Klairs Black Sugar Scrub Review

Klairs Black Sugar Scrub clears away dead skin cells and other impurities, leaving the skin soft, smooth and with a youthful glow.

(Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this post however, I did receive a free product sample for review purposes. These opinions are completely my own based on my experience. Also note this site contains affiliate links. As a Wishtrend Affiliate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases. See Terms of Use for more information.)

I test a lot of skin care and beauty products and many of the ones I love and recommend, I end up using for my own personal skincare routine. If you’re thinking my stash is overflowing with skin care products, you’re not wrong lol. 

The majority of the products in my rotation are from Klairs. From toner to moisturizer to calming cream.

I’m not a big fan of physical exfoliation though, so even if I’m a big fan of the brand, it took me a while to try Klairs Gentle Black Sugar Facial Polish. 

I prefer chemical exfoliants, like the ones from The Ordinary (check out my post on my The Ordinary regimen for aging and mature skin), so when I received this to try and review, I was frankly a little hesitant. 

Klairs Gentle Black Sugar Scrub vs Youthful Glow Sugar Mask

Before we go into more detail, it’s important to note that this review is for Klairs Gentle Black Sugar Scrub and not for their Youthful Glow Sugar Mask.

Both are gentle sugar scrubs but they have different active ingredients.

Also, the Glow Sugar Mask can be used as a wash-off mask. The Black Sugar Scrub isn’t formulated for that.

Klairs Black Sugar Scrub ingredients

Klairs Black Sugar Scrub doesn’t only exfoliate, it moisturizes and softens as well. It’s formulated with ingredients that deliver nourishing benefits to the skin, like:

• Black Sugar
• Cranberry Seed Oil
• Shea Butter
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin E

The full ingredient list is below (source):

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sucrose, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Tocopheryl Acetate, Candelilla Cera, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Polysorbate 20, Microcrystalline Wax, Cetyl Alcohol, Molasses, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Powder, Fragrance, Carapa Guaianensis Seed Oil, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil

Other things to know

• Packaging. Klairs Gentle Black Sugar Facial Polish is sold in a 110-g tub and comes with a spatula or applicator.

• Fragrance. It has a sweet scent but it’s not cloying at all; in fact it’s quite pleasant.

• Texture and Consistency. The sugar grains or granules are very small. And once applied, it feels very gentle and not scratchy on the skin. A little also goes a long way. A pea-sized amount is enough for me.

• Skin Types. This product is recommended for all skin types, but will especially benefit those dealing with dry patches of skin. It’s formulated to be gentle enough to use on sensitive skin, too.

• Others. As with all Klairs products, this scrub is vegan and cruelty-free.

How to use Klairs Black Sugar Scrub

When you google how to use Klairs Gentle Black Sugar Facial Polish, you’ll find a variety of ways people use it. It’s best to try and see which one works best for you. 

For me, that would be:

• Getting a pea-sized amount and mixing it with a few drops of water or Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil (though I don’t find a huge difference between the two so I usually just use water)
• Applying the mixture to my damp face and very gently scrubbing it all over
• Rinsing with lukewarm water

I use this scrub at the exfoliation stage of my routine, which means after cleansing and before serums. And I only use it at night.

How often to use Klairs Gentle Black Sugar Facial Polish

Because I have sensitive skin and I already have AHAs and BHAs in my routine, I only use this product once a week. 

The best way to start is to go slow and build up your skin’s tolerance. But it’s still not recommended to use this product more than 2-3x a week to avoid over exfoliation.

It’s also not recommended to use this scrub with other exfoliants, physical or chemical, in the same regimen and to avoid using it on scars or damaged skin.

What I like about Klairs Gentle Black Sugar Scrub

• Mixed with water. I love how this scrub works so well mixed with water or a cleansing oil. It makes it that much gentler than other scrubs but no less effective.

• Deep exfoliation. After using this scrub, you can really tell that you’ve given your skin a thorough exfoliation. You can get into every nook and cranny of your face to target those pesky blackheads and to get rid of dead skin cells.

• Easy to rinse. It’s also very easy to rinse. No filmy residue gets left behind. 

• Soft and smooth. My skin feels so soft and smooth after using this scrub, which I don’t normally get when using chemical exfoliants.

• Clear and youthful looking skin. And my face also looks brighter, clearer and more youthful looking, even until the next day.

• Many uses. I only use this as a facial scrub but a good friend of mine uses this as a lip scrub as well. You can also use this product as a body scrub. Check out all the tips here.

What I don’t like about it

I have sensitive skin so I usually stay away from physical exfoliators or anything that I have to manually scrub on my face.

Klairs Black Sugar Scrub is gentler than most of the other scrubs I’ve used but I still sometimes experience redness and a slight tenderness after using it. Even if I use very light pressure when applying the scrub on my skin.

On the plus side, the redness and tenderness go away eventually and this scrub doesn’t break me out. It really depends on how much your skin can tolerate. 

Do I recommend Klairs Black Sugar Scrub?

In a rating scale of 1 to 5 — 5 being awesome — this product is a 4 for me. 

Not a big fan of physical exfoliants in general but I will make an exception for this one. 

I haven’t been using it long enough to determine how effective it is against blackheads. Plus, I’m using other exfoliating products. Regardless, I like how my skin feels and looks after using this sugar scrub.

My face looks brighter, clearer, smoother and more supple.

Because I experience slight redness sometimes, I will most likely only use this product occasionally. However, this is a really good product if you’re in the market for a facial scrub. 

Check it out at Wishtrend by clicking this link (affiliate).

As always, remember that every person’s skin and skin type is different so what might work for me might not work for you, and vice versa.

So before trying a new product, it pays to do a little bit of research first. Pay special attention to ingredients that you might have a reaction to.

And doing a patch-test is always a good idea. Unsure? Best to consult your dermatologist.

Happy skin experimenting!

Have you tried Klairs Gentle Black Sugar Scrub? Did it work for you? Will you recommend it? Would love to hear from you in the comments section below!

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