The Body Shop Shea sugar body scrub review

BEST IF YOU WANT TO: Reveal softer, glowing skin with exfoliating salt grains and organic sugar in a moisturizing, oil-based scrub that has a fresh, classic scent.
BEST FOR: very dry skin
How it works:
Community Trade shea butter has antioxidant vitamins A and E to help protect and nourish skin.
Community Trade organic soy oil is very rich in essential fatty acids that help to repair skin’s
moisture barrier, so skin is smooth and supple.
Community Trade organic sugar and salt grains gently exfoliate skin.

The body shop shea scrub is one of my favorites from their line. Actually I adore the whole Shea line and every product is really worth mentioning. Especially if you have dry skin like me. I love how gentle it is but moisturizing, never heavy or greasy but it still gives very good nourishment to the skin. Soon I will write about the other products from the Shea line too. Now let's focus on the Shea sugar scrub.

Ingredient list:

Shea scrub has very creamy and thick texture, that is rough enough to provide very good exfoliation but at the same time it's gentle enough if you have dry or sensitive skin. Usually scrubs that are meant for dry skin are way to gentle or the texture is thin and falls apart in the shower. With TBS Shea scrub this never happens since the texture is so thick. A little goes a long way. Usually it lasts me about two months if I use it once a week. This scrub is perfect combo of sea salts and sugar to provide easy removal of dead skin while shea provides moisturizing. When you rinse it off at first you will notice almost "oily" residue since it's rich in oils but it absorbs super quickly and by the time you towel dry your skin you will not feel any kind of residue on the skin. It leaves skin super soft and silky smooth. If your skin is not really dry you do not even have to follow with any kind of moisturizer - shea in this scrub would be just enough moisturizing. 

Besides the beautiful texture I love Shea scent. So soft and gentle. Probably one of the nicest scents ever created for body line.

The body shop revamped their packaging and to be honest with you I do not like it at all. Before they used to have name of the product on the lid, while now it's only picture with TBS sign. There is small white lettering on the side of the jar which is also very light almost white. You have to look really hard to figure out which product is it.
Another bad thing about packaging change is that products are not sealed any more. Big big minus!! I can't even tell you how often I found body butters with someones finger prints in it. So disgusting.

Great plus for buying TBS items is that they always have deals and sales. Mostly I wait for the 50% off and then I get their Scrubs and butters for 10$ only. That is super great deal for the quality they offer.  Regular price for the scrub is 20$ for the 200ml. They used to have large 300ml jars that once I snatched on sale for 9$.

Shea scrub in action. Close up of the texture. Then applied right onto the skin and third photo shows scrub rubbed into the skin.

After exfoliation I always follow with TBS shea butter. These two are great combo for dry skin. Overall I highly recommend this scrub as the best one from TBS line. Please share your thoughts with me if I should try any other scrubs from TBS.

L'occitane Verbena body salt scrub

Salts from the Mediterranean Sea combine with the refreshing fragrance of pure extracts of verbena, orange, geranium and lemon tree in a luxurious exfoliating body scrub. Essential oils of grapeseed, apricot and sweet almond nourish and moisturize. Antioxidizing vitamin A helps to tone and maintain healthy appearance. Skin turns silky-smooth as dead skin cells are massaged away. Body and mood feel revived.

As you already may know I am big fan of body scrubs. I like to experiment and try new ones. I am always on the hunt for the best one. This is my second scrub from Loccitane. I have already reviewed Almond shower scrub here .
I prefer salt scrubs over sugar ones. I had high expectations from the Verbena scrub. I like Verbena scent it's light refreshing, zesty citrus - perfect for hot summer months.  From the rest of the Verbena line I have tried - hand cream, shower gel and body lotion - they are all awful.  BUT I love citrus verbena line.

It retails for 36$ and it's probably best value L'occitane has to offer since you get whole 14 oz or 400 grams. Also comes with a nice spatula that's extremely helpful when product needs to be scooped out of the jar.

For the whole body I needed 4 full spatulas. Two for upper body and one for each leg. I have a feeling this will last me a long time.

Texture is mixture of oils and salts. I gently mixed these together with the spatula before scooping the product out. Salt grains are very chunky and in my opinion too rough on the skin. Don't get me wrong I do not like gentle scrubs but I feel this is just too much. I had parts of my body become very red and irritated seconds after using this. And I tried to scrub gently. Also consistency is pretty thin, there is nothing to hold oil and salt together, so I had more salt in the tub than I had it on me. I was disappointed about this.

Oil part I actually really liked. You can feel that it leaves skin nicely moisturized with beautiful scent but does not leave sticky residue. Just soft skin.

If the salt is not so rough and if the mixing these two together would make better consistency meaning that you do not loose half of the product, I would recommend it. This is not for sensitive skin!!
This might work well as a foot scrub since it's so rough.

I will use it up during summer months but I will not repurchase. Almond shower scrub I plan to buy again. I would also love to try Shea body scrub, that's next on my wishlist.

Biotherm Oil Therapy Huile de gommage review

This exfoliating oil with melting sugar crystals refines and smoothes skin texture. Leaves a silky and protecting veil on the skin.

