I heard you loud and clear a few weeks ago when so many of you said you'd like to see more skincare reviews on Nouveau Cheap, so I'm working on several new skincare posts in the coming weeks, beginning with this one today.
Also, several of you said you wanted to see more cruelty-free, vegan and paraben/phthalate-free products, so I'm killing two birds with one stone (bad analogy to use when speaking of cruelty-free products. Sorry!) with this review of St. Ives Green Tea Scrub:
St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub
(retail: around $5, 4.5 oz)
I have a long history of trying to find the perfect facial exfoliator, which means I've used dozens and dozens over the past several years. I prefer for my facial exfoliators to have a lot of "traction", meaning I really like to feel the beads/seeds/micro-crystals on my skin, and I prefer the base to be VERY dense. There's nothing worse (for me) than an exfoliator that's thin and watery with a small amount of scrubbies that are loosely floating around in a thin base. Why use an exfoliator at all if you can't feel it working, right?
My ideal physical exfoliator (not to be confused with chemical exfoliators like AHA and BHA products) would have the consistency of toothpaste, and I would want it PACKED with small beads/seeds/micro-crystals. If your exfoliating needs are like my own, I think you might just love St. Ives Green Tea Scrub.
I posted about this scrub, along with the other new St. Ives Green Tea body products, when I spotted them at Rite Aid back in January. On that post, many of you commented about how you loved this scrub, so I was glad to have purchased it. I love trying things that you say you love, and you definitely did not let me down with this one!
As you can see in the pic above, this scrub is nice and thick. Yay! Also, the scrubbies (yes, that's a technical term) are micro-crystals, and they're very small. I don't care for large and/or jagged scrubbies like the apricot shells you find in certain scrubs because they just don't seem to do the job on my skin.
I've been using this Green Tea Scrub since I purchased it in mid-January, once or twice a week on a consistent basis. I can confirm that I have not experienced any breakouts since using this product, and my skin definitely feels smoother and looks a bit brighter after I use it. As for any drying, I don't find this product dries out my skin at all, although I do have very oily skin, so your experience may be different if you have dry skin.
Final Verdict: St. Ives Green Tea Scrub does an excellent job of exfoliating my skin and it fulfills all of my requirements when it comes to physical exfoliators. The formula is nice and thick, the scrubbies are small and densely packed within the base, it smells fantastic (not like true green tea, but it's got a lovely, fresh, green-tea-ish fragrance to it) and it leaves my skin feeling very smooth and brighter than before I used it. I don't find it drying on my oily skin, and the fact that it's super affordable, vegan, cruelty-free and free of parabens and phthalates makes it a drugstore bargain that's hard to resist.
Do you own St. Ives Green Tea Scrub? Do you agree or disagree with my assessment? I'd love to hear from you!
Between you & Bethbr00tality (on YT) using this I really want to try it.
ReplyDeleteI have the St. Ives Green Tea cleanser, and I love that. I need to this scrub now! Thanks for the skincare post! I think skincare is the part of the beauty world I don't know much about, and I know it's one that can be financially draining. It's nice to hear about good products that are affordable!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely adore this scrub! Whenever I get a breakout, I'll use a little bit whenever I see any redness, and when I rinse it off, most of the redness is gone.
ReplyDeleteOur scrub needs are alike, I think I need to go find this!
ReplyDeleteOur scrub wish list sounds the same so I am definitely going to try this. My current go to scrub/exfoliator is Queen Helene Mint Julep Scrub - which sounds incredibly similar to what you describe here. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteyay for micro scrubbies! I hate those jagged scrubbies in the Apricot Scrub...actually a lot say that stuff is too harsh for your skin! I'm going to check this out because I'm needing a new exfoliator!
ReplyDeleteI do like this scrub but it seems my skin is much drier than yours. So this scrub dries me out if I use it much. 2x a week, max. If I'm already dry (hello, winter!), even twice is too much. But I agree on all the other points- good scrub!
ReplyDeleteI have been using this stuff for a while, they had it in the little travel item sized bin, so I bought a few of the little sizes and I have going through them like crazy! I need to buy the full size, I use this stuff daily, and it works wonders. I'm glad you like it!
ReplyDeleteTotally Bummed! I can't use products with Sal. acid.
ReplyDeleteAlways on the lookout for effective scrubbies that help clear up the skin, so I'll definitely have to try this out! I do love densely packed, thicker consistency physical exfoliators.
ReplyDeleteDo you have some favorite chemical exfoliators you'd recommend or review?
OH I've been looking for a new scrub! I think this may just be the ticket!
ReplyDeleteI have this and I love it!
ReplyDeleteOoh, I'll have to try this!
ReplyDeleteBtw, fellow Canadians: There is a $2 off coupon for this (can also be used for the cleanser) in the April 2011 issue of Flare. Coupon is good until September 30, 2011. :)
I do have this and I had used it forever. I totally agree with you! It's a fabulous product!
ReplyDeleteI love this scrub! I usually use a cream cleanser, so anything that isn't a cream isn't as nice for my skin type, but this scrub really does the trick!
