🇳🇱Netherlands

St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub for dry skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub
  • Apricot Extracts
  • Juglans Regia Shell Powder
  • Cocamidopropyl Betaine
  • Glycerin
  • Exfoliants

Average

  • AverageDry Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for dry skin; other exfoliants fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.

Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works

Lovi Assistant explains

  • Offers moderate exfoliation due to the presence of Juglans Regia Shell Powder, which can provide physical exfoliation for your dry skin. Glycerin offers general hydration, but the formula lacks sufficient emollient and occlusive ingredients to fully address your dryness and flakiness.
  • The product is safe for your dry skin as it does not contain prohibited or harsh ingredients that would cause irritation.
  • The formula is safe for your dry skin, as it is free from harsh or prohibited ingredients that could cause irritation.

How to apply

  • Use this exfoliant as part of your PM routine once a week, increasing slowly to twice a week if your dry skin tolerates it well. Always remember to apply SPF every morning to protect your newly smoothed skin.
  • Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toning, but always before your rich moisturizer.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and let it absorb for a minute. Avoid rubbing to prevent any irritation on flaky areas.
  • Apply the product directly to dry clean skin to ensure the best possible tolerance for your dry type. This helps address flaky patches without causing extra stress.
  • Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a quick patch test before your very first use. Do not mix this with other strong acids or retinoids on the same night.

People Say

★4.6Overall rating based on 20.0k+ reviews

This product is widely adored for its affordability and ability to deliver extremely smooth, glowing skin through deep physical exfoliation, making it a staple for those with oily or non-sensitive skin. A significant minority of users and dermatologists warn against its coarse walnut shell powder, citing it as too abrasive and a cause of irritation or micro-tears, particularly for those with sensitive or acne-prone conditions. The summary is based on a very large amount of data and this should definitely be taken into account.

Highlights

  • Effective exfoliation Mostly Mentioned
    • “leaves skin baby soft”
    • “gets rid of all dead skin”
    • “best deep clean ever”
    • “texture feels polished”
  • Unbeatable value Often Mentioned
    • “great bang for your buck”
    • “lasts forever”
    • “so affordable”
    • “cheap but effective”
  • Too harsh Often Mentioned
    • “feels like glass shards”
    • “scratched my face”
    • “way too rough”
    • “damaged my skin barrier”
  • Pleasant scent Sometimes Noted
    • “smells fresh and fruity”
    • “nostalgic apricot scent”
    • “love the smell”
    • “refreshing fragrance”
  • Reduces breakouts Sometimes Noted
    • “clears up my acne”
    • “keeps oil at bay”
    • “helps with blackheads”
    • “pores look smaller”
  • Causes irritation Sometimes Noted
    • “face turned bright red”
    • “left my skin raw”
    • “burning sensation”
    • “caused a rash”
  • Difficult to rinse Rarely Noted
    • “found grains in hairline”
    • “hard to wash off”
    • “residue left behind”
    • “messy to rinse”
  • Drying effect Rarely Noted
    • “skin felt tight and dry”
    • “stripped all moisture”
    • “made my face flaky”
    • “over-drying”

Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, target.com, iherb.com, influenster.com, productreview.com.au, and more

Questions and answers

How well does St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub work for dry skin?

St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub offers moderate physical exfoliation for dry skin, and its glycerin helps provide general hydration. However, it lacks sufficient ingredients that lock in moisture to fully address your dryness and flakiness, though it is unlikely to cause irritation. A product of this type needs rich hydrating and barrier-repairing ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to maintain moisture and protect dry skin.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for dry skin?

Glycerin helps provide general hydration and walnut shell powder offers physical exfoliation for your dry skin. However, this skin type needs products with rich hydrating and barrier-repairing ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to fully lock in moisture.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What does Apricot Extract do for dry skin?

Apricot Extract helps hydrate dry skin and leaves it feeling soft and smooth. Plant extracts of this type generally need added rich oils and butters to deeply comfort flaky skin and repair the skin barrier.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2017

What does Walnut Shell Powder do for dry skin?

Walnut shell powder is a harsh physical scrub that is generally too rough for dry skin because it creates tiny tears and worsens flakiness. Dry skin needs gentle, hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and mild milk cleansers to stay soft and smooth without irritation.

Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for dry skin?

This exfoliant goes into a weekly routine for dry skin, as exfoliating steps start once a week. Because this product lacks sufficient smoothing oils and rich softening ingredients to fully address dryness and flakiness, a dry skin routine needs extra nourishing masks, moisturizing creams, and rich barrier-protecting ingredients.

Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this exfoliant and retinol, but not in the same routine, because combining them may easily cause dryness and irritation on dry skin. Use the exfoliant on a separate day or time, and apply your retinol in your evening routine when treating your skin.

How often should I use this exfoliant?

You can start using this exfoliant once a week to see how your skin reacts, and then carefully use it more often if you tolerate it well. Dry skin needs a product of this type that also includes rich moisturizing oils and butters to deeply soften flaky areas.

Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?

This exfoliant is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores on dry skin, as its ingredients do not commonly block pores. However, because it lacks rich moisturizing ingredients, dry skin needs formulas packed with heavy softeners and protective barriers to fully comfort and smooth flakiness.

Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum, limonene, and linalool). Cetyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.

What the research says

  • A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.

    Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

  • Topical application of 1-1.5% glycolic acid suppresses UVB-induced inflammation by modulating NF-κB signaling pathways in human keratinocytes and mouse dorsal skin.

    Journal of Dermatological Science, 2017

  • Bitter apricot essential oil inhibited human HaCaT keratinocyte growth with an IC50 of 142.45 ug/ml by inducing G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis through death receptor, mitochondrial, and NF-kB pathways.

    International Immunopharmacology, 2016

  • Kombucha-mediated fermentation of apple, apricot, and cherry leaf agro-waste extracts increased phenolic content and enhanced antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-ageing properties while reducing oxidative stress in skin cells without cytotoxicity compared to unfermented extracts.

    International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2026

  • The cytotoxic effect of sodium lauryl sulphate on normal human keratinocytes was significantly decreased when combined with cocamidopropyl betaine, Tween 20, and Tween 80 at concentrations well below the critical micelle concentration.

    Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, 2003

  • The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020

  • Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001

  • Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012

Why other exfoliants fit dry skin better

Ingredients

Water, Juglans Regia Shell Powder, Glycerin, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Zea Mays Meal Kernel, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Disodium Edta, Yellow 5 Ci 19140, Ci 16035, Titanium Dioxide Ci 77891, Limonene, Linalool

Behind this fit score

Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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How does it fit your skin?

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