# St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub for oily acne-prone skin

**Lovi Fit: Low fit for oily acne-prone skin.**
Oily Skin Fit: High · Effectiveness: Average · Safety: Concerning.

Page: https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/oily-acne-prone-skin

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for the Netherlands.

Brand: [St. Ives](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/brands/st-ives)
Category: [Exfoliants](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/best/exfoliators)

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. For scores based on a full skin profile (12D face scan, goals, preferences), use the Lovi app.

A weak match for oily acne-prone skin; the exfoliants alongside fit it better.

## Why this fit

- Offers moderate exfoliation for your oily skin and acne concerns due to Juglans Regia Shell Powder and Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, but these physical exfoliants may be too harsh and potentially worsen existing acne and oiliness.
- Zea Mays Meal Kernel provides additional physical exfoliation, but the formula lacks sufficient sebum-regulating ingredients to fully address your oily skin.

## Fit by skin type

- [Oily skin](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/oily-skin): Low
- [Dry skin](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/dry-skin): Average
- [Combination skin](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/combination-skin): Low
- [Sensitive skin](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/sensitive-skin): Average
- [Acne-prone skin](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/acne-prone-skin): Low
- [Skin with dark spots](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/dark-spots): Low
- [Mature skin](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/mature-skin): Average
- [Dry sensitive skin](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/dry-sensitive-skin): Average
- [Oily acne-prone skin](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/oily-acne-prone-skin): Low (this page)

## Key ingredients

Apricot Extracts, Juglans Regia Shell Powder, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Exfoliants

## What the research says

- 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](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26971222/))
- 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](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42353048/))
- 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](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12677096/))
- 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](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28860834/))
- 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](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31532576/))
- 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](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18498456/))

## Why other exfoliants fit oily acne-prone skin better

- Chemical peels with 30% supramolecular salicylic acid effectively treated acne and reduced facial sebum secretion while improving skin hydration and barrier function in 25 patients. ([Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35073439/))
- A botanical face cleanser with hops and willow bark extract continuously reduced skin sebum levels without reactive seborrhea after treatment in 21 healthy volunteers compared to a sodium laureth sulfate cleanser, with neither cleanser causing skin irritation. ([Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30022595/))
- Daily treatment with a facial serum containing multiple acids reduced post-inflammatory hyperchromia lesion grade and number by 29.4% at 56 days, and decreased skin oiliness by 30.7% at 7 days in Brazilian patients with acne vulgaris. ([Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33617668/))

## What reviewers say

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.

- Liked: Effective exfoliation (mostly mentioned)
- Liked: Unbeatable value (often mentioned)
- Disliked: Too harsh (often mentioned)
- Liked: Pleasant scent (sometimes noted)
- Liked: Reduces breakouts (sometimes noted)
- Disliked: Causes irritation (sometimes noted)
- Disliked: Difficult to rinse (rarely noted)
- Disliked: Drying effect (rarely noted)

## How to apply

- Use this exfoliant as part of your PM routine once a week to start, increasing frequency only if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toning, but before your final moisturizer step.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the product directly onto clean, dry skin for the best results against breakouts.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and always use a daily SPF since exfoliating makes skin more sensitive to the sun.
- Video: https://storage.pora.ai/028e5e793422a3b665c02ff502cf5a68.mp4

## Questions and answers

### Why is St. Ives Apricot Scrub a weak match for oily acne-prone skin?

St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub is a weak match because its physical scrubs may be too harsh and can make breakouts and oiliness worse. An exfoliant for oily acne-prone skin needs safe, gentle ingredients like BHA, Niacinamide, and Ceramides that clear pores and calm breakouts without causing irritation.

### Which ingredients make this exfoliant a poor fit for oily acne-prone skin?

Juglans Regia Shell Powder, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, and Zea Mays Meal Kernel make this exfoliant a poor fit because their physical scrubbing may be too harsh and can worsen breakouts and oiliness. An exfoliant for this skin needs to be safe with no risk of irritation, effectively clear acne using ingredients like BHA and blue tansy, and include soothing helpers like Niacinamide and Ceramides to balance oil without stripping the skin.

### What does Apricot Extract do for oily acne-prone skin?

Apricot Extract helps calm oily, acne-prone skin by reducing irritation and managing oxidative stress. It is unlikely to cause irritation and works to keep your face feeling balanced.
Sources: [International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2026](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42353048/)

### What does Walnut Shell Powder do for oily acne-prone skin?

Walnut shell powder is a physical scrub that helps remove dead skin and excess oil, but it is often too harsh for oily acne-prone skin. Because sharp particles may cause microscopic tears and inflammation, this skin type needs gentle chemical exfoliants like salicylic acid to clear pores safely without irritation.

### Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?

This physical scrub may be too harsh and is unlikely to be a good fit for oily acne-prone skin, as it can potentially worsen oiliness and breakouts. Oily acne-prone skin needs gentle chemical exfoliants like acids and oil-controlling ingredients that clear pores without irritation.

