Review: Andalou Naturals Clear Skin Lemon Sugar Facial Scrub

Here’s one more Anadalou Naturals skin care product! I hope! So this is the Andalou Naturals Clear Skin Lemon Sugar Facial Scrub. It’s not in the rosewater collection. For reviews on the rosewater collection & other Andalou Naturals skin care products I have reviewed, go here:

Review: Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Eye Revive Contour Gel

Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Pearl Exfoliator

Review: Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Rosewater Mask

Review: Andalou Naturals Luminous Eye Serum

This face scrub is made from fruit stem cell complex with argan stem cells, manuka oil, agave, and organic cane sugar to gently exfoliate dull, dry skin to improve tone and texture. Meyer lemon refreshes and revitalizes for a bright and balanced complexion. It is non-GMO, vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free.

Enjoy my review on Andalou Naturals Clear Skin Lemon Sugar Facial Scrub! 🙂

My experience

This facial scrub smells like vanilla-lemon. I’m not too fond of the smell of the product. The mixture of vanilla and lemon isn’t for me. It smells weird. The scrub feels grainy and rather rough. Seems a little too much for the facial skin, to be honest. Once I tried it on my face, yep, it was way too much for my skin. It’s a sugar scrub, so the pieces of exfoliant feels granular. But the exfoliant melts a little when mixed with some water and as the scrub is rubbed into the skin. Still, it still feels too rough on the skin. That’s just not good or healthy for the skin. It’ll create micro-tears in the skin. Also, the lemon in this product burns the skin. Lemons and the facial skin just don’t go together. It irritated my skin like no other. My skin was bright red after using it. It’s just way. too. harsh! In my opinion, this facial scrub is just plain terrible for the face. It’s more for the body like the hands, feet, and elbows. But, there’s a few good things I noticed when using this facial scrub, which is funny because of how awful it is for the facial skin. It actually did leave my skin feeling and looking softer and smoother afterwards. It removed dead skin cells! I noticed how velvety my skin felt when I was washing my face the next morning and my makeup went on ultra smoothly. Also, my skin looked brighter and glowy. Hmmm, interesting! 🤔

How can something be so bad but be so good? lol.

Well! From this experience, the bad outweighs the good no matter how good the good is. This facial scrub is just too rough on the facial skin no matter how much I don’t want it to be, lol. I was very ecstatic to try this facial scrub. It just looks very promising and seems like it’ll give results. And it did! With a price. 😮‍💨 The product looks good upon opening too. It’s also vegan and cruelty-free. What’s not to love? But, I can’t imagine using it again (on my face, of course). I’ll use it on my feet or legs. The other ingredients in it besides the exfoliant looks pretty good too. Let’s do a run through of the ingredients at a glance…

It contains sugar cane juice, vegetable glycerin, coconut oil, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, sunflower seed oil, olive fruit oil, vitamin c, vitamin e, manuka honey, fruit stem cells (argan, malus domestica, solar vitis), bioactive berry complex, white tea leaf extract, lemon peel oil…

The ingredients look more natural compared to other skin care products I’ve used. Too bad that it had to be so harsh on the facial skin. I stopped using it.

This is what the Clear Skin Lemon Sugar Facial Scrub looks like. The coloring of the packaging is so cool. 😍

Pros & Cons

✅ Pros

• Removes dead skin cells
• Leaves the skin feeling softer and smoother
• Makeup goes on much smoother after using this facial scrub
• Vegan and cruelty-free product!

❌ Cons

• Way too harsh on the facial skin
• Burns 🍋🍋🍋
• Not a fan of the smell of the product

Conclusion

I still have an almost full jar of Andalou Naturals Clear Skin Lemon Sugar Facial Scrub sitting around. I haven’t been using it much. Only once in a while if I remember, lol. I’ve been using it to scrub my lips. I’m just happy that I’m using it for something, or it’ll go to waste. But, I won’t purchase it again. I’d much prefer a facial scrub that’s more suitable for the facial skin. You know, a more gentle yet effective exfoliant that doesn’t harm the skin. haha. Would I recommend? No.

