The Truth About That Apricot Scrub

Your esthetician cries a little on the inside when you tell her you use Apricot Scrub. 

Why? Because not only is using walnut shells a damaging ingredient for a physical exfoliant, the other cheap, and pore clogging ingredients in these scrubs, do not help your skin whatsoever. Particularly, if you have sensitive, or acneic skin. 

Firstly, if you are going to use a physical exfoliant, (and this is NOT safe for all skin - FYI), you want to use one that contains something like jojoba beads. They are perfectly spherical, meaning, they will not tear and scratch your skin. The ground walnut shells in some shockingly popular brands, actually create micro tears in the top layer of your skin. These micro tears allow surface bacteria to enter the deeper layers of your skin, and can cause long term inflammation. Inflammation is the root cause of all skin concerns from ageing, to acne, to sensitivity. 

These apricot scrub products also seem to be marketed towards acneic skin, which breaks my heart, since acne sufferers are so desperate to find help, and have deep emotional pain associated with the appearance of their skin. Typically these brands use cheap, irritating, and inflammatory ingredients on every level. But hey, it’s only $10 right? 

Another red flag ingredient in these products is Glyceryl Stearate SE, which is highly comedogenic, meaning it clogs your pores, which in turn, limits oxygen, therefore making acne bacteria flourish in that environment. Again, not helpful. 

Propylene Glycol, is another popular drug store ingredient that leaves a film on your skin. This is a cheaper ingredient to help with hydration, vs hyaluronic acid, the prefered ingredient to boost water content in your skin. Propylene Glycol, while yes, is a humectant, actually draws water up from the dermis to bring it to your skin, but this process ultimately leads to dehydration. You're better off using hyaluronic acid as your humectant, drawing water from the atmosphere, and locking it into your skin that way. Hyaluronic acid is simply more of an expensive ingredient to harvest and produce than Propylene Glycol. So you get what you pay for I suppose:) 

Sodium Laureth Sulfate: This is pretty much one of the main ingredients that all cheap, drug store products use, particularly in facial cleansers, or scrubs. This ingredient is a skin irritant, causing a deep level of inflammation in your skin, plus it’s comedogenic. Stay away from this one. 

In general, the pet peeve of these apricot scrub type “brands” for us skin therapists, really comes down to the fact they market themselves as “natural”, with all the pictures of fruit and plants on their packaging, stating they are committed to nature, but yet,  they are chalked full of synthetics, surfactants, emulsifiers and fragrances, which outweigh the “natural products” almost 10 to 1. These so-called “natural ingredients” are so far down the list, they are almost irrelevant, and overall, we feel these types of products are misleading. 

So what DO you use then? And how do you choose the right products for your skin? 

Well, lucky for you  right now, there are a million skin therapists out there, at home, offering consultations to help you navigate appropriate skin care. I’m personally offering this service for $25 | 15 mins as a custom consult - and your $25 fee will go towards your first product purchase! Stay tuned for a coupon code after your consult- or if you want a really quick run down of personal recommendations, you can take our skin quiz in less than 5 minutes and get your results sent straight to your inbox. 

You might be surprised to find out that some professional skin care products are not more expensive than something purchased at the drugstore. Some of them even come in travel sizes too, which is nice, because it can give you a first hand experience of how a quality skin care product feels, without a large investment. Some products are absolutely more expensive than the cheaper drugstore brands, but, they also actually treat your skin, the first time, without causing further issues. If you add up the total of your skin care graveyard under your sink, (we know you have one!), you might find that consulting with a professional, and getting the right product for your skin, the first time, will actually save you money long term. 

My goal, as your skin therapist, is to help you find the products for your unique skin, while respecting your budget. When the season changes, and your skin’s needs change, I’m here to help you use what you’ve got, save what you can for next season, and strategically invest in your skin care.  Consider me your personal trainer for your skin:) 

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