Dry skin regains all of its qualities: softness, firmness and smoothness. Leaves a silky veil on the skin.

An exfoliating oil with melting sugar crystals refines and smoothes skin texture.

I have been wanting to try something from Biotherm for a while. Before they were totally out of my price range. When I moved to US I realized they are not available at any retailer except online on their website. Not good if you want to try the product first before buying. I do not like experimenting with face skincare products so I decided to get one of the body products from their line. I love exfoliators and I am always willing to try a new one. Plus I had 15% off coupon so I ended paying around 22$ for this plus I got couple of very nice samples and free shipping.

Biotherm Oil therapy huile de gommage got my attention with two things - first is -I always consider it as a rescue for my dry skin and the second is apricot scent - yummy love it!

It does really have pretty authentic apricot scent, not too strong and it stays nicely on skin. It's not that fake plasticky scent like The body shop fruit line. When it comes to oil in it - honestly I do not feel it at all. I am very surprised since product feels and looks more like thick gel. Exfoliating particles are small but very powerful. They do decent exfoliation without drying out skin or being too rough on it. When the product is rinsed out there is absolutely no residue. Good for someone who does not like exfoliators that leave "oily" residue. I do like that and that's why I did not like after feel with this one. This could be such a nice summer body scrub, since the scent, lightweight feel, good exfoliation and no residue work better for me during summer months when I do not need as much hydration. Or possibly for someone who does not have dry skin ever. Skin was soft and feeling smooth though I have to admit. Particles are rough enough for legs to help with the ingrown hair or for the knees or elbows.

I had high expectations from this one but I can only say it's OK. For the price you get decent size, nice scent, good exfoliation but that's it... you can get that with 5$ scrub too. I will not repurchase it. I like defoliators that feel luxurious, rich and pampering while using it and after.

Lancome Exfoliant Fraichelle invigorating body scrub review

Lately I have been on a body scrub kick! Since I used up The body shop shea scrub, I bought 4 different ones (yeeks)

I had my eye on the Lancome Exfoliant Fraichelle for a while and I got it while they had nice GWP offer so I got some extra freebies.

So what does Lancome say about it:

An invigorating, rich-foaming scrub that buffs away dull, dead surface cells. Enriched with a patented emollient and botanical extracts with magnesium, provitamin B5 and essential fatty acids. Awakens your body from head to toe, revealing smoother, softer, more supple body skin that's refreshed with an exhilarating fresh floral scent

Exfoliant Fraichelle is a nice scrub that's mild enough for dry and sensitive skin yet effective enough to soften the skin and leave it refreshed. It is more of a shower scrub meaning it's a in between shower gel and a body scrub. It foams up more than I expected and it's not as thick or harsh as usually body scrubs are. So if you are looking for something in between these two or for a 2 in 1 product Exfoliant Fraichelle is a nice choice.

First time I tried it I was actually worried that it won't be effective enough becase right out of the tube it feels and looks like there are no buffing grains at all. It has lightweight gel texture.  Interesting thing is the more you rub it in it seems  it has more and more buffing grains. Like they are suddenly there out of nowhere. I have not tried it on dry skin as I never do with body scrubs but I know some people like to do it to make it more effective. 

It is easy to rinse out and it does not leave any kind of a residue like it usually happens with salt based scrubs who have oils in them (my favorites). I do like when there is a oil "residue" on skin after exfoliation because skin feels softer smoother and moisturized. I do not like dry and squeaky feeling on skin. 

Tube is convenient to hold in hand and it's easy to squeeze the product out. 

It has a fresh cucumber like scent that I personally do not like. I do not know how to describe it, it's not a bad scent but it just doesn't smell nice to me. I would prefer if it had more of a citrusy smell.

I love using Lancome nutrix loyal body lotion after this and will wright separate review for this product. 

Right out of the tube

Rubbed in a little bit

Rubbed in some more. Now you can actually see buffing beads

Overall: It is a nice scrub with a good price point, nice size, you can get some freebies with always amazing Lancome GWP, it's good for sensitive skin, but I have tried better and I am not sure I will repurchase it. At least with body scrubs I like to experiment and try new stuff. 

L'occitane En Provence Almond shower scrub review

Enriched with almond oil and crushed shells, the foaming Almond Shower Scrub melts into the skin, cleanses softly and exfoliates to remove impurities and dead cells. Skin is soft, smooth and ready to absorb all the benefits of your body creams. This scrub leaves behind the fresh and delicate fragrance of almond tree flowers

In spring 2012 L'occitane introduced couple of new items to the Almond line. Strangely all of them were limited edition (???). OK I might understand for the shower scrub but other firming items being LE doesn't make sense at all. If you are supposed to use firming products it takes a while not one time purchase. Anyway, I have not tried any of them except the shower scrub. When it was released last year I wanted to buy it, but was waiting not realizing it's LE and I missed it. It was sold out pretty fast. I was excited to see it was released again this spring and I got my hands on it. Yay! I adore Almond shower oil, and I really did have high hopes for shower scrub too.

