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Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Oil from StrawberryNET.com

• Transforms from a clear oil to a non-oil, milky makeup dissolver upon use
• Completely removes all facial makeup & oil on skin
• Easily rinsed off without blocking skin natural moisture barrier
• No results of skin dryness or peeling
• Leaves skin feeling clean, fresh & comfortable
• Suitable for all skin types

My Skin Type:

Ranging from very dry to normal/dry. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive.

Packaging:

Transparent purple-themed plastic bottle with pump.

Texture:

Thin, very easy to spread.

My General Review:

Is there aTake the day off product that isn’t mismarketed? This was marketed for All Skin Types, just like the Balm version. Once I tried the balm version, I knew that the Oil won’t work for me unless I’m oily. And I am, now Not oily, actually. More moist, compared to the usual uber-dry stint. More like normal/combo skin. That’s why I got the Oil version to try.

Unfortunately, same result with the Cleansing Balm. Only this time my skin was not as dehydrated, simply because I have enough surface oil to compensate the dryness caused by the Cleansing Oil What’s intriguing is, it didn’t take my Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus Mascara properly :/ There’s still a little bit of mascara residue in my lashes. Weird! Can it be that it’s not as clean as the Cleansing Balm version?

Application:

• Apply cleansing oil to dry face with dry hands.
• Massage it in until you see your makeup melted off.
• Splash with a bit of water, and continue massaging. The oil will be emulsified into milky lotion.
• Rinse until water runs clear.

Availability:

Indonesia has ceased to import this, I think. So I don’t know about the price. It’s available online like in StrawberryNET.com

Price:

US for 200ml at StrawberryNET.com.

What Else You Need To Know:

Other than fulfilling the standard fragrance-free policy in Clinique, it’s also paraben-free and mineral-oil free!

If you think Cleansing Oil is messy, and you have oily/very oily skin, try out Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm. It basically is a solid cleansing oil.

Ingredients:

Cetyl Ehtylhexanoate, Triethylhexanoin, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Polybutene, PEG-8 Diisostearate, PEG-12 Diisostearate, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Water\Aqua\Eau, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile), Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Laurate,  BHT [ILN29144]

Overall Rating:

4 out of 5. Nice texture for combination/oily skin, but it’s not that effective to remove very tenacious waterproof mascara on me.

If you have drier skin, approach with caution. The Cleaning Milk may be more suitable for drier skin.

Information stated on the packaging/website:

A fresh foaming cleanser with Aloe Extracts to soothe and hydrate the skin. Keeps the skin soft and calm after cleansing. Apply an adequate amount to damp hands. After making sufficient lather, massage your face gently following the skin’s own texture. Wash off with lukewarm water.

My say:

I had the opportunity to have it CP-ed direct from S.Korea when it was launched few months ago. Beside the excitement of owning/trying it before it reaches our shore, the other kick is paying for it in Won pricing, I saved ! (read: shiok!)

These 2 months, I have been relying on tea tree to better my breakouts’ marks so I was not using this on daily basis, but I just read that it actually aids skin in healing and prevent acne too. This does make sense since Aloe Vera is rich in vitamin c, and has always been known for its soothing and hydrating effect, which are also perfect for sensitive skin.

Every time I use this, my face feels remarkably calm and hydrated, there is not a single tad of tautness on my face. By the way, this line is specially formulated for combination and oily skin.

This definitely suits me well, so I am switching to it “full time” and see how it performs in long run, I just got hold of a backup tube 4 weeks ago. I am quite curious to know the end results; do I have to go back to tea tree?

p.s. I am waiting for the arrival of Aloe Vera Bubble Cleanser and Aloe Vera Cleansing Water!

Tagged: Cacaopack, Skin Food, Skinfood

Information stated on the packaging:


Freshly applied foam cleanser with celery extracts which thoroughly wash off unclean-ness and makeup residue from every part of the skin with whipping cream.


Take an appropriate amount and make enough foam, carefully and softly apply to face as if to massage. Rinse off with warm water and finalize cleansing with cold water.


My say:


I honestly have no idea how to categorize this, it is like a cross between cream and foam cleansers. Having said that, I am concern on how well it could cleanse and in which way.


You see, in foam cleanser context, it is the foam that does the cleansing, not the dispensed cream on its own. So it is vital that we lather up substantial foam for application, otherwise we would end up with a face not properly cleansed.


