I’m having a bit of a face wash frenzy right now; after finally finishing my First-aid Beauty Deep Cleanser with Red Clay I decided to start not one replacement cleanser but four. The full reviews are coming up, but I thought I’d write down some speedy notes in the event you were looking for something a bit lighter (and faster) than a cream or balm cleanser.
I don’t always wish to accomplish a full-on cleanse first thing – I rarely have time – and so face washes are usually my morning staple. And – I’m not likely to lie – this sort of cleansing generally happens in the shower. I wash my hair, stick on my conditioner and then wash my face whilst I’m waiting for my locks to be transformed into something vaguely manageable that won’t snap the hairbrush in half when I try to brush it.
(Note: I don’t ever put my face underneath the shower jets, I splash with water I’ve collected within the palms of my hands. Which makes it sound as though I stand there in certain sort of religious pose, hands upturned, accepting gifts from heaven. However, you know what I mean. I catch-n-splash.)
I’d state that the following face washes are more suited to normal/oily skin than dry – I favor a cream or balm cleanser on drier skin – and I probably wouldn’t use them for makeup removal, as I like to really take my time and massage my cleanser in when I’m doing my end-of-day routine.
But each to their own – whatever floats your beauty boat. I understand loads of people who never use a balm or cream or oil cleanser, removing their makeup with a wash and very happily too. I must say that I haven’t tested the following cleansers on eye makeup – it’s just not how I’d ever take it off – but I did my usual rub-it-in-the-sockets test (taking one for that team, there) and my eyeballs are still in tact. So. Knock yourselves out…
Simple Vital Vitamin Foaming Cleanser, lb2.19 at Superdrug here*: I’m really impressed with Simple’s cleansing stuff right now. Their oil is great along with a fraction of the price that you’d purchase some of the higher-end ones with similar ingredients; their Dual Effect makeup remover is, I believe, superb. (And – again – lb2.19. Though it’s a restricted offer, see here*.) The Foaming Cleanser is a very soft, gentle and non-stripping foam and my skin didn’t feel dry after rinsing. Actually I think that this would be my choice if you did have slightly drier skin and wanted a fast, affordable face wash option.
Paula’s Choice Pore Normalising Cleanser, lb16 here*: totally fragrance-free, this gel-to-mild-lather cleanser leaves my skin feeling fresh and clean but without that dreadful squeakiness that you sometimes get with “blemish prone skin” products. It has salicylic acid to help unclog pores, so worth taking a look at if you suffer from blackheads and breakouts, however i always wonder just how effective something could be if you rinse it straight off. Which is why I usually leave these sorts of cleansers on for some minutes and piddle around doing something else…
DCL C Scape Enzymatic Gel Cleanser, lb33 at SpaceNK here*, though currently appears to be out of stock everywhere: this one is pitched like a gentle cleanser, but I actually believe that it packs much more of a punch than it gives itself credit for. It has enzymes and fruit acids and so I’m supposing that when it’s left on the skin, which is what I do (only for a couple of minutes, but still), it has an exfoliating effect. My skin feels smoother and a little tighter, as though I’ve used a really fine scrub, but the texture from the gel is silky and completely free from grittiness. I’ve earmarked that one for a full review, when i feel I’ve been a little balm-centric recently.
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Softening Foaming Gel, lb8.33 here*: I’ve had that one for ages and I think that it’s a nice, uncomplicated face wash should you just want a functional cleanser. It rinses off easily without the need for a washcloth/flannel – in fact all of the cleansers on this page rinse off well – and the lather is gentle, unfragranced and non-stripping.
See a style, here? These are all quick to make use of, easy to rinse and don’t dry out your skin. I have another few dozen cleansers arranged around my bathroom (Mr AMR loves me) and so I’ll keep the reviews coming, as and when I get the chance to type up my findings. For now, you can browse more cleanser features here.
