Review: Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser for Normal and Combination Skin

I have come quite a long way for facial cleansers... somehow or rather i am particularly particular (pun intended here : ) ) about it, especially nowadays facial cleansers are claimed to be able to perform certain special functions apart from solely cleansing the skin, such as purifying, whitening, hydrating, anti-aging... etc, etc, etc.

I simply can't fathom how just 1 cleanser is able to be so omnipotent, its simply beyond me or maybe its just me being old-fashioned.

For me, personally i would prefer my cleanser to be able to just perform its main function of "cleaning up the skin", that should be sufficient and the it should just leave the many other complicated high-level functions to its counterparts like the serum, lotion, eye cream... otherwise isn't it 1 cleanser to rule them all? The rest of its "family"would deemed to be redundant?

By being able to perform its main function alone effectively and efficiently is basically what i always look for in a cleanser. Effective in getting rid of grimes and excess oil on the skin without stripping away the natural oil and drying it in the process, and efficient in just using perhaps a tiny tea spatula to do its job.

Now, how's that going to be difficult.. well its not THAt difficult a task but as time goes by you will definitely find one such cleanser that is part of your HG stash, of course that is after countless quests or tubes and bottles that you have went through.

Today, i am going to talk about mine -Clarins's gentle foaming cleanser with cottonseed for the normal or combination skin type.

Packaging-wise, the cleanser comes in tube form, which is easy to maneuver in the bathroom but personally i very much prefer my skincare stuffs to come with pumps to dispense the product, this is partly due to hygiene reason too. I find that water tends to slip into the tube whenever i pulled the cap in and out, the product just seems slightly different after a while (i am rather anal when it comes to that).

Texture-wise, it is very lightweight, a little like that of cleansing milk but a wee thicker. It foams without much effort when mixed with water, very little foam is produced, just the right amount to cover my entire face and neck. I don't really have any issues with having my skincare products scented, in fact i like mine to smell good and subtle. In this case, the cleanser has a subtle "clean" fragrance that is quite common in some of Clarins's products.

During the processing of lathering, massaging it during cleansing and rinsing off the foams, there is no tingling or any irritating sensation, skin feels normal and this continues even moments after showering, there isn't a hint of tightness or roughness detected.

After that, i followed up with a facial cotton pad loaded with non-alcohol toner to swipe my face and neck, there is no visible trace of dirt left on the cotton (i wear makeup base and loose powder whenever i am in a rush, which is most of the time).

According to Clarins, it contains the active ingredients below:

1.Katafray Bark Extract - helps to prevent moisture loss of skin

2. Tamarind Fruit Acid - get rids of dry skin cells that clog pores

3. Shea Butter - protects, nourishes and regenerates the skin

4. Gypsophila Extract - produces a fine, lightweight and gentle foam

5. Polymnia - helps in balancing the natural pH level of skin (think its around 4.5 to 5.5)

6. Cottonseed - to leave skin soft and smooth

Verdict:

I have been using the same tube of cleanser for almost 4 months, so far so good. This lightweight cleanser has the capability to perform its designated duities well and that is definitely a YES in my book. Give it a try if you do not have any allergy related to Dimethicone.

However, i have yet to test drive it to on my face with foundation yet, but based on the above, i would say a yes to my upcoming 2nd tube. My only gripes are the tube packaging and the slightly steep price tag.

Priced at S$40.00 for 125ml.

Main Ingredients: Aqua/water, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Dimethicone, Lauric Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Tipa-Laureth Sulfate, Glyceryl Behenate, Glycol Distearate, Ozokerite, Fragrance, Propylene Glycol, Tetrasodium Edta, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide.

Interesting Fact: Dimethicone is silicone oil and its chemical name is Polydimethylsiloxane. It is derived from silica, is widely used in many cosmetic, skincare and haircare products, it serves as an anti-foaming agent, an emollient in personal bodycare products.