Alba Botanica • Sugar Cane Body Polish • Scrubs

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*TOP REVIEWER* bebe7 on 1/7/2013 11:24:00 PM more reviews by bebe7

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

This is a very nice body scrub. I usually just use a loofah in the shower, but I wanted something a bit more. I use this once a week as a treat to myself. Like others have described, it is a nice, thick consistency that spreads easily. It is filled with little scrubbies, but it doesn't feel abrasive against the skin. It smells very sugary and sweet, which I love. It leaves a nice, slightly oily, touch on the skin. I still put on lotion afterwards, but you really don't need to because of the oil base. I got a big jar for about $10. Overall, I give the scrub a 5 because it smells great, scrubs very well, and leaves you skin feeling incredibly soft and moisturized. I feel like I just got back from a massage. I give the packaging a 3 because I would like it better if it came in a squeeze bottle, so you don't have to dip your hands in and scoop up the product from the jar. However, it's not a big deal, and doesn't affect the product's performance. I haven't tried any other scrubs from this brand, but I like this so much I don't think I need to.

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ponyexpress on 7/1/2010 9:05:00 PM more reviews by ponyexpress

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is my favorite scrub ever. It has such a unique consistency as far as scrubs go. It's neither abrasive nor ineffective. It's a gel body polish which means you don't have to stir together a bunch of salt/oil before use. This also makes it neater than the stir types which can be quite the mess.
The smell is unique and very sweet. To me it smells like buttery honey graham crackers. If you don't like bakery smells this is probably not your thing.
I prefer Alba's sugar scrub over the sea salt 100% which I've also tried and reviewed. More people seem to prefer the sugar scrub so if you're new to this product line I would start here.

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JennlovesRob on 3/24/2010 7:00:00 PM more reviews by JennlovesRob

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Mmm, this smells so yummy! This is a great body polish, I usually slather it on towards the end of my bath and leave it on for about 5-10 minutes, out of the water, for the enzymes to work. Then I gently scrub and I'm left with beautiful, soft, smooth skin! This is a very nice product and is very natural, not a bunch of nasty chemicals. I put down I wouldn't buy again, because I've moved on to dry exfoliation now and plus I live in the U.K. and it's not available over here, but I highly recommend anybody looking for a great scrub to try this. It's worth the slightly higher price then other DS brands. Plus the smell, so delicious!

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tootie4ever on 6/3/2009 12:52:00 PM more reviews by tootie4ever

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

Since I use most of the Alba Botanica Hawaiian line, I decided to give this a shot. I was definitely not disappointed. Love the smell and how soft the granuales leave my skin feeling. Also, a little goes a long way. My skin felt very supple after I was done showering. I think I will use this every other day as I love my cocunut milk lotion, which I didn't need to use after using this scrub.

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*TOP REVIEWER* stellarfungi on 6/2/2009 2:00:00 PM more reviews by stellarfungi

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

The product: $7 for 10 ounces. Comes in a great big tub, but it is very necessary because this is a thick, tacky product that could never be applied from a pump. The consistency is almost like someone dumped sugar into a vat of vaseline, and a little goes a long way, because the granules are not sparsely dispersed - every dab of this product is gritty. It has a fragrance like sugary honey which did not irritate me, but would not be palatable for someone who dislikes sweet, foody scents.



My experience: This is definitely not a product to use if you want your body scrub to rinse cleanly. Since the Sugar Cane Body Polish is made almost entirely of oils and sugar, this does leave behind residue. For me, that residue plus the scrubbing action made my skin feel SO soft. Every time I use this I marvel how smooth and soft this leaves my body. The silica granules (these are the actual exfoliating grains in this product, not sugar crystals) are not rough at all, unlike the crushed shells other companies use in their scrubs (I'm looking at YOU, St. Ives) and the sunflower oil does a nice job of cleaning and cleansing the skin, too.



