St ives green tea scrub bad for skin

Top critical review

3.0 out of 5 starsNot ideal for the face

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 7, 2022

This stuff seems good at first, but it's actually kinda damaging to your skin. The exfoliating components are aggressive and physically abrade the skin.

I've transitioned to using this on my feet after switching to superior face wash. For the feet, it's actually really good at cleaning and smoothing out the rougher, less delicate skin. So there's that.

For inexpensive, exfoliating facial cleansers, check out CeraVe.

Top positive review

5.0 out of 5 starsWonderful Product!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 29, 2020

The 1% Salycilic acid does a great job. I have acne-prone skin. The best way to clean my skin is with baking soda. Actually, baking soda remains the best cleanser of all times for any skin type. However, for acne, it is not enough. This product of St. Ives gives it just the right combination to use along a cleanser. Clense your skin with soda in the morning, with the St. Ives in the evening. If that's not enough, you can switch to the Apricot Acne Scsrub of St. Ives which has 2% Salycilic Acid (a bit stronger). When you apply, leave it for 1-3 min, while brushing your teeth or brushing hair. Then rinse and don't apply anything after on the skin. The salycilic acid tends to dry the skin a bit over time, so be careful of how much you apply. Make sure you have organic coconut or some other natural moisturizer to apply from time to time if dryness appears. Additional acne meditations like Differin migh be used in addition right on the inflamation. I hope this healps you!

It doesn't get much better than patting your face dry and feeling the smooth, baby-butt skin after you exfoliate. That's the magic of a good face scrub. Sure, there are other ways to exfoliate your skin, like enzymes and acids. but the manual kind is the OG for sloughing off dead skin and unclogging pores. These formulas usually have a gritty texture, and it's that grit that deep-cleans skin. The trouble is, though, that they can work a little too well—which is why St. Ives Apricot Fresh Skin Scrub, a cult-favorite formula, faced a lawsuit back in 2017.

While the St. Ives Apricot Scrub lawsuit was tossed out of court in December 2018 (more on that below), it's come back into the spotlight because of Kylie Jenner, of all people. Jenner recently revealed she's expanding her Kylie Cosmetics empire with a new skin care line called Kylie Skin. One of the products that will be launching with the collection on May 22? A face scrub that uses crushed walnut shells to exfoliate, much in the same way that St. Ives' Apricot Scrub used them.

Why did the St. Ives lawsuit happen?

The plaintiffs in the St. Ives lawsuit claimed two things: that the crushed walnut powder creates microscopic tears in your skin, exposing it to infections and irritation, and that its label's claim of being noncomedogenic (i.e., it doesn't clog pores) was not correct. “Unfortunately for consumers, use of St. Ives as a facial exfoliant leads to long-term skin damage that greatly outweighs any potential benefits the product may provide,” read the statement.

Crushed walnut powder sounds like it would be harmless—after all, it's just powder. But as NYC dermatologist Howard Sobel, M.D., explains, "The smaller the particles, the stronger the exfoliation." As for the accusation that it's not noncomedogenic, that isn't the case. "To be labeled as noncomedogenic, you need to pass tests to prove it," says dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of Cosmetic & Clinical Research in Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC. So if a product says it's noncomedogenic on the packaging, that means it really is.

Still, this lawsuit was a big deal, because to say the St. Ives scrub is a cult favorite is an understatement. Gigi Hadid swears by it, and writers here at Glamour have used the stuff since high school. And it's super affordable, which is why we included it on our list of the best beauty products under $10 back in 2013. That said, over the years it's also faced a lot of backlash. Over on Reddit's r/SkincareAddiction subreddit, users have shared stories about how it's caused them inflammation, redness, and breakouts.

Why did the St. Ives lawsuit get thrown out of court?

In response to the class action lawsuit, Unilever, the parent company for St. Ives, filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on the grounds that there was no proof the Apricot Scrub was a safety hazard or defective, or that it cause the alleged damage to users' skin. A U.S. District Court judge agreed, dismissed the lawsuit, and also concluded that plaintiffs failed to prove that the "Dermatologist Tested" claims were misleading because the phrase doesn't imply that it's derm-approved, rather it just means derms have tested the scrub.

Should you use an exfoliator with ground shell particles?

It's worth noting that the scrub has been around since the dinosaurs. Clearly people continue to use it—and you'd think that if they noticed any burning or uncomfortable reactions, they'd stop. Consumers either love it or hate it, which isn't all that surprising when you consider that not all skin is created equal. "Even though your mom used it, your grandma used it, or your best friend uses it, your skin is uniquely yours and can react differently," says dermatologist Rachel Nazarian, M.D., of the Schweiger Dermatology Group in NYC. Some of us could use it and be totally fine, while enjoying brighter, smoother skin too. Those most at risk for adverse side effects are people with sensitive skin or more serious issues like eczema or rosacea, since any physical scrub can do a number on them, says Dr. Nazarian. In that case, don't even look at the St. Ives Apricot Scrub, and copy Gigi Hadid's glittery makeup instead.

Does St. Ives scrub damage skin?

St. Ives scrubs contain 100% natural walnut shell powder, which safely and effectively polishes away dead skin cells and reveals glowing skin. There is no evidence that St. Ives scrubs or walnut shell powder can be linked to 'micro-tears' or any other injuries to the skin.

Why do dermatologists not recommend St. Ives?

Exfoliant Recommendations The bottom line is that you need to be careful when applying a St. Ives exfoliant to your skin, so you don't rub it on too roughly. And, the product may be too harsh for sensitive skin or people with conditions like rosacea and acne. Dermatologist Mary P.

Is St. Ives green tea scrub good for acne?

St. Ives Green Tea Blackhead Clearing Face Scrub exfoliates for a more even skin tone and smooth, glowing skin. From America's No. 1 face scrub brand*, this face scrub helps unclog pores and contains 1% salicylic acid, which helps to clear blackheads and acne and calm redness.

Does St. Ives Green Tea scrub have walnuts?

From Canada's #1 Scrub Brand, this scrub contains 100% natural exfoliants (walnut shell powder and bamboo powder) to unclog dirt and oil from pores for clear, radiant skin. Blackhead Clearing Green Tea Scrub is rated 4.0 out of 5 by 673.