When I was first introduced to double cleansing through
reading Caroline Hirons blog (hallelujah!) I got myself questioning what counts
as a 1st cleanser or a 2nd cleanser? There are so many
different types around so I thought I’d do a roundup of what are in my current
collection. If any of you follow my Instagram you will know I have changed my
strategy when it comes to cleansing. I have decided to be consistent with 2 or
3 cleansers till they are empty, and then move on to a few more etc. That way I
can fully test a product and use it up within its expiry. I know many of you
struggle with the same thing that I do, and that having so many on the go means
you are not really using any up or fully appreciating the results they can
give! Anyway moving on…
It’s worth noting I only double cleanse in the evening and always
with a warm flannel. My skin cannot tolerate muslin cloths, they seem to
irritate my skin and prove too harsh so a good cheap flannel from Asda or the
such like does a great job! I gently sweep and buff it across my face, I don’t want
to look like I’ve been scoured!
For me a 1st Cleanse is all about removing makeup
and impurities, generally I will use a balm or oil to do this as I find these
the most effective. Never a face wipe!! God no. For this step I try not
to spend a lot of money as they don’t sit on the skin for long. The following
are my current choices:
Clinique Take the Day off Balm – this is a freebie sample
size – 125ml retails at £22.00 from Boots:
I got this sample as a freebie with another purchase, I have
used the cleansing milk and oil from the TTDO range before and loved them, they
are extremely effective at what they are designed to do. I was pleased I received
this as I had been looking for a small pot to try before deciding whether to
fork out on the full size (bearing in mind this is the most expensive cleanser
of all my 1st cleansers). But to be fair this literally cuts through
makeup like a knife through butter, so the price I think is justifiable! I love
that its fragrance free and extremely gentle so suitable for even the most
sensitive of skins. It leaves skin soft and not stripped. I love it but it is
more than I would spend for a 1st cleanser, though saying that it
probably is the best out of the bunch for makeup removal as it disintegrates
everything including waterproof mascara, leaving skin super clean. It would
also last you absolutely ages as only a small amount is required. Full review
on this is in the pipeline…
Lush Ultrabland - £7.45 for 45g or £12.95 for 100g:
This is a fairly new purchase for me as I got it on a whim
when I happened to appear in a Lush shop ;) I was originally looking at ‘Angels
on bare skin’ but having decided that the ingredients were too harsh for me I
picked up Ultrabland. The description really appealed to me. A basic non fuss
cleanser that is made with gentle and simple yet effective ingredients (almond
oil, rose water, beeswax and honey). I love this! It is exactly what I look for
in a 1st cleanser, it also helps that it leaves my skin so soft and
glowy afterwards and doesn’t aggravate my sensitive skin! Bear in mind though
that this doesn’t emulsify so it will need to be removed with a damp cloth or
cotton wool.
Botanics Dual Action Hydration Burst Cleanser - £4.00 for
125ml from Boots:
This is a gel/balm to oil which removes makeup effectively.
For the price you can’t go wrong! It appeared in my recent Bargain Buys post –
link here http://www.blushandsage.co.uk/2016/10/autumn-bargain-buys-under-10.html. It does take more massaging than the others, and it doesn’t really
make skin feel anything special, but it does the job and I will continue to use
this and may even repurchase at some point just purely because of the price
point. Can’t comment on whether it removes heavy makeup as I haven’t used this
on a full face, but for the price you can apply twice as there is no fear of it
breaking the bank!
Una Brennan Vitamin C Cleansing Oil - £10.99 from Boots:
An oldie but a goodie, I have already been through 1 bottle
of this cleansing oil. It is excellent for waking up the skin as its smells of
oranges! I know for some it can be too overpowering, almost like kitchen
cleaner! But I like it… Despite the scent it doesn’t break me out or aggravate
me and it contains some lovely ingredients including grapeseed, rosehip and
olive oils, rosemary oil, vitamin e and cucumber oil. You can get a really good
massage with this lightweight oil and it does transform into a milky texture
upon contact with water. Decently priced and you get a lot for your money, this
will last you a long time. Highly recommend!