2 Month Tret Update. Is It Working??!! + Other Products I’m Using :)

It’s been 2 months on tret. I used it a few days a week at first until my skin acclimated to it. That went by quick, so I started using it every day at night. I haven’t had any issues with using it every day since. My skin isn’t red, peeling, or in pain. No irritation of any kind. It’s so weird. I had issues with it using it every night before. All of a sudden, out of the blue, it’s been such a breeze. It’s like I’m applying water to my skin now. So interesting and odd at the same time! I wonder if it’s working anymore. So that is why I’ve been trying out other skin care products. It looks like tret isn’t helping with some forehead acne and blackheads on my nose. They’ve been really stubborn, and I need to get rid of them ASAP, so they can heal quickly and properly. This is what I tried during the second month of tret.

Skin Care Products I Tried…

Benzoyl Peroxide: I would slather BP all over my face if I could, but the side effects are just too much. The fumes get into my eyes and burn. But, BP truly does work to eliminate acne. Some days of the week, I’ll spot treat areas where I notice congestion. That’s about it. *sigh* Those BP days…

Glycolic Acid: I started using glycolic acid again when I was looking for another option to treat my acne (besides BP). I’m using Alpha Skin Care Intensive Renewal Serum (my first impression). Here’s my 1 week review on the product. I did another update on this serum. Go here to read more about it (my 3 week update). Glycolic acid seems to be working this time around too. I’m stunned! It worked before then stopped working. Now, it’s working again. It’s been great for skin texture and the overall quality of my skin. Keeping my skin looking soft, smooth, and refined, but it didn’t do much for my acne. Well, it did at first, but it stopped working on my acne. I’m still deciding if I should keep this serum in my routine. I was really looking for something that’ll unclog my pores, and this serum seems too gentle on my skin to do just that. So, I took a break from it since I didn’t see an improvement in my acne. I might bring it back if I think my skin needs it. I really don’t know yet.

Some Products Worth Mentioning…

My skin seems to be tolerating almost all of the products I used before. Didn’t work at one point in time, but it’s working now. They are…

iUNIK Black Snail Restore Serum: This serum is very moisturizing. It helps to keep the skin soft and hydrated. Feels sticky at first but feels very nice on the skin. Once it sinks into the skin, it leaves the skin feeling smooth and moisturized. I have a little bit of this product left from using it twice a day. But am I going to keep using it when I’m done with the bottle? I’m not sure. I prefer the iUNIK Propolis Synergy Vitamin Serum a little bit more. I’ll have to think about it. 🤔 The iUNIK Propolis Synergy Vitamin Serum is another serum that’s working for me now too. 🙂 Love it!!

Cosrx Ultimate Nourishing Rice Overnight Spa Mask: I have a love-hate relationship with this moisturizer. It’s moisturizing. It’s probably the most moisturizing lotion I have used where I don’t get huge cystic acne. But I decided to keep it in my routine and use it only on dry areas of my face. If I have a dry patch, I’ll use this product to moisturize that specific area of my face. I don’t use it all-over anymore. It causes too many problems. Makes my skin all oily, more blackheads, and forehead acne goes nuts. Moisturizing is important for skin health, but too much leads to consequences like breakouts (on my skin). I really like this moisturizer though. It truly does help moisturize my oily skin without leaving my skin feeling heavy and clogged.

Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid: I started using this BHA Liquid again. I went full on, lol, but I had to stop using it because it was drying my skin out. It works to tame the oilies on my facial skin, but I don’t think it did anything for the blackheads on my nose. I was hoping it would do something about that. I like using this BHA Liquid when my skin is oily. I’ll use it once in a while right now until summer arrives. That’s when my skin is even more oily.

