Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Trophy Skin. Review and opinions are my own. 
Blackheads on my nose and chin have long been an issue for me since my teen years. Having oily skin for most of my life, and not a good skin care routine in my younger years, created a perfect storm for my pores.
Now in my mid-40's and losing skin elasticity by the day (it seems), means those large pores can appear even larger when clogged. Add in now having "mature skin" (yes, I am literally doing air quotes), means my skin has a tendency to get dry in some spots leaving my skin looking dull.
In between monthly spa facials, I began using Trophy Skin's LaBelle Ultrasonic Skin Spatula to unclog my pores, and exfoliate my skin without ever applying a scrub or mask to do so. If you've been wondering about this beauty tool, read on for my review! 
The LaBelle Ultrasonic Skin Spatula is a professional grade extraction, exfoliation and infusion beauty device. It has two modes - scrubber mode and infusion mode. 
Scrubber Mode is the mode in which you are exfoliating, deep cleaning and extracting dirt and debris; you do this with your face wet. But don't be fooled by the name - you aren't physically applying pressure to scrub your skin. The LaBelle does all of the work for you with ultrasonic waves moving at 30,000 Hz.
Infusion Mode is used after Scrubber Mode and aids in deeper infusion of your serum. You'll be able to accomplish both modes in under 5 minutes. Recommended use is 1-2 times per week the first few weeks and then 2-3 times per week once your skin is used to it. 
I wasn't sure what to expect of this skin spatula and I made sure not to read other reviews prior to using it so that I could form my own opinion on its use.
It easily fits in your hand and comes in a handy case for storage. My device was fully charged, so that made for a great out-of-the-box use. The manual is very easy to understand, so you don't have to be a professional to use this beauty device.
I was a little awkward the first time I used it when trying to make sure I was using the correct side of the device for scrubbing and then for infusion; I kept referring back to the manual as I used it. I even put way too much water on my face the first time causing the ultrasonic waves to gently bounce a spray of water into the air, scaring the life out of me and making me laugh out loud. My kids wondered what in the world I was up to.
After the first use, it was smooth sailing and I really liked that this was a super quick skin treatment and didn't require much from me.
As you glide the spatula across your skin in Scrubber Mode, you'll watch the dirt and debris on your skin seem to effortlessly lift and find its way onto the spatula. It was oddly satisfying to watch, especially since I really wasn't doing any physical labor to make it happen. You do have to make sure to keep your skin wet when using it or you do feel the pulsing slightly. It doesn't hurt, but it makes you aware that the water has evaporated off your skin.
Scrubber Mode only took about 90 seconds to use - it's very quick! I paid special attention to my nose and chin since those are my main problem areas when it comes to blackheads and being prone to blemishes. You can use the device anywhere on your face, but you do have to keep it away from your eyes.
If you have an active breakout, you need to avoid that area as well. When you are done, make sure to wipe the spatula clean (it will have lots of gunk on it) and wash your face with warm water, patting dry when done.
This is the second button on the LaBelle Ultrasonic Skin Spatula. First pat on your favorite skin serum (do not rub it in as you want it lying wet atop your skin.) Next, press the Infusion button and lie the flat end of the spatula on your skin moving in circular motions.
Do not apply pressure as you do this, as the ultrasonic waves will do the work for you just like it does for Scrubber Mode. You'll begin to feel when the serum has absorbed as you move across your face. This mode took maybe 45-60 seconds at most. 
I was pleasantly surprised at the difference in the appearance of my skin after the first use. I watched with my own eyes as it removed the dirt and oil, and then delivering my serum deeper really seemed to help soften some of my wrinkles due to being well-hydrated.
For the two months that I have had the chance to use this product, my face has not been dry at all and I haven't had a break out at all. I'm really impressed, but I almost feel guilty in a way because it was very little work to see such great results.
So does it work to improve your skin? It did for me! Try it for yourself at TrophySkin.com.
When it comes to exfoliating your skin, typically you either use a physical exfoliant or a chemical exfoliant.
Physical being a scrub, like the Reflekt Facial Exfoliator or Andalou Naturals Lemon Sugar Facial Scrub; or with a beauty tool like the Clarisonic. And chemical like Acure's facial peels.
But what if you want the best of both worlds?
What I like about Beauty Rx By Dr. Schultz's Advanced 10% Exfoliating Pads, is that it is a dual-acting chemical and physical exfoliant. With 10% glycolic acid, it will dissolve the hardened oils clogging pores (my favorite thing for it to tackle) and soften the appearance of fine lines. Whenever I go for a facial at the spa, I always ask for a glycolic mask. It's your skin's best friend.
The pad also cleanses skin as you rub it on the areas you want to treat most. The pads themselves are similar in appearance to other cleansing pads I've used, but the formula is vastly different. At 10% glycolic acid, this is a strong acting exfoliant. It's not meant for sensitive skin and the box warns that it is not starter strength. Since my skin is already accustomed to to professional grade glycolic acid, I felt comfortable using it.
It did sting the first few weeks when applied, but nothing more painful than if you applied a high formulation of Vitamin C to your skin (which is more annoyance level than actual pain.) For the first week or so, I would swipe the pads across my skin, allow it to sit for about 10 minutes and then rinse it off and apply my usual night cream. By about week 3, I was able to leave it on my skin overnight.
What resulted were less random blemishes, pores that weren't as obvious with the usual gunk in them and brighter skin. This is a great product to use in between spa facials.
The Advanced 10% Exfoliating Pads are $70 for 50 pads, but well worth it. Dry, oily, normal and combination skin types can use this treatment. It's also paraben and fragrance free and dermatologist tested. Have you tried it?
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I love a good DIY scrub to help detox and cleanse your skin. Inspired by a treatment offered in Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives (a destination on my spa bucket list), this scrub leaves skin hydrated and smooth. All ingredients are found on the islands of the Maldives and luckily for us, also most supermarkets.
Maldivian Scrub (Based off of the treatment Laamu Bliss)
Combine the following ingredients in equal parts into a paste:
My sister is, and always has been, my beauty mentor. Whenever I've had a beauty ailment (which is a weekly occurrence,) I've always been able to count on her to steer me in the right direction. Whether it be over plucked brows, breakouts or a lackluster complexion, she always seems to have a remedy in hand. Her latest beauty advice for me was a body scrub using coffee grounds.
This DIY body scrub was honestly one of the easiest and most enjoyable beauty adventures I've been on in a long time. I got to enjoy a delicious cup cup of coffee then indulge in an amazingly effective...and cheap at home spa treatment. I just took the leftover grounds into the shower with me and rubbed it all over my body. The coffee grounds make a really gentle scrub, but also does a great job of exfoliating. Caffeine is also known to be a fantastic anti-cellulite treatment. The strong smell of coffee in the shower also gave me an energy boost. 
I do have to caution that the coffee grounds do tend to get very messy in the shower so it's a good idea to create more of a paste by combining it with olive oil...or shower oil. My skin was soft and incredibly smooth and the best thing of all is that it did not cost me a thing!
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A GIRL'S GOTTA SPA!® began in 2005 as a beauty blog. Here you'll find informative reviews and helpful articles.
