Alba Botanica : Hawaiian Facial Scrub, Pore Purifying Pineapple Enzyme

I will begin my review by saying that from the dermatologists I have spoken with and gotten advice from, added-fragrance and physical scrubs are not beneficial ingredients for acne prone skin, or any skin for that matter. Yes, some skin types can tolerate both fragrance and physical particle exfoliants, but in the end they are not a great idea and probably do more harm than good. The ingredients in this scrub are somewhat more "natural" than most other drugstore brands, and the particles are finer and less abrasive than others on the market. That doesn't make it a great option. Just because you aren't in pain rubbing this on your face doesn't mean it's gentle on your skin's natural barrier. I used to use this religiously but have since switched to *occasional* chemical exfoliants (fruit enzymes are a great option if you are trying to be more natural) only and using a Foreo luna with my face wash. That combination has worked much better for me and been much less disruptive of my skin's natural barrier, thus triggering fewer breakouts.

This is pretty heavily perfumed, which is not good for sensitive skin, and although papain enzyme is something I like to integrate into my skin care every so often when taking a break from AHA/BHA, I need proper exfoliation in the shower and this barely a step over a cream cleanser. I was still pretty oily after each use.

I absolutely love this product. I bought it about a month ago and in that time all of my acne has cleared up! I don't use it alone though, I would suggest exfoliating with this and then using a benzoyle peroxide cream wash in the morning and at night. I would suggest this scrub to anyone!