It's only after living in New York City that I understood how dirty air can be. True disgusting fact: last winter I had a bath obsession and took baths at least three times a week. When I emerged, the bath water was gray. It's not that I'm a particularly dirty person or anything, I just can't hide from smoke and smog, and here you can't help but rub shoulders and thighs with strangers everyday.
For days that I feel particularly grimy, I use an exfoliator for a deeper cleanse. When I was younger I was a staunch champion of St. Ives Apricot Scrub, later graduating to Sabon's Body Scrub. Sometimes I wonder how I ever thought torturing my skin was a fantastic feeling. No doubt I felt clean, but it was as if I had to scratch my skin with a metal scrubber to get there.
I was recently sent a tub of Lush Ocean Salt Face and Body Scrub to test and was filled with trepidation at first glance. Those salt particles looked dangerously coarse. But I was told to stir the concoction before first use and what I got was a happy mush.
The lime and grapefruit scents are particularly strong in Ocean Salt, which combined with a salty tang, harkens the image of having tropical punch at an actual beach. The scary-looking salt turned out to be fine* when combined with (what I'm guessing is) the avocado butter and coconut oil, and together they make a soothing combination in the shower – moisturized, scrubbed clean, but not raw.
*I forgot that it's meant for "face and body." For body, I think it's definitely not abrasive as an exfoliator. I agree with shusheshe that it's too rough on the face.
Lush Ocean Salt Face and Body Scrub retails for $35.95 and is available at Lush in-stores and online.
The product in this post was provided by the company for editorial consideration
I personally found this too rough on the face, so I used it on my elbows and knees instead.
ReplyDeleteYes. I definitely forgot it's for "face and body." Great for body, too rough for face :x
DeleteI was given a little pot to sample a while ago, but thought while it might work for the body, it is definitely too rough for the face! I'm switching to chemical peel for my face now, but I also used to scrub the heck out of it when I was younger!
ReplyDeleteOkay....I want this stuff!
ReplyDeleteOh wow, that was unexpected. I've always seen it in the "unmixed" form and thought "Gosh that's dangerous to put on my face" but the green/blue mush doesn't seem so bad!
ReplyDeleteSame here. haha.
Delete:P the mush feels quite moisturizing too!
DeleteThis sounds really lovely--have not tried any Lush products but there are many that are on my list of things to try. I still do love the St. Ives--but only for my body. My back and arms benefit greatly from a good scrubdown, but I I think it's awful that it's meant to be used on the face. Eeps.
ReplyDeleteThe regular St. Ives kind of scares me now ._.
DeleteAll my life I have been using the body shop scrub. I like TBS scrub but I still want to explore more. Thanks for introducing this Xiao! :)
ReplyDeleteI used to use the body shop scrub too!!!
DeleteI tend to have hit or miss luck with Lush products - sometimes I really like them, sometimes they just don't work for me. Sometimes even if they do work the scent does bad things to me. However, I do need a new body scrub, so...maybe I'll give this a try? (For the face, btw, I recommend ExfoliKate. I'm using the acne version at the moment and it's amazing. I love it to pieces.)
ReplyDeleteSince I'm using Tatcha I haven't needed a separate exfoliator for my face :) I know what you mean about scent, but this particular one is safe, at least for me. It does smell just like tropical punch, so if you're okay with that then it'll be good!
DeleteI am getting seriously hooked on Lush and trying out their peelings is next on my list. Thank you for a review and btw - I like your blog very much :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Anatomica! I like the bath bombs most, so far
DeleteHi! I just started reading your blog and just wanted to tell you how awesome it is! I just read your eyebrow post from way back, and having very similar sparse Asian eyebrows plus a kind of crippling fear of going out without them filled in, I want to thank you for putting yourself out there and giving such helpful advice. Also I don't know if you've addressed your eyelids before but, like you, I too have one double- and one single eyelid and I love that I can take your eyeshadow looks as inspiration. I feel like other Asian beauty bloggers would just put eyelid tape on one eye or something but you are so real and refreshing, keep it up.
ReplyDeleteAND one last thing! I too spontaneously gave myself a boy haircut not too long ago, it's grown out now but after I got over looking like jackie chan (which actually is awesome) I really enjoyed rocking it! I don't have your enviable cheekbones but I found I could pull off bright lippies better with the new hair. Hope you have heaps of fun with your new style, it looks great on you!
xx Sarah
Hi Sarah!
DeleteThank you for your wonderful comment! It totally made my day :) I really need to update that eyebrow post - While the idea/directions are still the same, I've become much better at shaping it now ><
I've addressed my eyelids before in this post (http://messywands.blogspot.com/2012/02/natural-sculpted-look.html) and I loved the reaction - mainly, no one noticed it till I pointed it out! I've tried the tape thing once just to see if it actually works. It felt so odd and alien that I discarded it immediately.
My hair is growing out too quickly!! And I'm just so impossible at styling hair :( but thanks for the suggestions and encouragement!
P.S. for styling the hair... I stole my brother's Gatsby wax for dudes and it worked a treat :P
ReplyDeleteI think this is going on a growing list of LUSH items. Oy.
ReplyDelete