Let’s get straight into this Annmarie Kaolin Micro Exfoliant review. If you’ve ever used a scrub that made your face feel like you just dragged sandpaper across it, you’ll know why I was a little nervous to try another exfoliant. Most scrubs are either way too harsh or so gentle you wonder if they’re even doing anything. But Annmarie Gianni’s products usually lean into the whole non-toxic scrub, natural products, “good-for-your-skin-and-the-planet” thing, so I was curious.
This exfoliant is supposed to balance out the best of both worlds: gentle enough for sensitive skin, strong enough to actually do something. Think mineral-rich green kaolin clay to mop up excess oil, diatomaceous earth to polish, and aloe barbadensis to calm everything down before your skin freaks out. Sounds nice on paper, but let’s be honest – skincare that leans too heavy on the “natural” side sometimes leaves you wondering if it’s more marketing than results. So I put it to the test.
Key Ingredients in Annmarie Skin Care Kaolin Micro Exfoliant: What Makes It Work?
COCONUT OIL
Everyone’s heard the coconut oil debate: “miracle moisturizer” vs “pore-clogging nightmare.” The truth is in between. Coconut oil is about 45-50% lauric acid, and lauric acid is proven to kill acne-causing bacteria (Cutibacterium acnes) in lab studies. That sounds great, but the flip side is it’s one of the most comedogenic oils out there – meaning it can trap gunk in your pores if it just sits there. That’s why straight coconut oil as a moisturizer is a terrible idea for acne-prone people.
In a scrub like this, it acts like a buffer. It coats the gritty particles so they glide instead of gouge your skin. You still get the exfoliation, but without the micro-cuts. Most of it rinses away, but you’re left with a bit of that soft, slippery feel – which is why your face doesn’t feel like sandpaper afterward.
Related: What Ingredients Are Comedogenic?
BAMBOO STEM POWDER
This is the grit. The thing actually doing the scrubbing. Bamboo powder is basically smooth little silica beads. That matters because shape is everything. Jagged crap like walnut shells? They literally cut your skin. Bamboo? It’s fine and rounded, so it polishes instead of slicing. You’re not dissolving dead skin like you would with acids – you’re just rubbing it off. That’s why you get the instant “oh my skin’s so smooth” feeling. It’s mechanical, not magic.
MONTMORILLONITE
This isn’t just fancy dirt. Montmorillonite is a smectite clay, which means it swells up and has a huge surface area full of negative charges. Those charges grab onto positively charged stuff: oil, impurities, even heavy metals in some studies. That’s why clays like this are literally used to clean contaminated water. On your skin, it’s doing the same thing – binding oil and grime so you wash it off instead of just moving it around.
Green kaolin is gentler than bentonite but still stronger than plain white kaolin. It’s loaded with minerals like magnesium and calcium, which aren’t magically “feeding” your skin but do make the clay less harsh. So instead of that bentonite mask feeling where your face feels shrink-wrapped, this leaves you matte and clean without the “ow.” The real point here? Bamboo scrubs the surface, montmorillonite vacuums the junk, and together they do more than either one could on its own.
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The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients
NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products.
- Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin.
- Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet).
- Red: What is this doing here?!
- Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice: Aloe Vera juice is the peacekeeper here: it lays down a thin, water-holding film on your skin and calms down redness before it can blow up into irritation. It won’t transform your face, but in a scrub it makes sure you walk away smooth instead of raw.
- Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Lauryl Glucoside: These are plant-based cleansers that foam just enough to lift off the oil and dirt. Think of them as the rinse button – they make sure the coconut oil, surface impurities, and scrub bits don’t stick to your face.
- Glycerin (Vegetable-Derived): Classic hydrator that pulls water into the skin while you scrub. Without it, your face would go straight from “soft” to “tight and thirsty” after rinsing.
- Populus Tremuloides (Aspen Bark Extract): Naturally rich in salicylates, it adds a mild chemical exfoliation alongside the physical scrub. It also doubles as a preservative, which is why this product doesn’t need heavy synthetics to stay stable.
- Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract: Green tea extract is full of antioxidants like EGCG that fight free radical damage. It’s not life-changing in a rinse-off scrub, but it helps calm down any redness from the rubbing.
- Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil: Smells like a spa, but it’s one of those ingredients that can go either way: soothing for some, irritating for others. It brings linalool and limonene with it, which oxidize and can make sensitive skin react.
- Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Oil: Antimicrobial, meant to keep bacteria under control after exfoliation. Nice in theory, but it can be irritating if your barrier’s already fragile.
- Cymbopogon Schoenanthus (Lemongrass) Oil: Adds a fresh citrusy vibe that makes the scrub feel “clean.” The catch is citral, which can be sensitizing, so it’s not the best news for reactive skin.
- Non-GMO Xanthan Gum (Plant-Derived): A natural thickener that gives the scrub its creamy texture so it doesn’t separate into sludge. Basically the glue that keeps everything together.
Texture
This is one of the few areas where the product feels decent. The base is creamy, and the bamboo powder gives it that fine grit that polishes rather than scratches. Compared to the old-school walnut shell scrubs that literally tore up people’s skin, this is softer and more controlled. It’s easy to spread, doesn’t clump up, and rinses clean without leaving you with a sandstorm in your sink.
But let’s be clear: that silky feel can be misleading. The soft texture is about how nice it feels while you’re rubbing it in, not how effective it is at actually treating skin issues. It gives you that short-term “oh my face feels smoother” payoff, but it’s surface-level. If you’re looking for pore-clearing, acne control, or long-term glow, scrubs just don’t touch acids.