So, if I were to treat this as a foam cleanser as Skinfood named it, then I do expect it to foam up reasonably, at least like the Apple Vinegar Fresh Foam. However, this doesn’t seem to foam for me, all I get is a liquify cream.


Yet, I don’t think it make sense for me to treat this as a cream cleanser either. It doesn’t have that oily and rich whipped cream texture which requires wiping off with cotton pads prior to rinsing with water.


Personally, this cleanser is one I will not re-purchase, I don’t like the bugging thoughts in my mind wondering is my face thoroughly cleansed. Although I quite like the pale green colour, lol.


A point worthy to be praised: due to the lack of foam, this cleanser is not as drying as the usual foam cleanser, good news for some ladies?


It would be best to stick to the rinsing instruction. I experimented and felt this very thin waxy film if I rinse off with just cold water but no such feeling if I do the warm water first.


*Edited: I forgot to mention I experience slight sting on eye areas whenever I use this cleanser. Not sure is the cleansing agents too harsh or my sensitive skin is acting up, again. Anyone encounter this issue?

Tagged: Cacaopack, Skin Food, Skinfood

Information stated on the packaging:


Foam cleanser with oat seeds to scrub softly and with cinnamon – containing compact and dense foam to provide moisture and smoothness to dry skin full of keratin.


Take an appropriate amount and make enough foam. Carefully and softly apply to face as if to massage. Rinse off with warm water and finalise cleansing with cold water.


My say:


This cleanser is categorized for dry and sensitive skin, so logically, I expect it to be more moisturising than those meant for combi to oily, but wrong, it is drying for my skin type! Weird huh? I am guessing it is because my oily yet dehydrated skin couldn’t find a balance with it.


That said, we all know how a product could wow or disappoint different people right? Another Skinfood lover – Hime, on the other hand, loves this cleanser. She mentioned it does a great job on acne skin and she wakes up with less pimples! Cool. This is why I love to read reviews, it never fails to amaze me how our skin reacts so differently.


While I didn’t get to experience the goodness it does for Hime, I am happy to say the oat bits are soft and gentle on skin. No irritation at all.


A decent cleanser which works as a mild exfoliator too. A pity it doesn’t wow me and you would have guessed by now, this is indeed not on my re-purchase list.


If you are with the exact skin type as me, do ask for a sample pack to try first. Who knows, this cleanser might love you more than me! LOL.

Tagged: Cacaopack, Skin Food, Skinfood

A very runny jelly-like texture, foams up very easily upon contact with water, which makes the cleansing process effortless.


Thus far, every foaming cleanser, other than the bubble version and not taking the Fresh Celery into consideration, has a certain degree of drying effect on my skin; this does as well – although milder. That aside, it does not sting my eyes nor itch my skin, which is good.


The powdery scent is a little annoying for my nose, though.


*DRUM-ROLL*


Ready?


This cleanser broke me out. I don’t blame it, to be fair, I was fore-warned.


The SA did try to dissuade me from getting this.
According to her, it is not recommended for my acne-prone and sensitive skin. Boy, was she right!


So, couples of acne have since flared up, all thanks to my but-I-still-want-to-try attitude.

Tagged: Cacaopack, Skin Food, Skinfood

MAC Cleanse Off Oil

From www.maccosmetics.com:
An industry-strength oil-based makeup remover that’s gentle on the skin. Botanically formulated with oils of olive fruit, evening primrose and jojoba seed and absolutely 100 percent mineral-oil free. Massages onto the skin to loosen all makeup, including waterproof mascara. Emulsifies into a lotion-type liquid with water: rinses off easily, no tissues required – and no residue! Protects with vitamin E. Skin softening and conditioning. Good for all skin types.

My Skin Type:
Ranging from very dry to normal/dry. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive.

Packaging:
Transparent pump bottle with locking mechanism (activated with a twist). Not sure it’s reliable for travel. It might leak since the lock is easy to be twisted.

Texture:
Very thin. Probably thinnest cleansing oil that I’ve tried.

My General Review:
I was really hesitant to try MAC Cleanse Off Oil. Many people uses it with very good results, sure. But most reviewers have combo/oily skin; so I was really afraid this will dry up my face. I finally took the plunge last week, as I’ve used up my Shu Uemura and the fact that my skin is more normal/combo. And it’s cheaper than Shu. And even though it contains irritant like Orange and Lavender oil; presumably to be used as fragrance component, the list started with great stuffs (Olive oil etc) so I’m hoping that the irritants is not strong enough to damage the skin (with the fact that this stuff will only stay on your skin for a minute or two).

