My skin is classified as “normal: that means it’s normal all over. Not oily in the t-zone, not dry on the cheeks. Just normal. Before you hate me or make a voodoo doll of me, it wasn’t always like this. Growing up, I had TERRIBLE acne in middle school (and frizzy hair). Fighting with my skin was a full-time (losing) battle. So I paid my dues and now I don’t have to worry about finding the perfect moisturizer to keep my skin moist or the most effective acne solution.

However, my skin does age like everyone else’s (I have a terrible 11 line wrinkle to prove it) and it does soak up toxins from the environment, the food I eat and stress.

That’s why lately, I’ve begun focusing on daily preventative care for my skin and anti-aging products.

I discovered face masks and immediately fell in love. Simply put something on my face for 15 minutes, rinse and get super-soft skin??? Sign me up.

Then I discovered Rodan + Fields Enhancements Microdermabrasion Paste. To me, microdermabrasions have always been this far-off fancy spa treatment I’ll never be able to afford. But here is this paste, in front of me, and it smells like lemons.

I tried it one night without high hopes. In my experience, expensive skincare products usually deliver the same results as drugstore skincare products, so there’s no point in spending more.

This, though, was an entirely different story. I applied the scrub and rinsed. And my skin has NEVER been this soft in its entire life. I couldn’t stop touching my face, I was amazed. And just in case this was a fluke, I tried it again a few days later (and was also stoked with the results).

This microdermabrasion is expensive ($80) but it comes in a giant tin that lasts forever (you only use a bit of scrub at once, every few days). Also, I realized I’d be spending just as much trying all these drugstore versions that simply don’t work as well and throwing them out.

The paste is definitely not for sensitive skin – I scrubbed for 60 seconds instead of 30 seconds and literally managed to give my cheeks what looks and feels like a sunburn – but it’s super effective and reasonably priced compared to a spa treatment.