Alba Botanica • Hawaiian Sea Salt Body Scrub • Scrubs

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krjcmc on 3/2/2013 5:03:00 PM more reviews by krjcmc

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

I didn't like this. It's one of those oily non-emulsified scrubs that has to be stirred every time you use it. It is pretty scrubby, which I didn't mind, but for as oily as it is, it didn't seem to moisturize my dry hands at all. It has a tropical/pineapple type of smell that fades fairly quickly after you use it. I was hoping I'd like it more than I did. Won't repurchase.

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Neelaaaa on 1/31/2013 1:49:00 PM more reviews by Neelaaaa

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Olive, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

If you have DRY skin on your BODY then you know body oils are holy grail products in general. This product mixes a tropical citrus body oil with sea salt! Lets start of with the packaging because that's what you notice first at the store when you purchase and once you get home to use it for the first time!!
-Packaging: Not the most practical for it to be in this jar since I does have oil floating at the very top.The good thing is that the oil reaches the tippy top so you can't really say they jipped you out of product. The first time opening it, it has a seal. BEFORE you peel off this safety seal, make sure you shake the jar vigorously and even turn it upside down to mix everything like a salad.carefully peel off the top and use the scrub. The oil will most likely spill over so what I did to solve this teeny problem was buy a travel size spray bottle for a dollar and poured the "excess" oil that was floating over the salt. That way I'm not wasting product and just in case if I need more oil in the scrub later, I can add however I want! When it comes to being hygienic, make sure you really wash your hands well with an antibacterial soap before just to feel good that you aren't contaminating it. (You should make a habit of doing so since this product has natural stuff which tends to spoil easier if not cared for properly)
-Use it on the less sensitive areas like the legs and arms first. Not sure if this goes with all women but my chest area skin is almost thinner in someway and if I scratch it or something, you will instantly see a red mark. So it's super sensitive over there so I wouldn't use it on that area. The salt however disperses out, not dissolves, but spreads out unless you use a ton of product at once. (I don't recommend doing this because you have to keep in mind how much oil you're putting too.Even if you have dry skin like me, too much oil can feel rather greasy than moisturizing. I also have eczema on my inner arms and upper inner thighs (it's like a curse you wouldn't wish even on an enemy) so I steered clear from these places even though it's a hypoallergenic scrub
-I did the scrub at the beginning of my shower and it didn't wash off anything but the salt. I usually apply oil after a shower or bath because lotions don't last all day for me. I didn't find it necessary to put oil on after using this. So this basically exfoliated and moisturized my skin at the same time! I LOVE this scrub.
TIPS- Stay nude after showering! Just to make sure that everything absorbs beautifully and that you won't transfer onto your towel or bathrobe..etc.
Note: I recently went on an Alba Botanica haul and bought a few of their popular items I thought I could benefit the most from. Check out my other reviews!! (I write an essay for each review :P ha ha!) I purchased all of them from iHerb.com which is a wholesale website for tons and tons of natural products like Burt's Bees and Yes to Carrots. check out their prices as well because they were actually cheaper than my local Walmart! If you do decide to purchase, use my referral promo code, FOJ790 , and you'll get $5 off of your first order of any amount total (or $10 off if you buy $40 or more)

UPDATE!! 2/24/13
This stuff is amazing! I've used it about once a week since buying it and it has cleared up majority of my exzema scars and stuff. Oh my goodness definitely HG for me!!! If you have exzema definitly give this one a shot. The salt kinda stings but that rinses away and you're left with smooth even skin!!! yayyy

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babyschla on 11/24/2012 9:10:00 AM more reviews by babyschla

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Red, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Blue    

Are you looking for a scrubby scrub that leaves your skin a bit oily (so you don't hav to moisturise after)? Then this is for you! I love this scrub. I looked for a natural scrub for a long time that would work and leave me with some oils, and this is it! HG! Sloughs off dead skin and leaves you kissably soft with a nice citrusy tropical scent.

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annahogan on 9/13/2012 7:10:00 PM more reviews by annahogan

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Coarse   Eyes: Green    

I'm almost emotional writing this review. This product has reduced my Keratosis pilaris (chicken skin) by more than 1/2. My whole life I have dealt with embarrassing skin bumps on my arms, back and rear end. This scrub hydrates, exfoliates and moisurizes! Very very very pleased. The Derma Doctor KP treatment is NOTHING compared to this!

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beautyIndia on 7/11/2012 7:09:00 AM more reviews by beautyIndia

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

yes i am very inetrested to buy this produt for beauty....my skin is to be suffer form black spots........

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*TOP REVIEWER* MsGolightly on 7/11/2012 5:16:00 AM more reviews by MsGolightly

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I love most of Alba Botanica's products, but not this one. Like others have said, it's really oily and difficult to use. I don't mind the large salt grains, but this is just a mess. I've used other similar jar body scrubs in the past with oil, and this was more of a pain than even similar jar body scrubs. I'm forcing myself to use this up but will not repurchase. The price is right.