Here are some products I’m not too wild about anymore:

Cosrx AHA BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner: This toner hasn’t helped much with acne whatsoever. I was hoping that it did a little bit of something. Doesn’t seem like it’s good at controlling the oil in my skin anymore. What happened? I don’t know. It’s an OK product. I’m not sure if I should keep it in my routine or not. It has a weird texture to it. I’m on the fence about this toner. We’ll see what happens in the near future. lol.

Olay Regenerist Vitamin C Peptide 24 Brightening Facial Cleanser: I’ve been using the Olay Regenerist Facial Cleanser since last year. I started off with the Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 Cream Cleanser. The Vitamin C Peptide 24 Brightening Facial Cleanser is the exact same as the Collagen Peptide 24 Cream Cleanser in terms of results. I didn’t notice brighter skin using the one with vitamin c. I loved this cleanser months ago when I was using it. That was when I didn’t have a good BHA product in my routine. I know these facial cleansers aren’t advertised as acne cleansers or cleansers with BHA, but it does contain salicylic acid in them. I can feel the salicylic on my skin when I use it. I would keep it around, but I’m using Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid instead. I just thought it would be a better option for me instead of this face wash. Maybe I’ll use it again if Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid doesn’t work out. More reviews on Olay Regenerist facial cleansers:

1 Week Using Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 Cream Cleanser. Goodbye Acne?

1 Month Using Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 Cream Cleanser & What I’m Doing Now for My Acne…

How My Skin Is Doing

The only acne I’m dealing with right now is a few pimples on my forehead. Some blackheads on my nose (so annoying). Sometimes some random pimple that pops out of nowhere. My skin is almost, just almost clear. Texture looks pretty good. It’s looks smoother. I’m not liking that shiny forehead though. It looks so weird and odd, haha. I’ve been trying to keep my skin moisturized by using lightweight facial moisturizers, which don’t provide enough moisture for my skin, but it’s better than nothing. My skin hasn’t broken out from those moisturizers (as of yet!). Right now, it’s all about keeping my moisture barrier healthy and happy. But tret hasn’t been drying. Or doing much for my acne like I hoped. I think I’m going to keep using it and wait it out. In the meantime, just search for something else to combat these stubborn pimples that just won’t go away. After 2 months, I’m pretty much neutral with the results I’m getting from tret. I can’t say much about it helping with fine lines and wrinkles. I think moisturizing my skin has helped a ton more. Well! That’s my 2 month update on tret. Take it or leave it, lol. I’ll see everyone next month!

⭐ If you missed out on my previous experience with tret…

My experience with tret the first week…

After 1 Month on Tret + Skin Care Routine. Here are My Results.

2 Months on Tret. My results. 🙂

Taking a break from tret…

Back to tret! 1 Week Results & My Skin Care Routine. Did it work? 🤔

1 Month on Tret. My Results!

A break from Tret & What I’m Doing Now

Surprise! Back on tret + Other Acne Treatments for Clear Skin. 🙂

Review: Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Pearl Exfoliator

So I have another Andalou Naturals skin care product to talk about. Yes, another one! lol. If you missed out on my previous reviews on Andalou Naturals skin care products, click on the links below to check them out!

Review: Andalou Naturals Luminous Eye Serum

Review: Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Eye Revive Contour Gel

The product I’m sharing this time is Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Pearl Exfoliator. I was on the quest to find an amazing facial scrub. I thought I would give the brand Andalou Naturals a try. So this exfoliator is a mineral exfoliator with alpine rose stem cells. It gently sweeps away impurities, dull skin, and dry skin. Contains pomegranate to uplift tone. Has moisture-binding humectants to help revive skin’s hydro lipid barrier for a flawless looking complexion. It’s non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, cruelty-free, pH balanced, hypoallergenic, and dermatologist tested. I finished the whole product. Now here are my thoughts on it!

