During my Obagi trial (still the single best skincare experience I’ve ever had – life-changing is an understatement, check out my intro post here) I was limited in what sort of new skincare I could use, and being a skincare junkie, I needed something to give me that skincare high, so I went for all the cleansers and now I have lots of cleansers to talk about! The first batch consists of a great mix of five different cleansers that all have something to offer and that I’ve mostly been enjoying using.
The Jane Scrivner Nourishing Cleanser is a product I’ve heard lots about, so I was eager to give it a go myself. It’s a rich and hydrating balm cleanser with a slightly grainy texture – it’s difficult to tell whether the texture is intentional or not as it’s lightly exfoliating, but there’s no mention of this on the site – but the graininess is minimal so it might just be one of those things that’s not really relevant. The balm itself is lovely and feels very pampering – you do need to give yourself a generous scoop to generate that balmy slipperiness that you need to get a good movement going, but it’s worth it for that beautifully deep cleanse that leaves skin feeling incredible clean and nourished. It’s £33 for 50ml here – link – and I would personally use this as a treat a couple of times a week rather than every day. It also comes with a skin mitt for removal which I absolutely love!
The Zelens Z Pure Cleansing Liquid Balm is another cult product that I’ve been wanting to try for a while. This is a great cleanser for those who like the idea of cleansing balms, but don’t want anything too rich or greasy, as this is definitely on the lighter side of cleansing balms, and in place of the oiliness is an almost gel-like quality. I also feel like this is quite a minimal cleanser without too many unnecessary ingredients, so you have the flexibility to use this as an AM or PM cleanse, and in the first or second cleanse in the evening depending on what you fancy. It’s £50 here – link.
If you’re on a bit of a budget but still crave the luxury feel of a rich balmy cleanser, the Avon Anew Clean Transforming Cleansing Balm is a brilliant product that performs well above its low price point. It’s a rich, gentle, soothing balm; you do need quite a bit to get the balmy movement going, much like the above Jane Scrivner one, but it’s worth it and I really like the fact that this one doesn’t have a strong fragrance, so it shouldn’t cause too many issues if you’re sensitive or prone to problems with fragrance. This comes with a muslin cloth to aid removal and help lightly exfoliate, but obviously you don’t have to use it and can just flannel it off like I do. It’s a total bargain at £7 here – link.
The Nyasa Pure Glow Nourishing Cleansing Balm is another rich cleanser, but the main thing I like about this one is the pump-style packaging and, strangely enough, the fragrance, which is lightly floral without being too sickly or overwhelming – if you struggle with fragrance then you might struggle with this, but I haven’t had any problems. The product is a relatively thick balm that moves around the face with ease and feels really nice to use. This is a great middle-of-the-road cleanser that isn’t too thick or oily, but also feels relatively rich and nourishing. It’s £50 here – link.
Saving the best ’til last, the Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser is just fantastic. I really like the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, but I find my skin easily reacts to the fragrance and essential oils in it. The Superdrug version appears to be pretty much exactly the same, just without any OTT fragrance, so you’re basically left with the same fabulous formula that’s creamy, soothing, gentle and nourishing, without the additional irritants. I love this cleanser and I find it particularly great when I need something very basic that’ll do the job without causing any problems (such as when I’m using a lot of actives or have had a recent facial) as it’s perfect for that – if you want a cleanser that’ll deeply cleanse but not interfere with the other elements of your routine then this is ideal. I really rate this and I could not be more impressed. It’s £4.99 here – link.
*PR Samples