ReplyDeleteG, I was wondering where u can purcjase the Kiss brow gels. My mom was interested in them. Can you get them at Walmart?
ReplyDeletefunny how you mentioned it because i just bought this from target. Hmm well see how this works out for me ;]
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy this scrub! I even have the cleanser too. My only problem is that when I'm done washing my face I still have little scrubbies left on my face. That's really it. Nothing to complain about the scrub itself though. I have to try the body cleanser and scrub too! I haven't seen those in store yet so I'm curious to see how those work out.
ReplyDeleteWill give this a try one day. Thank youu~!
ReplyDeletethis scrub is sooo much better than the apricot scrub. the apricot scrub is too harsh, it could probably scrub paint off walls! but the green tea scrub is just right. not to harsh at all, and it smells good.
ReplyDeleteI started using this stuff after Ginabinawina99 did a review on it. I really like it so far. It works just as well as the honey & aspirin scrub that I made myself, just with less fuss.
ReplyDeleteI bought a travel sized bottle at my Target for $0.97 (couldn't find the travel sized at Walgreens or CVS). Just FYI!
I'm not sure if this is wear I should post this but I was just at CVS and my card scanned out a $5 off Revlon Custom Eyes e/s or mascara. The sale this week for Revlon is you pay $7.49 and get $4 in ECB. That makes this deal a money maker!
ReplyDeleteI bought this last month b/c I needed to exfoliate and found it too drying for my already dryish skin. Funny thing is I thought this would be something you would like since you have oily skin because it seemed a bit drying and how funny that you do! :)
ReplyDeleteI am so going to get this today!!! I love cleansers just like this. Ive been using the new Olay Pro X exfoliating scrub, but its pricey. Its twenty dollars for six oz. It works wonderful though and is a great thick gel with the perfect scrubbing beads in it. You dint have to use much either. But this looks like a great alternative at a great price! Thanks for the post = )
ReplyDeleteI just got back from my CVS and they have a St Ives and Noxema(sp?) 3/10.00 sale going on!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad I read your review yesterday, because I picked up the face wash and the scrub and a jumbo jar of Noxema for 10.00!
Also BORGHESE ALERT! I found tons of finger nail polishes 75% off in a blue bin. I scored big time!!
I'm going to pick this up as soon as I'm done with my apricot scrub then. I'm glad you specified that you like the product to be as thick as toothpaste and with scrubbies you can feel, because that's what I've been looking for. And my acne has been a pain lately, so hopefully this will help.
ReplyDeleteWow! Ladies! I had no idea this post was going to be so well-received! I'm so glad it could help some of you who might be looking to try a new scrub. :)
ReplyDeleteStephanie: That cleanser is next on my list! Thank you!! :)
silvertales: Funny that you askabout some physical exfoliators as we speak! I should be posting that next week. Thanks! :)
askwillis83: In my original review of that product, I mentioned that they're sold at Walmart. :)
makeawish: Thanks for the heads-up! :)
robin: That is SO funny! You know me too well. :)
JoElla: I completely forgot about that sale! Thank you SO much for taking the time to leave that comment, honey! I really appreciate that! :)
Diane: Would love to know how this works for you when you get it!
Traci: I clicked your profile in order to email you directly, but couldn't find an email address. I had a few questions regarding your comment (which I appreciated, btw). I don't think this is the appropriate forum to get into this, so I'd LOVE to email you about it in further detail. Could you please shoot me a quick email and I'll response as soon as possible. Thanks so much!
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ReplyDeleteHi G! I just picked this up after reading your review. I hope this works for me- I have been breaking out lately and I don't know why.
ReplyDeleteI have to hide this from my fiance--he loves face exfoliators!
Hey hun. I followed you on twitter and sent you a tweet about it! :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't like this much, or the cleanser from this line. Maybe I was just breaking out during the time I used it
ReplyDeleteI used this all week when I went on vacation and slathered on sunblock. I usually have a really bad break out after using sunblock for that long but this time I just had the normal amount I have during PMS
ReplyDeleteOne scrub that has become my holy grail is believe it or not comes from a men's line of skin case sold at Sephora (I think however just recently they stopped selling their products through Sephora online, but they have their own website). I don't know how this scrub has not come to the women's skin case products lines yet because it is unbelievably amazing. The scrub is by Eshu brand (http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/eshu-face-scrub-42-oz?ID=630911). I know G, you mentioned that you don't like the apricot scrubs (I'm assuming you meant the one by St. Ive's), but this one is made with walnut shells and it seriously does magic on the skin. After using it I feel like a new born baby haha. Has anyone else tried this one?!
ReplyDeleteYour exfoliation needs (as you so eloquently expressed)are exactly the same as mine! I found this scrub a few months ago based on Paula Beogoun's reviews and decided to give it a try. The price was just right to boot which is always a good thing. Really loving it so far, and my boyfriend does too... lol. Definitely will repurchase.
ReplyDeleteI haven't used this product, but I too have the same needs as yours; therefore, I use the St. Ives apricot scrub... If you've used the apricot scrub, what is the difference between the two?
ReplyDelete