Gold Scrub, 300 g

A scrub sold under the Bobana name. It comes in a clear plastic jar with a black screw lid, so you can see the scrub itself: gold-coloured, with fine grains and small dark specks. The label calls it a gold scrub, in English and in Arabic, and gives the weight, 300 g. It does not give the maker's address or the ingredients, so it does not say what the grains are made of or whether there is any gold in the scrub.

What it is for, in the words on the jar: "skin glowing" on the English side and "for fresh, radiant skin" in Arabic. These are the maker's claims. In plain terms, it is a scrub: it is massaged over wet skin and rinsed off, and its grains lift away dry, rough surface skin, so the skin feels smoother and softer afterwards. The usual places are rough elbows, knees and heels, and the arms and legs before a moisturiser. It is a cosmetic: it works on how skin looks and feels. It does not change your natural skin colour.

Scoop out what you need with dry fingers before you step into the shower, so no water gets into the jar. On wet skin, massage it in small, gentle circles for a minute or so, giving most attention to elbows, knees and heels, then rinse it off well with lukewarm water and pat the skin dry. Once or twice a week is enough; follow with a moisturiser. Use it on the body: the front of the jar does not say whether it is meant for the face too, so if you try it there, use very little, very gently, and keep it away from the eyes. If the directions on the pack differ, follow them.

The difference from an unlabelled tub in a bazaar is what you can check for yourself: a brand name and a printed label. It reaches you unopened, at the price on this page, with nothing to haggle over. When it arrives, look on the pack for the ingredient list and the expiry date.

It is for external use only: do not swallow it. Try a little on the inner arm first and wait a day before using it more widely. Do not use it on broken, sore or irritated skin, on skin that is red from the sun, or straight after shaving or waxing. Scrub gently: rubbing hard does not help and can redden the skin. If your skin stings or turns red, rinse it off with plenty of water. The front of the jar lists no ingredients, so if you have allergies, read the label on the pack before you use it. It is not a sunscreen, so in the Egyptian sun you still need one. Keep it out of the eyes and away from small children, and take care: it can make the floor of the bath or shower slippery.

Keep the lid screwed on and the jar out of direct sun and heat. A scrub counts as a liquid at airport security. At 300 g it is over the 100 ml cabin limit, so it cannot fly in hand luggage: pack it in checked baggage. Tape the lid, seal the jar in a zip bag and wrap it in clothes in the middle of the case.

Who it suits: anyone with rough, dry skin on the elbows, knees, heels, arms or legs who wants a simple scrub for once or twice a week, and anyone who likes a scrub in the shower. Skip it if your skin is very sensitive, if scrubs tend to irritate it, or if you have allergies and cannot check the ingredients first.