Wrong decision! It only took 3 days to dry up my skin. I look dehydrated and dull, boohoo! It took off my makeup well though.

I may have to sell this, much too drying for my skin

Application:
1. Use 3-4 pumps of cleansing oil on dry hands
2. Spread gently and thoroughly over dry face.
3. Add a few drops of lukewarm water to face to emulsify.
4. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.

Availability:
Easily available at MAC counters. In Jakarta, it means SOGO Plaza Senayan, Pondok Indah Mall 2.

Price:
IDR300,000 for 150ml. USD21 at Sephora.

Ingredients:
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Olive fruit oil, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Squalane, Jojoba Seed Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, Rice Germ Oil, Tocopherol, Chamomilla (Matricaria) Flower Oil, Bitter Orange oil, Lavender Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Water, Rose Fruit Oil, Limonene

Overall Rating:
5 out of 5. Weird? Le sigh.

I don’t take away a point since this works well to remove makeup thoroughly without residue. It’s just too drying for me. Will recommend this wholeheartedly to oily/very oily skin.

*This review will be cross posted in www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Milk

From www.clinique.com:
Gentle, milky makeup remover easily dissolves even long-wearing face makeup and sunscreens. Tissues off or rinses away with water. Residue-free formula helps maintain moisture barrier, leaves skin soft, comfortable. Ophthalmologist Tested. Ideal for drier skins.

Skin Types: 1 – Very Dry to Dry, 2 – Dry Combination, 3 – Oily

My Skin Type:
Ranging from very dry to normal/dry. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive.

Packaging:
Transparent pump bottle with locking mechanism. Twist the pump counter clockwise to open the lock. Not sure it’s safe for travel though. Tried it several times and it eventually spill on my pouch.

Texture:
Light lotion, standard to cleansing milk.

My General Review:
Tried, tested and true. It’s one of the cleansers that easily take off my very water resistant sunscreen. What intriques me most is the fact that I’ve read quite some rants that accuse this cleanser as “leaving oily residue”. And I see that most that claim this have combo/oily skin. Which leads me to believe Clinique marketed this slightly wrong.

Clinique clearly states that this cleanser is better suited for drier skin, and I wholeheartedly agree with that. But Clinique also recommends this for its Type III skin: oily. According to the reviews, it can be tricky for this skin type.

Anyway, this cleanser rinses clean without any residue on me. Skin is clean and not tight, nor oily. I’ve used this since I’m very dry until now when my skin is more combo/oily. Since I prefer cleansing milk/oil that won’t suck moisture out of my skin, this cleansing milk is the right texture for me. I don’t need to follow with another cleanser.

My only qualm: it stings eye balls, so beware. In the full size bottle it’s not written but I’ve had a deluxe sample size and it’s clearly written in there that you shouldn’t use this on the eye area. The website also states the same. What a bummer. I still use it to clean my eye makeup though. It’s okay if I only use eyeshadows/eyeliner on top of my lashline. Problem arise when I tightline my eyes. In that case, I prefer to use other makeup remover; the cheap alternative would be baby oil

Clinique SA recommends Take The Day Off Makeup Remover For Lids, Lashes & Lips to complement this product.

How To Use:

• Massage gently over dry face with fingertips, avoiding eye area.
• Rinse or tissue off.
• Follow with your 3-Step Skin Care System.

Availability:
Easily available at Clinique counters nationwide. In Jakarta it means department stores like SOGO, Metro, Debenhams.

Price:
IDR330,000 for 200ml. USD25 at Sephora.

Ingredients:
Water, Isohexadecane, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Triethylhexanoin, Isononyl Isononanoate,  Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Sucrose Cocoate, PEG-100 Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria), PEG-5 Soy Sterol, Panthenol, Jojoba Wax PEG-120 esters, Caffeine, Sucrose, Cholesterol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Linoleic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-150 Distearate, Carbomer, Potassium Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891).

Overall Rating:
4 out of 5. Great, gentle, reliable cleanser for face, but for this price, it should have been able to clean eye makeup comfortably. Still recommend it for drier skin though, especially if you use light eye makeup only.

Combo/oily skins, approach with caution. Unless if you’re like me, who prefers to use gentler, more emollient cleanser. Otherwise, I highly recommend you to try Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm instead. This one can be used to remove eye makeup too.