Almond shower scrub does gentle exfoliation without stripping the skin or drying it out. It is great choice for dry and sensitive skin since it's not as harsh as some other scrubs, but does exfoliate really effectively. It leaves skin very soft and radiant. Since it is enriched with almond oil, skin is nicely moisturized but it does not leave any oily residue. 

I was hoping it will have exactly the same scent as the Almond shower oil, but it is not as sweet. It does have a same base but it slightly lighter and fresher. I would say more suitable for summer, since it's not so heavy and sweet.

Texture is thin, runny and gel like. It is not gritty at all. When you start massaging it into the skin it turns white and more and more creamy. Surprisingly it foams up very nicely. I usually do not like shower scrubs. They are not hydrating enough to be nice shower gel but on the other hand they do not exfoliate enough to be a good scrub. So somewhere in between and average in both categories. That's why I usually avoid this  kind of a product. Well, Almond shower scrub is a nice surprise. Smooth and hydrating enough , foamy enough to provide nice cleansing without drying skin out but on the other hand effective enough for exfoliator.

Nice touch was twist open & close cap.

I really can't find one thing that I do not like about this product except being Limited edition. So either waiting until next spring and hoping it will be released again or stocking up now while it's still available?? Since they discontinued other scrub from the Almond line, L'occitane needs to make this permanent!

LUSH Buffy body butter review

 Tough on rough bottoms 

 Massage our Buffy body butter all over your wet skin in the bath or shower to make you softer and smooth to the touch, paying special attention to your backside. We add ground rice, almonds and beans to Buffy to act as exfoliants; the rough textures eliminate lumps and bumps and sloughs away dry skin cells to reveal brighter, fresher looking skin. Rinse off the exfoliating bits and pat yourself dry. There's no need for body lotion after a Buffy slaying session, because the cocoa and shea butters keep your skin beautifully smooth, moisturized and soft to the touch.

Let me introduce you to one of my HG Lush products! Oh Buffy where have you been all my life? I admit I am guilty. I never paid attention on Buffy until a friend told me it's the only body butter she uses daily! (Ok I will go back to this "daily" thing later).  

First time I bought Buffy is when I got pregnant. I wanted something moisturizing to keep my skin smooth and as elastic as possible since I am super prone to stretch marks. 

Buffy comes in two different sizes. I got a smaller one since only this one fits in a tin. I am sorry but that's dumb. If you make and sell larger size of a product you need to sell larger tin too. I do not want to cut the product and use couple of tins or other storage options. 

Anyway my photos show Buffy after one use. Photo on the top of this post is from official Lush website and shows Buffy when it's new. I wanted to take photos after using it so you can really see it's texture.

Buffy is solid bar that fits nicely in a hand. What might confuse you is that officially it's called body butter. But again it's a body scrub! Well you do get two in one. How great is that? 

Buffy is meant to be used in shower. I have to admit it took me couple of uses to figure out how to get best out of it. It really needs to be warmed up under the warm shower and make sure your skin is really wet. If not you will just scratch your skin.

It has ground almonds and aduki beans that do the scrubbing part. I have to worn you it is not a gentle scrub, actually it's probably the roughest I've tried. BUT great thing about it is that also has cocoa and Shea butter to moisturize the skin. When you rinse off exfoliating bits skin is left so super smooth and moisturized. It does leave oily residue that I adore. I assume if you do not have really dry skin or you like lightweight lotions you wouldn't like this. Except for the great exfoliating action, my favorite is the "oily residue" part. I do not need body butter or lotion after Buffy. It really saves my time! But this is not for quick shower when you have to get dressed immediately because residue takes a while to soak into the skin.

This is NOT for daily use. I think it would be too much exfoliating skin every day. I think King of skin might be great for everyday in shower use (I can't wait to try this one) and Buffy once or twice a week.

Initially I remember Buffy was advertised as "anti cellulite product". OK I get it skin will feel and look smoother but that's all. 

When I bought it the first time I was told by LUSH sales associate it will last me only couple of times. Yikes! That's not a lot considering a price. Well with once to twice a week use it lasted me two months for sure. Not too bad. 

I assume if I only cut one piece and kept the rest out of the water and warmth it would melt less and would lasted even longer.

.

Lush Body butters melt in warmer temperatures so be careful how you store them. I like to put it in the open tin after use to let it dry nicely before closing it. I do not keep it in my bathroom but in the closet, where it's cooler and dryer. 

Close up of the exfoliating bits but you can also see the "oily" part.

Skin after exfoliating bits are rinsed out and skin is gently patted with towel. You can see how it's left nicely moisturized . I really do not want to use phrase "oily residue" because it's usually associated with something not so good but it perfectly explains how skin looks and feels after using Buffy. It stays this way for a while before it soaks in.

Overall: Love love love Buffy and will keep buying it. Anyone with dry skin who likes rough exfoliation and good moisturizing after I highly recommend.

Quantitative Ingredients
 Cocoa Butter,  Shea Butter,  Ground Rice,  Ground Almonds,  Ground Aduki Beans,  Perfume,  Lavender Oil,  Lemon Oil,  *Citral,  *Limonene,  *Linalool

*occurs naturally in essential oils