Face Tools Granular Scrub

First let me say that Jolene has been my barber for about 4.5 years now and she is one of the classiest ladies you will ever meet. It is always nice to find a great product, but when you can purchase that product from someone who you genuinely like and enjoy doing business with, it's a double bonus.

I am like Randy in that I had never given exfoliation much thought prior to a couple of years ago. I have not tried that many different facial scrubs but almost all of the ones that I have used leave my face with red splotches kind of like spotty sunburn. I don't scrub my shaving area (that gets plenty of exfoliating from the blade) only my nose area and forehead about twice per week. Face Tools is the gentlest scrub that I have tried. I think it is because of the fine pumice. Most scrubs either have big chunks of stuff or use harsher chemicals to exfoliate the skin. Face Tools seems to remove just enough to make you glow but not so much as to irritate.

It is a bit pricey, but as Randy said, a little goes a long way. I love the orange scent. No other men’s grooming product that I have ever tried smells quite like it. The aluminum bottle is very manly looking and fits in with the “tools” motif, although it is a bit too tall and likes to fall off of the shelf in my shower. Face Tools is a non-mainstream product that is definitely worth checking out. I just feel fortunate that I don't have to pay for shipping.

A year ago when I first jumped feet first into this shaving hobby, I had never considered what "exfoliating" meant, NEVER considered using a moisturizer, and certainly had never used a facial scrub. But after a month of shaving with a DE, I noticed changes in my face. My complexion was smoother. About the same time, my son, a teenager, started having issues with acne, something I never really had to deal with. So I started looking into facial care. I picked up some St. Ives at Wal Mart and gave it a shot. Not bad, but not great. Then I ran into Jolene at Straight Razors Plus (she's also a member here). Jolene has a shop called Appearances for Men, in New Jersey, a "Men Only" grooming shop. This is where you will find Face Tools Granular Scrub.

Face Tools Granular Scrub is exactly what it says it is. Pump a nickel size dollop onto your hands and work it onto your face. First, you'll notice a soothing scent. I'm not good at describing scents, but to me, it's an understated "citrusy" scent. Very light and clean, and it doesn't linger. As you work the product onto our skin, you'll notice that the granules are "uniform and even", i.e., your entire face is getting the same treatment, you don't have to work at spreading the granules around from one area to another. For my first two "treatments", my thoughts were that the granules were a bit coarse. But after alternating with other products, I quickly changed my mind. The granules are made up of volcanic pumice. Sounds harsh, but it's not. It may be called a scrub, but that's not how you apply it. Just a light circular motion over the face and neck area and the application is complete. A quick rinse with tepid water (my preference) and you face will feel smooth. Granular Scrub is not a moisturizer per se, but after using it, my face feels as though I have used a moisturizer vs. other products that left my face feeling dry. This is probably because of the White Tea and Licorice that are included in the ingredients.

$16 bucks gets you a 3.7 oz bottle, and like a lot of the products we use, a little bit goes a long way. I find it to be a great product that has become a part of my weekly routine. I use it twice a week and find for me, that is sufficient. YMMV.

Randy