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*TOP REVIEWER* DecoDolly on 5/26/2012 3:26:00 AM more reviews by DecoDolly

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Ugh. I want to like this because I'm always happy to find natural products, but this scrub is just... not awesome. It's super oily and the sea salt is really coarse. Sometimes painfully so. As someone else mentioned, it falls off your skin, It's really hard to use because it just... falls off legs and out of hands. Also the salt clumps together and seperates from the oil in the container, so you have to mix it around with your finger. Hard to get out of the container once you've used about half of it because then you're left with dried out clumps of salt. I don't find that it exfoliates particularly well, nor does it moisturize, and I can't use it before shaving because it irritates my legs too much and leaves a film (the kind that clogs razors, not the kind you can shave with). I've almost used up my entire container and I'm still not sure that it does anything good at all. I will be trying something else next time I purchase a body scrub.

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*TOP REVIEWER* One1Cherry on 4/22/2012 7:10:00 AM more reviews by One1Cherry

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Do not buy this. The salt is too coarse, keeps falling off my skin as I massage. The oil keeps leaving rings underneath the container, spilling. My skin feels too oily after as the blend of oil used is far too... heavy and sits on top of skin, does not absorb unlike weleda's wild rose oil which is rich yet absorbs in.

Half an hour later, and i tried rubbing the oil into my skin, my skin still feels like an oil sleek. I can't believe i used a paper towel to wipe the oil off... This is a disaster! If i can't find a use for it i'm going to throw it away.

The scent is however nice and "hawaiian".

+update: have thrown out after three uses.

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akhteian on 10/20/2011 12:17:00 PM more reviews by akhteian

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This is the first scrub that I made a point to use religiously (3x week)...I used at night in the shower before my tanning lotion.

The scent is mediocre, the consistency of the salt scrubbers is good...not too harsh, but the oil in the container is off-putting.

I got this for free so I used it up, but I would not re-purchase. I'm gonna go for one of the Body Shop scrubs now and see how I like that.

If you just want a scrub for once in awhile use or maybe to use just on your feet or elbow/knees, then this might be ok...although I think Trader Joe's sells a similar salt scrub for cheaper.

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lotionaddict on 6/28/2011 9:46:00 PM more reviews by lotionaddict

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Black    

I hate to give an Alba product a bad review but this scrub shredded my skin. I tried using gentle circles like other reviewers suggested but the salt crystals are too large and jagged IMHO. When I opened the container and removed the safety seal it was so full that I had a hard time mixing up the scrub without spilling oil everywhere. The citrus smell is nice enough but it's too oily and abrasive. My skin felt raw after I got out of the shower :( . Will not purchase again.

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clarkesac1985 on 4/7/2011 2:33:00 PM more reviews by clarkesac1985

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I found this product on the shelf at Wal-Mart in the US ( I am a Canadian) and figured that I had have great success with most Alba products and thought I would give this a go. I was using Burt's Bees Cranbury/Pomegranite scrub and really enjoyed it.

Firstly, the price is a bit steep but you do get a large quantity of product. I found that I had to use more of the Burt Bee's scrub versus less of the Alba scrub to achieve the same overall result.

Secondly, the product is very, very oily. When you open the package, there is a thick layer of oil sitting on top of the salt which makes it very messy to work with and can make the container difficult to open/close whilst showering. I would also recommend washing the shower after to ensure that no one else slips or slides because the product resists water very well.

Thirdly, and to tie into the second comment, the product is effective. It will soften your skin significantly with one use. The salt granules are more abrasive but dissolve quickly in the shower, so it is really less of a "scrubbing" effect as much as it is an oil treatment.

I used this prior to shaving my legs and found that the oils made for a great conditioner instead of my Alba Moisture Shave. That being said, it did clog the razor more because the oils and hair didn't wash away with the water of the shower - it requires more effort - works wonderfully and beautifully.

Overall a very handy product. It is very messy to work with and store because of the packaging but sets out what is claims to do. I hate the plastic container and would love to see a glass container in the future. It's still a toss up between this and my Burt's Bees.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Tahari on 4/6/2011 4:01:00 AM more reviews by Tahari

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I really loved the smell of this. It was a citrus/mango smell that was really wonderful!

This scrub will make your skin really soft, but you have to be careful. On the directions, it says dont apply to any sensitive areas..well they aren't kidding. lol I applied it to my chest and, OUCH! The seasalt granules are pretty large and can scratch your skin if you rub them over sensitive areas...so dont! lol

This worked best on my arms, shoulders, legs and feet. It made my skin really smooth and moisturized. Will repurchase.


