If your skin gets dull, rough, or congested, a scrub does two jobs at once: it buffs away the dead skin sitting on the surface, and it helps clear out the pores underneath. Ours does it with cane sugar and Ghana sea salt for the polish, hibiscus and tea tree for the skin benefits, and nothing else. It’s bright pink, smells tangy, and it’s basically Sobolo for your face.
What’s in it
Six food ingredients: cane sugar, raw hibiscus powder, raw coconut oil, wild northern honey, Ghana sea salt, and tea tree essential oil. That’s the whole recipe. CNN, who featured Skin Gourmet, described this one as a colorful, sweet and tangy antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and acne treatment, which is a fair summary of what each part does.
- Hibiscus is rich in antioxidants and gentle natural acids, the same family of fruit acids that help skin look brighter and feel smoother over time. It’s why the scrub is that deep Sobolo red.
- Tea tree is the clarifying part, the ingredient people reach for when skin is breakout-prone or congested.
- Cane sugar and Ghana sea salt do the physical buffing, lifting away rough, dull, dead skin.
- Coconut oil and wild northern honey keep it gliding and leave skin comfortable, not tight or stripped the way a harsh scrub can.
Why hibiscus and tea tree work for breakout-prone skin
Two things drive most congestion: dead skin blocking pores, and excess oil. This scrub works on both. The sugar and salt clear the surface so pores are less likely to clog, and tea tree brings the clarifying support that suits skin prone to breakouts. Hibiscus adds a gentle chemical exfoliation on top of the physical scrub, so you get smoother, brighter skin without needing anything harsh.
One honest rule that matters: don’t scrub an active breakout. Scrubbing over an angry, inflamed spot makes it worse. Use this between breakouts to keep skin clear, go gently, and skip any area that’s currently irritated.
How to use it
- Wet your face or body. Scoop a small amount with a clean spoon (there are no preservatives, so keep water and fingers out of the jar).
- Massage in gentle circles. A tiny amount goes a long way.
- Leave it on 5 to 10 minutes as a quick mask if you like, then rinse well.
- Use 2 to 3 times a week. Sensitive skin, use a light hand and less often.
It doubles as a lip scrub, and you can mix a little into your black soap lather for a cleanse-and-scrub in one. For a fuller routine, follow it with our Mascarilla de arcilla de Ghana to draw out oil, then moisturise.
Made from food, like everything we make
Every ingredient in this scrub is food. Hibiscus and coconut oil are things Ghanaian kitchens already use, which is the whole idea behind Skin Gourmet: if it’s good enough to cook with, it’s good enough for your skin. This particular jar is tagged external-use-only as a finished product, but the thinking is the same, real ingredients, nothing synthetic, nothing you couldn’t pronounce.
The details
GHS 170 for 160g. Handmade in Ghana. Gluten free, cruelty free, no preservatives, no filler. A little goes a long way, so one jar lasts.