YBF Prep is a microdermabrasion scrub from Your Best Face (YBF) Skincare (not to be confused with YBF Beauty). This is a physical exfoliant that claims to brighten skin, fight free radicals, smooth and prevent wrinkles and heal and protect with vitamins and antioxidants for a smooth complexion. This can also be used on the hands.

Directions state to use at night one to three times a week on clean damp skin. Apply in a thin layer with small circular motions and rinse with cool water followed by a moisturizer. This can also be left on as a mask for 15 minutes to get more benefit from the botanicals and antioxidants. I like to follow this with the YBF Clarity mask.

Ingredients: aluminum oxide crystals, reverse osmosis water, cetearyl olivate (and) sorbitan olivate, meadowfoam seed oil, hydrogenated olive oil (and) olive oil (olea europaea) (and) olive oil unsaponifiables, TEGO^® Pep 4-Even (tetrapeptide-30 (and) glycerin (and) water), Leucidal^® (leuconostoc/radish root ferment filtrate), ethoxydiglycol, edelweiss extract, Relistase™ (glycerin, acetylarginyltryptophyl diphenylglycine), glucono delta lactone, olive leaf extract, licorice root extract, Matrixyl™ 3000 (glycerin (and) water (and) butylene glycol (and) carbomer (and) polysorbate 20 (and) palmitoyl oligopeptide (and) palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7), TEGO^® Pep 4-17 (tetrapeptide-21 (and) glycerin (and) butylene glycol (and) water), dl-panthenol(vitamin B5), kojic acid, aspen bark extract, coenzyme Q10, hydroxyethylcellulose, spin trap (phenyl butyl nitrone),tetrahydrodiferyloylmethane (turmeric root extract), vitamin E succinate, niacin, allantoin, ferulic acid, lipochroman-6 (dimethylmethoxy chromanol), tetrahydropiperine, vitamin B6 (coenzyme B6 as pyridoxal-5-phosphate). 

There is no added color or fragrance.

Like most of the at-home microdermabrasion scrubs, this contains aluminum oxide crystals. Meadowfoam seed oil comes from the seeds of the limnanthes alba that has antioxidant properties and skin softening benefits. TEGO Pep 4-Even (tetrapeptide-30) reduces hyperpigmentation. Leucidal (radish root ferment filtrate) is used as a natural preservative instead of something like phenoxyethanol. Relistase (glycerin, acetylarginyltryptophyl diphenylglycine) is a tetrapeptide used to treat sagging skin and lack of firmness. Licorice root extract is a salt derived from the licorice plant and can improve the appearance of dry skin by restoring suppleness and also acts as an anti-inflammatory. Matrixyl 3000 reduces wrinkles by stimulating collagen production. TEGO Pep 4-17 is a peptide that boosts collagen and minimizes the appearance of wrinkles. Kojic acid inhibits the skin pigment melanin and is used as a skin whitener. It is, however, a known skin irritant. Aspen bark extract is derived from the bark of the American Aspen. It contains  salycin, an aspirin-like substance, that has calming and anti-inflammatory effects. It has also been shown to inhibit the growth of molds, yeasts and E. coli. Hydroxyethylcellulose is a gelling and thickening agent. Spin trap (phenyl butyl nitrone) is still a pretty rare ingredient in skincare that YBF uses in most of its products. It is an antioxidant that works by stabilizing free radicals that are spinning out of control. Turmeric root extract is an anti-inflammatory and helps with acne and hyperpigmentation. Allantoin is a naturally occurring nitrogenous compound used as a skin conditioning agent. Ferulic acid is an antioxidant that prevents wrinkles and sun damage. Lipochromin-6 (dimethylmethoxy chromanol) is an antioxidant. Tetrahydropiperine is derived from black pepper and helps to increase dermal absorption therefore enhancing the performance of other active ingredients.

I have used a couple other microdermabrasion scrubs including ZO Skin Health Offects Exfoliating Polish, Susan Lucci’s Youthful Essence Micodermabrasion System (this was about 8 years ago) and Astara Daily Refining scrub.

I have used Prep on and off for about 2 years. It has YBF’s, what I will call, signature scent as many of their products I have used have the same smell – kind of a mixture of almond and nutmeg (I think from the meadowfoam seed oil); they use similar ingredients in their line. The aluminum oxide crystals are very fine. You can add more water if your skin is more sensitive or dry. I like using this as a mask as well, as there are so many beneficial ingredients that I don’t want to wash off right away, but if you are short on time, this can be used as just a scrub. The crystals are in a creamy base that rinse very well. After rinsing my skin is not irritated or red and doesn’t feel stripped of moisture. After a couple months of twice-a-week use my skin is much smoother, and I always get whitish bumps and congestion on my forehead which disappear when I use this. Over time fine lines on my forehead are reduced as well.

This has great ingredients and peptides and it lasts a very long time, as you only need a bit of product for each use.

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