[rebeccabaltimore and more]

For as long as I can remember, I have used St. Ives apricot scrub facial exfoliant. I need a heavy duty facial exfoliant to keep my acne under control. And then two years ago they changed their formula. And it sucks!!!! So for two years I have been searching for a suitable replacement. I have quite literally tried everything on the market.

I finally found it!

Spa Wisdom Japan Adzuki Bean & Rice Washing Grains | The Body Shop ®

It ain't cheap, but oh it is awesome. Anybody else have a beauty obsession?

[lunarmagic]

Well, not a beauty obsession, but my acne requires specific things as well. Most stuff is just too harsh and didn't work. I've been using Proactiv for the past few years, which works well.... except this pregnancy. Now I've been trying to find something without salacytic acid in it that I can use on my face and back. I just started using a some new stuff on my back, hopefully it works because I can't take it anymore!!

[edgeofelise]

Call me crazy, guys, but when my skin started freaking out (seriously FREAKING OUT) in my second trimester with Eliza, I started washing my face with almond oil. That's all. I wet my face, rub the oil in, let it sit a minute, and put a super hot washcloth on my face to draw everything out. Then I just wipe my face clean of all the gunk, and repeat. It exfoliates, oil dissolves in oil so it actually gets your skin clean, and it doesn't strip your skin so you glands don't produce excess oil. I haven't turned back. Every now and then I add a teaspoon of sugar for extra exfoliant. Wicked cheap and my skin has never been better.

[lunarmagic]

I've never heard of that one, Danielle. I may actually try it. I'm at the point of "oh FFS, not more zits?!"

[edgeofelise]

Can't hurt to try, especially since it's so cheap. I get mine in the bulk section of our local health food store. You might have to give your skin a couple weeks to balance out and get used to it, but it works. Almond oil's pretty versatile, too. I also use a bit in Eliza's cloth wipe solution. My SIL uses olive oil for her face, but I find that's a bit heavy for me. Of course, she doesn't use moisturizer. My skin is combination and gets pretty dry in places, so a lighter oil and moisturizer combo is perfect for me.

[survey77777]

Do you do the no - poo thing too DanielleÉ I keep planing to switch over but haven`t actually done more than the research so far.

Sorry...French keyboard fail

Rebecca...I used to use that when I was in my teens 276 years ago. I loved it then too. When I'd buy it it was just the grains and you'd mix it in with whatever cleanser you wanted to. Is it still like that? You might like the Emminence line of exfoliants if you like that one...not cheaper though. I'll bet you could get the aduki beans one through a natural coop if you wanted to save some $. Of course I'm obsessed with co-ops lately.

[edgeofelise]

Hahaha, I love deciphering posts that clearly come from people's phones. I did try the no-poo for a while right before I got pregnant, but my hair got hecka oily as soon as I started showing other symptoms, so I never adjusted. I might give it another go soon, because it would be a really bad idea to start that in the warmer months. Heat+sweat+confused oil glands=EEEWWWWWW. I have been fairly successful making my own shampoo with castile soap, lavender, tea tree and steeped nettles. But I no longer find it fun now that I have a crazy toddler and I'm not big enough a hippie to keep doing it out of principle.

[momoftwins]

I have used the St. Ives apricot scrub since I was like 13! I had no idea they ever even changed the formula. It always seemed the same to me. I still love it! Cheap and fabulous!

Originally Posted by edgeofelise

Call me crazy, guys, but when my skin started freaking out (seriously FREAKING OUT) in my second trimester with Eliza, I started washing my face with almond oil. That's all. I wet my face, rub the oil in, let it sit a minute, and put a super hot washcloth on my face to draw everything out. Then I just wipe my face clean of all the gunk, and repeat. It exfoliates, oil dissolves in oil so it actually gets your skin clean, and it doesn't strip your skin so you glands don't produce excess oil. I haven't turned back. Every now and then I add a teaspoon of sugar for extra exfoliant. Wicked cheap and my skin has never been better.

Mmmm...that sounds good enough to eat! I loooooove the smell of almond oil. I'm always looking for a good hand soap with almond oil in it.

[rebeccabaltimore and more]

Sorry to neglect my own thread, Grant is on tooth number three for the week! With the washing grains I just press my wet hands into the jar and rub the grains onto my wet face. If I'm super greasy I use a green tea soap from Trader Joes. I also exfoliate my body, but most non-mainstream exfoliants work for that. Salt scrubs and sugar scrubs, very basic.

I have heard of the oil wash thing, but I am too scared to try it. I have to wash my hair, with this hair loss thing.

Really, at this point, I'm just going to stick with body shop products, and maybe health food store stuff.

[Cathy =^..^=]

Oh my! TBS used to have a Rice Bran Scrub that I adored! And then they discontinued it! Wah!!! Maybe this is the same or similar thing!

[rebeccabaltimore and more]

I'm not sure what rice bran feels like, does it feel a bit crumbly?

[Cathy =^..^=]

I looked it up on the website and it says it has rice bran oil in it which I remember the one I used having that. Next time I'm at the mall I'm getting a tub.