If you can spend hours scrolling through Dr. Pimple Popper or Tweezist videos, you'll understand why watching gunk make a one-way exit out of clogged pores is so satisfying. I personally feel blessed to be living during an era when innovations abound that make it possible to re-create this experience at home. (It gives me a sense of immense power to be able to perform treatments I otherwise might only get at a spa.) If you feel the same way, there's a device you need to know about in all its grossly satisfying glory.
That device is the skin spatula, which I was first introduced to during one of my first fancy facials. I vividly remember that instead of cleaning and extracting my skin the “normal” way—using fingers or extraction tools—the esthetician busted this device out. I walked away with the most glowing, lifted, clear skin of my life.
A skin spatula is essentially a device that uses ultrasonic vibrations to deep-clean, exfoliate, and extract impurities from clogged pores, helping your topical products penetrate deeper in the process. A few years ago I was sent a Le Mieux Skin Perfector to test but forgot about it until recently—when I happened to be in need of a good extractions session. (Trophy Skin and now Dermaflash also make popular, similar versions.)
I have an oily T-zone, so I'm constantly trying to remove anything that could possibly be clogging my pores. The skin spatula puts the power of extracting in your hands. The strength of the ultrasonic waves gets rid of dead skin but also helps push everything out. You do, however, need to make sure your skin is prepped properly to avoid any unnecessary redness.
To start, remove your makeup or any skin care products you might be wearing; you have to start with a clean base. The Le Mieux has three settings: low, high, and pulse. I typically keep mine on low. The major key here is to keep your face thoroughly wet. You can use water or your favorite serum; the objective is to make sure the spatula glides across your skin and doesn’t drag, which will cause irritation. (You may have to reapply water a few times during the process.) Once you turn on the device and feel the vibrations, rotate the spatula so it’s facing downward (the side with the vibration settings should face away from you) and start to lightly press against the skin in upward motions. Le Mieux provides a helpful video to help you nail the technique—I’ve watched it several times.
During this process, water will start to aggressively flick off the spatula. It’s very gratifying, but not as gratifying as when you start using it for extractions. Beware: This next photo may gross you out.
Behold, everything that came out of my nose. Am I slightly freaked out? Yes. But I also feel great witnessing evidence that this combination of dead skin and buildup from my pores is no longer on my face. I continue the process over every square inch of my face and neck, then flip the spatula over. Part two involves applying a serum to my skin and letting the tool work its infusing magic. From start to finish, the process should take no more than five minutes. Spending more time gets you into treacherous territory because you may go overboard and cause inflammation. My skin the next morning is sometimes slightly red if there's a lot to extract, but always stunningly glowy.
If you don’t regularly get facials or use clarifying products, you may experience what is commonly referred to as the purge. This occurs when a few blemishes appear as a result of not being fully extracted from the pore.
It's normal, although anything that sticks around longer than a few days is a full-fledged breakout and should be treated as such. When the purge happens to me, I throw on some Mario Badescu Drying Lotion or use Renée Rouleau’s Rapid Response Detox Masque to calm inflammation. It usually subsides in a few days.
As much as I'd love to recommend skin spatulas to everyone, there are a few skin types that should consider a few things before investing. If you’re already using a strong exfoliating product like a retinoid or have especially sensitive or thin skin, it might not be the right addition for you. I use my Le Mieux one day a month, and I make sure to clear my beauty calendar of anything that could make my complexion more susceptible to irritation. I’d also recommend using it a full week before any big event, just in case purging happens. Otherwise, have at it.
Le Mieux Skin Perfector, $189, lemieuxcosmetics.com
Kirbie Johnson is a writer in Los Angeles and the cohost of podcast Gloss Angeles. Follow her @kirbiejohnson.
