Exfoliators and dead skin cells “clumping”

Hi Beauty Brains! I was recently in a shopping mall and approached by a salesperson at one of the kiosks in the middle of the mall, you know the ones who are really eager to demonstrate their products. I agreed to see what they had to show me. In particular there was an exfoliator that when massaged into the skin, forms small discolored clumps that are presumed to be dead skin cells. I have tried to search for similar products online and read reviews. Some people claim that the product contains glue and that is the reason that clumps are forming, not because of anything removing dead skin cells. Other people seem to swear by these exfoliators, claiming that testing the product on a surface other than skin (plastic bag, etc.) does not produce clumps. The product I saw was the “Platinum Complex Facial Peeling” by Bionyx Skin Care. Any idea if these products actually are good for the skin and serving a purpose or just snake oil?