SKINFOOD Black Sugar Perfect Essential Scrub 2X for mature skin
Black Sugar Extract
Jojoba Oil
Macadamia Oil
Carica Papaya Extract
Shea ButterSuperior
- SuperiorNormal Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- HighSafety
One of the best products for mature skin.
- Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2022
- Pharmaceutical Development and Technology, 2012
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with mature skin: fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of firmness. 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
- Excellent suitability for your normal skin as sucrose and black sugar extract provide effective exfoliation, while rice ferment filtrate offers hydration to address wrinkles and fine lines.
- The inclusion of fruit extracts like lemon and apple further aids in skin renewal, complementing the targeted exfoliation for smoother, younger-looking skin.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no reported risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh or prohibited ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliant product in your PM routine once a week to start, increasing frequency only if your skin tolerates it well. Always apply SPF the next morning to protect your skin.
- Apply this exfoliant product after cleansing and toner, but before your moisturizer. This ensures the best absorption into your skin.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant product into your face, avoiding any rubbing. Let it absorb for a minute before moving to the next step.
- Apply this exfoliant product on completely dry skin to get the best results. This helps your normal skin accept the product smoothly.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area while using this exfoliant product. Do a patch test before your first use and avoid mixing it with strong acids.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsUsers report this scrub effectively removes dead skin cells and refines texture, leaving skin soft and polished. It is praised for its moisturizing finish, but those with sensitive or acne-prone skin should be cautious as the sugar granules can be abrasive if not properly dissolved.
Highlights
Leaves skin smooth Mostly Mentioned
- “Skin feels incredibly smooth and soft”
- “Texture becomes instantly refined”
- “Leaves my skin feeling smooth afterwards”
- “Face feels very clean and soft”
Effective exfoliation Often Mentioned
- “Dead skin cells melt away”
- “Removes impurities gently”
- “Great option for a physical exfoliant”
- “Slough off makeup and excessive oil”
Non-drying Often Mentioned
- “Hydration lasts for quite a while”
- “Leaves skin super soft without irritation”
- “Skin feels moisturized and rejuvenated”
- “Does not dry out the skin”
Pleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “Smells like lemon sugar”
- “Scent is subtle and pleasant”
- “Smells delicious”
- “Sweet and has hints of citrus”
Too abrasive Sometimes Noted
- “Particles felt too harsh on my skin”
- “Can end up with irritation”
- “Turned a bit red from scrubbing”
- “Rough to start scrubbing right away”
Hard to spread Rarely Noted
- “Quite hard to spread across skin”
- “Texture is very thick”
- “Need to mix with water”
- “Not much liquid holding granules together”
Messy packaging Rarely Noted
- “Not a fan of the jar packaging”
- “Wish the packaging had a squeeze tube”
- “Annoying to clean up”
- “Leaves a grainy residue behind”
Scent too strong Rarely Noted
- “Smell is so luxurious... but strong”
- “Ants start crawling if forgot to close”
- “Wish it had a bit more sugar scent”
Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, yesstyle.com, tryandreview.com, hwahae.co.kr, amazon.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Skinfood Black Sugar Perfect Essential Scrub 2X one of the best fits for mature skin?
Skinfood Black Sugar Perfect Essential Scrub 2X is a top fit for mature skin because sucrose and black sugar extract provide effective exfoliation while rice ferment filtrate helps hydrate to address wrinkles and fine lines. Fruit extracts like lemon and apple further aid in skin renewal for smoother, younger-looking skin with a very safe profile.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for mature skin?
Sucrose and black sugar extract give this scrub effective exfoliation to help smooth mature skin. At the same time, rice ferment filtrate brings hydration to address wrinkles and fine lines, while fruit extracts like lemon and apple aid in skin renewal.
What does Black Sugar Extract do for mature skin?
Black sugar extract helps mature skin by providing gentle exfoliation and moisture, keeping the face feeling soft and smooth. It may also help improve the look of fine lines and dullness as we age.