*This review will be cross posted in www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm

From www.clinique.com:
Lightweight makeup remover quickly dissolves tenacious eye and face makeups, sunscreens. Transforms from a solid balm into a silky oil upon application. Cleans thoroughly, rinses off completely. Non-greasy. Non-drying. Ophthalmologist Tested. For all skin types.

My Skin Type:
Ranging from very dry to normal/dry. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive.

Packaging:
Jar packaging, pretty and easy to use

Texture:
Solid balm, easy to scoop it from the jar, easy to be applied to the face too.

My General Review:
This is basically a solid cleansing oil. So this is definitely an option for people who thinks cleansing oil is messy.

I use it the same way I use my cleansing oils. I scoop it out, massage it into my dry skin (with dry hands), and the moment it touches skin, it transforms into non-greasy oil. Add a bit of water, emulsify, and rinse.

I can tell you that i took off waterproof makeup very well with less effort. No oily residue, so no need to follow with another cleanser. But it’s super dehydrating for my dry skin! It only need one application to ruin my skin

So I think it’s another Take The Day Off product that Clinique miss-marketed

Clinique stated that this product is suitable for all skin types, but I personally think it’s best for oily/very oily skin. Or Combination skin at the minimum.

Application:

• Use fingertips to massage balm over dry skin.
• Rinse well with warm water. Pat dry.
• Follow with your 3-Step Skin Care System.

Availability:
Easily available at Clinique counters nationwide. SOGO, Metro, Debenhams, and other department stores.

Price:
I forget the price in Indonesia. I think’s it’s around IDR350,000 for 125ml. US at Sephora.

What Else You Need To Know:
Other than fulfilling the standard fragrance-free policy in Clinique, it’s also paraben-free!

If you prefer a real cleansing oil (instead of the solid one like this), you can opt for Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Oil. It’s Asian exclusive though.

Ingredients:
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Polyethylene, PEG-5 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Water (Aqua Purificata), Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol [ILN28494]

Overall Rating:
5 out of 5. Easy to use, cleans waterproof makeup very well, portable.

Highly recommended for oilier skin. If you have drier skin, approach with caution. The Cleansing Milk version may be more suitable for drier skin.

*This review will be cross posted in www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.

Clinique 3 Steps

Clinique 3 steps has (and still) always been one the most popular Clinique products. Many people think 3 steps is the gate to entering the world of Clinique. They want to buy 3 steps as their first Clinique product. To test whether Clinique can do any good to their skin. Which I think is very risky.

Why? Because for me, a long time Clinique user, 3 steps is about philosophy, not products.

Many people tend to think otherwise, maybe because it’s the way Clinique markets this. Facial Soap, Clarifying Lotion, and DDML/DDMG. From my observation, this hinders you from getting the best result from Clinique. Because more than half Clinique’s 3 steps products are obsolete.

So, what are the philosophy/steps?

First, cleanse.

I highly recommend others to get the Liquid Facial Soap version instead of the old Facial Soap. The bar ones are harsh and made of….soap. The liquid ones, on the other hands, are milder. The extra mild version is surfactant free, so it’s very good choice for very dry/dry/sensitive skins.

Of course, Clinique offers some other cleansers, but I’ve never tried them.

And don’t forget, if you wear makeup and/or sunscreen, it’s best if you take them off first using makeup remover. Clinique offers several great makeup removers in the Take The Day Off line.

Second, exfoliate.

Mild Clarifying Lotion is the best of the bunch. No, it’s not the same as the Asian-exclusive Moisture Clarifying Lotion. Clarifying Lotion are alcohol-ridden and much too harsh. Moisture ones are alcohol-free but still contain Peppermint oil, so I don’t care about that either.

Mild Clarifying Lotion, on the other hand, are supposed to be irritant free. It contains 0.5% BHA.

Of course, toner is not the only way to exfoliate your skin. Check Clinique’s Turnaround line for BHA in other bases (such as cream and serum). Clinique Total Turnaround Visible Skin Renewer, especially, for me is the best of the bunch. It’s the one in the jar. Very effective to control my acne.

Third, moisturize.

Choices are even more abundant here Clinique will recommend you Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion (DDML) or Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel (DDMG) to complete your 3 steps routine; but actually they’re not the only choices. How many moisturizers do Clinique produce?

