Speed Review: Good Things Deep Clean Blackhead Exfoliator

I tend not to like physical exfoliants as I can find them to be too harsh and instead, prefer the effective exfoliation offered by chemical exfoliators. That said, I've generally liked everything I've tried from the Good Things brand (my only complaints have been minor, packaging related gripes) and trust its founder, Alice Hart-Davis so when I was sent the Deep Clean Blackhead Exfoliator, I decided to keep an open mind. 

The company state that Deep Clean Blackhead Exfoliator has been specially formulated for skin which is prone to breakouts and congestion. It is my personal opinion that those with active breakouts should avoid physical exfoliants which can take the "head" off blemishes and cause bacteria to spread as well as increasing the risk of scarring. 

The exfoliator is described as containing smooth micro-beads to polish away dead skin cells that block pores & make the skin appear dull. It contains anti-inflammatory, brightening & clarifying licorice, exfoliating papaya extract to boost radiance and soothing willow bark. 

On first impressions, I liked the packaging which is lighthearted and in keeping with the affordable price point. The fact that it highlights the inclusion of superfood ingredients appealed to me, as did the fact that it's free from "nasties" such as parabens. The functional tube has a flip top lid & allows for controlled dispensing of product. The directions were clear & easy to follow although I disagree that the Blackhead Exfoliator should be used daily in the morning and evening as I feel that this encourages over exfoliating which can cause problems with skin. Whilst I appreciate that regular exfoliation is key to sloughing off dead skin cells which can cause pores to become blocked, over exfoliating can over stimulate skin & cause it to process excess oils, which isn't beneficial to those with acne prone skin. 

Good Things Deep Clean Blackhead Exfoliator has quite a runny, gel texture with a high concentration of finely milled exfoliating particles. I was both surprised & disappointed to note that the exfoliating particles are small polyethylene granules (plastic) which is not environmentally friendly (owing to plastics ending up in the oceans). To me, this isn't in keeping with my perception of the brand (for example, the brand's cleansing wipes are biodegradable). That aside, the exfoliant feels quite gentle on the skin whilst the scrub still provides a deeply cleansed feeling.

Despite the formula being sulphate free, I was able to work Good Things Deep Clean Blackhead Exfoliator into a lather. It has a tart, fruity fragrance (I couldn't detect a licorice scent) which was pleasant if a little overpowering. Parfum is listed fairly high up on the ingredients list so it's perhaps unsurprising that I found the scent to be a little strong during use. I wasn't able to detect the scent afterwards though.

Following use, my skin was left feeling soft & smooth, with the texture looking refined. 

There are some elements which I hate about Good Things Deep Clean Blackhead Exfoliator but if I put those aside & focus solely on the usage and results, then it's a good basic scrub which I feel is a better choice than many which are offered at such an affordable price. I'd love to see Good Things offer a chemical exfoliant or one based on fruit enzymes, which I feel would tie in well with the brand's focus on super fruit ingredients.

Good Things Deep Clean Blackhead Exfoliator costs £4.99 for a generous 150ml.