Apricot Scrubs -- they may look the same, but they're not.

On the left is St. Ives brand Apricot Scrub (hereinafter referred to as Stives, in a reversal of The Great St. Wart Incident). On the right is Personal Care brand Apricot Scrub -- a generic. Notice how the generic has dressed itself up to look as similar on the outside to Stives as possible:

1. Both have a curvy top

2. Both use apricot coloring



3. Both insist that their product is INVIGORATING

4. Both use the words APRICOT SCRUB

5. Both have apricots! Cut and whole. With leaves!

6a. Stives says: "Gently exfoliates dull surface cells to instantly reveal smooth, radiant skin."
6b. Generic says: "Removes dull surface cells & impurities to reveal silky smooth healthy skin."
6c. Common words used? dull, surface, cells, reveal, smooth, and skin

7. Both have "All skin types" in white text on a darker apricot colored block

8. Both claim to have a net weight of 6 ounces. (Though Stives translates that into 170 grams and Generic into 170 milliliters. What's up with that?)


Now, since Generic went to so much trouble to make themselves look like Stives, one would assume that they would have gone to similar lengths go make the product inside the same, too. Or at least get it very close to the same. Not so! See for yourself:



Here is a glob of both products, side by side. Again Stives is on the left, and Generic on the right. Notice how the Stives is a nice beige thick paste with lots of scrubbing particles in it. Now notice how the Generic is an apricot colored gel with a few scrubbing particles scattered here and there.

Now look at these same globs in a vertical position. Notice how the Stives retains its shape while Generic starts to run (like the coward it is).


Here's another vertical shot, taken just seconds later. Stives still retains its shape, but Generic is dropping fast!


Now scratch and sniff each glob. (Go ahead! I'm using the new Smell-o-bloggin technology!*) You'll smell that Stives is a nice muted fresh scent, whereas Generic smells like a hot-house apricot what had just been marinated in apricot sauce and then heavily spritzed with apricot-scented perfume. Yuk!

Obviously, there's no way I'm going to be using this horrid Generic product. But it'd be a shame to just throw it away. Hmmm... maybe I could drop it into the homeless-cart at church this weekend. They don't care what kind of crap they put on their faces, right?


*Not responsible for any damage to monitors from people using the Smell-o-bloggin technology.