Clinique Foaming Cleanser Review

Purchase: Approximately $23 @ Sephora

I received this product as a sample from one of the Clinique bonuses. I used it every night for a month with my Clarisonic Brush and I was not happy with the results. Immediately after I cleaned my face with it my face felt squeaky clean, that's good right? Not exactly- within two weeks my acne had flared up-big time. In fact, I had my worse acne break out in a long time when using this product so I have now transferred it to my shower to use sparingly when needed.

I really thought this product was great because I really felt like my skin was clean after I used it but it did not help with my acne so it is definitely not for me. What did you think of htis product?

Clarisonic Refreshing Gel Cleanser Review

Purchase: Aproximately $25 @ ESkincare Store + 20% off


I received a sample of this when I purchased my Clarisonic just over a month ago. Since I've been using this cleanser my face has broken out. I've used it for about a month and now have a few blemishes on my skin so it definitely did not help with that. The smell of it was kind of funny too (although others might like the scent). Therefore, I do not recommend this product. I am excited to try out a different product with my Clarisonic Brush and I hope that it will work a bit better for me! After I have used it for about 3 months I am going to do a review on the Clarisonic, but I feel I need to wait a bit to be able to really see if it works. Another interesting thing about this cleanser is that it has some purple sheen to it when you put it on your hand but I never noticed it on my face at all so I didn't mind the extra sheen. I just thought it was interesting that there was a 'glimmer' in the product even though it's for oily skin which DOES NOT need glimmer!

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La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel 150mL

Purchase: $16 @ London Drugs

I received this as a bonus item in with another La Roche Posay item and I absolutely love it! Luckily, I bought two items which included this as a bonus so, even though I'm almost finished, I have another one to use! During the time I used this product I only had one blemish! For those of you that are aware, I have very blemish prone skin and I recently have stopped taking my Acne medication and WOW this stuff really worked! I used it only in the night time in order to make sure my face didn't become dried out because of the harsh winter air. I would definitely recommend this product!

A little bit about the product:

This facial cleanser is made especially for oily and easily irritated skin. It is PH balanced and soap-free so it will not be too harsh on sensitive skin types. I think it does a great job and is very gentle yet effective on oily skin. It is also a good price considering some of the more high-end products out there. And even more importantly, it does not dry your skin out because it is for sensitive skin so even people with normal to dry skin can use it!

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Philosophy Purity Made Simple Review

Purchase: $13-48 @ Sephora
According to the package this cleanser is formulate as follows:

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.

The smell of this is very potent. I kind of liked it but if you go for that 'hippy'-ish smell then I think you will LOVE it! I only had a sample and used it three times but, using my clarisonic, I was able to get all the makeup and dirt off my face! There was just a TINY bit of dirt left on my sponge when I used my toner after washing with the Purity Face wash. I would definitely give this stuff a try. Also, it comes in 4 different sizes so for about $13 you can get a 3oz and try it out for yourself!

Also, I have acne prone skin and I had no blemishes after I used this (I finished using it about 3 days ago and I used it for 3 days).
I'd say this is worth picking up at your local Sephora if you are looking for a new facial cleanser!

Avene Cleanance Soapless Gel Cleanser Review

Purchase: $28 @ London Drugs 20% off right now!
Cleaning Capacity: 9 out of 10

What the package says:

Avene Cleanance Soapless Gel cleanses gently, without attacking or stripping skin.


It eliminates sebum excess and purifies the epidermis while respecting its physiological pH.
Soap-free
Hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic product
Properties:
Cleansing
Thanks to its gentle cleansing base.
Sebo-regulating
Cucurbita pepo, a plant-origin extract, contributes to reducing sebum secretion.
Soothing and anti-irritating
Naturally soothing, Avène Thermal Spring Water enables an anti-irritating effect associated to zinc gluconate.


My thoughts:

There are many benefits to soapfree facial cleansers, including: protection from over-drying your skin and stripping it of essential oils for proper moisture, and it is milder then other facial cleansers so won't irritate sensitive skin types. After cleansing my face felt super clean and when I used a facial toner there was little-to-no makeup or dirt left on the cleansing pad. After using it for a month without taking my medication for two weeks or using my acne creme I only had one blemish caused by hormones the entire time! My skin is very acne prone so that is pretty amazing! I would definitely suggest this cleanser for all skin types and right now it is on sale for 20% off at LD so it's the perfect time to try it out!

Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel....

