Pure Fiji Sugar Scrub 300Ml

The base here is oil rather than gel, and that changes how it behaves. Raw sugarcane crystals buff away dull surface skin, and the coconut oil and plant oils mean it rinses to leave skin feeling smooth and conditioned rather than stripped.

How to use it

General guidance rather than a rule. Work on damp skin, out of the running water, because sugar dissolves and you lose the crystals before you have used them. Step out of the stream, scoop with dry hands, then massage in slow circles for around half a minute per area. A rough tablespoon per limb is a sensible starting point. Shins, knees, elbows and heels are usually where a scrub like this earns its keep. Rinse warm and pat dry.

Once or twice a week is a common routine. Sugar dissolves as you work, so it generally feels gentler the longer you keep going. Exfoliating before a self tan is standard guidance, so the night before is a good slot. Leave it out after waxing, and on sunburnt or broken skin.

Who it suits, and who it does not

• Worth a look if your arms and legs feel dry or rough, or if gel scrubs leave your skin feeling tight.
• Worth a look if you like an oil finish, since the oils are part of what stays behind.
• Less good if you would rather not have an oil film on your skin, or if your body skin already feels oily.
• Keep it to the body and away from the eye area. Check the label before using it anywhere else.
• If you are using a prescribed topical on your body, check with your doctor or pharmacist first.

New Zealand conditions

If your water is hard where you live, skin can feel tight after a shower, and an oil based scrub leaves oil behind that offsets some of that feeling. Dry indoor air from heat pumps through winter is when flaky shins usually turn up. In a humid Auckland summer you may want to use less, or the finish can feel heavy. New Zealand UV is strong, so an evening scrub is easier to manage than one on the morning of a beach day.

The honest limitation

Oil can make a shower floor slippery, so rinse the base down and take care stepping out. It can also mark towels and pale bath mats. Sugar dissolves in water, so letting water into the container will turn the top layer syrupy. Keep the lid on and scoop with dry hands. If any of that would annoy you, a lighter scrub without an oil base will suit you better.

Verdo Cosmetics is an authorised Pure Fiji stockist in Parnell, Auckland. If you are not sure whether this or something lighter suits your skin, come in and ask.