Product Review: Tata Harper Smoothing Body Scrub

I have a love/hate relationship with most body scrubs. I love the scrumptious scents and the exfoliating and moisturizing properties, but hate the oily, gritty mess they leave behind in the shower. Luckily for me and gals everywhere who feel the same way, the new Tata Harper Smoothing Body Scrub ($76 at BeautyMark) delivers all the positives without any of the negatives, in a spa-strength, all-natural formula that boasts 5 biodegradable exfoliants.

These 5 exfoliants (pink Himalayan and Hawaiian sea salts, cranberry fibres, apricot seed powder, and organic sugar) combine to form a high concentration of very fine granules, which really stick to the skin and exfoliate—unlike scrubs with coarse sugar crystals that just fall away. There's oil in the formula too, but it rinses away cleanly with no residue on your skin or the bathtub. The scrub warms on contact as you work it into your arms, legs, and torso—just a slight pleasant tingle, nothing for sensitive skin sufferers to be alarmed about. It works best if you use it on dry skin.

The Tata Harper Smoothing Body Scrub delivers on its exfoliating and hydrating claims, as expected. What I didn't expect was that it would help eliminate superficial bloating. For the last few summers I've noticed that I puff up a lot in hot weather, as though I'm retaining water just under my skin all over my body. I don't know if it's the wholesome natural ingredients or the boost in micro-circulation and drainage I'm deriving from the ultra-fine crystals, but I find that in the last few weeks of product testing the bloating is a non-issue.

The only downside to this product is that at $76 it's pretty pricey, and the 150 ml jar goes surprisingly quickly. I've been using it more frequently than I have any other body scrub in history because it's such a pleasure to use, and because I don't have to worry about scrubbing the tub afterward. Consequently, I'm already halfway through my sample and will be quite sad to see it used up.

That being said, a $76 spa-strength body scrub for the home is still cheaper than going to the spa, and I've never tried anything that has helped my hot-weather bloating like this scrub has. I wouldn't use it year-round, but I'd definitely consider buying a jar at the beginning of the summer as a seasonal beauty splurge.