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Last Updated on April 10, 2025 by Giorgia Guazzarotti

review mac volcanic ash exfoliator

Remember how hard it was to get your hands on MAC Volcanic Ash Exfoliator?

This scrub achieved cult status so soon, it was sold out in a matter of hours every time it was released! WTH was so special about it?

Hype. That sells more skincare products than good ingredients. *Sighs*

These days, getting your hands on this scrub has become a lot easier (MAC got the hint and added it to the permanent collection). But that doesn’t mean you should head out to your nearest store and fork out $33.00 for a bunch of ash and sugar.

Yep, there’s not much else here….

Key Ingredients In Mac Volcanic Ash Exfoliator: What Makes It Work?

VOLCANIC ASH

Here comes the hype part… Volcanic ash is one of those magical powders brands swear can do anything. Boost collagen. Absorb excess oil. Draw out toxins from your pores. Take 10 years off your face. Make you tea.

The truth? Volcanic ash is high in minerals, such as magnesium, silica and iron. Silica, for example, is a good oil-absorber. But that’s pretty much it. Underwhelming, isn’t it?

And to add insult to injury, volcanic ash isn’t even black! MAC just added a black pigment to give MAC Volcanic Ash Exfoliator a dark colour that makes you think of volcanoes (and stains everything it touches). 🙄

SUCROSE

Volcanic Ash may get all the glory, but it’s sugar that does the exfoliating job. Sucrose, to be exact. As you massage it, sugar gently removes the dead cells on the surface of your skin, making it smoother and brighter.

If you’ve read this blog for a while you know that I prefer chemical exfoliation to scrubs. But if you’re a fan of scrubs, go for the sugar ones like MAC Volcanic Ash Exfoliator.

While apricot kernels and salt have jagged edges, sugar particles are round so they don’t scratch the skin. Having said that, there’s so much sugar here that the texture feels gritty so be gentle with it!

Related: Why I Ditched Scrubs For Chemical Exfoliants

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?!
  • Lauramidopropyl Betaine: A surfactant that can blend oily and watery parts of a product. It also cleanses skin.
  • Methyl Gluceth-20: It moisturises and conditions skin.
  • Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate: An emsulfier that blends oily and watery ingredients in a formula. It’s also used as a thickening agent.
  • Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate: Another emulsifying ingredient. It’s derived from coconut.
  • Silica: It absorbs excess oil and gives skin a matte finish.
  • Ethylhexylglycerin: A mild preservative with mild hydrating properties.
  • Caprylyl Glycol: A skin conditioning agent with mild preservative properties.
  • Hexylene Glycol: It makes textures easier to spread and use.
  • Disodium Coco-Glucoside Sulfosuccinate: A gentle surfactant that cleanses skin.
  • Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate: A mild cleansing agent derived from coconut oil and glutamic acid (an amino acid).
  • Fragrance (Parfum): The most irritating ingredient in skincare, it makes the exfoliant smell great.
  • Phenoxyethanol: A preservative that helps the formula last longer and stay safe from bacterial contamination.
  • Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499): They give the exfoliant its black colour. I’m giving it a yellow rating only because it’s a gimmick – and a misleading one at that. You thought it was the volcanic ash giving it its hue, didn’t you?

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Texture

This exfoliation has a gritty texture. Blame it on the sugar. It’s not exactly smooth. It’s pretty rough, and you’ll definitely feel it on your skin. I guess sugar doesn’t make everything sweet after all…

Fragrance

Rich and earthy, not too herbal. Kinda like you’d expect volcanic ash to smell (minus rotting sulfur… phew!). If you’re into scents, you’ll love this. Unless your skin is sensitive. Then it may irritate it.

How To Use It

After cleansing, massage a small amount of product onto moist skin. Rinse off with lukewarm water. Don’t use more than 3 times a week. And definitely not on days when you use retinol or harsh actives. And never exfoliates with acids if this is apart of your routine (if you need to choose, go with the acids. Always go with the acids).

Related: Exfoliating Acids Or Scrubs: Which One Is Right For You?

Want a cheap skincare routine for acne-prone skin that really works? Subscribe to the newsletter below to receive “The Ordinary Acne Skincare Routine” cheatsheet:

Performance & Personal Opinion

MAC Volcanic Ash feels like thick, granulated goop. It spreads ok, but doesn’t glide on as smoothly as I like. Frankly, I just hate anything slightly gritty on my face…

But how does it work? A little too well. It does a great job at removing dead cells off my skin, leaving it softer and… a bit red. Redness is a sign the scrub is a little too harsh for my skin type. Or that I simply used too much product. The less you use, the better.

But you can say that for any scrub. If you use too much product or exfoliate a minute too long, you may remove more dead cells than you should and end up in Irritation Town.

Bottom line: use this only if you have very resistant skin that’s not upset by scrubs.

Packaging

MAC Volcanic Ash comes in a dark, blackish tube that reminds you of Volcanic Ash. It’s hygienic, too.

mac volcanic ash exfoliator a review

What I Like About Mac Volcanic Ash Exfoliator

  • It removes dead skin cells and makes skin smoother
  • Beautiful packaging

What I DON’T Like About Mac Volcanic Ash Exfoliator

  • Gritty texture, doesn’t spread easily
  • Harsh on the skin
  • Can cause redness (a sign of irritation!)

Who Is This For?

Personally, I don’t recommend scrubs to anyone. Get yourself a chemical exfoliant, ladies! But if you really can’t do without a scrub, this is most suitable for combination, resistant skin.

Does MAC Volcanic Ash Lives Up To Its Claims?

CLAIM TRUE
Highly effective, the mineral-rich, concentrated formula foams on to refine and unclog the skin and add instant moisture, leaving skin feeling soft and comfortably clean. It’s not moisturising and doesn’t unclog pores as well as salicylic acid.
Exfoliates skin. True.
Controls oil. It helps a little with this.
For all skin types. Absolutely NOT! Do not use it if you have dry or sensitive skin.

Price & Availability

$31.00/£23.00 at Brown Thomas, Look Fantastic, and MAC Cosmetics

Do You Need It?

No. Enough said.

Ingredients

Sucrose, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Methyl Gluceth-20, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Volcanic Ash, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Silica, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium Coco-Glucoside Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Fragrance (Parfum), Phenoxyethanol, Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499)