Going beyond just skincare, Roots & Ceremony promotes holistic wellness through self-care rituals. We recently received their Clarity Crystal Sugar Scrub to try and it was refreshingly different. Here’s our review.
In the world of beauty, it is rare to find a brand that truly stands out but that is exactly what Roots & Ceremony has managed to do. Not just another bath and body line, Roots & Ceremony has designed their products to be synergistic with wellness rituals like breathwork and body scanning - the practice of paying attention to bodily sensations.
Now, as a reviewer, my attention is more often product, ingredient and result focused but with the Clarity Crystal Sugar Scrub, I had to go beyond the physical into the metaphysical and pay greater attention to sensations and my state of mind in order to provide a complete and balanced review. I was out of my comfort zone but decided to take a crack at it. Read on for my review.
Overview
BEST FOR: |
All Skin Types but especially good for dry and rough skin.
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APPLICATION: |
Natural sugar-based body scrub that helps remove dead skin and smooths skin texture.
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HERO INGREDIENT: |
Sugar, Activated Charcoal, Palo Santo, Jojoba Oil
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ABOUT: |
Fragrance-free, Paraben-free, Sulphate-free, Vegan, Cruelty-free.
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PRICE: |
$68 (US$ 50), 200ml/6.76fl oz
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THE BRAND: |
Roots & Ceremony is a holistic personal care brand that promotes holistic wellness through self-care rituals. Formulated by certified aromatherapists, their formulations go beyond skincare, harnessing the healing powers of essential oils and crystals to promote inner wellness. |
What’s in It?
This is a sugar-based scrub so the main ingredient is, of course, sugar. The grains of sugar not only serves as a physical exfoliator sloughing off dead skin cells and other impurities but also acts as a natural humectant that draws moisture to your skin. Sugar is also a natural source of Glycolic Acid, a type of Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) that stimulates cell regeneration and thus promotes healthier, youthful looking skin.
Working hand-in-hand with the sugar scrub is Activated Charcoal which also works as an exfoliator but is super absorbent and able to draw out excess sebum, toxins and other impurities from deep within the pores. Activated Charcoal also has anti-bacterial and -fungal properties and can help with body acne issues.
Other ingredients of note include:
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Jojoba - A non-comedogenic, antioxidant-rich botanical oil that offers a host of skin benefits like stimulating collagen production, treating acne and hydrating and conditioning the skin.
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Peppermint - Possesses strong antimicrobial properties and can unclog, cleanse and purify the skin and pores preventing acne breakouts. It is also used in aromatherapy to relieve stress.
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Palo Santo - It has good antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities that can benefit the skin and is also used in aromatherapy to relieve tension, anxiety and depression.
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Rosemary - Can tighten and tone the skin and treat inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. It is also used in aromatherapy to boost clarity and relieve tension and fatigue.
The scrub also has other ingredients like Lavender and Grapefruit Oil and is also infused with quartz that brightens the skin and, if you are into crystal healing, is said to ward off negative energy. Viewing personal care routines as opportunities for self-care that extend beyond body maintenance to mental and emotional well-being, Roots & Ceremony have incorporated aromatherapy principles and even crystal healing into their formulations.
Appearance: Lavender Scented Black Sugar Crystals
The Clarity Crystal Sugar Scrub comes in a 200ml/6.76fl oz jar and has an appearance that looks like black glitter sand, the kind you use in arts and crafts. The jar itself is quite simple but feels sturdy and looks sophisticated and it also has a little quartz crystal pebble in it which is said to shield against physical and emotional negativity.
Its lovely lavender fragrance has slight herbal undertones and hints of peppermint that smells really calming and soothing. There is no added fragrance and the wonderful aroma is naturally derived from the essential oils and other natural ingredients in it. The smell of this scrub is absolutely heavenly, perfectly balanced and is a huge selling point for me.
Application and Results: Excellent, If A Little Unsurprising
While I’ve reviewed other scrubs in the past, this time I was determined to get the full experience and decided to use it together in a body scan ritual starting by exfoliating my feet and working my way up. I repeated this ritual twice a week for about 6 weeks and to help me with this, I brought my trusty plastic Ikea stool into the shower with me.
Now, if you’re already familiar with body scrubs, then the Clarity Crystal Sugar Scrub holds few surprises. No matter how careful you are, they are typically messy affairs and getting it out of the tub usually requires a minimum of three fingers and a lot of digging. But once you get it on your skin, it’s manageable.
The scrub worked great and my skin felt soft and smooth immediately after the first use. It even worked well on my feet which I never thought to use my body scrubs on. Right around the fourth week I started to notice an improvement to the underside of my upper arms which tend to have little bumps and has always been a problem area for me.
From Skincare Product to Skincare Experience
But it was combining my scrubs with a body scanning ritual, which I had never done before, that made the biggest difference. Following the suggestion from Roots & Ceremony, I took my time and in the process became more aware of my body and mental state which was very therapeutic. The amazing fragrance also made a huge difference elevating my routine into a total experience.
The soothing and calming fragrance of the scrub helped in setting the mood and going through the ritual not only gave me a better understanding of my body, every skin imperfection and body ache, it also brought me greater awareness of my emotional state and the mental clarity to deal with my issues - skincare and otherwise.
There were some downsides, the most obvious being the time needed to do it right. But you don’t exfoliate every day and if you can - and you should - work the time into your routine at least once a week then I think you’ll find the Clarity Crystal Sugar Scrub can offer you more than just an effective exfoliating experience. (For the purpose of this review I did it twice a week.)
The scrub does tend to leave black streaks across my skin from the Activated Charcoal and you’ll need to use a body wash after. It’s important to use a good body wash because using a harsh drugstore brand will end up stripping away the essential oils and undo all that skin-loving. I recommend using the Inner Peace Purifying Cleanser from Roots & Ceremony or any mild or oil-based body wash.
Buy It, Try It Or Skip It?
The Clarity Crystal Sugar Scrub is an excellent exfoliator that offers more with its amazing fragrance and infusion of quartz and nourishing essential oils. I really enjoyed using the scrub and could see visible improvements and would recommend this body exfoliator in its own right. Incorporating it with body scanning meditation gives an added experience and benefit that sets it apart from other generic scrubs.
However, this isn’t the most affordable option and to get the most out of it, you’ll need to spend the time and not rush through your routine. Nevertheless, it is a high quality product that I would consider well worth the money especially when you consider that other brand-name scrubs can run into the eighties and even hundreds of dollars for a similar sized jar.
Overall, if you are already scrubbing on a regular basis and enjoy the process, I would recommend buying the Clarity Crystal Sugar Scrub, it’s an excellent product. But if you aren’t regularly exfoliating or haven’t worked it into your routine yet, you might want to try it first with the more affordable travel kit from Roots & Ceremony at $49 (US$ 36).
The Clarity Crystal Sugar Scrub, $68 (US$ 50) from Roots & Ceremony is now available on www.asianbeautyx.com.
About the writer
Stacy Liu, an American-born Chinese, is the beauty editor at Asian Beauty X obsessively writing about new beauty launches, the best hair products, and the skincare formulas that really work for every skin type.