Exfoliating Polish

Physical only

Unlike the other exfoliants in this range, this one contains no acids. No lactic, no salicylic, no glycolic. The exfoliation is entirely mechanical.

That has a practical consequence worth knowing: it does not increase UV sensitivity the way hydroxy acids do, and it carries no sunburn warning. Daily SPF remains sound practice, but this product does not create the specific requirement that the acid pads do.

Magnesium oxide crystals

Magnesium oxide is a mineral, and the crystals here are angular rather than spherical. That makes them more effective than the rounded wax beads in a scrub, and less forgiving.

Being water-soluble, they dissolve and rinse away cleanly rather than persisting in the environment, which is the meaningful contrast with plastic microbeads.

The anhydrous base

PEG-8 comes first, water twelfth. The base is a waterless glycol and oil system, which suspends the crystals evenly and prevents them settling.

Mineral oil, glyceryl stearate and caprylic/capric triglyceride give it slip, so the crystals glide rather than drag. That slip is doing real work: it reduces how much pressure reaches the skin.

Sodium bicarbonate

Second in the list. Alkaline, and in a rinse-off product briefly on the skin this is unlikely to matter much, but skin sits naturally around pH 5 and prefers to stay there. Another reason not to leave this on longer than needed.

The vitamins, honestly

Ascorbyl palmitate, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate and retinyl palmitate all appear, at positions nineteen, twenty and twenty-two. ZO describe these as providing antioxidant protection.

In a rinse-off product with under a minute of contact, at that position in the list, these are realistically contributing very little to your skin. They are more plausibly there to protect the oils in the formula from oxidation. Their presence does not make this a vitamin A or C product.

The soothing agents

Stearyl glycyrrhetinate is a derivative of glycyrrhetinic acid from licorice root, well regarded for irritated skin and a sensible inclusion in a physical exfoliant.

Soybean sterols, linoleic acid and phospholipids are barrier lipids, offsetting what any exfoliation removes.

Tea tree oil and fragrance

Melaleuca alternifolia leaf oil is present. It is a recognised contact allergen, and oxidised tea tree oil is more sensitising than fresh.

The product is also fragranced, with limonene and linalool declared as recognised allergens. Green 6 is the colourant.

Most skin types, used with appropriate frequency. It is gentler than the Dual Action Scrub in the sense that it contains no acids, though the crystals themselves are harder than wax beads.

Reasonable for skin that wants exfoliation but does not tolerate acids, or for anyone already using acid products elsewhere in their routine who wants to avoid stacking them.

Consider carefully if your skin is dry, sensitive or reactive, if you have rosacea, or if you have reacted to tea tree oil or fragrance before.

After cleansing, massage a small amount onto damp face and neck. Rinse thoroughly.

Pressure matters more than anything else here. Physical exfoliants cause problems through force, not contact. Let the crystals and the slip of the base do the work with light circular motions. If you can feel yourself scrubbing, you are pressing too hard.

On frequency. ZO suggest two to three times weekly, building toward daily use, with dry or sensitised skin needing less. Daily use of a physical exfoliant suits some skin and not most, and we would treat two to three times weekly as the sensible steady state rather than a starting point.

Avoid the eye area.

Keep apart

Other exfoliants on the same day, including acid pads, toners and exfoliating cleansers.

Retinoids in the same session, particularly while you are still adjusting to them.

Use alongside

A hydrating serum and moisturiser afterwards.

Your usual routine, with this used in place of a second cleanse rather than in addition to everything else.