Out of all the skincare products that I use, I actually get the most joy with using a cleanser. I simply love a good cleanser – whether it be an oil, balm, powder or gel I find that each and every cleanser in my stash has its benefits and its uses. If there is one thing I have learnt in the realm of cleansers, its that some are better at removing makeup and the day’s grime better than others.
Being the lazy person that I am, I actually heavily rely on my first cleanse to remove my makeup in the evening or after a long day at work. Having tested out my fair share of cleansers, I find that there are certain cleansers which I can always rely on when it comes to annihilating my makeup – no matter how heavy my coverage may be.
To keep things simple, I have narrowed my list down to my favourite three. Enjoy!
**Please note that anything with a * is a product that has been kindly gifted to me. There has been no expectation to write a post on this brand’s products. However, the product featured in the post is just so damned good at what it does that it would be a shame if I didn’t share! Please note that all my opinions are my own honest opinion.
Jordan Samuel Skin Plié Treatment Cleanser
This cleanser is a favourite amoungst my cleansers due to the fact that this is fantastic at removing makeup, keeps my skin soft and nourished, reveals a brighter, cleaner complexion and travels so well. In a nutshell, the Jordan Samuel Skin Plié Treatment Cleanser is quite simply a gel to oil cleanser that starts off looking like a gel but when worked into the skin, it becomes a beautiful balmy oil that has just enough slip to make it very easy to work into the skin.
It isn’t a flashy cleanser that boasts all sort of innovations and latest ingredients and I think that is the beauty of this cleanser. For me, it is a well formulated cleanser that simply does what a cleanser is supposed to do – and does it really well – it cleans the face, cleans it well but also maintain’s the skins natural oils.
For me Plié works really well at removing makeup. In fact, it is so effcient at removing makeup, that I used this cleanser exclusively to remove my heavy makeup on the evening of my wedding. It literally melted every last bit of eyeliner, foundation and even the glue from my false eyelashes.
When I work this around the eye area, I find that it doesn’t irritate my eyes and most importantly Jordan Samuel Skin’s Plié Treatment Cleanser doesn’t strip, dry or irritate my skin. I highly recommending this as a makeup remover/first cleanse due to fact it cleans the skin, and cleans it oh so well. On top of the fact that Plié removes makeup so well, it also works to nourish and hydrate the skin due to Jordan’s use of plants oils and extracts. It’s ingredients are the following:
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Glycerin, Water, Sucrose Laurate, Propanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugarcane) Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Symphytum Officinale (Comfrey) Rhizome/Root Extract, Anthemis Noblis (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Salix Nigra (Willow) Bark Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Citrus Fruit Extract Blend, Simmodsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylhyroxamic Acid, Capryl Glycol
Due to Plié being so well packaged in a plastic tube and also being so versatile (a great first cleanse and well as a second/morning cleanse) this cleanser often goes with me travelling. The packaging is easy and convenient to take and the cleanser’s overall versatility makes it a wonderful travel buddy.
I honestly can’t fault Jordan Samuel Skin’s Plié Treatment Cleanser which is why it goes down as not only one of my favourite cleansers for removing makeup but one of my favourite cleansers of all time.
The Plié Treatment Cleanser can be purchased directly from the Jordan Samuel Skin website for USD$24 and he does ship to most places in the world.
At One Skincare Flawless Cleansing Oil
The At One skincare line is a line that is full of beautiful little surprises and the Flawless Cleansing Oil is no exception. I absolutely ADORE using Flawless as this oil is just filled to the brim of the most beautiful pure plant oils which not only work to cut through some of the most stubborn of makeup but also works an absolute treat for dry, irritated or sensitive skin as this oil also works to soothe and nourish the skin. There are absolutely no fillers in the At One Flawless Cleansing Oil, the ingredient listing for this is packed full of pure plant oils instead:
Camellia oleifera (Camellia) oil^, Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) oil^, Citrullus lanatus (Watermelon) seed oil, Prunus armeniaca (Apricot Kernel) oil^, Cannabis sativa (Hemp) seed oil^, Persea americana (Avocado) oil^, Punica granatum (Pomegranate) oil
As shown in the ingredients, the Flawless Cleansing Oil uses cold pressed organic Camellia oil (an ingredient used by the Japanese Geishas for centuries to remove makeup). As there are no essential oils in this incredibly luxurious blend, Flawless causes no irritation to the skin – it instead works to nourish and protect the skin’s natural barrier function.
