St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Facial Scrub - Review

I have long been on the lookout for a good facial scrub that comes in a small and travel friendly tube. Small sizes are usually more economically priced, easier to carry when travelling and also give me the opportunity to change scrubs and switch brands as often as I like without feeling guilty. These are all the reasons why St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub caught my eye. Here is my review on it:

Description

St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub with skin-soothing green tea gently fights blemishes and reduces redness and irritation caused by acne. The result is clear and calm skin. Contains salicylic acid medication with 100% natural green tea

• Oil free
• Dermatologist-tested
• Non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores)
• Hypoallergic (causes fewer allergic reactions)
• Formulated without Parabens and Phthalates (preservative / chemical free) 

St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub

St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub

My Opinion

The first thing that one notices about the St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Facial Scrub is that it smells heavenly. It has a very fresh and subtle green tea scent which lingers (for a little while) after use. The Green Tea scrub comes in a small sturdy tube of 4.5 fl. oz. (133 ml) and is thicker and denser than the average scrub. The density is due to the fact that the micro-crystals or granules in the scrub are quite tiny and cling together which is also why even a small amount of the Green Tea scrub lathers rather well.

St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub - Swatch 

St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub - Swatch

The St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Facial Scrub is targeted specially for people with acne and although I don’t have acne apart from an occasional pimple, I bought it because I expected it to be very gentle and soothing. Unfortunately, it was anything but that. I found it to be too harsh and grainy for facial skin. My skin was red and inflamed after I had used it and it left my skin slightly burning, very dry, tight and stripped of moisture.

Another downside of the St. Ives Green Tea scrub is that it is not easy to remove because it leaves white particles all over your skin no matter how many times you wash your face. The product residue also gets stuck in the hairline, eye brows and crevices of the nostril and eyes so if you are planning to go out, don’t even think of touching this scrub! 

Alternative Use

If you have purchased this scrub and find it unsuitable for your face, try using it on your hands, feet, elbows and knees or as a body scrub. I find that it works wonders on hard skin given its thick and rough texture.

Go for it if you:

1. Want a facial scrub that won’t clog pores
2. Prefer to purchase scrubs in travel friendly small-sized tubes
3. Prefer an economically priced facial scrub
4. Have acne

Don’t go for it if you:

1. Have very sensitive or dry skin
2. Have skin that is easily inflamed or irritated
3. Are allergic to salicylic acid
4. Prefer scrubs with visible granules
5. Prefer to purchase scrubs in larger quantities

Hit or miss? A miss!

Priced at Rs. 285 ($ 3), the St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub is sadly a letdown. Although priced quite attractively, it fails to calm skin and reduce redness; rather it may leave you with inflamed and irritated skin due to its very granular formulation.

If you feel that this facial scrub is suitable for you, it’s available at Naheed Super Market, Agha’s and Chase up stores in Karachi. For those of you living outside Pakistan, you can purchase it online from Amazon, Walgreens and Target.  

My rating for the St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Facial Scrub is 2/5.

Have you tried it? Was your experience different?

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