Quoting Paula Begoun, DDML is…antiquated mess It’s only mineral oil, lanolin, and yellow coloring mixed together (and nothing else) I tend to like it though! When my skin is normal/dry, this alone provides enough moisture. It makes my skin and pores smooth! Something that a lot of moisturizer can’t achieve. On my very dry days, it can be used under other moisturizer to provide extra moisturization.

In contrast, DDMG is much more elegantly formulated. It contains antioxidants *and* cell communicating ingredients like peptide. It’s very light, suitable for normal to combination/oily skin. I use this as my morning moisturizer and am very satisfied with it!

If either one of DDML or DDMG can’t suit your needs, rest assured. Advanced moisturizers are one of Clinique’s specialty indeed! For oilier skin, I highly recommend Clinique Moisture Surge Extended; it’s very light and the ingredients are great. For drier skin, I adore Superdefense and Super Rescue Judging from the ingredient list, each of these can even be labeled as ‘anti-aging’ products

Be aware though, that I will always use antioxidant serum under all my moisturizer to boost up skin’s protection level. I usually use Paula’s Choice. Clinique supposed to have some great serums too, it’s just that I haven’t get around to test them out.

All in all, I wholeheartedly agree in the philosophy of 3 steps: that you’ll need to cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize. For me, the right products to get the job done can really yield great result. And the right products may not come from products marketed for 3 steps (i.e. faciap soap, clarifying lotion, DDML/DDMG). Any other well formulated cleanser, exfoliator, and moisturizer can get the job done, so please don’t limit your choices to 3 steps products.

Hope this little article can help people who are new to Clinique!

What a weird name for a cleanser…

Kanebo Faircrea White Melany Crasher

This supposed to be a whitening cleanser from Kanebo. It contains a scrubby particles that supposed to wipe away any discoloration and brighten/whiten your skin. Well….I hardly believe a cleanser can lessen any freckles anyway But this cleanser is pretty good when my skin is on the oilier side. It’s not too harsh, and the scrub bits are not that much in quantity. It leaves me feeling clean without being stripped. Since I only use it at morning, I don’t know how well it will it removes makeup. I always use a proper makeup remover or cleansing oil to do the job. Also, I don’t know if it will be too much or not when my skin is on the drier side, as when such time comes (again), I prefer to use a gentle milk cleanser.

Sadly, I don’t know the full ingredient list of this product, so I only base my review on my experience. I don’t know if it contains irritants or not, but at least so far it’s been fine on my skin.

While this is clearly an option for cleanser, I don’t think it differs much from Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Cleanser. And I suspect Olay will be cheaper than Kanebo Faircrea

*This review will be cross posted in www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.

LUSH Ultra Bland Cleanser

From www.lush.co.uk:
The most gentle but thorough cleanser ever.
Forget convenience and simplicity! Bring back an element of ritual to your bathroom habits. This brings us to Ultra Bland, the finest cleanser in the known* universe. To use this one you must melt a dollop of this peanut oil and beeswax cleanser between the palms of your hands. Then you must smooth it over your face so that the rose and benzoin oils soften your skin and the honey soothes it. Then you must run some warm water, wet a cotton wool pad or a face cloth in the water and gently wash off the Ultra Bland thoroughly. After that, stroke your lovely skin, marvelling at how soft it feels and how clean it looks. *Known to us at Lush.

My Skin Type:
Ranging from very dry to normal/dry. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive.

Packaging:
Black screw top jar made from 100% recyclable plastic. Mine is the old one, the cap doesn’t fit well and it can’t be 100% sealed. Very cute, yet poorly designed packaging.

However I recently bought LUSH Dark Angels cleanser and the jar is much better. It fits and can be properly sealed from water. So maybe right now they’ve re-engineered all of their jars.

Texture:
Creamy, easily spread around the face.

My General Review:
I bought this because LUSH is cute, and Ultra Bland have high rating in MUA. I checked the ingredients and found a couple of irritants in it, typical LUSH. Rosa damascena and Styrax Benzoin, for example. I persevered, thinking it’ll be washed away by water, but my skin disagreed. Oh well. It cleansed well, but with just a couple of uses, my skin was irritated and dehydrated.

Furthermore, this stuff is a hassle to use. You’ll need to wipe it off with a towel soaked in warm water. Rinsing it with warm water won’t do, it’ll leave greasy residue on your face. Okay…so the question is: why would I go toward all the hassle, when you can have an effective, non-irritating cleansing oil, which gets the job done in 1 simple step?

