Ooh I do love a good cleanser, me! I feel like since I was
15 years old it's been my mission in life to find the
perfect cleanser - and by jove I've tested many.
So I've thrown together a little 'guide' of different cleanser types, what I think they're good for, which skin they suit the best, which brands I recommend and my personal experiences with the products. By no means is this something to completely go by, as I'm no expert, but I have picked some information up on my quest to find some amazing skincare. I hope this post helps if you're a little stuck when it comes to cleansers - and even if you're not stuck, I hope it gives you some product recommendations! I love switching up my skincare to suit what my skin needs; my skin is combination so can be super oily one day, then as dry as a flip-flop the next day. It's very unpredictable to I always make sure I have a few different cleansing types to hand. Just to reiterate - I'm really not an expert and can only recommend the products that have worked for me and my own personal skin type. Disclaimers over and done with, let's get to the good stuff.
The Creams; Soap & Glory The Ultimelt, Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish
Cream cleansers are known for being really gentle on the skin and are great for deeply purifying and cleansing, by getting deep into pores and clearing them of any gunk. They are so gentle that you can use them on a daily basis and are great for skin of every age and every type, and I would probably opt for this type of cleanser if your skin is acne-prone or in need of a really deep clean. Cream cleansers are also great if your skin is sensitive and you don't want to exfoliate or scrub at it, whilst still having the feeling of soft skin.
The ones I've chosen are hot cloth cream cleansers and you can also use them to remove your make up. All you do is massage the product into your skin, wet a muslin cloth with warm water and gently wipe it away. You're left with super soft skin which is in no way irritated, which is great as sometimes skin can take unnecessary batterings! I've tried my fair share of cream cleansers but I have to say that my favourites are the Soap & Glory Ultimelt and Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish; sorry, I couldn't narrow it down to one! The Ultimelt is a really good dupe for the Cleanse & Polish and to be honest I can't notice much of a difference, but they are both really lovely cream cleansers. They feel so smooth, smell fresh and make my skin feel soft to the touch.
Oil-based cleansers are fantastic at removing make up as oils attract other oils and dirt. They're mostly famous for effortlessly removing all forms of waterproof make up (yes, even mascara!) which is why they're preferable to wipes and other forms of make up remover. They're so nourishing and good for the skin, adding moisture back and not stripping the skin at all, so they would be good for all skin types, particularly dry skin types. There is the common misconception that oily skinned-gals can't use oil-based cleansers, which isn't true; cleansing oils are actually great for oily skin as the cleanser attracts human-made sebum and oils, so it will leave your skin feeling really clean.
The Body Shop cleansing oil is wonderful as it's so gentle, smells amazing and makes my skin feel so healthy after use. It's such a quick and easy way of removing make up and I also use it as my second cleanser, too. The way to use it is really quite simple; you take one or two pumps of the oil, massage it into your skin, eye make up, lipstick (etc), then rinse it off using water. The oil then transforms into a milky, silky texture that rinses off really easily. You're left with gorgeously soft skin, which is ready for the rest of your skincare routine. I love this product and I use it in the warmer months; in the winter, I use regular organic coconut oil - oils are basically just so good for your skin!
The Water; Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water
Micellar waters are so big right now and there is definitely a reason why; they. are. so. easy. The science behind it is that there are little micelles which are basically little magnets that attract all dirt, grime and make up away from the skin and onto a cotton pad. The cleansing waters can be used for sensitive skin and are hypoallergenic, meaning that they won't clog your pores. I would probably opt for something like an cleansing oil over a micellar water if your skin is on the dry side, as micellar cleansers doesn't include moisture like an oil-based cleanser would. Every micellar water I've come across is unscented so it won't irritate the skin, and it's another way to gently cleanse your face. The water can also be used on your eyes and lips, and it doesn't need to be rinsed off, which is a bonus.
I'm really loving this Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water as it's just so effective at what it claims to do. All you do is pour a little of it onto a cotton pad and gently swipe it over your face. Whenever I use it there is no make up left on the cotton pad so I'm confident that it's lifted all traces of everything from my face, which is so reassuring as I can't stand the thought of having make up left on before bed. I always use this cleanser when I'm feeling a little lazy and want a quick skincare routine, and it's absolutely amazing - I definitely recommend it.
Balm cleansers are quite new to me and I don't have much experience of them, but they contain so many skin-loving ingredients that I couldn't not include this type. They are usually thick in texture and transform into a soft balm/oil when heated (rubbed between your fingers or massaged into your skin). I'd say that balm cleansers are suited to every skin type, although they might drag slightly on older skin, so that's something to bear in mind.
I love this beauty balm cleanser from One Love Organics; it's so mild and gentle on the skin and feels so nourishing. It includes mango butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil and many other wonderful ingredients. When brands make the effort to use natural ingredients it makes me want to purchase it even more, as I know that whatever is going on my face is good for me. The texture of this particular cleanser is strange; it's almost grainy, but when warmed, transforms to a thin consistency. The way in which I use this cleanser is by taking a blob of it in-between my fingers, rubbing it together to warm it, massaging into onto my face and using a warm, damp muslin cloth to gently wipe away the make up and grime.
The texture of this type of cleanser is very strange; it's grainy and thick, and when added to water, can be made into a custom-made cleanser type. Depending on the texture you're looking for, you can make this thick, chunky and scrubby, or you can make it thin and milky. I love having this option as it means I can change my cleanser to suit what my skin needs. I believe that pastes are suited to all skin types because, as I just mentioned, they can be custom-made to suit your skin.
I've written a huuuuge informative (and gushy) post about how much I love the LUSH Let the Good Times Roll Facial Cleanser and you can have a read of it here, but to give you a brief insight into the product, I will just say that it is amazing. You pinch a bit from the tub, mix it with water in the palm of your hand, and massage it into your skin, then rinse it off. It smells incredible - like toffee popcorn - is made from natural ingredients and makes your skin feel soft to the touch and ready for make up application. It scrubs slightly so you get a very gentle exfoliation (depending on how thick and grainy you make it) so it's perfect at gently wiping away dead skin cells every day. Something to bear in mind though; it does not remove make up and is more suited as a second cleanser/a cleanser for when you're not wearing make up. Anyway, check out the post - I go into it in a lot of detail, explain why I love it and why I 100% recommend this product!
Cleansing milks are so wonderful for sensitive skin and are great for skincare beginners. They are gentle and fool-proof, so I think they're suited more towards younger skins and combination skin. I think they're a great way to purify skin really quickly as they don't need much work; I never stand there and massage this product into my skin, I just rub it on and wash it off, and I'm good to go. Great for if you're in a rush/half asleep!
I'm cheating a little with this Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean cleanser as it's technically a cream, but when you add water to it it turns into a milk straight away. The trick with it is to rub a small amount onto your skin and splash water onto it, then start removing it, so the cream becomes a nice milky texture. I've found that this way makes your skin feel a lot cleaner than massaging it in for ages and then using a cloth to remove it. I've been using this for ages now - as you can tell I've nearly finished the bottle - and I really like it. It doesn't remove make up unfortunately (I've tried this and it was a disaster!) but it works well as the second-cleanse, or when you're make up-free.
Have you tried any of these cleansers?
Do you have any recommendations?
Daniela xo