Now onto 2nd cleansers, these are where I spend
the most money and I really do like to indulge in a bit of luxury here. I
choose 2nd cleansers based on how I want to treat my skin and what
ingredients I want to treat it with. I deeply massage the product in and allow
it to sit on my skin whilst I brush my teeth before removing with a warm
flannel (same as my 1st cleanser). Without a doubt, cleansing is my
most favourite step along with applying facial oil! I just love the whole
process of taking time to massage my skin and inhale beautiful scents. It helps
me relax and have some ‘me time’. There are so many cleansers I have been
enjoying recently, but the ones below are what I’ve been using in rotation:
Jordan Samuel Plie - $24.00, ships to the UK (currently
on sale for $20.00!):
This purchase came from a lot of people within the skincare
community on Instagram enabling me! At the time of looking Jordan had a
fantastic sale on so I decided to go mad and buy his whole line and I can
confess, I have fallen in love. (A full review on the line will be coming
shortly so watch this space). I have been using this cleanser on and off for
the past month or so and OMG I love it! In fact, I haven’t got a bad word to
say about any of his products. This
cleanser smells delightful, think mangoes but not in an overpowering way. It
provides a brilliant massage and treats skin beautifully. Can be used as a 1st
cleanse as well (cuts through makeup exceptionally) but because of the lush
ingredients I like to save this for a 2nd/morning cleanse. More to
follow on this wonderful product…
Holistic Green Beauty Chocolate Balm - £45.00 for 100ml:
This is a new purchase for me, I cracked it open after I
used up my Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm recently (love! – see recent review). I
found this company through following beauty blogs on Instagram and this cleanser
really piqued my interest and sounded amazing! Who wouldn’t want to slather
chocolate all over their face?! The brand bases themselves on creating luxurious
and effective natural beauty products which are all 100% natural and organic.
This particular product is 97.55% organic. First impressions are that it smells very
natural of proper cacao butter and provides an excellent deep cleanse. It’s a
solid balm which turns into oil upon contact with the face. I like to massage
it between my hands so it melts and then I apply, a little goes a long way! Some
of the ingredients included are Acai Berry, Cacao extract, Green Tea and Rosehip
plus many more natural ingredients. So far I’ve noticed my skin really glows
after one use of this and appears calm. I am looking forward to using more and
will be sure to do a full review once properly trialled.
Tata Harper Nourishing Oil - £54.00 from Cult Beauty:
I’m not going to say too much on this as I have a blog post coming
up soon dedicated to Tata Harper cleansers, but I can honestly say this is a
wonderful cleansing oil. It feels such a treat to use and smells beautiful.
Although I use as a 2nd cleanse it does remove makeup very well, so
much so I sometimes just use this cleanser for both steps if I am feeling lazy!
I’m reaching out for this more now that it’s autumn/winter as it keeps skin
soft and balanced. It is expensive but I would repurchase. The ingredients are
worth it and the texture of this oil is so silky! Gorgeous! Full review coming
soon…
Balmology Neroli and Sweet Basil Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm
- £27.00:
This is a gorgeous, beautiful balm which leaves skin feeling
fantastic. This doesn’t emulsify so it needs to be removed with a flannel or
muslin, but I really enjoy the process. Inhaling the scent is so calming, so it’s
perfect for use at night when you are wanting to wind down. The ingredients
list is excellent (made with 99% organic ingredients). I reviewed this fully
here - http://www.blushandsage.co.uk/2016/10/best-of-natural-skincarebalmology.html so won’t discuss any further :)
So there we have it, a little round up of some 1st
and 2nd cleansers in my current stash, I’ve just got to work my way through
them all! Have you tried any of these?
Thanks for reading xx
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