Facial Cleansers
I had the best summer of my life. My best friend came for a visit for two weeks and we had an amazing time in Puerto Rico. The other amazing thing is that I have completed my MA studies. It is nice to have that wrapped up and be free again. So, I welcomed the fall with more free time and more focused on my husband and our doggies. I thought it was time to write a bit again.
Today, while getting ready for the day, I realized I had tried and used up some new face cleansers so I thought it would be a good topic to write about. My favorite cleansers are still from Skintegra, but I have found some new amazing options for then I am outside of Europe.
One of them is from Beauty of Joseon Radiance cleansing balm. I always have a soft spot for Korean skincare and this cleanser is no exception to that. It is a balm cleanser that you massage on your face and when you add water it emulsifies into milky texture. It takes off all of my makeup and leaves my skin soft and not feeling stripped. It doesn’t have any noticeable scent and it is overall decently priced. I got it for around 15$ online. I love that it comes with a little spatula so you don’t have to reach into the jar with your fingers. Definitely worth repurchasing.
Another favorite is a cleanser is from Good molecule Instant cleansing balm. I guess I really like this type of cleansers as I have also previously wrote about the Elf balm cleanser. Same as Beauty of Joseon. This one is very similar in performance and the price. It comes down to what is more accessible to get in the store. I would definitely buy this again. Another plus is that it has a recyclable packaging as it comes in the aluminum jar. A+
Least impressive was the Peach and Lilly Power calm hydrating gel cleanser. It is more of a second cleanse type of product with its gel like texture, but I don’t think it did much for my skin. I guess I was hoping it would be more nourishing since the brand is known in general for the good formulas. I used up a mini version but it didn’t impress me at all. I can’t say my skin and overpriced in my opinion and I didn’t like the scent. Full size tube is 29$.
I like Herbivore as a brand and I should do a dedicated post since I have tried a lot of their products over the years. They have a Pink Cloud cleanser which comes in a nice glass packaging and it is pink (which you can’t see here as I used it all up). This is also gel type cleanser and while I like it better than Peach and Lilly, because it is really gentle on my skin, it doesn’t do enough for me when I am wearing makeup. I think it leaves some of the makeup traces on my face. I did like it for days when I just wanted to clean my skin and I was not wearing makeup. It is a bit pricey at 26$ for 100ml, so I would not repurchase it, especially since it needs more help with removing my makeup. For a non makeup wearer with a sensitive-ish skin, this could be a nice option.
If you have sensitive skin, I think you would like Paula’s choice Softening cream cleanser. It comes in a big bottle and you can always find their products on some sort of discount. I do like its creamy texture and it is super gentle on the skin. It cleanses the skin well without stripping it and this bottle lasted me for a while. Probably one of the best buys of the year. Definitely repurchase worthee.
Very similar cleanser to Paula’s choice cleanser is this one from Elf skin. It has very similar texture, maybe a touch milkier, but also very hydrating. It leaves the skin clean and nourished. I really enjoyed using it and the price is right at 9$. I would definitely buy this again. Pretty bottle in the shower, nice pump to pump out the product and good ingredients for my skin. Well done Elf!
I haven’t had the best luck with Dermalogica products. This Precleanse if one of them. They are always so hyped up as the best skincare line, but I was underwhelmed. Its consistency is very thin as it is an oil. It has something within the ingredients list that irritated my skin. It has a scent so maybe that was the irritant for me, although the scented products usually don’t give me much problems. I was breaking out when I was using this. It was a mini bottle of 30ml and I think I might have got it as a Sephora perk. This is not worth 49$ for the full size bottle. There are much better cleansing oils out there.
Speaking of scented cleansers, Glow recipe has very scented products and many of them actually work well for me. I tried this tiny sample of Enzyme cleanser and it lasted through couple of uses. I think I like it as it cleaned my face well and it felt hydrating enough to have a nice feel on the skin. It is on the pricey side at 32$ so I don’t feel the urge to buy a full side and risk being disappointed, especially since there are other options that I know that work well for me.
Since we talk abut the mini products, I have also tried another Elf and Fenty cleanser. Both of these are nice. I think I prefer Elf daily cleanser as it is mild and hydrating. Fenty cleanser has a very strong perfume scent which lingers on the skin. Texture of the cleanser is thicker milky gel and somewhat hard to rinse off from your face. It did clean all of my makeup but it is not one of those products that I think about once I am done using them up. Elf has much better options for me.
I haven’t had too much luck with Krave beauty. Their products are a bit lackluster for me. I got this Makeup rewind jelly cleanser as a free present with a purchase on one other makeup site. It is just ok. It has a clear thinner texture and it is gentle, but not strong enough to take off the makeup. I use it as as second step or in the morning when I want to extra cleanse my face. I am not wowed by it, but it is definitely not a bad product. Again, I think you can get a better cleanser for less that this 25$ tag
I have save the best for the last. Lisa Eldridge Skin Enhancing treatment. Lisa knows her makeup and now she also nailed the skincare. This is a multitasking product. It is a cleanser with a unique formula so you don’t need to double cleanse. It has a rich oil and then with water milky type formula but it is very hydrating and soothing for the skin. She describes it as a hybrid formula that transforms from balm to oil to milk. It also doubles as a face mask. You can put it on for 2 minutes and over time it improves your skin hydration. It is on the pricey side at 49$, but this bottle lasted me about 6 months with daily use. You really need just a small amount. I am just squeezing last bits of it, so I do think this formula is worth it.
These are all the cleansers I have tried over the last 3 years, so I hope it helps you pick out your new product.
Hope you have a wonderful day! XOXO, Iva