Ingredients: Certified organic helianthus annuus (sunflower) oil, certified organic saccharum officinarum (sugar cane) juice, silica, aleurites moluccana (kukui nut) and macadamia ternifolia oils, honey, tocopherol (vitamin E), and botanical fragrance.

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friskilyn on 5/17/2009 9:39:00 PM more reviews by friskilyn

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I just bought this scrub and, while it isn't THE perfect scrub, it comes pretty close. First of all, the price is really good for the size of the product. This scrub is on the gentler side and the sugar granuals disappear pretty quickly if you put this on while under the running water. It does manage to scrub the skin well, though. The scrub is in an oily base which lingers after the sugar granuals are gone. The oily base will stay on after the shower but it is not an oily or greasy feeling. I have sensitive skin and do not like putting cream lotion on my body because it leaves a sticky and heavy feeling on my skin. Oddly, this oil does not bother me at all and it actually invigorates my skin. I felt really relaxed after I used this product...probably becasue my skin is moistured from the oil.

One gripe about the packaging, which is not specific to this product, but when scrubs (or any product) come in a tub, water easily gets in the tub and I am just worried about the sugar melting from the water. I had to tip over the tub a few times to get the water out.

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*TOP REVIEWER* abrad1967 on 5/15/2009 6:16:00 PM more reviews by abrad1967

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Tan, Warm   Hair: Black, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Black    

Great scrub. Exfoliates well and leaves skin so soft and smooth. The granules are bigger than I would prefer so should be careful not to scrub/rub too hard. This should be kept in a dry place because it can develop mold around and in the jar. Reasonably priced. Definite repurchase.

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retinoids on 1/12/2009 7:16:00 PM more reviews by retinoids

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

Decided to try this for my very dry winter skin recently. Worked great as an exfoliator and moisturized wonderfully. It also smells "like dessert" according to my husband. He walked into the room to smell my arm about every 5 minutes the first time I tried it. I am sold and will continue to buy. Saves me a step, too, as I don't need lotion after this, even in dry climates. It was a bit "expensive" for my cheap tastes hehe, but at 11-13$, I think it will last me about a month.

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hulagrrl83 on 1/6/2009 3:17:00 PM more reviews by hulagrrl83

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I absolutely love this scrub. it smells good, exfoliated well, and is not too harsh on sensitive skin. Sometimes I prefer sugar over salt scrubs because it is a little more gentle. Before this i used BBW's true blue spa need a margarita scrub which was no where near as good as this one and a lot more expensive. Overall a great product at a very reasonable price and I like the fact that the Alba line is natural and mostly organic too!

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jules_23 on 12/31/2008 6:20:00 AM more reviews by jules_23

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

This a really nice body scrub. It's very scrubby, very moisturising, and it smells very yummy!

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*TOP REVIEWER* valentina555 on 10/19/2008 9:52:00 PM more reviews by valentina555

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

nothing special. yes it smells great, but it isnt as SCRUBBY as i'd like, and though mine didnt rot like another reviewer's, the sides of the lid, inside, got disgusting and mouldy and scummy in the shower. it also leaves an oily film on skin (negates the need for moisturizer which is a plus). it seems to be discountinued.

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*TOP REVIEWER* ForgetfulDebbie on 8/21/2008 9:22:00 PM more reviews by ForgetfulDebbie

Age: 44-55   Skin: Oily, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is just about the only retail scrub I've come across that is reasonably priced and a joy to use. I love the fact that it exfoliates two ways - physically and with enzymes (from extracts). AND, the fragrance is just scrumptious. It seems to be getting more and more difficult to find, though. PLEEZ Alba, do NOT discontinue this gem of a scrub...

