Strip off for 2013: Cleansers

After Christmas, my skin took on a puffy, pale, spotty appearance. Too many toxins, some pretty naughty food and little to no exercise had seriously taken their toll. I decided to take better care of myself in 2013 and have now started to eat more healthily and get to the gym more too. Skin-wise, a thorough cleanse seemed like the best place to start. Here are some of my favourite cleansing products.

 

Boots Botanics All Bright Eye Soothing Eye Make Up Remover 150ml £2.49

 

Think I've mentioned before that this is my favourite ever eye-make-up remover. It’s really oily and gets rid of every trace of my waterproof mascara. Amazing price, amazing product. I love the new-look Botanics packaging too.

Elemis Revitalise & Replenish Cleansing Duo £21.00

 

The Elemis Rehydrating Rosepetal Cleanser contains extracts of healing Rose, Lecithin and Vitamins E and F. It’s so thick and moisturising, it makes cleansing feel really luxurious – I use this one in the evening, as I prefer a face wash to wake me up in the morning. This set includes a free Rehydrating Rosepetal Cleanser too – bonus!

Biore Steam Activated Cleanser 145ml £4.99

I love this cleanser – it’s a real time-saver in the morning and I love the fact that it’s activated by steam. It goes a bit tingly and feels like it’s giving my face a really deep clean. My face always looks fresh, healthy and glowing after using this.

 

Rituals Brightening Face Exfoliator 75ml £10.50

At last – an exfoliator which is actually pleasant to use. Thorough without being scratchy, this product succeeds in every way; it smells great, it looks great and it gives my face a really deep cleanse. It contains lotus flower and moringa extract.

Stay tuned for the second installment of this feature. Next? Toners...

Wash-off Cleansers, Tried and Tested

Ren Clearcalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser £18.00 for 150ml

http://www.renskincare.com/p/3325/ClearCalm+3+Clarifying+Clay+Cleanser+

They say: ‘A purifying, antibacterial cleanser formulated to combat and help prevent breakouts and blemishes.’

I say: 'This smells good (quite minty) and feels really creamy and moisturising which is quite unusual for a cleanser designed for problem skin. It doesn’t really foam very much but there’s something quite relaxing about taking the time to massage it in. After rinsing, my face felt really moisturised but I almost felt like I needed to use a toner afterwards to refresh my skin. It’s really good at getting rid of mascara though so I’d recommend it for that. Love the packaging, the pump dispenses just the right amount of product - it looks really cool and futuristic.'

Super by Dr Nicolas Perricone Sweet Clean $30.00 for 118ml
http://www.getsuper.com/product/super+skincare/cleanser/sweet+clean.do?search=basic&keyword=sweet+clean&sortby=newArrivals&page=1

They say: ‘A gentle cleanser that wipes out dirt and makeup. Packed with Acai, an exotic antioxidant from the Amazon.’

I say: ‘Super by Nicholas Perricone is a really cool new skincare range, stocked in Boots. It’s like the friendly, less-scientifically-intimidating younger sister of the original NV Perricone range designed for older skin. I like this cleanser; it smells amazing (it contains Acai, every product in the Super range is based around a superfood) but doesn’t foam quite as well as I expected it to. It leaves my skin feeling clean and moisturised. Super.'

Aesop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser £23 for 100ml
http://www.aesop.com/shopuk/product.php?xProd=198

They say: ‘A stimulating gel cleanser for glowing skin.’

I say: 'This is my favourite of the three. It smells absolutely gorgeous, lathers beautifully, leaves my skin feeling clean and fresh and looks good on my bathroom shelf to boot. I have but one criticism: it could do with a pump dispenser because it’s quite hard to control the amount of product you pour out. I’m trying to be sparing because I want to make this last for ages. It really is that good. I will definitely buy this again.'