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

It is best to avoid using this physical scrub with retinol, as harsh physical exfoliants may irritate your oily skin and worsen breakouts. Oily acne-prone skin needs gentle chemical exfoliants like salicylic acid or soothing enzyme powders instead.

### How often should I use this exfoliant?

This exfoliant is a weak match for your oily acne-prone skin because its physical scrubs may be too harsh and potentially worsen breakouts and oiliness. Oily acne-prone skin needs gentle chemical exfoliants like acids or enzyme powders used once a week to clear pores safely without irritation.

### Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?

Yes, this scrub may worsen breakouts because its walnut shell powder and fruit extracts can be too harsh and irritating for oily acne-prone skin. To safely care for this skin type, an exfoliant needs gentle chemical ingredients like salicylic acid instead of rough physical scrubs.

### 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.

## Alternatives for oily acne-prone skin

- [Herbivore Botanicals Blue Tansy Resurfacing Clarity Mask](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/herbivore-botanicals/blue-tansy-bha-and-enzyme-pore-refining-mask/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — €139.77 at Amazon
- [CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/cerave/foaming-facial-cleanser/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — €21.00 at Amazon
- [IS Clinical Cleansing Complex](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/is-clinical/cleansing-complex/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — €60.72 at Amazon

## Routine for oily acne-prone skin

### AM

- Cleanser: [Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/paula-s-choice/clear-pore-normalizing-cleanser/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — €29.00 at Amazon
- Hydrating Toner: [Paula's Choice Pore-Reducing Toner](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/paula-s-choice/skin-balancing-pore-reducing-toner/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — €36.00 at Amazon
- Moisturizer: [SKIN1004 Centella Cream](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/skin1004/centella-cream/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — €19.20 at Amazon
- SPF: [make p:rem UV Defense Me Blue Ray Sun Cream](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/make-p-rem/uv-defense-me-blue-ray-sun-cream/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — €33.70 at Amazon

### PM

- Pre-Cleanser: [MISSHA Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/missha/ultra-hyalon-cleansing-cream/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — €11.83 at Amazon
- Cleanser: [Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/paula-s-choice/clear-pore-normalizing-cleanser/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — €29.00 at Amazon
- Cleansing Toner: [REN Clean Skincare Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/ren-clean-skincare/ready-steady-glow-daily-aha-tonic/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — €50.00 at Amazon
- Serum or Treatment: [Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/peach-and-lily/glass-skin-refining-serum/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — €86.59 at Amazon
- Moisturizer: [SKIN1004 Centella Cream](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/skin1004/centella-cream/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — €19.20 at Amazon

### Weekly

- Pre-Cleanser: [MISSHA Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/missha/ultra-hyalon-cleansing-cream/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — €11.83 at Amazon
- Cleanser: [Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/paula-s-choice/clear-pore-normalizing-cleanser/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — €29.00 at Amazon
- Enzyme Powder: [Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/dermalogica/daily-microfoliant/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — €72.82 at Amazon
- Cleansing Mask: [VT Cosmetics Cica Purifying Mask](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/vt-cosmetics/cica-purifying-mask/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — High fit — €15.72 at Amazon
- Hydrating Toner: [Paula's Choice Pore-Reducing Toner](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/paula-s-choice/skin-balancing-pore-reducing-toner/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — €36.00 at Amazon
- Serum or Treatment: [Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum](https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/peach-and-lily/glass-skin-refining-serum/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — €86.59 at Amazon

## Where to buy

No store in Netherlands has a checked price for this product, so the page shows none.

## 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
## About the Lovi Fit

Lovi: Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes.

Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules its 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. Levels from best to worst: Superior, High, Average, Low, Caution, Warning.

Behind this fit score: Nadia Kapleva, MS (Co-founder, Medical Director); Alexey Shagraev, PhD (Co-founder, CEO and CTO); Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc (Medical Board); Aishani Shah, MD (Medical Board); Asya Zubkova, MS (Medical Board); Hanna Kurets, MD (Medical Board, Medical Advisor); Elina Nazarenko, MD (Medical Board); Victoria Derkova, MS (Medical Board).

Page built Nov 8, 2026.

More from Lovi: https://lovi.care/skincare/llms.txt

## This page in other countries

- United States: https://lovi.care/skincare/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/oily-acne-prone-skin
- United Kingdom: https://lovi.care/skincare/uk/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/oily-acne-prone-skin
- Ireland: https://lovi.care/skincare/ie/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/oily-acne-prone-skin
- Germany: https://lovi.care/skincare/de/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/oily-acne-prone-skin
- France: https://lovi.care/skincare/fr/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/oily-acne-prone-skin
- Italy: https://lovi.care/skincare/it/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/oily-acne-prone-skin
- Netherlands: https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/oily-acne-prone-skin (this page)
- Spain: https://lovi.care/skincare/es/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/oily-acne-prone-skin
- Canada: https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/oily-acne-prone-skin
- Australia: https://lovi.care/skincare/au/p/st-ives/fresh-skin-apricot-scrub/for/oily-acne-prone-skin
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