Caudalie // Vinopure Purifying Gel Cleanser Review

Caudalie // Vinopure Purifying Gel Cleanser
RRP £16 for 150ml

This is a 30ml Sample that I received in a Look Fantastic box sometime in 2019 (I think...)

First Impressions:

Smells wonderful; like all the products in the Vinopure range. It's a liquidy clear, gel-like substance that doesn't really foam. My skin felt quite dry and tight after use.

Usage

First use - November 2019

Last use - December 2019

Would I buy it: No.

Overall Impressions:

Unfortunately this was the last product I used in the Vinopure range as it just became too drying for my skin. I even had 2 full bottles of the toner to go through but I gave them away to friends because it was causing me to break out in spots. I no longer use cleansers like this anymore and rely on oil/milk cleansers and my skin has become less oily.

The problem with these products directed at oily skin is that they contain skin stripping ingredients like foaming agents in order to remove the excess oil however your skin then retaliates by producing more oil to counter what it lost. If you sufficiently moisturise your skin; it will eventually stop producing the excess sebum.

In looking up this product I discovered that Caudalie have a cleansing milk and it's not badly priced at £15 for 200ml. Once my current L'oreal runs out I will give it a purchase as whereas I won't be using anything from the Vinopure range; I still quite enjoy other Caudalie products (especially the cleansing oil).

Oskia London // Renaissance Cleansing Gel Review

Oskia London // Renaissance Cleansing Gel
RRP £35 for 100ml

This is a 35ml sample that I received in the September 2019 Look Fantastic box.

First Impressions:

It smells like rose Turkish Delights, which I love. It adequately melts makeup but does not emulsify with water well. The oil parts still cling to the skin.

Usage
First use - November 2019
Last use - January 2020

I used this on and off as I don't wear makeup all the time.

Would I buy it: No.

Overall Impressions:

Oskia describe this as "the cult and original gel-to-oil cleanser". I have doubts about that. I'd never even heard of oskia before this but the packaging looks cheap, the product feels cheap and to me it's nowhere near worth £35. 

My favourite oil cleanser is the Caudalie Oil cleanser which is £18 for 150ml. That rapidly removes makeup and emulsifies immediately on contact with water and washes everything way. This product is not even in the same league as that one yet they're charging almost twice as much. I don't really have much else to say about this product other than; there are better and cheaper products.

L'Oreal Paris // Age Perfect Cleansing Milk Smooth & Anti-Fatigue Review

L'Oreal Paris // Age Perfect Cleansing Milk Smooth & Anti-Fatigue
RRP £4.99 for 200ml

This is the full 200ml that I bought from Asda for £2.50.

Usage
First use - December 23rd 2019
Last use - April 25th 2020

I would mainly use this twice day followed by my toner. On evenings when removing makeup, I would use an oil cleanser first, then micellar water and then this product.

Would I buy it: Yes. I've just started my second bottle. I bought that one last month from Sainsbury's when it was on offer again for £2.50. But £4.99 is an excellent price.

First Impressions:
This left my face feeling like it was coated in something and I was worried that I would wake up spots the day but I didn't. I haven't used a cleansing milk in years and I was worried that cutting out a foaming cleanser would leave my skin horrible but instead it looked fine. This product absorbed quickly as well and my skin looked refreshed and extremely hydrated; like I had already applied moisturiser.

Overall Impressions:
Quite possibly one of the best cleansing milks I've ever used. Way back in the day about 10 years ago I used to religiously use the Clarins cleansing milk because that is what my mother has been using for the past 30 years. I didn't really like it and I went off down a skincare rabbit hole of insane cleansers that kept trying to one up each other.

By the end of December last year I was just sick of having awful skin and so I decided drastically overhaul my products and how I used them; no more switching whenever I felt like it and consistency in application. Ever since I've ditched foaming cleansers and used this milk as my sole cleanser my skin has just completely cleared up. I can't fully describe how soft this makes my skin feel and it creates the perfect base for foundation after I've used my other products. I also noticed that my essence and serum absorb better when using it as well.

When I'm removing makeup this doesn't do very well at all and so I always use an oil cleanser first, wash that off with water and then follow up with micellar water to ensure that all traces of makeup have gone before using this cleansing milk. I've had no problems with clogged pores, and on the odd occasions I have use a foaming cleanser instead of this; I immediately broke out in spots again.

