I like Avène;
their products are really effective and always gentle and tend to work in tandem
with your skin rather than against it. This latest offering from Avène’s is
very intriguing! Cleanance Expert
can be used in conjunction with any acne medicines you might be using. But most
importantly it can also be included
in a skin regime which involves layering skincare. So this is ideal for
slotting into your finely honed skincare routine, when you need a bit of SOS
from spots.
When I was first tried this product, I thought that it would
be something similar to my beloved La Roche
Posay Effaclar Duo [+] (you can read my full review here). On first
impressions, Cleanance Expert
appears to be quite different though. In terms of formulation, Cleanance Expert is a light, hydrating,
non-drying and lightly scented emulsion, suited to the most sensitive skins.
From using Cleanance Expert, an emulsion
is some sort of a fusion between a gel and a cream texture – heavier than a gel
but not as heavy as a cream.
There are two ingredients in this product which really appeal
to me. It contains an exfoliating agent called Xpressin, which Avène
claim has the same chemical power as 6% Glycolic Acid but is far gentler on the
skin. I absolutely love Glycolic Acid, it is stellar at treating breakouts by
exfoliating the skin and unblocking pores but it also significantly reduces acne
scarring. Because the product doesn’t contain Glycolic Acid, it has a pH level
which matches that of skin, which is great. The skin’s pH is slightly acidic
aka its acid mantle. The optimal pH of human skin is 5.5. When the skin’s pH
level is off kilter, bacteria levels can rise or drop, resulting in an
imbalance and thus breakouts.
Avène also patented an ingredient called Diolenyl,
which seems ingenious. It tackles the bacteria which are the main offenders in
causing acneic breakouts, but the Diolenyl only targets those specific
acne-causing bacteria. It the silver bullet equivalent to acne! So it works
only where and when it’s needed, and it doesn’t kill off any of the good
bacteria which are beneficial to your skin.
I can categorically state that this is a fantastic product.
It not an over-night miracle worker but it did sort my skin out when I had a
cystic breakout. In the usual spirit of Avène skincare, this product is as super
gentle as it claims to be. It greatly speeded up the healing time of that breakout
but also the usual accompanying scarring. It didn’t dry out my skin in the slightest but
gave it that extra nourishment that it needed. Over extended use; I found it excellent
for keeping my skin clear – in particular any pesky blackheads I would get. I
love that I can reach for this in my hour of need and it fits in seamlessly
with any other products I’m using. The emulsion texture makes this super hydrating
but light-weight on the skin. I would actually say this would be as versatile
in the winter as the summer.
Do you like the sound of Cleanance Expert? Which products do you find
really effective for acne and breakouts?
Avène Cleanance
Expert is €19 and is available
here online at Boots
and Escentual and in-store at Boots and pharmacies
nationwide.
