Although I found one polish at the end of last year that suits my skin beautifully (by Ego QV Face, and reviewed
here), my addiction to scrubs (or rather the collecting and trying out of scrubs ha ha), shows no signs of abating. Despite shower space being a premium, I don't think I'm ever going to get over my passion for variety - using the same product every single day is just way too boring in my personal beauty book, so here's the next lot I've been putting through their paces
♥
St. Ives Blackhead Clearing Green Tea Scrub
St. Ives scrubs have been part of my kit for almost a decade - in fact I've just found a
beautyheaven review of the Fresh Skin Invigorating Apricot one I wrote back in 2008 (embarrassingly only three sentences, but you can tell I loved it). For value (around $10) and performance this range is hard to beat, and there's a good variety to choose from for various skin concerns. While I'm lucky to have very little facial redness, blackheads on my nose are forever looming on the horizon unless I keep a watchful eye on their formation. Using this twice a week though, I can keep them under control with (I believe) the Salicylic Acid content. The cream is such a pretty olive shade, and the green tea fragrance is light and refreshing. Just the right consistency, not too runny or too thick, the sloughing grains are super-fine and not even visible to the naked eye, yet its smoothing power is undeniable. The new packaging contains a nifty little "exfoliation meter" on the back of the pack (a bit like those bushfire hazard warning signs) indicating Gentle, Moderate or Deep, and this Green Tea Scrub is marked as Moderate. All St. Ives scrubs contain no parabens or sulfates, are hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested and non-comedogenic...
My skin seems to love anything oatmealy in the skin care department, and this combination scrub and mask from St. Ives is a keeper. Loving the fact that it's a gentle scrub, plus I can leave it on till I finish the rest of my ablutions, and my complexion receives the benefits of a soothing and hydrating mask, all while I'm showering - now that's a dual purpose that's practical as well as being a marvellous time-saver. Honestly this really is moisturising, and yet it has enough oomph to remove any dry flakes. The cream is the colour of oatmeal with tiny brown beads - the consistency is more liquid than the green tea one, but not runny enough to be a problem with it dripping through my fingers. And the fragrance is worthy of a special mention - subtle yet fresh, it's a beautiful floral that I find incredibly calming. Actually I'd LOVE a body wash that smells like this, and with the same skin softening and moisturising formula - hint hint St. Ives ♥
Palmer's Coca Butter Formula Gentle Exfoliating Facial Scrub
This purchase was actually a revisit - I stopped using this scrub almost two years ago for a couple of reasons. 1) I'm not keen on the fragrance - yes I know the scent of Palmer's Cocoa Butter products has a MASSIVE following, but it just doesn't appeal to me, never has, and after repurchasing this truly terrific scrub, nothing has changed from my perfume point of view. 2) I found it extraordinarily difficult to squeeze the cream from the tube - it used to be such a thick consistency, and I struggled every time, especially with wet fingers. The good thing this time around is that the formula seems to have been re-worked, and it's now far more liquid than before - but actually I think it's almost too liquid and I waste quite a bit. Sigh - oh well you can't please everybody hey? Performance-wise though, this is a great scrub - I'd classify it as heavy duty, and as such I only use it once a week. It contains lots of goodies like Vitamin E, Aloe Vera and Evening Primrose, and I do like the fact that the beads are actually cocoa beans, and not bits of plastic like some other brands...
Nude by Nature Nude Face Scrub
As I often do, I've saved the best till last - this little gem is my current #1 fave ♥ It also happens to be the very first Nude by Nature product I've ever tried, which is puzzling as the brand has been around for years (and so have I) although I don't remember seeing it in the supermarket until fairly recently, which may be the explanation. I so rarely get to Priceline these days, and every time I go into Chemist Warehouse, I get sidetracked at the perfume counter (oops!), so Coles or Woolies tends to be the place where I shop for my skincare basics, and I'm super excited that I can now pick up some of this range when I do my weekly grocery purchase.
Firstly I love the packaging - sure it's the same flip-top tube as most other brands, but there's something about the colours and the simplicity of the labelling that really appeals to me. Of course it's what's inside that counts, and that's what has really won my heart. The cream has a consistency and appearance more like a moisturiser - it's quite thick and shiny, yet it spreads effortlessly. If I've read the label right, the exfoliating beads are made from coconut husks, jojoba and walnuts, which soften as you add water and gently massage it into your skin. The rest of the ingredients are just as natural - Kakadu Plum, Quandong, Desert Lime, Avocado, Rose Hip and Jojoba oils, and NO parabens, preservatives, sulfates, artificial fragrance or petrochemicals, PLUS it's not tested on animals. With all those goodies, and no baddies, it's no wonder it smells divine - like freshly squeezed lemons and limes. Leaves my skin feeling so incredibly soft and smooth, and my complexion looks and feels like I've had a facial. Love it so very much - at $17.95 it's quite a bit more expensive than others on my shelf, but SO worth the extra $$$ for both the delightful experience and the impressive results ♥
Take care of you,
kats xxx
