A member at one of the forums I frequent asked what product makes you feel better when you’re not at your best, and the answers were interesting. A lot of people said lipstick – they put it on and instantly feel better. Others went for perfume – a couple of spritzes and they are ready to take on the world. For me, it’s cleanser. The act of washing my face is healing to both my skin and my psyche. It’s like I’m washing away all of my troubles along with my makeup. It’s the best pick-me-up I know of.
A good cleanser needs to do three things to keep me happy: remove makeup (including eye makeup – even the waterproof stuff), clean the skin, and leave the face feeling soft and well conditioned. I’ve found three that perform each of these tasks beautifully.
Superdrug’s Naturally Radiant Hot Cloth Cleanser is an absolute bargain at £5.99. At the time of writing, it’s on sale for £2.95, making it an ever more amazing deal. It comes with a lovely muslin cloth and removes makeup like a dream. It smells wonderful and leaves skin feeling clean, exfoliated, conditioned, and cared-for.
The Body Shop’s Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter is a very good deal at £13. Its butter-to-oil formula melts upon contact with the skin and gently lifts away all traces of dirt and makeup, leaving skin soft and not at all stripped. It’s especially good at removing eye makeup, and it has a light, pleasant scent.
If you feel like splashing out, there is (in my opinion) no finer cleanser than Emma Hardie’s Moringa Cleansing Balm at £38. It smells amazing and easily removes even the most hard-to-shift makeup. It works wonderfully as a massage base, too, and comes with a sturdy two-sided muslin/microfibre cloth. It’s my Holy Grail Cleanser and my favourite thing to use if I’m feeling down or fragile.
Fig and Pen 