February 7, 2017

St. Ives Facial Oil Scrub Review

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

St. Ives Exfoliate & Nourish Apricot Facial Oil Scrub ($6.99) is one of two new exfoliating cleansing oils that were recently introduced to the brand’s permanent skincare collection. Cleansing Oil meets facial scrub in this new and innovative formula that uses pure grapeseed oil infused with walnut powder to deep exfoliate dry, rough skin.

Let’s take a look!

I recently reviewed St. Ives Exfoliate & Nourish Coconut Facial Oil Scrub and quite enjoyed it and it happens to be the more mild of the two formulas (although I still wouldn’t say either formula is suitable for sensitive skin types). St. Ives Exfoliate & Nourish Apricot Facial Oil Scrub is a little more dangerous as this is way harsher scrub. I have fairly resilient skin that’s dry with no visible pores and I’m not prone to blemishes or acne. I tend to favor harsher facial scrubs however, this was a little too much for me. I was shocked they recommend using it 3 to 4 times a week. WHAT? Even with gentle exfoliating scrubs I’d personally recommend once a week but 3 to 4 times a week? No, not a good idea. Recently, St. Ives actually had a lawsuit going on with their original Apricot Scrub and one of the main points of the suit was the fact that the scrub caused micro-tears in the skin. It might be a good idea recommend someone use this 3 to 4 times a week as it might be quite damaging to skin.

The formula is a unique one as it combines the elements of a cleansing oil along with a scrub. Mind you, it doesn’t technically clean anything but the way you use the product does mimic that of a cleansing oil. I find the texture a gel-like consistency that was a little thicker when compared to the Coconut Oil Scrub formula. It was also considerably thicker. You’ll be using it on a already cleansed and dried skin. Take a small amount and apply it to your dry skin, massaging it into your skin, add a little water to break up and emulsify the formula, and massage a little more. After you’re done simply rinse with lukewarm water. I was disappointed because the formula didn’t break down and emulsify as well as the Coconut formula. It left both grains and a sticky film on my face where as the Coconut Oil formula broke down and rinsed clean away. You don’t want to get this anywhere near your eyes as I mentioned in my Coconut Oil review but this particular formula seemed like the grains were a little larger plus they didn’t clean away so, I got worried they’d migrate towards my eyes somehow. This did have a lighter scent than the Coconut Oil formula which smelled like apricots but it wasn’t strong and seemed subtle to my nose. After using it my skin felt rather tight so, moisturizer was essential.

User beware, this is a harsh scrub that won’t be suitable for acne, blemish prone skin or those with red, sensitive skin. Honestly, I wouldn’t even recommend it for drier skin types as the scrub is just too harsh and the formula doesn’t quite work as well as the Coconut Facial Oil Scrub which also left my face tight but washed clean away.

St. Ives Exfoliate & Nourish Apricot Facial Oil Scrub is available now at target.com, amazon.com, and walmart.com.

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Adrienne

    Thank you for the comparison of the 2 products. Maybe it’s just the apricots and they need to move away from that all together. I will try the cocout one if I can find it in Target. I have a $3 off coupon from my beauty box I ordered this month.

  • Silvia

    I tried the apricot and it was nasty in the face like you explained. I’ll be skipping this one although I almost fell for the coconut and would think they had it improved. Not. Too coarse for anyone’s face. Thanks!

  • Hayley

    I think this is why st Ives is being sued by a few people, I think their scrubs are just too harsh on skin because of the nut shells.

  • Sonya Bansal

    Hi Isabella,

    This is good advice. Regardless how good a product is, people need to be vigilant especially on how many times they can use the product itself. We might just be abusing our very own skin if we abuse the products that we use.

  • Melisa Liem

    Hi Isabella,

    Can I use the coconut oil scrub as body scrub?

    • Isabella Muse

      I think it’s probably a good idea to get a body scrub versus using this!

  • Lauren

    I’ve had this for a couple weeks, still trying to figure out if I like it…