The Body Shop Spa Fit Smoothing Refining Body Scrub

One of my favourite kinds of beauty products are body scrubs. I love that feeling of literally scrubbing away dead, dry skin while I give myself a bit of massage.

My go-to scrub is The Body Shop's Cocoa Body Butter Scrub but while I do love that product, I'm always looking for something better. That's how I ended up with Spa Fit Smoothing Refining Body Scrub; I walked into The Body Shop to get one thing but, lured in by pretty package, I walked out with something else.

According to The Body Shop, "This zesty citrus scrub contains 100% natural-origin citrus ingredients. It refines skin’s texture, and will leave it looking smoother and feeling firmer." Having used product now for close to two months, I can now confidently say that this scrub had no impact on my skin's firmness nor did it noticeably refine it. It did leave my skin feeling a bit smoother but the results were nothing dramatic.

I like my scrubs to be on the rough side so I wasn't thrilled to discover that the exfoliating "beads" that this product contains are rather small and soft. But while this didn't work for me, I can see some people loving this scrub's gentler approach to exfoliating.

I also wasn't a big fan of the overall texture of this scrub. The beads are suspended in a solution that has an odd, almost gunky feeling to it. I think it's suppose to feel moisturizing but instead it feels like it's going to leave a residue unless you wash it off very thoroughly. While this texture wasn't weird enough to keep me from using this scrub, it will keep me from buying it again.

This product contains "lemon and grapefruit essential oils," which give it a "Zesty citrus scent." Personally, I would prefer a more intense smell but I suspect that this item's subtle scent is probably a better fit for most people.

That pretty packaging that first caught my eye is a glass jar with a clamp lid. It's not the most practical design but it looks great and it shows off the bright, orange colour of the scrub. This reusable container also helps to justify this product's $22 price tag, which isn't a bad price but it's not great either, especially when you can get the superior Cocoa Body Butter Scrub for $20.

Would I buy this product again: No, it's not for me.

Should you buy this product: If you're looking for a scrub that will soften your skin, but not much else, and is mild in both scent and scrubbing power, this one could