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Full Facial: Scrubs and Washes

Testing Some of Britain's Best-Loved Brands of Face Care Products

May 13, 2008 Marion Grace Woolley

Everyone wants gorgeous skin without breaking the bank. We review some of the market's favourite names all coming in around the £5 mark.

Invigorating Apricot Scrub - St. Ives, £3.85

Dermatologically tested and mixed with Swiss glacial spring water, this gives a really thorough, deep scrub and leaves your skin breathing freely. Arguably the best product on the market for affordable, high-quality skin care. Whereas Lush's Ocean Salt is a bit too gritty, St. Ives has mastered just the right consistency to give firm abrasion without scratching.

Rating: * * * * *

Blemish Control Apricot Scrub - St. Ives, £3.85

After the success of their Invigorating facial scrub, Blemish Control comes as a slight disappointment. Certainly less abrasive than its counterpart and designed especially for people whose skin is getting a little out-of-control, it feels a lot gentler, but perhaps too gentle, and the cleansing effects don't feel as though they last the whole day.

Rating: * * *

Coal Face - Lush, £3.95

The greatest thing you will never want to put on your face! But don't be put off by the colour, it may look like a giant lump of tar, but it'll do your pores a world of good. All of Lush's products are hand-made and humanely manufactured, so you can rest easy that your beauty doesn't come at a cost to animals or the environment. This one is made-up of liqourish and charcoal which both gently exfoliates and de-greases. It is particularly good for slightly oily skin and leaves if feeling firm and fresh.

Rating: * * * *

Ocean Salt - Lush, £5.95

Unlike the solid soap bar that is Coal Face, this has a creamy texture and comes in a pot. Like it says on the tub, the main ingredient is... err... salt. It's rather lumpy and does sort of leave you wondering why you didn't just rub your face in a bowl of brine. However, it does leave the skin feeling soft and moisturised and adds lime and coconut to the mix, so smells delicious.

Rating: * *

Kelp Facial Scrub - Body Shop, £6

This one isn't a facial scrub, it's a soap-alternative but you don't need to have sensitive skin to enjoy. It comes as a translucent, light-green gel and doesn't really smell of anything. It's not that impressive when you lather it up as it doesn't foam, but the results speak for themselves. It leaves the skin feeling clean but not too tight, the only slight niggle is that the tube it comes in makes it difficult to squeeze the last of the gel out when you're getting to the end.

Rating: * * *

The copyright of the article Full Facial: Scrubs and Washes in Beauty is owned by Marion Grace Woolley. Permission to republish Full Facial: Scrubs and Washes in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.