My experience

This product is a gel with very tiny exfoliating beads in it. The beads are not harsh or abrasive. They’re smooth. This exfoliator is indeed very gentle on the skin. It didn’t burn or irritate my skin. I want to emphasize the gentleness of this facial scrub because it truly is. Even though I love how gentle it is on the skin, I wish it was more exfoliating and actually did something for my skin. I didn’t think it did anything. I saw no improvements in the condition of my skin. I still had dead skin stuck to my face after use. It’s supposed to be an exfoliator, right? Shouldn’t it remove dead skin cells and leave my skin feeling softer and smoother afterwards? It just didn’t do anything. It’s too gentle. The amount of beads in this product is very sparse. It feels more like a facial cleanser than an exfoliator/facial scrub. Since the exfoliator was terrible at removing dead skin cells, I tried pressing the exfoliating beads onto my skin a little more. Giving it a little bit more pressure to feel the beads on my facial skin, but that didn’t work either. It didn’t help remove dead skin from my face. From this experience, I think this exfoliator is just too weak and just not right. When I’m exfoliating my facial skin, I want the process to be a smooth, effortless, and natural as much as possible. For that reason, I didn’t like this facial scrub. I wasn’t happy finishing the product. It’s just a very bad product.

Pros & Cons

✅ Pros

• Extremely gentle on the skin
• Good for sensitive skin
• Cruelty-free
• Vegan

❌ Cons

• Not enough exfoliating beads in this product.
• Doesn’t exfoliate the skin. I still had dead skin stuck on my skin after use.

Conclusion

Another Andalou Naturals product down. This exfoliator was just really bad. It didn’t exfoliate like it’s supposed to. It didn’t sweep away impurities, dull, dry skin or uplift the tone. It didn’t leave my skin looking flawless. My complexion didn’t glow afterwards. I had no results from this product. It was a waste of money. I won’t purchase again. It’s not an exfoliator I would recommend. Don’t buy.

Review: Purito Jeju Volcanic Scoria Konjac Sponge

Tada! Here’s my review on Purito Jeju Volcanic Scoria Konjac Sponge! When I purchased this sponge I was searching for a gentler approach to exfoliating my skin. The facial scrubs I had were too harsh on my skin. I’ve read so many good things on konjac sponges that I had to try it out at least once to see what it’s like. I’ve pondered about them for too long and just bit the bullet and went for it. The one I purchased is from Purito. Here are the product claims:

Product claims

• Made of volcanic scoria (8%) and natural konjac (92%)
• Soft texture
• Absorbs excess sebum
• Safe for sensitive skin
• Lifts impurities away from the skin (makeup, sunscreen, in the pores)

My experience

When I first received Purito Jeju Volcanic Scoria Konjac Sponge, the sponge came tough, rock hard in the package. I was kind of worried that the sponge would be too rough and harsh on my delicate skin. Not to worry. It’s nothing like that at all. The instructions states to wet the sponge and apply cleanser to produce bubbles. That’s what I did. The sponge went from being rock hard to a soft, wet, squishy sponge after it soaked up all of the water. Perfect! I cleansed my skin gently with the sponge in circular motions focusing on areas where I had excess flakes and dead skin. It felt weird rubbing a wet sponge on my face, but it worked to remove dead skin. Well, not all of the dead skin…most. It was pretty amazing how all of the crusty skin that was sitting on top of my face just coming off. My first impression of the konjac sponge was really good! It felt gentle and did what it’s supposed to do. It removed dead skin and left my skin feeling clean.

After 1 week of using the sponge, I did a chemical peel. My skin felt more sensitive than ever. The sponge was great at removing flakes from the peel without feeling scratchy and rough. Yay? Yes and no. I love the fact that it helped to remove dead skin without harming my skin, but one thing I didn’t like about the konjac sponge is that it was difficult to keep it clean. I have acne-prone skin, so I have to make sure all of my tools are completely clean after each use (and before), or I’ll end up with breakouts. Cleaning the sponge after each use was such a hassle. It’s porous, so it makes a great home for bacteria to grow. I couldn’t keep up with it. It was just too much work compared to using an electronic face brush or a silicone exfoliator. I could easily clean those quickly without having to worry about bacterial growth. So, I don’t think the konjac sponge is a bad product. It’s just difficult to maintain long term for me. I can’t see myself using a konjac sponge in the long run. There may be a possibility I might pick another one up in the near future, but for now, it’s not going to work.

