Supermarket & High Street Cream Cleansers

My experiences with face washes have always been fraught with disappointment —- A) Because I was blissfully unaware that ingredient lists tell a whole new story about what a cleanser can do and cannot (and a pretty packaging does not make for a great cleanser)!! Talk about naivety!!!!

B) Because “generic” supermarket face washes just stripped my skin. It made my skin feel CLEAN and a couple of minutes later…the whole face would look like a dried apricot. And i always imagined face washes to do exactly just that…make the skin feel incredibly CLEAN and DRY.

However, my perception about face washes changed when i started reading Caroline Hirons blog. If you haven’t read her blog by now…..i suggest you do it right away 🙂 I was more of a face wash kind of gal. However, my hunt for cream cleansers came to an end when Caroline Hirons and Ruth from A Model Recommends mentioned about these little gems from Aroma Actives and Una Brennan.

Cream cleansers have become an integral part of my summer skincare routine. They provide just the right amount of slip/grip when i need to knead my skin into submission 🙂 . There is no denying that balm cleansers provide a similar feel/experience to that of a cream cleanser. However, they are the much weightier cousins of a cream cleanser, making them perfect companions for my winter routine.

And besides a summer cleansing routine calls for a light, less oil-producing cleanser that can do an amazing job of removing the grime and makeup of the day, and thus providing the right amount of moisture.

I would call summer cleansing with such creamy cleansers as COMFORT cleansing. Easy and fuss free! 

I have been using these cream cleansers on constant rotation and every single time I use them I revel in the fact that these cleansers have helped me keep my skin moisturized and nourished.

Aroma Actives Cleansing and Brightening balm £8

Aroma Actives is an affordable skincare offering from the famous London based Aromatherapy Associates by Geraldine Howard. This brand has been quite under the radar but nevertheless is such a stroke of genius. It has the makings of a luxe BUT affordable skincare brand.

This cleanser has changed my skincare routine dramatically. I love it so much that I have repurchased it a number of times and it has never failed to disappoint me.

This soft, luxe and essential oil laden cleanser provides a thorough cleanse, especially when I have a full face of makeup. It boasts of shea and cocoa butter, patchouli, rosemary, ylang ylang, ho wood, eucalyptus, lavender, oat kernel extract, geranium essential oils and vanilla fruit extract.

As you can clearly see from the ingredient list, it is jam packed with essential oils. Hence it smells incredible – predominantly rosemary-ish! Sensitive skin gals can find this an overload because of the essential oils. However, I JUST LOVE IT because it is slippery enough to shift the grime and makeup from the face. And there is the added bonus of an aromatherapy experience. The packaging is spot on.

I tend to use it more often on days when my skin needs the much needed moisture and oomph.

I am on 2nd tube and it is definitely on my repurchase list. It is an incredible cleanser!!!

I do have a minor gripe about the way they have marketed this product  —–

Why does it call itself a BALM when clearly it is a cream cleanser!!! I fail to understand this!!!!!

 Úna Brennan Superfacialist Rose Hydrate Cleanser £7.99

This cream cleanser from the Superfacialist range is a beautiful creation from Úna Brennan who is a reputed facialist based in London. 

Her expertise is clearly reflected in the products that she makes. There is a thorough understanding of how the ingredients could coax the skin into beautifulness.

Úna Brennan is quite different from Aroma Actives in its formulation because it is not overloaded with essential oils; thus making it suitable for sensitive skinned gals (and those who cannot tolerate fragrance) 

I use this cleanser on days when my skin doesn’t need much help in the hydration department OR when my skin feels a bit oily (especially during summer)

This soft cleanser boasts of shea and cocoa butters, pro Vitamin B5, marshmallow and allantoin. It does a great job of removing the makeup, restoring the ph balance and thus leaving the skin cleansed and hydrated.

Microfiber Wash Cloths

I actually  learnt about these clever / magical cloths from one of my favourite bloggers Dawn from (Minimalist Beauty) and i have never looked back since.

Microfiber is 1/100th the diameter of a human hair and 1/20th the diameter of a strand of silk.” These tiny fibers have the amazing ability to absorb oils and dirt while reducing bacteria by 99%.  These cloths are positively charged due to the open spaces in the fibers making negatively charged dirt attract like a magnet.  They are also non-abrasive and gentle on all surfaces—— quoted from Wikipedia

I prefer using microfiber wash cloths to a regular wash cloth :

A) Because, personally, I feel that it is easier to wash and dry. (Of course, care must be taken to not tumble dry a microfiber wash cloth)

B) A regular wash cloth makes my skin feel scratchy and a bit more dry. Hence my personal preference is a Microfiber Wash Cloth.

If anyone is interested in reading about all the different types of cleansers available under the sun ….do hop on to Bobby‘s amazing blog…..

In case anyone is curious about the cream cleansers mentioned in this post :The cream cleansers from Aroma Actives and Úna Brennan are exclusively available at Sainsburys and Boots respectively.