In terms of performance, the Flawless Cleansing Oil, will not disappoint. This oil melts off makeup and really leaves the skin feeling clean, nourished and hydrated. It is a wonderful companion for sensitive skin days or if there is a lot eye makeup to remove due to it’s non irritating formula.
The At One Skincare Flawless Cleansing Oil makes a brilliant first cleanse because of this as it can be really worked into the skin to remove all traces of the day without having to worry about dry or stripped skin. Do keep in mind that the Flawless Cleansing Oil does not emulsify so using a soft flannel or a muslin cloth with warm water is to important wash away the excess to leave a clean, hydrated and soft complexion.
I find that the Flawless Cleansing Oil is of wonderful value for money given its ingredients, high quality packaging and how well it performs and leaves the skin feeling.
The At One Skincare Flawless Cleansing Oil retails for AUD$21.95 at At One Skincare for a 50ml bottle.
Farmacy Beauty Green Clean Make Up Melt Away Cleansing Balm*
If there is one cleanser that I get asked about most on Instagram it would be Farmacy Beauty’s Green Clean and I have to say this cleansing balm is a wonderful treat to the skin. Green Clean is an incredibly nourishing cleansing balm that helps to destroy the day’s makeup gently and also to leave the skin hydrated and silky smooth. It also smells so refreshing with an almost citrusy lemon/lime scent that makes it so invigorating to use in the morning as well.
The thing I absolutely adore about Farmacy Beauty’s Green Clean is that this cleansing balm emulsifies with water, making it one of the best quick and easy to use cleansers (no cloth required!). There is absolutely no trace of residue on the skin once this has washed off, it only reveals a brighter, fresh and clean complexion. Due to its balm to oil consistency, Green Clean also leaves the skin feeling soft and replenished with moisture and nourishment. It really is a fantastic cleanser that not only removes makeup to easily, the balm cleanser itself is so easily removable from the face.
What I also love about Farmacy Beauty’s Green Clean is its texture and consistency. This appears like a solid balm in its jar but as soon as this is worked into the skin, it melts into a luxurious oil that has enough slip to easily glide over the complexion to give a wonderful massage for the face.
Due to its silky smooth oil texture, Green Clean destroys my makeup and the day’s grime on my face, with water everything washes easily into the sink. Farmacy Beauty’s Green Clean, although containing some essential oils does not irritate my eyes in any way and I feel quite comfortable to work this around the eye area if I am wearing slightly heavier eye makeup.
It really is quite a gentle cleanser that can easily be used as first cleanse or even as a second cleanse due to the botanical extracts that are featured in its formulation.
The ingredients to Farmacy Beauty’s Green Clean makes use of brand’s signature Green Envy technology (a powerful antioxidant) and botanicals which act to cleanse, lightly exfoliate and help to decongest the skin. The listing is the following:
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Peg-10 Isostearate, Polyethylene, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Amino Esters-1, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Amber Powder, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Water/ Aqua/ Eau, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Echinacea Purpurea Root Extract, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Moringa Pterygosperma Seed Extract, Disodium Phosphate, Citric Acid
Farmacy Beauty Green Clean Make Up Melt Away Cleansing Balm is sold on Sephora USA and Farmacy Beauty Online store for USD$34.00 for 90ml
Do you have a favourite cleanser that basically destroys makeup at the end of the day? Please let me know what it might be in the comments section below!