I bit the bullet and invested $2.45 in a box of baking soda, poured a decent palmful out, put in a pump of soap and away I went.
The scrubbieness wasn't as scrubby as I was expecting My face was squeaky (literally) clean at the end. I liked the result, but wanted more of an exfoliating sensation, I am just weird like that. Before anyone suggests sandblasting or something, I will say that I don't want it too hurt, just feel like it is there. Maybe I will add something grittier today.
I had heard that you can use it to clean your teeth too, so I gave that ago, just to compound this experement I had also been reading about tooth soaps, so as I have a bar of natural soap I thought soap up the toothbrush first, then some baking soda, scrubby scrub scrub. The end result was squeaky clean teeth. As a word of warning do not use sandalwood scented soap for toothbrushing, it works but the taste is not great, esp in conjunction with the slight salty taste of the soda.