Sorry, I don’t have any more photos of the konjac sponge. I threw it out. It looked shriveled and dead. ☠

Pros & Cons

✅ Pros

• Easy to use
• Portable (convenient for travel)
• Gentle cleansing and exfoliation
• Leaves skin feeling soft and clean

❌ Cons

• Spoils fast
• Easily torn/falls apart
• Porous, susceptible to bacterial growth
• High maintenance cleansing tool

Conclusion

This is my first time trying the Purito Jeju Volcanic Scoria Konjac Sponge or any kind of konjac sponge. I loved the gentle exfoliation. Loved how it removed flakes and dead skin from my face without being harsh. It left my skin feeling soft and smooth without being aggressive on the skin. It left my skin feeling clean. There’s so many positives about it. Unfortunately, sponges aren’t my thing due to it being porous and has the potential to harbor bacteria. That is not good for my skin type, which is prone to developing acne easily. I cleaned it after each use and beforehand just in case. For me, it’s just too much maintenance. It made me worry too much about contamination and causing acne, so I threw it out after it started to fall apart. Would I recommend a konjac sponge for exfoliation? It could work for you if you’re able to keep up with maintaining it. Everyone has their own preferences. Also, keep in mind that sponges don’t last too long. Depending on how often the sponge is used, it needs to be replaced after 1-3 months. It really depends on the wear and tear of the sponge.

Skinfood Face Mask Wash Off: Rice Mask vs Strawberry Mask vs Black Sugar Mask

Here’s my review on Skinfood face masks! I have the Rice Mask, Strawberry Mask, and the Black Sugar Mask. I purchased these face masks because I wanted a physical exfoliant in my routine. I have those pesky, annoying dead skin clinging to my face sometimes that I need to get rid off. So I haven’t found a facial scrub that I like yet. These seem to fall in line with what I’ve been searching for. Each individual mask has its own benefits and purposes. Check them out right here:

The benefits look amazing. Skinfood face masks have a ton of good reviews on them. Also, they’re not too expensive either. They’re all under $10 each (depending where it is purchased). I’ve used Skinfood products in the past before too. From what I remember, they’re not too bad. I used to be an avid user of their bb creams. This brand brings back some good ol memories. But I think the bb cream I used often has been discontinued. So here are my thoughts on Skinfood face masks! I hope this is helpful and enjoy! Don’t forget to leave a comment. 😊

Skinfood Rice Mask

⭐ Key Ingredients: Rice Bran Water, Vitamin E

The rice mask contains white particles that are a little gritty. The base of the product is lightweight and creamy, which makes the product feel less harsh on the skin. I love the creaminess of this product. It feels soft and fluffy in texture. When applied to the skin, it feels like I’m applying tapioca pudding onto my face. The product feels cooling and soothing. It calms the skin down. Even though it has some grit, it doesn’t exfoliate the skin well. I tried adding a little bit more pressure (not too much) to remove dead skin cells hanging from my face. It still didn’t work. It’s not a good exfoliating product. The rice mask is too gentle for that purpose.

After massaging the product into the skin, I left it on for 15 minutes. Instructions advises to leave it on for 10-15 minutes. After rinsing the product off, it left my skin feeling moisturized but that’s about it. My skin felt softer due to the moisturizing properties. I didn’t notice brighter-looking skin after using it. There was no change in my complexion or acne marks. For my oily skin, I’ll have to pass on this product. It’s too rich for my liking. This rice mask would work better on someone with dry or normal skin. This product does contain fragrance, which didn’t bother me too much. If you’re sensitive to fragrance, this may not work for you. It has a sweet and soapy smell. I can’t pinpoint exactly what it smells like, but it’s not my fragrance of choice.

