st ives

St. Ives give good scrubs. FACT. And its latest addition to its line of facial exfoliators is no exception. What strikes your first, as soon as you open the Green Tea Scrub ($9.99) is that it smells divine. So fresh and invigorating. And it's rich and creamy so the product doesn't slip off your hand before you've had the chance to use it!

It's a chemical and mechanical exfoliant so it combines the deep, pore-cleansing powers of salicylic acid with natural exfoliating beads for those who like to "feel" the product working. Due to the levels of salicylic acid it features (one percent), you can use the product daily, which comes in handy for people — like me — who always forget the last time they exfoliated. Was it yesterday? Was it two days ago? Was it four?? And as well as clearing skin, the scrub actually helps to reduce redness that's part and parcel of breakouts by harnessing the power of its hero ingredient, green tea.

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What it is: St. Ives Fresh Skin Invigorating Apricot Scrub

What it claims: The exfoliating power to reveal smoother, more radiant skin and, not to blow its own trumpet or anything, but it says it "smells amazing."

'Tis been around for a while, Bella, why you just talking about it now? Because it's got a new formulation that now contains 100 percent natural exfoliants and 100 per cent natural apricot extract.

Length of trial period: Old formula: forever; new formula: one week.

Skin state: Not too bad, but the long hours spent hanging around models at RAFW seemed to knock my skin's self-esteem. It went a bit dull, lacklustre and would throw a tanty if it could talk. In definite need of a boost.

The scrub: This falls into the mechanical category; it has a grainy texture (that'll be the walnut shells) that helps work away dead skin and impurities. Great for those who like to feel a product working.

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Olive oil and olive leaf extract are known to be ultra nourishing as they are both rich in glycerides, which soften the skin. They better equip the skin’s ability to absorb moisture so skin takes on a more radiant, less lacklustre appearance.

Olive oil is more widely known for its food uses, but is frequently used in both skin- and haircare, to treat dandruff in the latter. As well as being a great moisturiser, olive oil is also known for its antioxidant qualities.

Olive leaf extract is again a powerful antioxidant, blowing vitamin C and green tea out of the water in terms of its power. Both ingredients work wonders on dry skin to really boost moisture levels and rid you of that dry, flaky appearance.

Try St. Ives Fresh Skin Moisturising Olive Scrub ($9.99), L'OCCITANE Olive Express Eye Treatment ($44.95), St Ives. Fresh Skin Olive Cleanser ($9.99) and Kiehl’s Olive Fruit Oil Deeply Reparative Hair Masque ($58).

Stockists: St. Ives (02 8264 5400)

So we've covered the ins and outs of facial exfoliants, now it's time to move onto the body. As with your face, it's important to exfoliate your body regularly (twice a week) to remove the top layer of dead skin cells. This means a new epidermis (top layer of skin cells) can surface and your skin will appear healthy and radiant, instead of dull and lacklustre.

Exfoliating the body also stimulates circulation and helps any moisturising ingredients penetrate deeper into the skin. This is particularly important for more mature skin which isn't as good at retaining moisture as younger skin.

A thorough weekly exfoliation will help stimulate the body's lymphatic system and in turn encourage the release of toxins. Start by dry brushing with a loofah on dry skin, then add a mechanical exfoliant to a body brush or exfoliating gloves and work the product into wet skin using circular motions. (If you have particularly sensitive skin, opt for a chemical exfoliant instead.) Rough areas such as knees, elbows and the heels of your feet may benefit from a pumice stone. Always follow with a moisturiser. And remember, don't over-exfoliate. Do you exfoliate your body weekly?