If you have sensitive skin give it a try and give up the foaming cleansers. I'm 30 soon and love using this product so don't be put off by the "For mature skin" label. You know what they say "prevention is the best cure".

Origins // A Perfect World Antioxidant Cleanser With White Tea Review

Origins // A Perfect World Antioxidant Cleanser With White Tea
RRP £25 for 150ml

This is a full size 150ml tube that I recieved as a birthday gift in October 2018.

First Impressions

Smells lovely and the foam is velvety soft.

Usage

This took me a hot minute to get to. I had 6 beauty box subscriptions and kept receiving at least 2 cleansers every month and so I kind of forgot I had this in my stash and started using it December 2020.

Would I Buy It: No, but not because I don't like it; my skin just hates all foaming cleansers now.

Overall Impressions

Origins are my favourite skin care brand; there is just something about them that my face loves but when I switched to cutting out all foaming products on my skin in January; my skin drastically improved and I've practically had no breakouts since. I thought maybe it was down to diet however every time I introduced a foaming product I would have spots the next day.

It's a shame really because this product is really nice and doesn't feel harsh at all. I enjoyed using it but my skin just doesn't want to know anymore; it's become very sensitive to foaming cleansers. I have a couple more from the Plantscription range and I've given them to my friends because I know that they will just cause the same problems. I couldn't bring myself to throw it away and a friend gladly took it off me.

If foaming cleansers work for you then I would recommend this but stay away if you have sensitive skin.

Salcura // Antiac Daily Face Wash Review

Salcura// Antiac Daily Face Wash
RRP £11.99 for 150ml

This is the full size product that I chose for a Latest In Beauty box some time ago...I can't actually remember when....I think it was early 2019 or late 2018.

First Impressions

This doesn't foam up but effectively cleanses the skin without leaving it feeling bone dry. It has a slightly herbal/soapy smell and a light brown colour. 

Usage

I started using this August 2019 and finally finished it up mid December. It took me so long to get to it because cleansers became the "in thing" during 2018 and 2019 and I got one at least every month in beauty boxes. It also didn't help that at the time I was subbed to 6 boxes a month....I'm now subbed to a respectable 2 (plus FabFitFun every 3 months).

Anyway, I started using this every morning and it didn't make me break out in spots, in fact my face was clearer whilst using it. The lack of foaming always bothered me however the cleansing is fine for the morning. I don't like my skin feeling overly tight or dry. I actually no longer use cleansers anymore apart from milk ones.

This doesn't remove makeup by itself and I would use an oil cleanser first followed by this one.

Would I Buy It: Originally I was going to once it finished as I did enjoy using it in the morning however I've cut out all oil stripping products now and I only use oil cleansers and micellar water to remove make up and cleansing milk to generally "cleanse". If you need to use a soap cleanser though I think this is the one I would recommend.

Overall Impressions

This wasn't half bad for a cleanser and it's relatively cheap. It does start to look a bit nasty after a while as the colours start to stain the plastic. If I was going to continue using soap cleansers I think this would be the one I'd start using.

Ecooking // Cleansing Gel Review

Ecooking // Cleansing Gel
RRP £18.40 for 200ml

This was a 50ml sample that I received in a Latest In Beauty box a few months ago.

First Impressions

Mainly positive. The gel has a nice texture and melts away product and oil on the skin. It does have a strong rose scent which worried me as rose items tend to break me out in spots however I think it's just used as a fragrance.

Usage

This lasted me a good 2 months daily use. I used it once a day before getting in the shower to remove the days makeup and just generally cleanse. It emulsifies upon contact with water for a quick and easy removal. My face doesn't feel squeaky clean after use which I like; it means it hasn't dried my skin out and there is no makeup left at all.

Would I Buy This Product: No.

Overall Impressions

I've used a few Ecooking products now and my opinion on the brand is "eh". It's not awful but it hasn't blown my socks away either. For the same price I'd much rather buy my favourite cleansing oil by Caudalie. I don't think this is a hack brand; it's very obvious they put a lot of thought into the products and the ingredients but in the words of Marie Kondo; this product does not spark joy in me when I hold it.