Bad, Better, Best - Facial Scrubs

This is the start of a new series I am planning. Comparing a 'traditional' product, a seemingly natural product and a very pure product. Today the focus is on face scrubs. I will admit I am sporadic scrubber. I dry brush my body almost daily but go in phases with how often I exfoliate my face.

The ingredients in bold either rate a 5 or above according to Environment Working Group Skin Deep Database, or are listed by  The David Suzuki Foundation as dirty.

 

Photo From Bellasugar.com

The Bad: St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub (about $5 at drugstores)

Ingredients: Water, Walnut Shell Powder, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Corn Meal, Cetyl Alcohol, Linoleamide DEA, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Lanolin Oil, Emulsifying Wax NF, Apricot Kernel Oil, Sambucus Nigra Extract, Primula Veris Extract, Sunflower Extract, Matricaria Extract, Ceteareth-20, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance, Titanium Dioxide.

Quick Take: EWG Product Hazard Rating 6 our of 10. Skip it, there are far too many concerning ingredients!

Photo from Bellasugar.com

The Better: Avalon Organics Lavender Luminosity Exfoliating Enzyme Scrub (about $15 at drugstores)

Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice(1), Water (Aqua), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Juglans Regia (Walnut) Shell Powder(1), Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil(1), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil(1), Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Stearyl Alcohol, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil(1), Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil(1), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil(1), Arnica Montana Flower Extract(1), Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract(1), Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract(1), Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin) Seed Extract(1), Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Rhizome/Root(1), Lavandula Intermedia Leaf /Flower/Stem Extract(1), Saccharomyces/Xylinum Black Tea Ferment(1,2), Citric Acid, Bromelain, Maltodextrin, Potassium Hydroxide, Pumice, Stearic Acid, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Alcohol(1), Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene, Linalool, Coumarin

(1)Certified Organic Ingredient
(2)From Kombucha

Quick Take: EWG Product Hazard Rating 4 out of 10. This product skips a lot of the hazardous ingredients of the St Ives scrub making it a better choice. If you are really trying to keep squeaky clean I would skip this product due to it's overly lengthy ingredient list and because coumarin (a masking fragrance) can be hazardous.

The Best: DIY Honey and Sugar Scrub (pennies per use)

Ingredient: Honey, sugar, olive oil or water

Quick Take: My fav! Honey provides moisture and healing as the sugar scrubs away the dead layer of cells. To make this use equal parts honey and sugar, then slowly add a few drops of olive oil or water until it makes a thin paste. Very gently massage on to damp skin, then rinse.