Makeup removing power: 9 out of 10
Feel: 9 out of 10
Purchase: $30 @ Sephora

I just received a sample of this from Sephora and it was great! It has a nice soapy lather and got off most of my makeup in one try! Even my tough eye makeup came off pretty easily with this stuff. And best of all? It is a natural product made without:

- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Phthalates
- GMOs
- Triclosan

I have the clay mask in this brand and I also love it! It makes my skin feel soft and clear after and I didn't notice any skin irritation!
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Facial Cleansers and Toners

ROC Hydra+ 3 en 1 (Face & Eyes) Cleansing Moisturizing Tonifying Care

Purchase: London Drugs
Packaging: 3 out of 10
Eye Makeup remover Quality: 6 out of 10
Face cleaning/tonifying Quality: 8 out of 10
Moisturizing Quality: 8.5 out of 10

I love this toner! I often like to use it after a day of work (when I have some make up on) and am then going out again so I need to re-apply. It gets most of the makeup off really well (except for eye makeup) and leaves my skin moisturized and ready for re-application! Also, it is a great toner for those of us with oily skin. Toner actually strips the skin of its natural oils and so those of us with oily skin then produce MORE oil to replace the oil that it has been stripped of, therefore, our skin can become even more oily then before. And for those of you with dry skin, the skin can become even dryer and tighter and can feel uncomfortable/flake after using toner too often. Therefore, Hydra + is a perfect solution! Toning AND moisturizer in one! I love to use this after I wash my face with a facial cleanser/scrub in order to get all the left over film off. Unfortunately, the packaging sucks. The lid to mine broke up after only a few uses but luckily the product has not dried out and it's been at least 5 months! Also it's fairly priced (under $20) and it lasts forever!! (PS. I do not suggest keeping products with broken lids though because it lets in bad bacterias and nobody wants that on their faces!)


Vichy Normaderm Daily Exfoliating Scrub

Purchase: $20 at London Drugs (Currently 25% off)
Cleaning power: 8 out of 10
Gentility: 9 out of 10

This is my go to facial scrub! I use it every time I have a shower and it is very gentle on my face and I love it! You only need a very small amount and it lasts forever! It is very gentle and has tiny micro beads that exfoliate your skin. As you all know, it is VERY important to exfoliate at LEAST once a week and this stuff is so gentle you can even use it daily! I don't suggest using it daily for those of you with sensitive skin because too much exfoliation can make the skin sensitive to everyday irritants like pollution and sun. However, I do suggest using it every second day or so to keep the skin clear of black/white heads and to help the skin rid itself of any leftover dead skin cells that might begin to clog pores.


Vichy Normaderm Gentle Cleansing Gel Cream For Clear Skin

Purchase: $20 at London Drugs (Currently 25% off)
Active Ingredients: Zincadone A + Sebo-Desolving Microdrops
Claim: Face and Eye Area are perfectly cleansed, the epidermis is mattified without over drying
Cleaning power: 6 out of 10
Gentility: 8 out of 10
Moisturizing effect: 9 out of 10
Mattifying effect: 6 out of 10

What is nice about this product is that it is gentle enough to use around your eye area which most cleansers aren't. However, I only use this product like a toner (put some of it on a cotton pad and smooth over face after cleansing). I find it is not strong enough to be used as just a cleanser. The directions say to massage the gel into your face with your fingers and then remove with a cotton pad which I find to be too messy. It also claims that it has a mattifying effect which I haven't really noticed after each use though it make work for some. Like the ROC formula, my skin feels moisturized without tightness or irritation after each use which is important for oily skin. I don't love this product and don't believe I'll be buying it again after I finish the bottle. The bottle has been lasting a very long time though which is nice since it costs less then $20 and is often on sale.


Spectro Jel Cleanser for Blemish-Prone Skin 500mL

Purchase: $9.99-13.99 at London Drugs
Claims: a gentle, non-irritating cleanser formulated to the natural pH of skin, specifically for sensitive and problem prone skin. Recommended by dermatologists. Removes dirt, oil and make-up. Moisturizes and conditions skin. Washes away surface skin bacteria and dead skin cells.

I use this cleanser morning and night! I love it! It is very gentle on my skin and won't cause over drying and is safe to use both night and morning. I usually follow this up with a cleanser to really clear my skin of makeup residue. It's cheap and comes in a huge bottle that lasts forever! A definite must-have for sensitive skin! I would also suggest using this in your morning routine if you use something else at night time (something with medical ingredients like salicylic acid). It is very gentle and I rarely break out using this stuff both morning and night!


Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash

Purchase: $7.99 at London Drugs
Moisturizing: 5 out of 10
Cleaning Factor: 9 out of 10
Active Ingredients: Salicylic Acid

I used to use this facial wash when I was a teenager and had no acne issues. As I got older, (around 19) I began having issues with acne and so eventually I started using this cleanser again. I loved using this cleanser both day and night but looking back I think it was too harsh to be used at both times. My suggested use for this product is nightly to help get rid of make up and with the power of Salicylic Acid, help rid your skin of pimples. Now that I am on medication for my acne I find that I do not need to use this cleanser at night but for those of you that battle with monthly break outs or re-occurring acne I would definitely suggest using this at night and Spectro jel in the morning. I have found that for those of us with sensitive skin, using too many products containing active ingredients will cause our skin to become irritated and actually break out more than it would otherwise.