First, I know that men are just as guilty. I don’t care.
I love women in general. I really do. I know women aren’t any dumber or smarter than men (in general). I’ve always tried to understand things like make-up, too-tight shoes, weekly style changes, preference for things with foreign sounding product names and so on.
Ok. A couple of nights ago I was listening to the tube and there was this commercial for something called, I think, Actif facial scrub. To gently scrub away all that “old dead skin” and reveal the fresh young skin under it.
Please tell me none of you actually buy into that bullshit. Please.
Women ROCK. 
Peace,
mangeorge
So they’re advocating that everyone should do a Lady MacBeth to get to the young skin?
I don’t mind exfoliating scrubs though. It’s not to get rid of the old skin, so much as the dirt and oil.
Exfoliation can make your skin look a little more fresh and glowing, and potentially help avoid clogged pores. I think most women realize it doesn’t actually remove anything in the way of many layers of skin, much less removing all of the dead cells (which is pretty much the outer layer of epidermis, IIRC).
Awww… mangeorge , we love you, too. We know we cannot purchase the Fountain of Youth- just think of it as Play.
As girls we loved playing dress-up, putting on make-up, and playing with our dolls. As women we enjoy shopping for flattering clothes, putting on make-up, and making ourselves look pretty. Whole stores are devoted to this hobby: Victoria’s Secret is all ours- as are 80% of most drugstores and malls.
As boys you loved playing with toy guns, playing and watching sports, and playing with Hotwheels. As men you like guns, playing and watching sports, and playing with 1:1 scale cars. Whole stores are devoted to your hobbies. You have sports cards, fanstasy football, video games, and ESPN.
But either gender can play with the other’s toys- so if you wanna come over for a pajama party bring your own pillow. As long as we can watch the game with you-
I’ll bet there are plenty of men shopping (discreetly online…) at Victoria’s Secret. It’s not ALL your’s honey.
I like all that girlie stuff every once in a while. If you do it with your girlfriends or female relatives, it can be a bonding thing. Plus my skin feels so nice afterward! Bonus: I find I tend to break out less.
Just think of it as an anthropologist’s insight into girlie culture.
How nice that you can give us benefit of opinion from both the male AND female perspective, dear.
Please don’t tell me that all natural pill for male enhancement isn’t legit either…
Oh, and Eva Luna is absolutely right. Getting pampered (facials are WONDERFUL) once a month at the spa results in my bf & kids getting pampered by me. 
And, while a LOT of that stuff is snake oil, finding a good esthetician and getting monthly skin treatments really can help.
What bullshit? The idea that exfoliant scrubs get rid of the dirt, grime, and tiny flakes of dead, dry skin on the top layer? That’s true, honey. It’s the exact same principle as using a pumice stone on your heels and elbows, and it does wonders for me. Facial exfoliants make my skin look cleaner and clearer, give me a glow, and make me look more vibrant and alert. I don’t give a damn about makeup, but you’ll take my exfoliants when you pry them from my cold, dead, hand.
Do I think exfoliant scrubs will give me a new, younger-looking skin? Of course not, don’t be ridiculous. But that’s not what they’re claiming in any case. They’re just saying that their product gets rid of the old crap that’s crudding up the new stuff.
Yep, I was there just yesterday. Rather disappointing though, they’re sold out of most of the sizes/colors I was interested in. 
I’m pushing sixty, been very close to four women, and I still haven’t truly learned, have I? They (women) really don’t do it for us (men), do they? Not even the high-heels.
Sheesh! 
This “facial exfoliation” . . . how is it different from washing your face with soap?
Silentgoldfish, it really does make the skin softer and smoother for a while – a few hours.
Exfoliants aren’t just for the face either. I discovered the amazing power of plain old table salt and a back brush when I was 12. Now I’m old and it just doesn’t do to remove too much of myself anymore, but I use Lancome’s exfoliant on my face. It’s worth every penny to still feel a little bit pretty.
But I consider that when I choose to go without make up, put on my jeans and boots and spend some time on a nearby farm – that part of me is just as feminine as the woman at the Lancome counter.
Oh, I get it - you thought it’s just a face cream or soap. No, exfoliants either contain mild abrasives (salt, sugar, finely ground seeds/nuts, etc.) or some kind of very mildly acidic solution like alpha hydroxy acid, or beta hydroxy acid/salycilic (er, I know that’s not spelled right) acid, the latter of which is found in many anti-acne formulas. These either “mechanically” or chemically get rid of oils and the top layer or so of dead skin cells on your face, leaving your face feeling a bit smoother and cleaner, helping to work against clogged pores, and so forth.
Speaking of beauty products…
What’s with all the food? By which I mean putting oatmeal in skin creams, apricots in shampoo, and berries in hand soaps? My girlfriend has a closetful of such products. Am I the only one who thinks that food should go into our bodies, not on them?
The foods chosen for those purposes have one of the aforementioned properties (mild abrasive, acid, moisturizer, etc.), and personally I’d rather put something natural on my face than something created in a lab. Plus the scent of, say, real strawberries or avocados is so much nicer than lab-created perfumes.
Wait… stares at his acne cream so I’m using an exfoliant? I feel so feminine now…
Strawberries and blueberries are anti oxidants, and avocados have a high fat content and makes a wonderful moisturizer.
Then there’s Extra Strength Actif facial scrub to reveal the zygote in all of us.