Fragrance
This rich exfoliant smells like a herbal spa blend – thanks to the lavender and lemongrass oils. Some people love that earthy, natural scent; it makes the whole thing feel like a little ritual. But let’s not kid ourselves: essential oils aren’t skin-friendly, they’re irritants. Lavender essential oil contains linalool and limonene, which oxidize and can trigger sensitivity. Lemongrass has citral, another well-known irritant. So yeah, it smells fancy, but that’s more for your nose than your skin. If you’ve got sensitive or reactive skin, this is where the formula can easily backfire. Scrubbing already stresses your barrier – layering fragrance oils on top is basically asking for redness, itching, or long-term sensitivity.
How To Use It
The instructions are simple: apply to damp skin, massage in small upward circles, then rinse. The brand suggests once or twice a week, maybe more if you’re oily. And yes, it will make your skin feel smooth in the moment. But here’s the honest bit: if you’re already using a chemical exfoliant (like salicylic acid for acne, glycolic acid for brightness, or lactic acid for hydration), this scrub is redundant at best and irritating at worst. Physical exfoliants don’t go inside the pore or change skin function. They just rub off the surface layer, which can be useful if you’ve got flakiness – but acids do the same job more evenly, without micro-damage.
Packaging
It comes in a tube, which is honestly the smarter choice for this kind of product. Tubes keep things more hygienic than jars because you’re not dipping your fingers in over and over. They also make it easier to control how much you squeeze out: no mess, no clumps of scrub stuck under your nails. The downside? You can’t see how much you’ve got left until you’re suddenly squeezing like it owes you money, but I’d take that over a bacteria party in a jar any day.
Performance & Personal Opinion
Here’s where I get blunt. On first use, the scrub makes your skin feel smoother – that’s the bamboo powder physically buffing away dead cells. The kaolin clay does its job too, mopping up your skin’s natural oils and giving you that matte finish. The coconut oil keeps it from feeling too harsh, so you don’t walk away with raw skin. But all of this is short-term. The smoothness lasts a day, maybe two, and then you’re back where you started. Scrubs can’t unclog pores, can’t fix acne, can’t fade pigmentation, and can’t actually change your skin in a meaningful way. For that, you need acids – and there’s a reason derms recommend salicylic or glycolic instead of physical scrubs.
What really kills it for me is the overload of essential oils. You’re already stressing the skin barrier with friction. Add lavender, lemongrass, and sage oils on top, and you’ve got a product that’s basically a red flag for anyone with sensitive or acne-prone skin. I don’t see how this is better than just grabbing a basic BHA toner and calling it a day. Personally, I don’t recommend scrubs in general – and this one doesn’t change my mind. It’s pleasant in the moment, but it’s more of a “skin feel” product than actual skincare. If you like the ritual and the smell, fine. But if you want results? This isn’t it.
Related: Physical VS Chemical Exfoliation: Which One Is Better For You?
What I Like About Annmarie Kaolin Micro Exfoliant
- The texture is creamy and cushy – more “gentle polish” than “dragging gravel across your face.”
- Your skin does feel smoother right after rinsing, even if the effect doesn’t last long.
- The tube packaging makes it easy to use and less gross than dipping fingers into a jar.
What I DON’T Like About Annmarie Kaolin Micro Exfoliant
- Packed with essential oils that can irritate.
- Relies on coconut oil, which can clog pores.
- Doesn’t deliver anything acids don’t do better.
- Overpriced for something that gives temporary results only.
Who Should Use This?
Honestly? If you have dry skin and are into the “natural spa vibe” and just want your face to feel soft for a day, it’s fine. If your skin is normal, resilient, and not prone to breakouts, you’ll probably tolerate it. But if you have acne-prone, sensitive, or oily skin, or already using chemical exfoliants – skip it. You’ll get more bang for your buck with salicylic acid or glycolic acid, and you won’t be loading your face with unnecessary irritants.
Does Annmarie Kaolin Micro Exfoliant Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| Benefits: Exfoliates. Cleanses. Smoothes Skin. | True. |
| Our non-toxic scrub promotes a smooth, soft texture and creates a rich exfoliant that replenishes minerals, stimulates and removes impurities. | Replenishes minerals means nothing, especially as the scrub gets rinsed off your skin. Stimulates is another word that means nothing in skincare. Stimulates what? What’s the result of this? |
Price & Availability
$68.00 at Annmarie Gianni
The Verdict: Should You Buy It?
If you want to feel fancy rubbing an herbal-smelling scrub on your face, go for it. It feels nice in the moment, looks cute on a bathroom shelf, and gives that instant smoothness.
But if you’re serious about skincare to any skin types – acne, oil control, anti-aging, pigmentation – this isn’t worth it. Acids beat scrubs every time, and this one is basically a bundle of irritants wrapped in “natural” marketing. My honest take? Save your money and grab a BHA or AHA instead.
*Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, [Sodium lauryl glucose carboxylate, Lauryl glucoside (saponified oils of coconut oil and plant starches/sugars)], *Glycerin (vegetable derived), Bambusa arundinacea (bamboo) stem powder, Montmorillonite (green kaolin clay), Populus tremuloides (aspen) bark extract, Camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf extract, Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil, Salvia officinalis (sage) oil, Cymbopogon schoenanthus (lemongrass) oil, non-GMO Xanthan gum (plant derived). *Organically grown or wildcrafted
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
