Peter Thomas Roth claims their Strawberry Scrub Fruit Enzyme Polishers can do a long list of things: moisturize, tone, purify, improve problematic skin, brighten the complexion, etc. After diligently using it for a few months time, I thought this exfoliator was just mediocre at delivering said promises.
On paper the polisher sounds wonderful:
- gentle, yet effective fruit enzymes, antioxidants, vitamins, nutrients, & nourishing polyphenols
- instantly smooth, brighten, and clarify skin's appearance
- brightening vitamin C and ellagic acids
- improve the look of problem skin
- revitalized appearance
- brighter, smoother, softer, and more vibrant looking.
Every supposed benefit ticked off a box on my skin concerns list.
The brand even says the $38 scrub is good for both face and body, on top of it being suitable for all skin types; hence the relatively large size, 8.5 oz to be exact. Maybe they tried to generalize a little too much with this item?
I won't disagree with their suggestion that says the Strawberry Scrub can be used on a daily basis. If only the texture factor is important, this would be a pretty solid option. I don't think I have ever used a physical exfoliator as gentle as this is. The strawberry pulp, seeds, and finely ground almonds bits are indeed super fine and sparsely distributed. The pink part that holds the particles is very soft and spreads easily. In fact, the more you rub the more the pink stuff dissolves into the skin. I am going to guess that it is the jojoba oil which holds the exfoliants.
The directions say to use a small amount with some water. I would suggest to use it only damp, almost dry, skin. Don't use on completely dry skin if it is super sensitive. When water is added into the equation, the exfoliator will wash away almost immediately. The scrubbing bits are that fine. The polisher is pretty non-abrasive. It is probably too gentle for scrubbing down the body, where skin tends to be a lot tougher.
I have used it daily in a triple cleanse night routine (cleansing oil, cleanser, and exfoliator). When I use the Strawberry Scrub after a non-foaming cleanser, it helps me feel cleaner by compensating for the lack of foaminess. When I use it with a foaming cleanser, it seems like an unnecessary extra step in the routine.
There seem to be many layers of dead, dry, and flaky skin to my face. Even the daily scrubbing didn't seem to rid the most stubborn patches. It helped smooth the skin a teeny bit, but not enough to justify the effort needed and cost. I also haven't seen any other benefits that initially caught my interest. My skin doesn't look or feel any more pure or brighter and my problematic skin is still troublesome. I do not think the polisher caused any more blemishes; it just didn't help it lessen. My whiteheads and blackhead had no response to the exfoliation.
The bottle format isn't the most ideal. I think if it was in a tube format, it would be even easier to dispense the product out. In its current state, the scrub tends to settle towards the bottom and requires a good 1-motion shake to shift the goods up to the spout. I had tried to leave it upside-down in the shower so I didn't have to shake the bottle every day, but water and condensation would collect inside (despite the bottle being closed) which made the scrub too diluted.
I really did want to like the Strawberry Scrub Fruit Enzyme Polisher. But it ultimately isn't anything to rave about for me. I could see this being great for very sensitive skin types (unless it is to fragrance, then skip) or those with generally good skin and need something that isn't harsh.
I thought I had a good streak going...2 whole months of beauty no-buys since the new year started! Then a stop to Sephora and a walk through Chinatown, you know just to do some window-shopping, had my hands itching to try some new skincare. Maybe the impulsiveness came from my skin being flaky of late, partially due to the bi-polar weather and partially because of the acne healing process.
All things considered, exfoliating and hydrating have been all I could think about all month long. I do have products that tailor to both concerns already, I couldn't help but look for other approaches. The current routine is doing an okay job. But I feel like I need something slightly more intensive.
The Face Shop's Smile Foot Peeling is still my go-to item for foot care. It works well enough for me to not want to stray to anything else. Even still, my HG can get expensive fast when considering the cost per kit and the number of times my feet need the peeling. Wishtrend's Jungle Botanics Natural Body Glow Nutshell Scrub seemed to get stellar reviews on the interwebs for its body exfoliating capabilities and the company's in-house gurus claimed that it could tackle tough heels in one of their recent videos, I was sold! Now I can only hope it will work against my stubborn soles between feet peeling sessions.
It seems like AHAs and BHAs are making the beauty trend rounds in terms of exfoliators recently. While physical exfoliation used to be the standard for sloughing away dead skin and impurities, chemical exfoliants are supposedly more efficient, deeper penetrating, and most effective, like what the professionals use. I was intrigued by the ingredients because of their promise to make skin smoother and brighter while not being abrasive. I first bought Primary Raw DoYou 2-Step Milk Peeling Kit from Sephora for $6. Since exfoliating is something that should be done on a routine basis and these cotton swab things are one-time use, I searched for a more affordable alternative and found the A'Pieu Aqua Peeling Cotton Swab - Intensive Type from oo35mm for $2.99. Two exfoliations might not be enough to see drastic results with the swabs but maybe it'll show even a little more promising result than if I only had one.
Not to say the AHA and BHA products I bought would leave my skin peeling, but just in case it does, I found myself adding the 23 Years Old C-Tragel Modeling Mask to my basket and heading for the cashier. I definitely am in no shortage of facial masks; the idea of rubber masks is just really intriguing.
Banila Co's Clean It Zero - Purity is the only "necessary" skincare buy of the month. My current cleansing oil is running low and I have been meaning to give the ever so popular Clean It cleansing balms a go. I picked the Purity over the Classic version because it is Mineral Oil and Fragrance-Free. I don't think I have a big sensitivity to either ingredient but it doesn't hurt to play it on the safe side when I am prone to breakouts.
