Cleanser

Review: Skincare: The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Facial Wash

Paris B 1 Comment

During the last Body Shop sale, I picked up the Tea Tree Oil Facial Wash for a song. I’d used the Tea Tree Oil before, but never the facial wash.

It lay forgotten in my stash until a week ago when my usual cleanser had run out. So, I thought to give it a shot.

It comes in a recyclable bottle and is of a gel texture which has a green tint to it. The smell is the sharp smell of tea tree oil which is very distinctive. Some people don’t like it, but I don’t mind it.

The thing about this is that it lathers up very easily. So easily in fact that there is a tendency to over pour the gel into your palm. However, as it comes in a plastic bottle with a flip top cap and a small hole in the cap, its relatively easy to control the outflow.

Tea Tree oil works great to treat pimples and spots and is supposed to have antibacterial properties. That is good news because I’m presently nursing a bit of a breakout and as it doesn’t seem to be getting worse, maybe this cleanser is helping control it.

It seems to clean well but I only use it in the morning so there isn’t very much dirt on my face to measure its cleansing properties by. My face does not feel tight after cleansing which is good news.

I cannot remember the actual price, sorry. It might be RM25 or so for 250 ml. As you don’t use very much at all, I think its decently priced as it feels more gentle on the skin than cream cleansers do.

Pros: Fresh scent, light texture, lathers easily, good for problem skin

Cons: Might be considered pricey for some

[rating:4/5]

Review: Skincare: DHC Deep cleansing oil

Paris B 5 Comments

I first heard about DHC Cleansing oil from a beauty forum I used to participate in. There were many girls who liked it as an oil cleanser, especially because it was quite affordable and because it was made with olive oil. Olive oil, as many proponents of it will vouch, contain antioxidants and are good for your skin as well as for your health.

DHC is a Japanese brand which uses olive oil as the base for its skincare products. We don’t get it here in Malaysia, but when I was last in Hong Kong, I wandered into a DHC store and picked up a small bottle of the Deep Cleansing Oil to try.

The cleansing oil has a thick consistency. It has an amber colour, rather like that of cooking oil. It feels thick in your hands and is quite hard to spread on the face.

It is used very much like all other cleansing oils i.e. with dry hands and a dry face, and then rinsed off with warm water as you gently rub your skin to remove the dirt, makeup and oils accumulated during the day.

I found that when I first used it, my skin felt quite nice and clean. This was in Hong Kong where the air was quite dry. I contemplated buying another bottle but changed my mind later. I’m glad I did.

When I got home to KL, I found that this oil did not work well on my skin after prolonged use. Used off and on, it makes my skin feel clean and soft. Used everyday, my skin started getting clogged and I had these little bumps on my skin. They went away after I stopped using this which tells me that this cleansing oil is not suitable for me.

I can’t quite recall how much I paid for the bottle I bought, but on the DHC site, its US$24 for 6.7 fl. oz. There are many people who like this and who find that this brand’s cleansing oil works wonderfully for them. For me however, its a bit of a let down.

Pros: Not very expensive, cleans skin well

Cons: Caused my skin to break out, not available in Malaysia

[rating:2.5/5]

Review: Skincare: Kanebo Blanchir Clay Wash Conditioner

Paris B 2 Comments

For double cleansing, Kanebo Blanchir offers the Clay Wash Conditioner as the second step after using the Make Off Conditioner.

 

Kanebo Blanchir Clay Wash Conditioner

This cleanser is a foaming cleanser and comes in a traditional packaging of a tube. The texture is that of a cream that lathers up into a foam. As it is a clay wash conditioner, it is more suitable for those with oily skin because it might be too drying if you have normal or normal-dry skin.

I have combination skin and if I use it by itself, then I do find my skin feeling tight after using it. If I use it after using the Make Off Conditioner or any cleansing oil, then the tight feeling isn’t there and the skin feels more comfortable. This reinforces my view that it is more suitable to people with oily skin.

I like how the cream lathers up to a soft foam. The foam really feels very soft, like cotton wool which I find nice. This means also that you only need very little at any one time. I did not have any problems nor did I have any reactions to this cleanser.

I don’t subscribe to any cleanser helping with “whitening” or “brightening” of the skin, as it is all washed away in the end so it doesn’t stay on your skin long enough to make a difference.

This cleanser retails for RM125 for a 125g tube. Pricey for something that could easily be replaced by any other cleanser, in my view. I do however, like the “soft” texture of the lather which I don’t find in the many other brands I’ve tried.

Pros: “soft” lather, cleans well

Cons: More suitable for oily skin, Expensive

[rating:3.5/5]

Review: Skincare: Kanebo Blanchir Make Off Conditioner

Paris B 7 Comments

This is the first in my Kanebo Blanchir skincare review series.

Kanebo Blanchir Make off Conditioner

The Blanchir Make Off Conditioner is actually an oil cleanser. Although oil cleansers are usually marketed to those who wear makeup to act as a makeup remover, Kanebo recommends this as the first part of its double-cleansing routine. They recommend that you use this first to clean your face of all inpurities and dirt before using another foaming cleanser.

I’ve used a bunch of cleansing oils before this, but I must say the Blanchir Make off Conditioner takes top points. The texture is clear and liquid unlike some other brands which are more viscous and thicker in texture. There is a light fragrance which I find rather soothing after a long day.

Because it is more liquid, I find that its easier to spread and you actually end up using less. I pump 2 pumps of the oil into my dry hands and spread it all over my face, then rinse it off with warm water while gently massaging my face.

This make off conditioner takes off makeup like a charm and because the texture is light, it doesn’t leave your face feeling sticky as some other oils do. It cleans off easily which is a bonus. I don’t like rubbing my face any more than is necessary and I found other cleansing oils did have a tendency to take a long time to remove.

My skin feels smooth and clean after using this, and you don’t really need another cleanser as is recommended. So, I sometimes don’t use another cleanser as I don’t see the need to. I did not have any reaction to this cleansing oil, unlike Shu Uemura Enriched cleansing oil and DHC Cleansing Oil. I will be reviewing these in due course.

This Make Off Conditioner retails at RM125 for 150ml at all Kanebo counters in department stores. Quite pricey but a bottle can last up to 3 months and I think its worth every dollar.

Pros: Liquid, Rinses off easily, Soothing Smell

Cons: Expensive

[rating:5/5]

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