What does Jojoba Oil do for mature skin?
Jojoba oil helps calm mature skin while making it feel softer and smoother. It may also help restore barrier function, increase hydration, and support firmness by encouraging the synthesis of hyaluronic acid and collagen.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024
Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for mature skin?
This exfoliant treatment goes into your weekly routine after cleansing and a nourishing mask, starting at once a week and cautiously increasing if your skin tolerates it well. It helps smooth mature skin by combining black sugar extract and fruit extracts for exfoliation with hydrating ingredients that address fine lines.
Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?
It is best to avoid using this scrub on the same nights you apply retinol, as combining two strong renewing treatments may easily dry out or irritate your skin. Instead, use this exfoliant on a separate evening, or stick to your gentle evening routine on retinol nights to keep your skin calm and smooth.
How often should I use this exfoliant?
Start using this exfoliant treatment once a week, and if your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. This safe formula is unlikely to cause irritation while helping smooth your skin.
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for mature skin?
This exfoliant is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for mature skin, as it contains no harsh ingredients and has a very safe profile. It helps sweep away dead skin cells to keep your face smooth without causing irritation.
Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
The combination of sucrose dilaurate and sucrose laurate suppressed HMGB1 release, melanin production, melanocyte dendricity, and melanosome transfer in vitro, and reduced the appearance of facial spots compared to vehicle in an 8-week human use test.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2022Sucrose ester in an ibuprofen hydrogel increased skin hydration and ibuprofen penetration more intensely than a gel without sucrose ester without causing greater alterations in the stratum corneum structure in hairless mice.
Pharmaceutical Development and Technology, 2012Topical application of the nonsugar fraction of brown sugar prevented chronic UVB-induced skin thickness increases, elasticity loss, wrinkles, pigmentation, and vascular changes in melanin-possessing hairless mice, which may be mediated by inhibiting MMP-2 and VEGF expression.
Journal of Natural Medicines, 2009Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Topical application of jojoba wax reduced LPS-induced secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and TNFα by approximately 30% and increased the synthesis of pro-collagen III and hyaluronic acid compared to untreated skin in an ex-vivo human skin organ culture model.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024Topical jojoba oil application in male mice decreased exercise-induced pro-inflammatory gene expression (Il-1b and Il-6 in soleus, Il-1b in gastrocnemius) compared to untreated exercised mice.
Biomolecules, 2025Topical papain treatment may slightly decrease pain within 30 minutes in humans stung by Chrysaora chinensis compared to placebo.
Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 2016A fixed combination of hydroxypinacolone retinoate, retinol glycospheres, and papain glycospheres in aqueous gel applied once daily for 12 weeks achieved a 41% mean reduction in GAGS score and a 40.8% mean reduction in total lesions, with 15.3% of patients experiencing mild to moderate local side effects, in 94 evaluable patients with comedonal-papular, mild to moderate acne of the face.
Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015Reflux extraction of Carica papaya leaves yielded higher antioxidant capacity and superior in vitro wound-healing activities including fibroblast proliferation, cell migration, and collagen synthesis in human skin fibroblasts compared to ultrasonic-assisted extraction and agitation.
Molecules, 2020A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025A skin barrier restoring cream with shea butter, silkflo, and vitamin E increased type I procollagen synthesis, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased reactive oxygen species generation, and promoted hyaluronic acid production in H2O2-stimulated human keratinocyte cells compared to untreated cells.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025
Ingredients
Sucrose, Glycerin, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Candelilla Wax, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Lanolin, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Water, Sorbitan Laurate, Caramel, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Olea Europaea Oil Fruit Olive Oil Fruit, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Black Sugar Extract, Rice Ferment Filtrate Sake Ferment Filtrate, Lemon Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Lepidium Meyenii Root Extract, Sarcodon Aspratus Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol
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.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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