Clarin's Flash Balm - yet another love ruined - AIBU to wonder why companies do this?

[Dreichit]

This is a bit S&B but I am disappointed so AIBU.

Just got my rare birthday treat of replacement flash balm to find...

the formula has changed completely to a sticky super glue like gel that smells like that really nasty liquid soap you get in public loos that never washes off right. Oh and it looks like semen with a hint of pink! 😱

Why do companies do this? Who decides a bestselling product that has been a favourite for years ought to be done away with completely? Is there an actual belief by cosmetics companies that we won't notice that our favourite moisturiser has been replaced by itchy stinky semen soap?

I am a sensitive soul with highly reactive skin so the number of products I can use is very limited to begin with, it gets smaller every year. Is there a list somewhere of cheap dupes to replace done away with formulations?

Original Source mint shower gel is another one, that was ace for years and then they replaced it with some sort of semen glue that stops it mixing with water and makes me look like I have had an all over acid peel.

AIBU to say boo to "reformulation" (eg vanishing favourite products) and why don't they just bring out a new product alongside instead of replacing a popular one and pretending it's the same?

They’ve changed Simple moisturiser which I have used for years, my skin doesn’t like the new one 🙁

i thought maybe Original Source just didn't work for me...there's no cooling feeling like it had in the past.

I am sorry for the disappointment OP but FWIW your description of the new product made me laugh!

They think we won't notice they've switched out for cheaper ingredients. When they've actually improved a product they tend to do all singing adverts about the updated version and whack the price up too. This is just them assuming customers are idiots.

Boots cucumber range is another, that used to be the super cheap always works go to moisturiser option - now it has some kind of added venom ingredient that makes me want to claw my own face off.

Oh no! I've used Flash Balm for over 20 years and am gutted to hear this :( I've got 2 tubes stocked up thankfully, so time to find a replacement (if one exists - definitely a S&B thread!)

Thanks for saving me some money OP

🤣 at semen analogy!

Cheaper ingredients . So many things have gone this way recently.

Not even remotely unreasonable. I hate it when they do this. Or discontinue something you love.

I work for a spa and trained in clarins treatments. Clarins had to reformulate quite a few of their products due to all having an ingredient in them which can no longer be used, beauty flash balm being one of them.
Although I have had beauty flash balm like you have described before and its been when it's an old one and gone off.
Good alternative for you is the elemis superfood glow priming moisturiser. I have always preferred it to flash balm.

Angel are you able to say why it can't be used?

Hi Angelbunny, do you have any of the original formula (to give to me at once)? I bake a mean scone...

Can you pat the elemis cream over your make up for a refresh like flash balm too?

I just looked up the reviews on Clarin's website - lots of upset at the changed product in the last few days.

Laughter is all we will have left to fix our faces at this rate...

Have a look at artisan skincare makers.
www.burrenperfumery.ie

It's so upsetting! FYI the box looks the same but the tube is made of different matt texture plastic so it may be possible to hunt down original stock if you can open the box and look.

"3rd generation takes over Feb 2022" (Clarins owners/management). I wonder if they thought they knew better... (cheaper ingredients/more profit). Maybe not, but Liz Earle and Decléor products all took a nose dive (in my opinion) following changed ownership.

All old stock had to be binned, sorry! There was one ingredient that is now banned.

Yep, you can use the elemis product exactly the same way.

Another one here really curious as to what the banned ingredient is.

Im pretty sure the ingredient was lilial that couldn't be used anymore

The description of the product really made me laugh....
Completely agree with you.
Another one for me is food in the supermarket "new improved recipe" which is never nice.

Thanks Angel

I just looked up elemis and it is expensive so will have to track down a sample first...

I'll have to look and see if I've got any old tubes, which will be unopened. Can't even give the stuff away any more here, and Clarins stick it in every bloody freebie.😆

Is this the same sort of product OP? I don't use it but my sister is a bit of a skincare hoarder.

www.qvcuk.com/Tarte-Mini-Timeless-Smoothing-Primer.product.242973.html?recommendationTypeId=QUK-AT-PDP-Z1&recommendationLocation=12&recommendationModuleType=PRODUCT_CAROUSEL&sc=DTLR&referringItem=246400&

you can try it and return it to QVC. Sis tells me there are many similar products to flash balm.

I always thought there was only one flash balm but will have a look. I have had many nice moisturisers over the years but flash balm was fail safe for primer, mask and touch up refresh etc.

I used to like Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair but they changed the formula of that at the start of the pandemic and it got terrible reviews and is way too expensive to risk a gamble.

That's another one you can return to QVC if you don't like it. You do have to pay postage but you can return anything to them. I assume that doesn't include food, lol!