Cleanse My Soul

I am a beauty product whore.  There, I've said it and now it's out in the open for all the world to know judge me if you want.  I just can't help myself.  There is just something about beauty products that make me feel a lot more put together and give me that boost of whatever I'm lacking on any given day.  Maybe this all stemmed from the acne that decided to camp out on my face as I hit the stress wall of high school, who knows, but I've invested quite a bit into products.  In the past two years, I decided to make a conscious effort to better my addiction habit and I've become a lot smarter about the things I actually shell out for.  Lately my focus has been on getting my skin healthier and in better condition.  As much as I love me some makeup, the better my skin, the less makeup I have to slap on in the mornings.  Here are a few cleansers that I've tried out as well as am looking to possibly give a test run.

Already in my shower:

Ole Henriksen - On the Go Cleanser

I happened upon this cleanser because I was on this major citrus kick.  I craved the scent of things like blood orange and satsuma, especially after receiving a gift set of Pacifica's Blood Orange perfume, hand lotion, and shower gel from my friend Samantha as well as purchasing a gigantic tub of The Body Shop's satsuma body butter.  This cleanser smells amazing but really isn't anything special.  I wish it did so much more for my skin.  It has vitamin C which is great, if only I could see it being put into action.  It has become the cleanser in my shower that fills in when I run out of what I'm currently using or when I feel a little tired and need a jolt of citrus all up in my face.  

Yes to Tomatoes - Clear Skin Acne Control Gel Cleanser

I really like this cleanser.  It's easy to get, easy to use, free of harsh chemicals, and not a hazard to my wallet.  The first time I ever used it, my skin cleared up pretty significantly and helped to keep it that way.  The second time I repurchased it, I got the same results.  It can be a little drying but nothing a good moisturizer can't fix.  The downfall: packaging SUCKS.  It's so SO horrible that it makes me really think before I consider repurchasing.  It leaks no matter which way you have the bottle and you end up wasting a good third of the product.   

Philosophy - Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser

I've always heard so much about this cleanser but never really got around to trying it until a sample size was a part of my Cynthia Rowley edition Birchbox.  Over all this is a very gentle cleanser which I like.  It's perfect for those days when I felt like my face took a beating from the Hawaii sun or when I wear a bit more makeup than usual.  It does feel a bit heavy when I use it consistently on my combination/oily skin but I deal with it by following up with my Breath of Fresh Air toner from Lush.  

New candidates for my shower:

Amore Pacific - Treatment Cleansing Foam

I first heard about this brand on a shopping trip with my friend Sarah.  We popped in a Sephora to browse and ended up in the skincare section.  A rep from the brand was there and enticed us with demos.  Amore Pacific is a Korean brand that specializes in bringing back the skin to peak condition.  The rep did a fantastic job at selling me the product, especially with her own skin because let me tell you it was flawless.  It would have been a done deal had it not been for the price tag and the fact that it really doesn't work the best unless you use it in the treatment set it is meant to be with.  

DERMAdoctor - Ain't Misbehavin' Medicated AHA/BHA Acne Cleanser

Geez that's a mouth full!  I was introduced to this cleanser by a lady at Sephora.  I was browsing, yet again, one day and decided to ask her for her opinions on the best cleansers in the place to target and treat acne.  She told me this was a good choice, especially for acne that is triggered by hormones and stress.  It's supposed to be all pH balanced, whatever that means, and help your skin adjust and heal.  I got a little sample of this but it was hard to try out because of the consistency.  The product really didn't like being put into a jar-type sample container and wouldn't really come out in the amount I needed to really try it out.  It didn't have the greatest smell either but I'd be willing to give it a go if it helped to heal my skin.  

Boscia - Detoxifying Black Cleanser

I am dying to try this.  I've read so much about charcoal in cleansers being great for people who have oily skin like me.  It draws out the dirt and oils while all the other fantastic fancy ingredients like artichoke leaf extract and willowherb improve pore walls and calm redness and irritation.  Boscia also has a really good reputation of being preservative-free which I appreciate as well as just making products that work.  It isn't cheap but I feel like it will definitely be worth the investment.  Goodbye next paycheck, hello happy skin!

Photos courtesy of Sephora and Yes to Carrots