A few weeks ago I walk into Watsons looking for the cheapest drugstore facial scrub and walk out of Guardian instead with the most expensive scrub available – St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub. I’ve ran out of counter brand facial scrub and I thought I would try something more affordable as recommended by all of you previously. My requirement for a facial scrub is simple. I prefer something with scrub beads in it and something that gives me the scrub-like feeling when using. Most of the scrub I see is either too watery or with no beads at all. I’m very traditional on this. A scrub need to look and feel like a scrub. St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub gives me just that.
What’s ironic was I used to hate St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub. I remember about 10 years ago I bought a tube of this scrub as it was ‘the’ scrub highly raved and recommended by everyone. I hated it so much because the scent is smelly and unbearable. Fast forward to a few years later, once again I heard my friends talking about this scrub being the best they’ve ever used. I cannot help but to wonder how can they tolerate with such a yucky smell on their face. When I saw this newly improved St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub, I have no choice but to flipped the cap open and took a sniff. Now I don’t do this normally but I had to smell it. And it smells so good!
I’m not sure if there is any changes with the scent or the formula as the one I have smells like crap and this one is totally different. It’s like a twin from a different mother, if that make any sense.
I happened to remember an article I read some time ago saying this product is harmful as the ingredients are not as natural as it claimed to be. The product itself says that it is a product for blemish control and to minimize pores. To be frank, I treat a scrub as a face exfoliator that does nothing but to remove the old layer on top of the skin so that newer skin can resurface. So I don’t believe in all the ‘blemish control’ or ‘minimize pores’ claims. The said article also mentioned that some people used it twice a day as they thought they can “scrub the acnes away”. Ideally if your skin is healthy, your skin will be less oily therefore you will get lesser if not no acne AND with lesser oil means your pore size is reduced. What I’m trying to say is, don’t rely on the scrub for an acne-free skin and for smaller pores.
I personally didn’t experience anything bad with this Blemish Control Apricot Scrub. I’m only using it once a week to exfoliate whiteheads off my chin mainly and as much as the article hated this product, I find it to be helpful in getting rid of white gunks and makes my skin smoother. Although you can see scrub beads in the cream, it doesn’t feel harsh at all. In fact it’s more gentle comparing to Clarins Gentle Refiner Exfoliating Cream. But do bear in mind this may be too harsh for you if you have dry, very dry and sensitive skin. I happen to have a skin that can tolerate with slightly harsher skin care so it works out well for me 🙂
And here’s the ingredients list if you’re interested.
Would I be repurchasing this? Probably not. It’s quite good on me but I want to try other product instead. There are so many more facial scrub which I’ve yet to try 😀
Have you tried this St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub before? It’s kinda like a staple for everyone I know and I’m curious if you’ve tried it too. I am probably the last person on Earth to use this. I’m a late bloomer lol.
St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub is available at all leading pharmacies and major supermarket outlets nationwide.
Price: RM21.90. I bought for RM18.60 during sales period.
For more information on the product, please visit http://www.stives.com/product/detail/357491/blemish-control-apricot-scrub
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored review. I bought the product on my own.
Comments (16)
I’ve used St. Ives facial scrub a long time ago and whilst the smell didn’t bother me, it was the harsh scrubby bits that did. Just too abrasive for my face. My skin is rather sensitive so I stick to those gel peeling scrubs, which are gentler for me.
Oh yes. If you have sensitive skin do stay away from this. It’s going to feel harsh no matter how creamy it is. Those gel type doesn’t do anything for my skin so I have to use this type of scrub 😀
Hi Fiona,
You should give the tub a sniff too! I think its just as yummy and its cheaper than the tube. Have only been using it in recent years so i cant attest to what it smelled like years ago. I personally prefer the st ives scrubs as body scrubs as I find it a bit to harsh for the face.
Hi Verona,
There’s a tub version too? Oh I didn’t see that. Yes it might be a bit too harsh for you if you have dry, very dry, sensitive skin or even if you’re not used to this type of scrub. On me it was alright 😀
Yeah there’s a tub version too =P. I think its selling for 26/28 (can’t remember the exact price) But it gets sold out fast especially when it goes on sale. Pretty good alternative to flake away by soap and glory now that they have hiked the price to RM55 =(
Yea. I’m so bummed out that Sephora increased the price for Soap & Glory Flake Away. That’s probably the only RM30-ish body care in the line lol. I’ll keep an eye on the tub version. It’s no wonder I didn’t spot it before. Must have been sold out since the tube version already cost MR21.90. Might as well get the tub haha
You’re not the last person, because I’ve never tried this before, haha! I remember my mum did buy me a tube of St Ives lotion when I had very severe skin rashes/irritation though. I’m looking around for a scrub and maybe I’ll try this one or The Body Shop Aloe scrub which Jerine posted in her blog.
Lol. I think you should try The Body Shop Aloe Scrub as it’s milder than St. Ives. I personally don’t like scrub that doesn’t have scrubbing beads in it lol
For more than a decade, I used this product religiously and nothing felt cleaner than scrubbing my face and body with this but what I hadn’t realised was that the large, abrasive particles in this were actually not good for skin at all.
I only realised recently that this product was actually scratching at my skin and making it more prone to flareups and blotchiness.
After watching a couple of videos on youTube by one of my favourite bloggers with the best skin, I realised that I needed to look at chemical peeling products instead of physical scrubs which were actually leaving tiny microscopic lesions on my skin and allowing bacteria to enter. It was truly a revelation.
These days, I try and stay away from any granular scrubs.
If it scratches your skin, it’s better not to use it. Hmmm I think you won’t like Philosophy Microdelivery Peel as it’s 3X harsher than St. Ives.
I have used St Ives scrub since 5years ago^^ So far so good. No issue or whatsoever. It really depends on each person’s skin condition. Some find it too rough. You and me find it ok to use =)
Totally agree with you. I don’t know. I personally started with somewhat similar but harsher scrub so I’m used to it. I guess my skin is thicker? haha
Love this but the tube breaks (or cracks?) easily at some point and it leaks out from the side. Hope they change the material of it.
Some tube tend to harden and break. Not sure about this though. Even the new packaging too Joanne?
I just got a tub of st ives apricot scrub today at Big Pharmacy at taipan subang for RM19.90 and its not even on sale!
That’s good Su-Yi 🙂