Cleansers 101

Looking for your perfect cleanser? First you need to understand a little about your skin type, this will go a long way to identifying it's needs and how to treat any issues you have. Secondly don't assume that because something has worked for you in the past it will always work.. I for one know that skin types can change as I've recently gotten much drier where I used to be Combination/Oily.

So, I'll run down my recommendations for each skin type, this is just a guide for those unsure of or starting out in the world of cleansers. There are so many on the market it's tricky to understand what you're looking for so hopefully this will be of help to someone.
 

Dry Skin

There are different degrees of dry skin so be aware that a product that says it's formulated for 'dry skin' may not be the one for you. It's can be the toughest skin type to work with but the following cleansers are a good place to start if you're looking for something new.

Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser £5.99
I bought this looking for a cheap alternative to the Liz Earle favourite, if you'd like a full comparison let me know. This was much thicker and left a residue, much better for drier days/winter months than summer when it could be a bit much. It's safe to use on eye makeup though which is a huge time saving plus for me.. it does however smell like sun cream.


Botanics Organic Cleansing Balm £6.63
Also a product I bought hoping to find a Liz Earle dupe.. this was completely the wrong choice. It's a balm as opposed to a cream or a liquid so totally different to anything else I've used. It's supposedly a dupe for the Eve Lom cleanser (I may have been confused) and although at first I hated it I came to realise it has it's place. It's all natural and soothing so for those with skin prone to react with products it's probably going to be perfect. Not unlike the Vitamin E cleanser it also leaves an oily film so I decided it was more suited to dry skin types.

Oily Skin

A common misconception for those with oily skin is that you should avoid moisture at all costs when in fact the opposite applies. All skin types need moisture but often products targeted at oily/blemish prone skin are high in alcohol which strips your skin of the oils it needs causing it to over compensate and produce even more oil leading to breakouts.

Neutrogena Visibly Clear 2in1 Face Wash/Mask £3.99
I used this on and off for years during my blemish prone periods and it's a great product to have in as it doubles as a face mask. It's really effective at keeping excess oil and breakouts at bay.

Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Gel Wash £4.89
First of all this smells amazing. There are 3 options which I believe are targeted at different levels of oil control. The scrub was a little too drying for me, this was much gentler yet did the job and I think if you're on the oily/combination fence you may be more at home with the cream wash.

Combination Skin

Combination skin is trickiest when you're trying to clear your skin of blemishes. Just as above the last thing you feel like you need is something thick or oily but the drier patches crave it. You're looking for something that will meet two needs and restore a balance and these are those I've tried myself and found effective.

Soap & Glory Peaches & Clean £7.00
This gives a deep clean while smoothing with fruit acids to gently exfoliate. It's creamy and refreshing and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that this smells divine! Most importantly it's not drying and it goes some way to evening out combination skin.

Clinique Facial Soap £13-£14.00
As you probably know you can purchase this is liquid or bar form. For combination skin I would suggest the milder formula and if you err more on the side of dry than oily I would go for the liquid over the bar however the bar lasts a lot longer. Most importantly you don't have to use this in conjunction with Cliniques 3 step programme.. it doesn't suit everyone but the cleanser is still really effective and something I would recommend everyone try at some point.

Sensitive Skin 

I have never suffered from sensitive skin myself so can only empathise with your problem and suggest the following cleansers which seem to work for others of the same skin type. I would recommend going organic and trying the all natural approach if you can as this seems to be the best answer for those that react to everything they try.

Cetaphil £8.99
 Now I have actually tried this and have to say.. I wasn't impressed but I'm led to believe that for those with very sensitive/problem skin it's a life saver.

Dr Organic Rose Otto Cleansing Milk £8.19
The Dr Organic range has a lot of fans and if you're in to that kind of thing you might want to pop over to Holland and Barrett to check it out. This is a cleansing milk as opposed to a wash which often people with more sensitive skin prefer as it's a little more soothing.

All Skin Types

I wanted to avoid using the term 'normal skin' as I don't think there's such a thing. Throughout our lives we'll all probably have our oily/dry/sensitive moments but some less than others. These are the cleansers that claim to suit 'all skin types', you should find less irritating ingredients in an 'all skin types' product but if you are sensitive always check the label!

Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser £14.25
No matter what phase my skin is in this cleanser always works for me. It's gentle but be warned your skin can become reliant and break out when you stop using it.

Simple Refreshing Facial Wash £1.32
If you have no skin woes.. why spend a fortune when you don't have to? All you want is to feel fresh and clean and this will do the job for a bargain basement price. Some of us spend a fortune looking for 'the one' so why not take advantage of your enviable position?

The most important thing I learnt about cleansers recently is not to be fooled by texture. I used to hate creamy cleansers 'cause I never felt like they were doing anything until I discovered exfoliating acids. Whether they be glycolic or citric they can smooth the skin just as well as any face scrub so like I said.. always check the label! My favourite cleanser of the moment has to be the Soap & Glory Peaches & Clean which contains said acids and leaves me feeling squeaky clean so unless you've already found your holy grail skincare regime why not throw out any preconceptions and try something different?

...and if you have found your HG cleanser let us all in on your secret!!!

Miss BB

Cetaphil - Why The Hype?

I bought this a while ago to review as everyone seems to rave about it.. I had to give it a go, right? 

Recently it's been popping up on my blog feed again because it would appear Boots are now stocking this "wonder cleanser". I'd like to point out I bought this months ago in Asda.. they've had it for a while but nobody seemed to make a big song and dance about that, did they?. 

I have always considered my skin to be "problem" in that I get regular blemishes but I think I've been giving it harder time than is due as I've realised my breakouts are hormonal, mainly occurring around the same time each month and they tend to stay around my chin. I've read that chin pimples are aunt flow-related and that the side of your chin relates to which ovary the egg has been released from. Whether that's true I don't know but it sounds plausible and it makes me feel generally better about my skin type. I do tend to get oil though my t-zone and on my chin but I wouldn't say my skin is greasy per se. If I use over-abrasive products or too much alcohol I can suffer dry patches but my skin isn't really dry, it's combination at worst.. normal at best. I used Cetaphil thinking that after a week or 2 I would be singing its praises and renouncing all other cleansers in my arsenal... but I am not a fan. It doesn't leave me feeling clean. I like microbeads, a bit of exfoliant...something! A creamy cleanser just doesn't do the job.. I like to feel scrubbed and fresh. I'm sure it's great for people that break out because their skin is sensitive but mine really isn't so I don't think I was the best test subject. I haven't actually seen any bad reviews of Cetaphil and I guess this isn't one either. Not everything works for everyone and this is just not for me. 

Unless you have real problem skin I would give it a miss.. there are plenty of other cleansers out there that you will probably prefer and that come in much cuter packaging and smell lovely as opposed to this pharmaceutical looking face wash.

Sorry if I'm speaking out of school and mortally offending you Cetaphil converts

Miss BB