Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Scrub Review

By Samrita N.

Ola Bonita Chica’s!

Whether you’re 15, 25 or 35 we’ve all faced problems with acne. I’d rather prefer to them as my face monsters and them and me have been buddies for several years now. I started developing some mild red bumps on my face when I was 14 or 15 and they disappeared by my 18th birthday- only to now reappear in my mid 20’s. I didn’t know to be flattered, because my body thought I was younger, or just be terribly confused. Thus began my quest to find the perfect acne solution and I am yet (alas!) to find something that helps 100%. This Clearasil scrub was one of those purchases that was supposed to help, but it didn’t quite turn out that way.

Product description:

The Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Scrub comes in a standard topsy turvy plastic tube packaging with flip top lid. There’s nothing fancy or girly about the white, blue and pink packaging. Rather it looks like a medicated face wash with directions (the break down the how and when to use so even a chimp could use this), precautions and a barcode on the back. What I like is that the expiry date and batch number is printed on the crimp. I really like when companies print this so I can easily see the expiry date of any of my beauty products.

Price:

I picked this up from Boots for GBP 5.59 for 125 ml of product. It is a bit pricey for a scrub for the amount you get, but I got it as part of a 3 for 2 offer. Boots also has an international website that you can order from, from India.

My experience with the Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Scrub:

First of all, there’s nothing rapid about this scrub. Rapido? No. Second of all, someone please explain to me the science behind this annoying thing that happens when I use this type of packaging while taking a shower, and I do not get the actual plastic tube/container wet, but somehow water from my shower manages to get inside the flip top lid so when I next take this out of the rack on my wall from the shower to pack for a trip or something, that now soapy water leaks everywhere in my suitcase. Every time! So make sure you wrap this in a zip lock bag or something to prevent a gooey mess in your luggage because this lid isn’t very secure.

Coming back to the rapid part, I really don’t get the hype behind these Clearasil products. I think the ones manufactured in America at least have Salicylic Acid 1% listed in their formulations as an active ingredient, this British one has it mentioned as the 7th ingredient, and since it’s not an active ingredient, the amount could have just been a pinch in a tube- I wouldn’t know. I feel duped. Plus there’s alcohol and ‘perfume’ (which could mean a million chemicals) in the ingredients, all of which people with any kind of acne (hormonal acne, cystic acne, regular teenager acne) and people with sensitive skin (aka ME) should stay away from. And now I just feel stupid. I was just so aggravated with my acne I was ready to try anything at the point that I bought this! And it came back to bite me in my behind. This has neither rapidly, nor slowly, helped to fight any of my redness or face monsters.

What I did like about it was that it that this light baby blue scrub was non-foaming. It has these little beads in it, absolutely tiny pink granules that you scrub on your skin to exfoliate and slough off those dead skin cells. It also didn’t smell very fragrant or floral so initially I thought it might just do the trick. But a month of use and still nothing! It also felt almost oily on my skin every time I used it, making me think it’s a good product and didn’t dry out my skin to leave that stretchy feeling after. But it did aggravate my sensitive skin and my face monsters felt itchy and irritated afterwards, something I have cooled down with ice or sticking a cold water bottle to my face (yup imagine me walking around with a bottle on my face, not sure how hygienic that is).

Also a little does not go a long way- usually I take like a little more than a pea size amount for my face and neck with a cleanser, or less, and that isn’t enough for my face and neck with this. In the beginning I used to think I’m using too much because this scrub doesn’t foam, but I’ve realised I do actually need at least 3 pea size amounts to cover my face and neck. And maybe I am asking for too much for a cleanser to have acne fighting plus cleansing or scrubbing properties, but you know how you use a cleanser to remove makeup residue after using remover? Yeah, this isn’t one of those cleansers. It does nothing for makeup and you’re not supposed to use this on or around the eye area, so I guess this is an add on to your facial routine. This makes me question the directions on this tube and how it says I should use this morning and evening for ‘visibly clearer skin’. Umm, so is that after my regular cleanser that I’m supposed to use this? So I strip my skin of all its natural oils and completely destroy its pH balance? I don’t think so.

Pros of Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Scrub:

• At this point, the fact that my 12 year old cousin is willing to get it off my hands and help make some space on my shower rack is a pro.
• Non-foaming- so soap free (?)
• Leaves skin soft and smooth afterwards

Cons of Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Scrub:

• Doesn’t say how much Salicylic Acid is present or if it is even an active ingredient
• Irritating for sensitive skin
• Doesn’t really work to remove redness or pimples
• The beads/granules in the scrub actually do not bio degrade, so for the environmentally conscious, you’d want to avoid this because use of such scrubs causes these plastic beads/granules to accumulate in our environment.

Would I repurchase or recommend the Clearasil Ultra: Rapid Action Scrub?

No to both unfortunately!

IMBB Rating:

1/5 This product is plain lousy!

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