Showing posts with label Hydrating cleansers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hydrating cleansers. Show all posts
Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish review

There's a lot I could say about Liz Earle, all good things of course, but the Cleanse & Polish hot cloth cleanser is a classic. I'm now on my third bottle and I've gotten quite familar with it. I'll be upfront and say it's not a cleanser I use reguarly. But, I do enjoy treating my skin to it a couple of times a week, especially when it needs a little more love and there's not a lot of buildup on my face.

Let's jump into the review!

Firstly, it smells amazing. It lists rosemary, chamomile, cocoa butter and eucalyptus essential oil as the highlighted ingredients. The scents of the eucalyptus oil and cocoa butter stand out to me and it makes washing your face a very relaxing experience. The cocoa butter, I'm sure, is responsible for how soft and smooth my skin feels after.

The hot cloth cleanser works by applying the cream to dry skin and gently massaging it to remove any dirt and makeup. Then you use a warm cloth to wipe it off. You can buy the cleanser with Liz Earle muslin cloths as part of a pack for £17. I have bought the packs before and then promply lost the cloths with all the rest I own. So, I think I'll just buy the cleanser separetly next time. 

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish review

I mentioned earlier that Cleanse & Polish isn't my daily cleanser but it's perfect for when you want to treat your skin to some tlc. It's probably a mixture of the natural scents and how my skin feels after that makes it a relaxing experience.

While I do love aspects to the cleanser, I don't always feel like I can massage it into my skin for too long before it starts to absorb the product. This is probably down to it being cream based and applying it to dry skin as opposed to one that lathers. I think I've just gotten used to following the #60secondrule with my other cleansers. Having said that, my skin does feel and look clean too. It suggests to use two/ three pumps but sometimes when I have a full face of makeup, I use a little more.

Occaisionally, Liz Earle comes out with limited edition versions of their products. Last year, I bought the limited edition cleanse & polish which used rose, I think. I ended up having a reaction to it which meant I broke out quite badly all over my forehead. So, I thing I'lll just stick to the original one.

So, would I recommend Cleanse & Polish? Yes! Not just for personal use but I also think it makes a great gift too. And it smells fabulous, what's not to love? Speaking of...I think I might use it now...

Have you ever tried Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish?

Love, Aoife xo



Who remembers the Micellar water craze a few years ago? When everybody was raving about how amazing micellar water was. Or was that just me? I’ll admit, I was part of that craze. I loved sprinkling the holy water on a cotton pad and watching all my makeup disappear from my face. But what if there’s a better, more effective, way of removing makeup? Like, oil cleansing?

In the last month or so, I have been obsessed with Nay (@LABeautyologist). Her Twitter is filled with skincare advice, tips and tricks. As a licensed esthetician, she also provides scientific explanations so you can understand more about what each ingredient or step in your skincare routine does and make your own informed decision. One night, I ended up in a YouTube black hole and watched all her YouTube videos. I learnt about double cleansing, toning and all about oil cleansing.

The Oil Cleansing Method...

I have oily acne-prone skin and so the thought of adding oil to oil and spots can be a little daunting. However, it has been tried, tested & shouted from the rooftops that using an oil cleanser can help the skin’s oil balance and won’t make it more oily. The oil cleanser itself doesn't leave any residue behind and is not drying.

The way oil cleansing works is by gently massaging a few drops of oil onto your face for at least 60 seconds. Remember to keep your palms and face dry when you apply it so it can work properly. The oil lifts the dirt from clogged pores, excess sebum and removes dead skin cells from your face. You can read more about the science here or watch Nay's video here. Once you've massaged the oil around your face, you gently wipe the oil off with a wet face cloth. It's a really good method of clearing out build up from your pores and has really helped with my acne. 

What I found...

In this experiment, I used Simple’s Hydrating Oil cleanser (recommended by HeyitsMorgan). It's made with 100% grapeseed oil and is incredibly soft and gentle on my skin. I use a 1p coin-sized amount of oil and massage it around my face for at least a minute. I follow the #60secondrule so whenever I cleanse my face I rub the cleanser in for at least 60 seconds. 

The fun part of oil cleansing is the longer you massage the oil in, the more dirt it picks up from your skin. I think the longest I've oil cleansed is 4 minutes. You can often feel gritty bits coming away from your skin and see little beige dots on your palms; these are the oil plugs that have been lifted from your skin. It’s the most satisfying part of oil cleansing.

The Results are in...

Out of the two cleansing methods, I prefer oil cleansing. I feel like it's more suited to my skin. It’s a much gentler and cleanses more than just the surface. This is evident by the grit you can see on your palms. It's not as drying as Micellar Water and my skin looks a lot less red. I’ve noticed a big difference in the past month on the appearance of my pores and the regular facial massage has helped improve my blood circulation, so I am practically glowing.

I love that you can spend more time cleansing and massaging your face than with a face wipe or micellar water. The massage really helps me to unwind in the evening and is perfect for when I need to escape the chaos of my flatmates.

What are your thoughts of oil cleansing? Do you think you'll try it?

Love, Aoife xo