By this time, you’re probably wondering if I’ve experienced ANY success with a cleanser. Maybe my expectations are too high.
Anything that gets a B or above is probably something I would likely purchase again. Oftentimes, even though they’re decent products, the reason I slap a Kiss My Ass label on them is a) sadly, to be consistent with the other cleanser reviews and b) because I take their claims and promise-filled names into consideration. For example, I would purchase Biore Pore Minimizing Foaming Face Wash again but I’m still deducting points and giving it a miffed middle finger because of its stupid claims and those useless blue scrubbing beads that only get in the way.
Unfortunately for Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Face Wash, I cannot recommend it for repurchase.
Firstly, let’s consider the price. Aveeno is one of the more expensive drugstore brands for skincare. The level of performance does not make up for its cost at all.
Nor do I like the poorly engineered packaging. You have to push down really hard on the pump, but this is hard to do when you’re using the other hand to receive the foam. The bottom of the bottle is smooth, rounded and tapered, so the bottle ALWAYS slips. So, I have to hold up the bottle while trying to pump AND receive lather at the same time. Well, I’m one of those human species that happens to have only two hands so maybe this just wasn’t meant for people like me.
The foam itself? LOUSY. It smells like cheap perfume and two pumps of foam will disintegrate the moment it contacts your face. Why make a foam cleanser that turns right into liquid as soon as it reaches your face? Tell me this, Aveeno. What enigma have I failed to decipher here? Am I just not smart enough to understand the ways of the Foaming Face Wash? I have to get like five pumps to make this foam at all. Needless to say, I went through this bottle pretty fast.
A good rule of thumb is to not expect too much out of cleansers. You should look for something that cleans your face really well without clogging your pores or irritating your skin. It’s rare that you’ll find something that’ll actually repair your skin or minimize pores or whatever.
However, even with this in mind, I can’t help but get irritated with all those lengthy fancy names they print on the labels. I guess, in this day in age, phrases like “Clear Complexion” and “Pore Minimizing” is something you can just toss around like used tissue without any regards to whether it holds up to such claims. I could stamp “Pore Minimizing” on a tub of mayonnaise and I wouldn’t be held any more liable for false advertising.
Okay, that’s a bit of a stretch seeing as how the Face Wash doesn’t irritate or break me out, but slathering mayo on my face might actually lead to those results. So, yea, there’s ONE good thing about it – that it’s harmless. Another favorable factor is that it gets the face makeup out in one application – but that’s still with the five or more pumps.
So, even though you do work better than Garnier Nutritoolonganameforyourowngood, your piss-off factors heavily outweigh your pros and, therefore, you get a C.
Related posts:
- Cleansers that can Kiss My Ass: Biore Pore Minimizing Foaming Face Wash
- Cleansers that can Kiss My Ass: Lancôme Blanc Expert NeuroWhite X3 Ultimate Whitening Purifying Foam
- Cleansers that can Kiss My Ass: Garnier Nutritioniste Nutri-Pure Detoxifying Cream Cleanser
- Cleansers that can Kiss My Ass: Cetaphil
- Cleansers that can Kick my as$: Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel
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I love these reviews! You want to hear something funny about this cleanser? My friend bought it and hated it just as much as you did, she’s asian so she stuck with it to the end just to get her money’s worth. She was so happy when she finally finished the bottle, but then her mom, being the sweet mother that she is, noticed that she finished her cleanser and thought that she would do her a favor by buying her another one! She even took the empty bottle to the drugstore to make sure she would get the right one! Needless to say, my friend was pretty upset haha
PS. I totally agree with your claims of false advertising! I find shampoo/conditioner companies do it a lot too!
I’ve actually used that face wash before and I hated it too! It didn’t remove anything, I had to wash my face a couple of times for it to be clean.
Haha, Klaudea, your poor friend!! It’s hard to return something when one’s mother took such pains to find it. Aww. I couldn’t toss it or replace it, either, without finishing it first!
Olive, that would probably have been the case for me, too, if I didn’t use like 5+ pumps of it. I appreciate that you guys shared the pain.
NIce… Another one bites the dust… HEY.. dun dun dun… Another one bites the dust!
i like this series…i know you’ll find one u like!
I find Aveno skincare line to be overrated. I used a scrub from them before and it’s anything but gentle, wasted my 5 dollars! Have you tried Clearasil? The original version really worked for me back then but the acne control version is not that good.
I haven’t tried any aveeno cleansers but I have tried three moisturizers by aveeno even though the first one didn’t work out because, you know…I’m gullible like that. They were clear complexion daily moisturizer, positively radiant daily defense spf 30, and positively radiant daily moisturizer with spf 15. They didn’t break me out but they didn’t moisturize my skin either. It was like I didn’t even use a moisturizer.
“Well, I’m one of those human species that happens to have only two hands so maybe this just wasn’t meant for people like me.” Hahahahahaahaha, too funny!! I remember how difficult this dispenser is from using it back in college!!
Actually, I’m a pretty big fan of the Garnier Nutritioniste gel (NOT cream!) cleanser – it gets pretty much all the makeup off my face, unless it’s waterproof mascara. I like it, but don’t love it. (I left a bottle at my boyfriend’s though, and now he won’t give it back.) I really prefer oil cleansers these days, because my skin tends to get very dry in the winter. I tend to cycle through a lot of cleansers, so I can never settle down with just one. If I absolutely had to though, I’d probably chose the Shu Uemura cleansing oil because it takes off my waterproof makeup.
If you have an Asian market/Japanese grocery close to where you live, I used to swear by Shiseido Perfect Whip (or Perfect Milk, either one) and/or Kanebo Naive foam cleansers. I can’t seem to get these around here, but the Garnier Nutritionist gel is a pretty good alternative. Also, Almay makes a bar soap that I’ve found to be pretty effective (and extremely cheap!) as well.
You guys are great
Thanks for the heads up, May. I’m working on a bottle of Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel right now but I’ll keep the Garnier Nutritioniste gel in mind. I’ll also be on the lookout for the Almay one.
Jaq: I’m so disappointed! I had always wanted to give Aveeno a try but had never gotten around to it b/c I’d lean towards the cheaper stuff or products that were on special promo. I had heard great things about their oatmeal-based products for those with dry skin and eczema. So, I assumed they were a good brand in general. It’s actually not dumb of you to give other products of the same brand a try. Sometimes, one thing by the same company works better than another.
Dao: I don’t think I’ve tried Clearasil, except maybe once in high school. Generally, I avoid the “acne-fighting” types because they make my skin so dry and sensitive, but don’t help my acne in the least. Same with Neutrogena, although the bigger reason I’m boycotting them is b/c I got really pissed with their dermabrasion kit and swore never to buy from them again.
I’m using this cleanser right now! I actually don’t mind the smell :X but won’t be buying again because it’s expensive. I can’t believe I shelled out the money to buy this in the first place, although the phrase “clear complexion” had me sold. -_-|||
Other than this one, I use Clean & Clear Foaming Facial Cleanser. Doesn’t smell too good but it’s cheap & actually makes my face feel clean.
TAG YOUR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I used this about 2 years ago, and it was merely alright. I got it only because someone I knew had an employee discount. Otherwise its just way overpriced and didn’t do anything for me either.
Oh and yes I agree about stupid “Pore Minimizing” claims. Every brand has their own version and none of them do anything of that sort!