EDIT: I gave this a 4 (was a 5) because the granules can cause scratches on sensitive areas of skin. It made my chest look like I was attacked by a cat!! lol

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StarLuXe on 2/16/2011 12:42:00 AM more reviews by StarLuXe

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

I have heard good things about alba so I decided to pick up this to use as an exfoliator (I ran out of my clinique sparkle skin) before I put on my self-tanner. Let me just say, first off the smell is way too powerful. It has a citrus-y chemical smell to it and literally made my whole apartment reek. I also had a tiny cut on my finger and some of this got into the cut...sent me through the roof it stung so bad :( . I washed it off and started to shave, and I realized the oil the scrub left behind was so thick, it had clogged my razor and it wouldn't even work anymore! So, needless to say I have a gigantor tub of some stinky, oily stuff that has only been used twice. Which is too bad, I hate getting rid of products that have barely been used.

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ghosty on 1/9/2011 7:36:00 PM more reviews by ghosty

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

This is great cause it has sea salt which works really well on my skin. I'd recommend this for rubbing on feet while soaking them in the tub. I do feel like it's kind of oily that's the down side. The oil helps soften skin but it's heavy. I think it's kind of a harsh product so it's best for areas of the body that really need a rough scrub.

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*TOP REVIEWER* x0kerbear on 9/27/2010 5:59:00 PM more reviews by x0kerbear

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

This salt scrub is amazing!! I have been searching for a long time to find one that doesn't irritate my skin since a lot are made with mineral oil and other crappy ingredients that make me itch like crazy. I saw this while shopping in Wegmans one day and I read the ingredients and everything sounded great, so I bought it. I didn't really expect much because I 've had the same results from every scrub I buy- they always feel like they did nothing! I like how coarse this is, I find that it really does a great job at exfoliating, my skin literally glows after using this! For those that said it was painful - you only need to gently rub it in circles on your skin for it to be effective! I like how I don't have to scrub and scrub and use tons of product for it to work. My skin is in the best shape it's ever been and I owe it all to this product!!

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julesanddaisy on 8/17/2010 6:37:00 AM more reviews by julesanddaisy

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brown, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Green    

The Alba sea salt body scrub is one of the best products (not just scrubs) that I have ever used. The sea salt scrub is quite course but the oils in it somehow prevent it from being too course. My skin feels properly exfoliated and smooth (the same result as a spa treatment). After the shower the oil coats the skin in a thin layer and so there is no need to apply moisturiser. The smell is simply divine, it's lime and other tropical smells. I also tried the Alba sugar scrub but don't rate it at all and would never use it again.

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ponyexpress on 7/1/2010 8:58:00 PM more reviews by ponyexpress

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

I hate to give a thoroughly negative review but I really, really disliked this one. I decided to try the salt scrub because I LOVE Alba's sugar scrub. If you like the sugar scrub please be aware that these are two totally different products.
The salt scrub is way more gritty and harsh. The salt isn't suspended in the oil; you must stir before use. I was hoping for a gel-like consistency but it really is a typical salt scrub with rough salt at the bottom and thick oil that sloshes around in the top of the container.
The smell is like straight up lemon floor cleaner. I didn't find it to be a light or fresh scent at all.
The scrub is messy to use because you have to keep stirring it up. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if the scent was different and if the oil was more delicate (not so thick and heavy).
Check out my review of Alba's sugar scrub for a comparison of the two scrubs.

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*TOP REVIEWER* missymarissa on 5/27/2010 3:44:00 PM more reviews by missymarissa

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I imagine this is what a swimsuit model might use the night before a photoshoot. Seriously! Your skin is insanely soft and glowing after using this. This is the only body scrub I can find that is abrasive enough for me.. the salt crystals hold together much better than sugar scrub. Wouldn't use if you have very sensitive skin though. Only thing is be careful in shower because it is VERY oily, you may have to clean out your tub more frequently when using this. I have noticed less ingrown hairs on my legs which is a huge problem for me and I love the scent! Fresh citrus. Suprised by ho-hum reviews for this, I loved it!

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jewelryvixen305 on 3/22/2010 10:20:00 PM more reviews by jewelryvixen305

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Olive, Cool   Hair: Black, Kinky, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I brought this some years back and it is still sitting in my shower. I like the product but the salt dissolves before you can get a good scrub in causing me to use more product. The oil leaves my skin soft and nice but I won't be buying it again.

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*TOP REVIEWER* dreamspice on 3/7/2010 2:50:00 PM more reviews by dreamspice

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

I adore salt scrubs. Ever since Origins' iconic salt rub first came out, I've been a fan. My favorite scrubs are the Trader Joe's scrubs but now that I live in Idaho, I don't have access so I've been trying other brands. I had high hopes for this one since I like Alba Botanica's other products and I really like a citrus-y scent. But this is ... not good. The salt granules are a little too harsh and big so they scrape rather than scrub your skin and the combination of citrus oil and salt are very irritating. (I know it's possible to have a non-irritating citrus scrub because Trader Joe's Grapefruit scrub is my absolute fav.) My skin was red, itchy and irritated after using this scrub and that has never happened to me before. Will NOT buy again. I'm actually thinking of returning this.

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