. And the internet is having a meltdown. The old one was a grainy, foaming ritual. The new one? Smoother. Less aggressive. Your skin doesn’t feel “squeaky” after — it feels like you actually kept some moisture. That’s the whole debate in a nutshell: are you exfoliating for the *sensation* or the *result*?
🔬 **The New Routine**
It’s still $68 for 2.6 oz. Still a rice powder that activates with water. But the texture changed. It dissolves faster. Less scrubbing required. Three things stand out:
Faster Activation
Gone are the stubborn gritty bits. It turns milky in 3 seconds flat.
No Foam Party
Old version lathered like a cleanser. New one barely bubbles — weird at first, but less drying.
Smell Shift
That nostalgic papaya scent is dialed way back. Now it smells faintly like oatmeal.
Photo: Lora Seis / Unsplash
🔄 **What’s Actually In It**
They swapped the mechanical grind for more chemical finesse. The hero move? Adding a rice enzyme complex that chews up dead skin without the sandpaper feel.
- Salicylic Acid: dissolves oil in pores, not just surface
- Rice Bran: the new gentle grit — finer than the old stuff
- Papain Enzyme: eats dead cells without scrubbing
- Zinc Gluconate: calms redness before it starts
Photo: Harper Sunday / Unsplash
👍 **First Touch**
It feels like rubbing silk dust on wet skin. No resistance. No “am I done yet?” anxiety. After rinsing, my face had that post-mask glow — not the raw, windburned look the old formula gave me. Week two: my nose pores looked smaller. Not gone, but… quieter. Unexpected win: I stopped needing moisturizer immediately after. It left enough barrier behind.
💡 **One Thing** Let it sit for 30 seconds before rinsing. The enzymes need time to work — don’t rush it like the old version.
Photo: Karly Jones / Unsplash
👎 **The Honest Verdict**
My texture improved. My flakes vanished. But I missed that addictive, just-scrubbed-till-squeaky feeling. The old formula was a ritual; this is more like a gentle eraser.
💡 **Final Call**
It’s better for your barrier. Worse for your nostalgia. I’m keeping it — but I get why some people hate it.
💡 **Where to Buy** Direct from Dermalogica — grab the travel size ($24) first. The full bottle is a commitment.