People said that Ultra Bland is very cost effective, but I disagree. I ran through half of the smaller jar in about 2 weeks. I’m pretty sure I didn’t use that much, I only took a blob with my index finger each time. So cleansing oil is more economical, I think.

And the final nail on the coffin? This stuff smells awful. Seriously. Nutty from the peanut oil, but it’s disgusting.

Application:
Take a bit of product with your finger, warm it up and spread it to your face. Then wipe it off with washcloth soaked with warm water.

Price:
At LUSH USA, a small 1.5oz tub is priced at US.45, while the bigger 3.5oz tub is worth US.95.

Availability:
LUSH already pulled out of Indonesia from 2009, it’s not available in Singapore either. However, LUSH UK provides international shipping service.

Ingredients:
VEGETARIAN, Peanut Oil (Arachis hypogaea), Rose Water (Rosa centifolia), Beeswax (Cera alba), Honey, Fresh Iris Extract (Iris florentina), Glycerine, Rose Absolute (Rosa damascena), Tincture of Benzoin (Styrax benzoin), Sodium Borate, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

*Occurs naturally in essential oils

Overall Rating:
1 out of 5. This product cleanses well, but it’s expensive, a hassle to use, and irritating for sensitive skin. I threw mine to the bin after 2 weeks.

There are better, more efficient cleansers out there.

*This review will be cross posted in www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple

From www.sephora.com:
What it is:
A highly effective one-step facial cleanser.

What it is formulated to do:
Philosophy Purity Made Simple is a ph-balanced formula that rapidly dissolves dirt and makeup while deep cleaning pores. The best-selling cleanser contains infusions of sage, chamomile, and carrot.

What else you need to know:
Purity Made Simple is part of a collection of Philosophy products designed to soothe even the most dry and sensitive skin.

Best of Sephora Winner 2008.

My Skin Type:
Actually very oily, but surpressed with BHA exfoliator. Results in generally ranging from very dry to normal/dry skin. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive, and acne prone.

Packaging:
Simple yet functional plastic bottle.

Texture:
Like a thin lotion.

My General Review:
Popular cleanser, yet loaded with irritants Rosewood and Sandalwood anyone? And it uses surfactants as well. When my skin is dry or normal/dry, it’s very sensitive to surfactants. But when it’s oily (like now), I can tolerate surfactants better. That’s why I’m willing to try this one out

The texture is smooth, like a thin lotion. Very easy to spread around the face/neck. On me, it doesn’t foam. Rinses clean without any residue or overly tight skin. Instant clean, fresh face that is glowing with vitality. Temporarily, that is. Several hours later, my skin would oxidize if I use this cleanser. Ouch! Guess the Sandalwood and friends are a little too tough for my fragile skin

Since I can only use this on my oily days, I don’t know how well will it perform on drier skin. I don’t know whether it will dry me out in the long run or not, since I only use this from time to time.

If only they would leave out the irritants, this one is a great cleanser. Too bad it’s not. Clinique and Paula’s Choice have rinse-off cleanser with same effect like this too, without all the irritants at a (much) lower price points.

What Else You Need To Know:
Please note that I only use this as my morning cleanser, so I don’t know how well will this remove your makeup. At night, I always use makeup remover such as Clinique Take The Day Off products or cleansing oils.

Application:
I splash my face with water, massage a dime-size amount of Purity to my face, and rinse it with warm water.

Availability:
Definitely not available in Indonesia. I don’t know about Singapore or Malaysia though. If you’re in US it’s easily available at Sephora.

Price:
Pretty expensive. There are several sizes, from 30z to 24oz. Price ranging from USD10 to USD40. You only need a little to get the job done, so it should last a while.

Ingredients:
Water, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Coco-Glucoside, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Aniba Rosaeodora (Rosewood) Wood Oil, Geranium Maculatum Oil, Guaiacum Officinale, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Rosa Damascena Extract, Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil, Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Oil, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Oil, Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Piper Nigrum (Black Pepper) Seed Extract, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Hexylene Glycol, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, Glycerin, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Imidazolidinyl Urea, FD&C Yellow No.5.

Overall Rating:
4 out of 5. Good cleanser that does the job. If you’re not sensitive to rinse-off cleansers, or if you have normal to combination/oily skin, this can be one of your option albeit its price. Very sensitive skin, beware. This does contain needless irritants.