Skinfood Black Sugar Strawberry Mask

⭐ Key Ingredients: Organic Black Sugar, Strawberry Seeds, Strawberry Seed Oil

The first thing I noticed when I opened the strawberry mask was the smell. It smells really good. Smells like strawberries! The face mask looks like strawberry jam. 🍓 The mask is made up of small particles that are gritty (black sugar) and strawberry seeds to remove dead skin cells. This face mask, in fact, does a very good job at exfoliating the skin. It helps to remove dead skin and flakes from the skin. My skin is left feeling softer, smoother, and cleaner afterwards.

With this product, I leave it on for 5-10 minutes. Instructions advises leaving the product on for 10-15 minutes. Since the face mask has a waxy consistency to it, I didn’t enjoy leaving it on my skin for too long. It just feels too waxy and feels like it’s going to clog my pores. Also, it makes the skin look super shiny and oily before rinsing it off, lol. I have oily skin, so I didn’t want to aggravate my skin. 5 minutes is more than enough. Sometimes 10 if I’m feeling a little bit risky, haha!

Fortunately, leaving it on my skin hasn’t caused clogged pores or irritated my skin yet, but I make sure to remove every trace of the product off of my skin to prevent breakouts. As for results, this face mask didn’t moisturize my skin. It didn’t leave my skin looking brighter either, but it makes a very good facial scrub. I think it’s too abrasive though to be a part of my skin care routine. I prefer something less harsh and more gentle on the skin.

Skinfood Black Sugar Mask

⭐ Key Ingredients: Black Sugar, Macadamia Seed Oil, Shea Butter

Last but not least, we have the Black Sugar Mask! It’s the most popular out of the bunch! I’ve always wanted to try this face mask. I thought I would give it a go since there’s so many good reviews on it. I wanted to see what the fuss is about! It’s about time! Here are my thoughts on it. 🙂 My first thought when opening the product is that it’s not the most aesthetically pleasing face mask compared to the rice mask and strawberry mask. This one kind of looks like 💩. Maybe chocolate? lol.

The face mask isn’t runny. It’s a soft, thick paste, which made it less messy to use. When I applied this product to my skin, I dampened my skin thoroughly, so it can glide on my facial skin much better and more freely. The mask has large crystals (black sugar) compared to the other face masks from Skinfood (rice and strawberry). They are a tad too big and rough on the skin. I can feel the granules rolling on my face even when I add water to it. Water does help to soften them up a bit, but it still feels abrasive. I made sure not to apply too much pressure and not to scrub my face too harshly.

After massaging the product into my skin, I left it on for 15 minutes (as the instructions advises to do). Once I rinsed the product off, my skin felt soft and smooth. My complexion looked brighter and glowy. It looked more even. The results were very nice. I really liked it. But still, I think this face mask is too abrasive for the delicate facial skin.

Conclusion

I really wanted to like Skinfood face mask products. They’re very affordable, and they come in cute packaging. For me, they didn’t live up to the positive reviews. They also didn’t deliver results. The rice mask was supposed to brighten the skin, but there was no brightening effect in my skin. The strawberry mask felt too waxy, greasy on the skin and was too harsh on my skin as a face scrub. The black sugar mask was even more harsh and abrasive on the facial skin even though it was the only one that brightened my skin while leaving my skin feeling softer and smoother. But harsh facial scrubs will only do more damage than good in the long run.

I still have these products, but I don’t use them on my face anymore. I use them as a body scrub instead of a face scrub. Seems to work better for that. Overall, I wouldn’t purchase any of them again. I gave the rice mask plenty of tries and still ended up with the same results. Yes, I had hope, lol. Would I recommend Skinfood face masks? No, I wouldn’t recommend the rice mask, strawberry mask, or the black sugar mask. Skinfood does have other varieties, but I’m not interested after this experience. Maybe some time in the near future I’ll give them a go.