English Version | Before the butterfly...

11 Oct 2022
By Vogue Portugal

… comes the larva, which may be not as beautiful, but is no less valuable. Most of us know what it is to be a larva before becoming a butterfly. We're talking about those afternoons in the bathroom, when you try out the most outrageous Beauty procedures the industry has to offer. The hacks, the DIYs, the products that seem to make no sense yet sometimes actually work. We put some of these tricks to the test, to find out which ones successfully enable the metamorphosis.

Pedro Vasconcelos, Journalist

Promises: to oxygenate and give the skin a hydrated and radiant look. Vogue’s word: this mask is actually a physical exfoliator - exfoliation is achieved through microspheres that gently remove dead skin cells. Of course, this is not its most remarkable quality. That comes after just a few seconds of applying the product on your face, when tiny bubbles begin to form, rapidly increasing in both size and quantity. The sensation is as if someone was tickling your face: it makes you want to laugh uncontrollably. After a few minutes, the bubbles begin to disappear, a sign that the product has served its purpose. Soon after, the skin is smooth and surprisingly calm, with a radiant appearance.

Exfoliating mask, Scrub & Mask, € 50,95, Filorga.
Exfoliating mask, Scrub & Mask, € 50,95, Filorga.

Ana Murcho, Features Editor

Promises: a total skin cleanse. Vogue's word: it's not the prettiest product to have in the bathroom, far from it – the atrocious resemblance to small kitchen towels makes you want to keep it at the bottom of your Beauty shelf. But what does that matter when the end result is spectacular? Discovered on TiKTok, these “miracle wipes” made in Korea are one of the best things we’ve discovered in 2022. Their goal (the so-called “total skin cleansing”) is totally fulfilled at first use. Imagine a spa moment but in the bathtub, away from curious eyes, where everything is bare – namely the layers of dead skin that eventually succumb to the power of these viscose wipes. Here is something strange and seemingly useless but whose hype is entirely deserved.

Exfoliating wipes, Goldsanga, € 5, Amazon.
Exfoliating wipes, Goldsanga, € 5, Amazon.

Joana Rodrigues Stumpo, Journalist

Promises: to reduce wrinkles, scars, hyperpigmentation and stimulate hair rebirth. Vogue's word: I've been dying to try one of these devices for years. My acne days left me full of little spots that do not go away no matter what, and the promises of micro needling seduce me. I took special care to disinfect the needles - which, by the way, are so small they are almost invisible - and slid the roller across my face. If you’re scared, rest assured: it doesn't hurt at all. In fact, there are more aggressive exfoliators in the market. At the end of the entire process, I felt the skin a little warmer and reddened, but it disappeared minutes later. Will my face look refreshed in a few weeks? Only time will tell.

Roller de microneedling, € 9,99, Bloom Beauty, em Wells.pt.
Roller de microneedling, € 9,99, Bloom Beauty, em Wells.pt.

Mariana Silva, Journalist

Promises: to exfoliate the scalp and massage pressure points. Vogue's word: the bizarre nature of this product comes not from its form or function, but rather the experience it provides. Intended to strengthen the hair strings and rejuvenate the scalp, this brush should be used during a shower routine, preferably with a hair product to boost its performance. The only way I can describe its sensation is to compare it to a pleasant and light tingling, but on the head. After a few minutes of massaging, it is normal for the hair to get a little tangled, something I solve by running a wide-tooth comb through my hair. I cannot really tell if it's doing anything, but I can assure you that it's a step I love to have in my Beauty routine.