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cynthea on 3/26/2008 8:17:00 PM more reviews by cynthea

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Tan   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

i love this scrub! its not too oily- you wont find a layer or oil sitting on top, its gentle to use everyday, its mainly organic- 94%, and it smells great- like sugar cane and honey. i got mine for 12 usd at an organic food store and it comes in a large 10 oz tub.
ingredients- sunflower oil, organic sugar cane juice, silica, kukui nut and macadamia nut oils, honey, vit. e, and botanical fragrance

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RatherBNaked on 1/22/2008 8:22:00 PM more reviews by RatherBNaked

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Red   Eyes: Green    

This scrub is different than most of the scrubs that I get from my favorite etailers, but I really do love it. I think what makes it especially good is that it's not just a scrub that exfoliates physically - like with sugar or salt, although it is scrubby - but it also uses sugar cane extract, which I think is an aha. I really like the way it smells too.

I'm a little worried though. I always picked it up at Safeway and/or Whole Foods and I'm having a heck of a time finding it now. I REALLY hope they aren't discontinuing it!

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sugarrbebe1 on 12/8/2007 6:59:00 PM more reviews by sugarrbebe1

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Olive   Hair: Black   Eyes: Hazel    

I really love this stuff. The smell is fantastic and I really do like what it does for my skin. I see that some of the reviewers complained that it wasn't "scrubby" enough. Keep in mind that this isn't principally a physical exfoliator. It is the sugar cane extract that does alot of the work and the effect tends to be cumulative. During the summer, I found myself reaching for this every day and really loving it. It's also very moderately priced, which is a big plus.

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elise626 on 9/28/2007 3:12:00 AM more reviews by elise626

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I guess I shouldn't expect tons of exfoliation since it's a body polish, not a scrub, but I don't think it did anything to polish my skin. I wanted to use it to buff up my legs but I don't think it did anything. As for the smell, it's nice and the oily residue didn't bother me either. I just wish the sugar didn't dissolve so quickly and scrubbed more.

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rchickie on 8/18/2007 9:01:00 PM more reviews by rchickie

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

It smells nice and scrubs okay but it leaves this gross, greasy film behind. It feels like sugary Vaseline. I'm sure I'll have better luck making my own sugar scrub. This is just not worth it.

Ingredients: Certified organic helianthus annus (sunflower oil), certified organic saccharum officianarum (sugar cane) juice, silica, aleurites moluccana (kukui nut) and macadamia ternifolia oils, honey, tocopherol (vitamin E) and botanical fragrance.

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secondhandnation on 7/18/2007 10:04:00 AM more reviews by secondhandnation

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

All the Alba products were onsale at the local hippie co-op so I decided to give this a shot. I really like the smell and how it lathers up kinda milky when you scrub it on. I really like scrubs with minimal or no oils, but haven't found any yet. This one is a good product until I come across my HG. There is some oil, but it's okay and really nice for elbows and feet and feels dreamy before and after shaving.

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smae420 on 5/27/2007 12:28:00 PM more reviews by smae420

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

DO NOT KEEP THIS IN YOUR TUB AREA. THIS WENT ROTTEN ON ME. I had only had this for like a month or so and I was in the tub prepped to use it. When I did it smelled like rotten milk. It has no preservatives in in and I think the hot steamy bath tub made it go rotten. I am not sure I really care, as I didn't like it much anyways. There are way better scrubs on the market. This was kinda like rubbing mucous with sugar in it all over your body.

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diotima on 4/28/2007 4:26:00 PM more reviews by diotima

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Ok - I admit it - I'm a SCRUB FREAK ! Yup - a total and complete scrub junkie! But, it isn't all that easy to find good ones. I don't like scrubs with artificial smelling or cloyingly sweet fragrances. I also hate to have to stir a scrub or body polish before using it, but the problem is that most scrubs that DON'T require stirring are glycerin as opposed to butter based. And then Alba Botanica came out with Sugar Cane Body Polish and made me one happy camper! I ADORE this stuff. The exfoliation comes from a combination of silica particles and sugar cane extract (which is very high in AHAs). It feels lovely, smells even better than it feels, and doesn't make a total mess in the shower! The effects last and it is gentle enough to use every day. It gets an unequivocal RAVE !!!!

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