*This review will be cross posted in www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.

MAC Cleanse Off Oil

Just a quick update of my previous review of MAC Cleanse Off Oil At that time my skin was too dry for this product, but now my skin has bounced back to normal/combination and this cleansing oil is great It’s efficient: cleanses well quickly without any greasy residue or overly tight skin. It deserves 5 out of 5 stars

Highly recommended if you have normal/combination to oily skin!

Biore Perfect Oil a.k.a Biore Cleansing Oil

From www.kao.com:
Biore Cleansing Oil effectively dissolves and removes stubborn makeup, including waterproof mascara, while lifting away dirt and impurities. Unlike other cleansing oils, it leaves no greasy film on your face and maintains the skin’s natural moisture balance. It does not emulsify upon contact with water, thus maintaining its optimal cleansing performance at all times. Just apply with dry or wet hands and rinse off with water for that clean and fresh feeling!

My Skin Type:
Ranging from very dry to normal/dry. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive.

Packaging:
Purple-toned transparent plastic bottle with pump. The pump has another separate plastic stopper mechanism, so hopefully it’s safe enough for travel and won’t spill anywhere

Texture:
The oil is thicker than average. Thicker than Shu, much thicker than MAC or Kose Softymo White.

My General Review:
I was running out of MAC Cleanse Off Oil, but I swung to cheapo mode So I asked my bf in Singapore to find me a bottle of Kose Softymo White Cleansing Oil that I love a lot….but to no avail. So I switched to Biore Perfect Oil after reading the reviews.

My main concern was the oil will be too drying. I don’t know why, but that’s Biore’s image on me Maybe because it started with a scrub line here in Indonesia? Anyway the Oil is perfectly okay on my lately normal/combination skin. It take my water resistant sunscreen and eyeliner easily, but more effort is needed for the super stringent Majolica Majorca mascara (I did wear it with base underneath). A friend told me that this oil is kinda difficult to be emulsified, but I didn’t encounter that case. Just a splash of water works.

All in all, I can’t find any bad effects from this product. It’s scented with fruity fragrance (pear?), but I hope it’s okay for my skin because it’ll be washed out soon after it touches my face. It contains Alcohol but it’s very down in the ingredient list, so probably it’s not potent enough to cause trouble. My very sensitive skin hasn’t recognized any trouble after weeks of using this oil.

The bottle is kinda tiny though. It only contains 150ml of oil, instead of usual 200ml, or even 230ml for Kose Softymo White Cleansing Oil.

What Else You Need To Know:
Okay…so you know that I switched back and forth to drugstore and high end cleansing oil.

One may ask: is it important to get the pricier cleansing oil? …I’d say not really. Great drugstore cleansing oil cleanses real well. There are high end oil that couldn’t do its job. Drugstore oils often incorporates irritants and fragrance, but it also happens with high end oils.

Application:
This is what the packaging says:

1. Apply an appropriate amount of cleansing oil onto face and massage gently to dissolve makeup.
2. When makeup and facial dirt have dissolved, rinse thoroughly with water.

But I personally love to emulsify it slowly with water, massage gently, then rinse it off with water. Just feels cleanser that way

Availability:
It’s not available in Indonesia. My bf bought it Guardian Singapore. If it’s not available locally in your country, try searching it on Asian online store such as Sasa or Webichi or Adam Beauty.

Price:
I didn’t remember the exact quote, but I vaguely remember it cost me around IDR120,000 (~US) for 150ml.

Ingredients:
Mineral oil, PEG-12 Laurate, Isododecane, Water, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Decyl Glucoside, Polysorbate 85, Gyceryl Oleate, Isostearic Acid, Isostearyl Glyceryl Ether, Isostearyl Glyceryl Oentaaerythrityl Ether, Myristyl Alcohol, Alcohol, Citric Acid, Phosporic Acid, BHT, Fragrance, Tocopherol.

Overall Rating:
5 out of 5. This works. Cleanses fairly well, but for a drugstore cleansing oil, Kose Softymo White is perfectly clean without stripping my skin and it’s more cost effective. Kose Softymo White does contain Orange Oil that can be a skin irritant, but my skin didn’t suffer so I hope it’s really okay.

Anyway, both Kose Softymo White and Biore deserve to be considered if you’re looking for efficient drugstore cleansing oil

*This review will be cross posted in www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.