Product Review: St Ives Timeless Skin Apricot Renew & Firm Scrub, Naturally Clear Blemish Fighting Apricot Scrub and Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub

I have always struggled with my skin breaking out. And even more so during the hot and humid summers. But regular exfoliation of my face makes a huge difference. It both helps my skin feel less greasy, helps avoid my pores getting too clogged up causing breakouts, and well, also helps my makeup looking nicer for longer. From memory, the first ever facial scrub I tried as a teenager was St. Ives, but that is many moons ago, so I am happy to re-unite the friendship, so here are my thoughts on the*St Ives Timeless Skin Apricot Renew & Firm Scrub, Naturally Clear Blemish Fighting Apricot Scrub and Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub;

 

What They Say:

St Ives Naturally Clear Blemish Fighting Apricot Scrub fights blemishes naturally without drying out the skin. The formula contains natural exfoliants and apricot extracts to buff away dead skin cells. Two percent salicylic acid gently cleanses pores and fights blemishes.

St Ives Timeless Skin Renew & Firm Apricot Scrub features an invigorating apricot aroma with the added benefit of an alpha hydroxy complex to visibly tone and firm to reveal younger looking skin. The formula contains natural exfoliants and apricot extract to buff away dead skin cells and impurities to keep skin full of nourishment.

St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub helps to gently clear breakouts and soothe irritation caused by acne. Formulated with a blemish-fighting solution and 100 percent natural green tea, the scrub exfoliates and soothes skin. Green tea also helps to protect skin from harmful environmental factors and free radicals that are known to age skin. Oil, paraben and phthalate-free. The formula is also dermatologist tested and hypoallergenic.

RRP: $9.99 (150ml) – Available from Priceline and pharmacies

What I Say:

While I did use the St. Ives face scrub when I was younger, it was the ‘normal’ version – well actually, I think at the time, there was only one type available. Today there are several versions to cater for different skin types and issues.

As can be expected, due to the different names of the scrubs, these are widely different…

The Naturally Clear Blemish Fighting Apricot Scrub

 

 

 

As the name suggests, fights blemishes, and it also contains two percent salicylic acid which works in conjunction with the scrubbing beads slug away dead skin cells which are blocking the pores and potentially causing breakouts. The creamy scrub has a natural scent and has quite a few scrubbing beads, making it feel a little gritty – and of the three scrubs this by far the most gritty one – you can instantly both see the scrub working its magic, yet it is still very gentle – although it is of course recommended not to get it too close to the eye area.

 

 

And after use my skin really is soft, but also a touch red on the cheek area, indicating that this scrub is a little too rough on my skin, although it is not particularly sensitive. St Ives recommends using 3 to 4 times per week for best results, but I have to say that on my ageing skin, using it just once a week is more than sufficient, and also I think using it more frequently as recommended I fear that it would irritate my skin too much. Perhaps more frequent use would be more suitable for younger and more oily skin types.

 

The St Ives Timeless Skin Renew & Firm Apricot Scrub

 

 

This Scrub also comes in a cream and it contains considerably less scrubbing particles than the Naturally Clear Scrub, making it a lot gentler for more sensitive as well as ageing skin types (such as mine!!). But it also contains alpha hydroxyl, a chemical peel agent which helps give the skin a smoother appearance – so in spite of containing fewer scrubbing particles, after use, my skin actually feels even softer and more refined after using this scrub.

 

 

Again St. Ives recommends using the scrub 3 to 4 times per week, which in spite of this scrub being more gentle, I still find to be too much for my skin, twice a week is more than sufficient, especially here in winter when my skin is a little drier than normal – perhaps when the weather heats up again and my skin tends to be a little greasier, it will be ideal to use it a little more regularly. It has a more perfumed scent, which is quite lovely.

St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub

 

 

This Scrub is very different to the other two scrubs, this is the only oil-free scrub, and it not only contains lots and lot of scrubbing particles, but these are tiny, so while you can feel these on the skin, the scrub still feels extremely gentle. It comes in a light green gel, and it smells divine from the green tea extracts used in the scrub. It also contains salicylic acid to help clear and prevent pimples.

 

 

After use my skin is soft, yet without being irritated or dried out, and I can feel that my t-zone, and in particularly my nose feels less greasy and congested. Unlike the other two scrubs, St. Ives does not say how often they recommend use, but on my skin, using it twice a week is more than sufficient, but again as we head towards summer, my skin my call for more frequent use.

All the scrubs come in white tubes with flip lids, and it is only the images and writing on the tubes distinguishing them.

According to the tubes, the Green Tea Scrub and the Timeless Skin Scrub have been formulated without parabens or phthalates, but strangely enough this does not seem to be the case for the Naturally Clear Apricot Scrub.

Because none of the scrubs have particularly girly scents, I find that they are also suitable for men to use, and my husband has equally enjoyed using all three, although he didn’t find that Timeless Skin Scrub was coarse enough for his skin, and consequently he has preferred the Naturally Clear Apricot Scrub, which is handy, as on the other hand I have enjoyed using especially the Timeless Skin and the Green Tea Scrub, and I actually do like alternating the use of them. 

Common for all the scrubs is that they are all quite concentrated, so they will last quite a while, and at just $9.99 for a large 150ml tube, these are an absolute bargain. Hubby and I have enjoyed using these scrubs and most definitely continue to use them –and hubby has already proclaimed that he is buying another one when ‘his’ runs out!! With all the varieties of St. Ives scrubs available you will no doubt be able to find one to suit your skin type (and hubby’s) too!!

*These products were kindly provided for consideration, and have been reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

 

Have you ever used any of the St. Ives Scrubs? Which one do you prefer? Or maybe you have another favourite scrub?