Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

I was first tempted to test out Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant because of its popularity among the beauty salons in town. Plus, rice has a long history of being a natural skin whitening secret in Asia. Brands like SK-II, Kose, Elemis, and L’Occitane have launched skincare products that contain rice extracts. I remember my mum telling me how my granny's generation used to wash their face with rice water. It's supposed to sooth, balance, and purify skin.

As for this Microfoliant, the product description says that it's a 'Rice-based enzyme powder microfoliates dulling debris and instantly leaves skin noticeably smoother and brighter. Contains no artificial fragrance or color.' Does it really work that way? It's yes and no for me. The white powder became super duper bubbly as I added water to it. I'd used powder-to-foam cleansers from several Japanese brands many years ago, but I really find THESE bubbles too huge to be properly spread over my face. They're so huge that I had difficulty judging whether anything substantial's on my face! Hmm, did I use the right amount of powder???...Apart from the bubbles, there were also some grains of 'rice bran' which, I suppose, are for face massage...but they looked too big for a gentle one. After rinsing and patting dry my face, my skin did look clear and feel baby smooth (the product description is right), but I also felt as if the air was drawing water out of my skin. There was this instant tightening sensation...not the firming and lifting type of course...I quickly applied Bioderma Hydrabio Hydrating Mask before my skin cracked. I could see my skin 'drinking up' the mask like a man in a desert! I'm not sure if that's the expected effect, but even if it is, and despite the heaps of positive review online, I don't like it!