Life // Skin Care 101: Cleansers - Got to Catch 'Em All.

Hey guys,

That's right, I named a post after the Pokémon theme tune.

I thought today I would share a round up of all the cleansers I currently own and, for the main part, use.  

It seems there are so many different types of cleansers out there these days - how are we supposed to keep up with what's good and what's not?  So to help you you, I have been waiting a while to do this post because I really wanted an example of each different type of cleanser in order that I could share a better overview of each type for you guys. I am not going to give a review of each product but just a general overview of each type of cleanser and the pros and cons of each instead.

Foaming Cleansers

My favourite kind of cleanser up until recently was a foaming cleanser.  These are generally cleansers aimed at the oily and blemish prone skin and hence why this was up there with my first choice.  These are always my go-to cleansers when my skin is in blemish melt down as I know these are the best kind of to kick some serious blemish butt.  These usually start as a gel and work it up to a nice lather.

Pros:

• Good for oily skin
• Leaves skin feeling really clean
• Tightens up pores

Cons:

• Can leave skin feeling too tight and ends up feeling dry
• Can strip skin the skin of goodness
• Doesn't suit all skin types - no good for those with dry skin

Micellar Water / Cleansing Water

Micellar Water was up until recently France's best kept skin care secret with many French brands (Bioderma, La-Roche Posay, etc) having their own version.  They are what many make-up artists swear by because they get rid of make-up without the fuss.  Just squirt a little onto a cotton wool pad, and gentle wipe off make-up. Admittedly,  this is not my favourite cleanser I have ever tried and this is now resigned to getting my make-up off after a lunch time gym class simply because it's easy.

Pros:

• Suits all skin types - especially good for those with sensitive skin
• Easy, no fuss, on the go way to take off your make-up
• Gentle and light - doesn't feel like you're striping your skin or packing too much product on

Cons

• Those with oily / combination skin may not feel this does the job well (I'm in that club)
• For those who like make-up wipes (I'm not a hater), could be more time consuming

Cleansing Oils

I have branched out so much recently with my skin care and although I swear I'd never try a cleansing oil, I broke my own vow.  Now one of my favourite things to use is a cleansing oil.  Cleansing oils are great for balancing out the skin and getting your skin clean, nourished and back to full health.  Take two or three pumps of the oil into your hands and work round the skin including eyes and work round the skin, making sure you give your skin a mini massage also and then wipe off with a flannel when finished.

Pros:

• Great for all skin types including (from personal experience) oily / combination skin
• Quick and easy, gentle and also effective
• No harsh chemicals which will strip the skin

Cons:

• May be too fragrant for some people

Cleansing Balms

Another very recent discovery for me is cleansing balms and I would go as far as to say that this is my favourite kind of cleanser.  I am not sure if this is just because it's Emma Hardie but this does amazing things for my face.  These cleansers start off as a waxy substance and can be worked around in the palms to create a soft product which is applied to the face and washed off with a flannel or muslin cloth if you want some extra exfoliation.  

Pros:

• I really want to write 'everything' but that wouldn't be very informative but it's true
• Last ages
• Thorough but gentle cleansing (leaves skin feeling the cleanest of all the cleansers I have tried)
• Good for all skin types
• Rebalances the skin
• Skin feel hydrated and nourished after use

Cons:

• Cost - don't skimp, a cleansing balm will last a lot longer than any other cleanser.

Hot Cloth Cleansers

I have a total love and hate relationship with hot cloth cleansers.  Find the right one and you could be on to a skin care winner but they can take a lot of time to use.  Hot cloth cleansers are a creamy paste which you apply all over the skin (including eyes if you like) and you just rub it round until it's clear and wipe off with a muslin cloth.

Pros:

• Gentle exfoliation leaving skin looking bright
• Skin feels deep-down clean
• Suitable for most skin types - good for dry skin because it's very rich, be careful with sensitive skin

Cons:

• Time consuming and laborious to get product truly worked into the skin
• Not all take off eye make-up gently
• Invest in a good muslin cloth to get best results.

So there you have it - my round up all what each cleanser is and my pros and cons.  I'm not sure if there any other types of cleansers out there but I'd love to hear about them if there are.  I'm always on a quest for better skin.

I hope you've enjoyed reading this post and hopefully this might have given you some inspiration on your next cleansing purchase.

I'd love to hear what you thought or if you have any cleansers that you love so please feel free to leave me a comment below :o)