Avon Clearskin Blackhead Clearing Daily Cleanser

Back in the mists of time, when I was a student, I used to share a flat with a gay guy who was always receiving gifts of beauty lotions and potions from women.  One girl even bought him the complete Clinique 3 step system as a present - she was a student as well (clearly a rich one)!  He was always nicking the products I kept lying around in the bathroom - I once caught him making a cup of tea with a face mask on - my face mask!  Anyway, his Mum used to keep him well-stocked in Avon goodies and would regularly give him the Clearskin Blackhead Clearing Daily Cleanser (as well as other products from the range).  So, I used to steal this off him as payback and it quickly became my favourite exfoliator.  I continued purchasing this for several years, it being my HG scrub, until I stopped buying it, and I'm not sure why.

A few months ago I put a little order in with Avon, and like old times, this product was on offer - I couldn't resist, for old time's sake.  Afterall, it had been my favourite product.  I was keenly anticipating it, remembering the scrub with just the right amount of scratchyness, a densely packed formula with small scrub particles that attacked my skin in just the right places without any redness or flare up. The formula was so thick it was almost paste-like, so only a tiny amount was needed, mixed with water - it used to last for ages. I'm very fussy about facial exfoliators, and I have rarely found any that have lived up to this one, so I was really happy to have bought it again.

Except, I don't like it any more.  It is no longer densely packed, it's more of a gel-like consistency, the particles feel larger, more sparse and too course for my skin, and it is slightly too scratchy for me.  OK, I'm using it up, but I'm sorely disappointed by it - I had such fond memories of my favourite scrub.

I'm not sure whether Avon have changed the formulation of the product, or whether I'm just remembering the product with a golden glow!  I suspect that Avon have changed, as I've rarely found a scrub that compares to my memories of using this of old, whereas I can think of numerous high street and high end scrubs that are vastly superior to its current formulation.

So a big thumbs down for this - I won't be repurchasing it again.  It's a shame, as I'd hoped to rekindle my old love of this product.

Have you found your HG exfoliator yet?

Thanks for reading! xx