32 Comments

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Gwendolyn Avatar

The St. Ives Apricot Blemish and Blackhead Control scrub is the worst! Now matter how softly I tried to use the scrub, it still painfully tore at my skin. And that besides, it never actually got any dead skin off of my face. So…it’s back to sugar-scrubs for me 🙂

Sunny Avatar

Vichy Normaderm Daily Exfoliating Cleansing Gel. The smell is harsh and artificial, and the grains are way too rough! The gel also has this “sticky” feeling to it. Definitely an icky product that I won’t repurchase!

Smidgeroo Avatar

True dat! Nut shells and seashells both splinter like glass and are terrible for your poor skin! I like the Proactiv body wash for my face because of the round plastic scrubbie beads. :>

Gina Avatar

The L’Oreal Go 360 exfoliator. I feel like it did nothing, even with the little pad it comes with. Clinique’s 7 Day Scrub Cream is by far my favorite.

shelley Avatar

Its best to use a scrub that has fine round particles (like a jojoba bead that rolls across the skin instead of one with fine jagged edges like the St.Ives Scrub that literally does more damage than good.

ALEETA KLINE Avatar

Exfoliators that crumbles off your skin. They seem to also take imp moisture out of skin & mess to clean off face & clothing. If it says to wipe off, I would be hesitant. Best are those with micro beads, etc that wash off. My favorite is CLINIQUE’s once a week facial scrub & of course my Clarisonic. Black & white heads come off better if moisture is retained in skin & old skin removed.

Shalimar Avatar

For me that would be St. Ives Apricot Scrub hands down, all versions. Every time I use it, I will break out in whiteheads. It never fails. Funnily enough it is the most beloved scrub sold in the US. Oh well.

Yara Avatar

St. Ives Apricot Scrub is the example of an old-fashioned scrub, which is not the best choice these days. I, personally use it as a foot and leg scrub…
Contemporary scrubs (good ones)contain particles which are tiny polyethylene balls (beds). /// While things like crushed apricot pits are really traumatizing and too scratchy, so scrubs as such are not the best choice…
Homemade scrub from grounded coffee would not be the best choice too – it is traumatizing…
Sugar (as a scrub) is somewhat traumatizing as well, but it is quite softer and it melts…

Gloria Avatar

I tried the St. Ives Green Tea Face Scrub (I think it was for acne) and it did leave my skin raw some times but even though I have really sensitive skin I liked scrubbing and having it feel like it did something (even though it probably hurt my skin >.<). Right now I'm trying out the Biore Ice Scrub its gentler on my skin but the Green Tea Scrub had a better scent.

TripletMomma Avatar

I hated St. Ives Apricot scrubs as well. It never got the dead skin off of my face (I used to always have a patch on my nose and foundation or powder would make it look worse!), and it didn’t cleanse at all. I ended up breaking out so badly.
Since, I have switched to Mary Kay’s microdermabrasion 2 step system 1-2 times a week, and not only is all the dead skin gone, my wrinkles and HUGE pores are gone as well. Thanks to my MK rep Shannon.

mary clay Avatar

the worst exfoliator, in my opinion, is clinique! i used the one that says it’s for very oily skin. so, i used it in the shower and my face felt fine, but as the day went on, i began feeling itchy around and under my jaw and neck. so when i got home i looked at it and my skin was all red and bumpy. when i left it out of my regime, the rash went away!

Maggie Avatar

St. Ive’s is the worst. The second worst I’ve tried is Bliss Pore Perfecting Facial Polish with the formulation as it was about four years ago (I have no idea if it’s the same now). The scrubbing beads are alright but some of the ingredients dried out my skin. I was recommended this because I had oily skin but ALL skin types should just avoid this.

Because the action of exfoliating is inherently irritating to the skin, be sure to get an exfoliant with gentle inactive ingredients and if you want oil control, make that a separate step from exfoliation in the form of perhaps mattifying lotion or powder. If you’re going to go for a physical exfoliant, I recommend the Biore microdermabrasion one (I forget the exact name).

kate Avatar

I agree with all those who mention the St. Ives Apricot Scrub, although I think it works fine on feet. More recently, I tried one of Lush’s Sugar Scrubs on my body (thankfully not on my face). IT CUT ME. I don’t mean it left a scratch, either, it drew a surprising amount of blood. I’m normally a fan of Lush, but that was just scary.

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