I'm chalking up all my new quirks to quarantine. Extensive stationary biking while watching Netflix K-dramas? Daydreaming about what I'll buy from Trader Joe's, once I actually go back inside one? Getting really, really into body scrubs, since I have nowhere to be and can shower as long as I want? That's quarantine, my friends. And when Sunday Riley's new Charcoal Smoothie Jelly Body Scrub was sent my way right after its July 7 launch, the holographic, juice-box-shaped container landed a spot in my shower squeezed next to two other tubs of scrub.
But I did have high expectations for Sunday Riley's new body launch. The brand just debuted its first-ever haircare product this past April, and had teased back then that this year would offer more equally intriguing launches. Charcoal Smoothie definitely fits the bill; the $38 all-over scrub is made with salicylic acid, lactic acid, and activated charcoal, an ideal mix for exfoliating rough skin, body acne, and excess keratin (which can lead to keratosis pilari).
Biodegradable wax beads are the pièce de résistance, though, as far as I'm concerned. Suspended within the pitch-black formula, they're so much bigger than the product description lets on — though really, I couldn't imagine them in the first place. According to Sunday Riley's website, the physical exfoliants are "more effective than common exfoliants such as sugar, but gentler on the skin than plant byproducts."
Nevertheless, they felt like smooth, tiny pebbles as I massaged the formula into my elbows, legs, etcetera. One word to the wise: The wax beads did enjoy clinging to any hair on my body, which was strange but not totally unpleasant. Another pass with a wash cloth sent residual wax bits away to the shower drain — and they did rinse away easily from there, versus other scrubs that've left a sugary mess all over my floor and shower curtain.
The verdict? I've only used Charcoal Smoothie once, and it didn't instantly buff away my bumpy forearms — not that you should expect any skincare product to work that fast. Rather, I did notice that the body scrub left behind a lightweight but surprisingly sensual softness to my slightly smoother skin, a parting gift from the formula's high jojoba seed oil concentration (it's the third ingredient listed). All in all, Sunday Riley can continue to take over my shower and I wouldn't mind.
To try the Charcoal Smoothie Jelly Body Scrub out for yourself, grab a holographic bag on Sunday Riley's website, below.
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