The One With All the Cleansers

I wouldn't say I have a complicated skin care routine, I tend to just listen to what my skin has to tell me and go with the flow. Until today I would depended on five cleansers regularly and then I had a long hard look in my bathroom cabinet and realised estimations are not my strong point...


The Morning Cleanser 
Clarins Extra Comfort Anti Pollution Cleansing Cream £25/200ml via John Lewis - link
A light but truly creamy moisturising cleanser that I look forward to using each morning, although completely nourishing due to a blend of moringa, mango and shea butter it doesn't overwhelm my oily skin. This cleanser does a wonderful job of gently cleansing away any traces of oil from the night before. It is the perfect choice for those with dry skins as it is every bit as comforting as the title suggests and don't be fooled by it's gentle approach this buttery cleanser makes light work of removing even heavy make-up. To try is to love.

The Pre Cleanse
Una Brennan Superfacialist Rose Miracle Makeover Facial Oil £14.99/30ml via Boots - link
In my opinion if you have time to wipe a cotton pad soaked in micellar water all over your face in the evening before doing a real cleanse you have time to do a proper pre-cleanse with an oil as it takes as much time and effort but garners better results. Do I double cleanse daily? Nope, only when I have been wearing make-up otherwise it seems a bit fruitless. Basically the double cleanse procedure is to ensure you have removed every scrap of make-up and other grime from the skin by cleansing the face twice. Una Brennan Superfacialist Rose Miracle Makeover Facial Oil is a light silky oil that quickly and effectively removes the bulk of your make-up in one quick step. The tag line for this product is "Feel like you've had a facial everyday" I wouldn't go that far as it really is a rub in, wash off type of product but I guarantee you that your skin will thank you tenfold for using this over a wet wipe!

The Gym Bag Staple
Clarins Water Comfort One Step Cleanser currently (normally £20) £15.60/200ml via Escentual - link
I'm not the biggest advocate of micellar waters, if they work for you wonderful but for me they aren't something I depend on regularly. I do however like to keep a bottle in my gym bag in case I decide to go to the gym after a meeting complete with a full face of make-up. I know most swear by Bioderma but for me it has to be Clarins Water Comfort One Step Cleanser which is far more gentle on my somewhat sensitive skin. I quickly swipe this over my face to remove as much make-up as possible and then use it again after my work out to re-freshen the skin before popping home for a shower and deep cleanse. It also doesn't hurt that this smells like Apricots...yum!

The Dry Skin Choice
REN No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm £23/100ml via Look Fantastic - link
Due to all the lotions and potions I test (it's a hard life...I jest) occasionally my skin dries out and can feel tight and uncomfortable, when this happens I swear by REN No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm. This thick and somewhat oily balm not only deeply cleanses my skin but quickly returns my skin to a soft and supple state. This gentle cleanser been based on a unique 100% natural Rose Extract Complex formulation which tones, softens and soothes your skin all the while cleansing. It is quite a thick formulation that does make light work of removing every scrap of make-up, dirt, oil and anything else you may need to remove. This is one of those cleansers that you have to take your time to remove this cleanser as it oil based to prevent white heads.

The Do It All Cleanser
Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel £32.50/100ml via Cult Beauty - link
Without foaming this gently and deeply cleanses the skin as well as gently exfoilating the skin as well as improving the appearance of sun damaged skin. It also protects the skin against free radical and environmental damage, improves elasticity and firmness as well as Enhancing the lipid barrier to soften and nourish. When applied to the skin it feels like and nourishing, despite being some what hydrating it is suitable for all skin types (even oily) and you will notice a difference in the skins texture from the first use - skin instantly feels softer and smoother. If you struggle with other balm type cleansers for what ever reason this is the one for you and the ingredients are wonderful to boot - on a side note a little also goes a long way too.

The Evening Cleanser
Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm £32/100ml via QVC - link
You don't need me to tell you how wonderful Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm is, it is one of those few cleansers that my skin looks and feels instantly brighter and smoother from the first use. I feel like this is another good contender for the "do it all" position but I do tend to keep this for a nightly use when I have more time to really massage it into the skin, allow it to sit on the skin for 5 minutes and then remove using hot cloth's. Not only does my skin look and feel better after using this but I feel really relaxed after each use which makes it the perfect bed time addition.

The Cleansing Oil
Shu Uemura Anti/Oxi Skin Refining Anti-Dullness Cleansing Oil £60/450ml via Space.NK - link
I go through phases of loving cleansing oils and then they go back on my shelf for weeks on end. At the moment I'm pretty much in the latter stage but when I do feel like I want a quick but deep cleanse I reach for Shu Umera Anti/Oxi Skin Refining Anti-Dullness Cleansing Oil. Shu Uemura Anti-Oxi Cleansing Oil has been created to remove external pollutants (think city pollution such as car fumes, smoke and everything else along those lines. The oil relies on Moringa Extract to do just that as it is known for its skin purifying properties. Couple that with Green Tea Extract which is naturally rich in antioxidants and you have a pretty powerful daily cleanser. Green Tea Extract has been included as it not only protects the skin against damaging free radicals (again think daily pollution) but it also has cell-protecting benefits too which in the long run may ward of the signs of ageing for a little longer. I like that I can quickly apply this to my face and it literally melts off all my make-up in an instant, I'll level and say that this is my go to cleanser after a night on the tiles.

The Milia Friendly Cleanser
Image Skin Care Clear Cell Salicylic Gel Cleanser 
Image Skin Care Salicylic Acid Gel Cleanser is a light gel cleanser that gently cleanses the face as well as exfoliating without the need of a gritty scrub texture. It doesn't dry my skin out in the slightest and works really well with the likes of a Clarisonic for a deep cleanse. I kid you not but with continuous use I am all but clear of Milia as well as noticing that my acne scarring was gradually fading too. I don't use this daily any more but rather once a week to keep milia at bay and should a flare up happen I use it daily until it disappears.

What are your go to cleansers?