Exfoliation and St. Ives Acne Control Apricot Scrub

Today I would be talking about exfoliation, give a quick review on this physical exfoliant from St.Ives Acne Control Apricot Scrub I have been using lately, and some insights on both chemical and physical exfoliants, and AHAs and BHAs for you to decide what you would want to use according to your skin type and concerns. So let's read on Exfoliation and St. Ives Acne Control Apricot Scrub.

EXFOLIATION

Why do we need to exfoliate

Exfoliation helps soften the texture of the skin, clears congested and clogged pores i.e. whiteheads, blackheads, and moderately reduces oil production. It buffs away any dullness caused by excess dead skin cells i.e. the top dermal layer of the skin, hereby giving better light reflex and a glow. It also reduces fine lines and wrinkles, and decreases pigmentation.

Difference between Physical and Chemical Exfoliation

Physical exfoliation includes exfoliation with a mechanical/digital exfoliating device, a microfiber cloth or pad, or apricot seeds. And exfoliating chemicals are known as AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid), BHA (Beta Hydroxy Acid), and PHA (Polyhydroxy Acid), such as lactic acid, glycolic acid, citric acid, salicylic acid, azelaic acid, mandelic acid, kojic acid, galactose, gluconolactone, and lactobionic acid, etc. 

I covered an AHA and BHA product in my previous post.

Characteristics of AHAs and BHAs

AHAs are water-soluble, have lower pH from 2 to 4, improve surface hydration of skin, suitable for dry skin, stimulate collagen, and exfoliate the top dermal layer of skin, but cause sun sensitivity. 

Whereas BHAs are oil-soluble, anti-inflammatory, decrease enlarged pores, suitable for oily skin, and cleanse and exfoliate deep down till the epidermis, but do not cause sun sensitivity.

Physical Exfoliation Pros and Cons

Physical exfoliation gives immediate results with less chance of any irritant reaction (redness, flakiness, rash), which makes it good for sensitive skin. But, it only works on the upper dermal layer and may cause skin damage if scrubbed too hard. It is recommended for the newbies to start with physical exfoliation first to understand their skin threshold, and then move on to chemical exfoliation.

Chemical Exfoliation Pros and Cons

Chemical exfoliants exfoliate till the epidermis. Chemicals increase skin turnover. The safest chemicals to use are citric acid, azelaic acid, and kojic acid. These acids often have indirect benefits. But, it takes about two weeks to give results, causes photosensitivity, and irritant reaction due to the low pH. For sensitive skin beginners switching from physical to chemical exfoliation, it is suggested to go slow, avoid over-exfoliating, and use low concentration.

You need to consider one thing in exfoliation. Decide first to choose between physical and chemical exfoliation. For chemical exfoliation, there are many brands offering AHAs. Many brands are offering physical scrubs as well which also includes sugar granules. But I would be reviewing the St. Ives scrub in brief. Another thing I would like to inform you about is that I would mostly curate products especially relevant to my skin type and concerns. I have dry and acne-prone skin. If my family members love any product relevant to their skin types I would definitely refer to those too.

ST. IVES ACNE CONTROL APRICOT SCRUB REVIEW

One of the two top-selling and considered the best exfoliating apricot face scrubs of St. Ives, and also award winners are this one and St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub. I bought the former to address my acne but if that is not your concern, definitely try the latter one. St. Ives Acne Control Apricot Scrub has a deep exfoliating factor and is also considered one of the best facial scrubs for combination to acne-prone skin, and which Gigi Hadid also used to swear by. 

 

How to use St. Ives Acne Control Apricot Scrub

St. Ives says to take a dime-sized amount and massage onto damp skin, by putting gentle pressure all over the face and neck in a circular motion for about a minute and then rinse. 

The brand says to scrub the face three to four times a week, but I say that you only need to scrub your face once a week. Over-exfoliation is also bad for the skin.

 

Key Ingredients

Key ingredients in the scrub include natural physical exfoliants and extracts; i.e. walnut shell powder and apricot fruit extract, and a chemical exfoliant for deep exfoliation as salicylic acid. The scrub is oil and paraben-free, and also non-comedogenic.

 
Does St. Ives Acne Control Apricot Scrub work

The scrub does work on acne-prone skin. It is among the most popular acne treatments. This scrub in particular does two jobs. It is not only a physical exfoliant, it has a chemical exfoliant salicylic acid in it too. While it is exfoliating the top dermal layer, it is also penetrating the epidermis to clear the pores. Salicylic acid is also a good recommended 2% dose to reduce breakouts, prevent acne and blackheads, minimize pores, reduce blemishes, clear the skin, making it smooth and glowy. 

It is quite an affordable product. The fragrance is also light and not overpowering. The scrub is suitable for dry, normal, oily, and combination skin, but not for extra dry skin. As for sensitive skin, definitely do a patch test first. Although I have not seen anyone with sensitive skin type complain about it, because physical exfoliants are usually considered tolerant than chemical exfoliants for this skin type.

And yes, despite the lawsuits the company has faced, it is absolutely safe to use apricot scrub and walnut shell powder on the face! So don’t worry at all to use it. :)

If you liked the post, Pin it, and share it with your social media friends. I hope you enjoy your time on my blog and find it helpful. Find me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. Stay updated on my blog. Check my other posts and get caught up. If you have any questions at all, please comment down below. I also have a dedicated skincare board on Pinterest. Let me know your thoughts, and what you would like to see in the upcoming posts. Thank you so much. Stay safe. Bye. 

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