There was a time when we were all a little suspicious of cleansing oils but as time has moved on, more and more have been popping up and nowadays they’re just another way of removing make-up after a long day.
Personally I find oils an easy, convenient and quick way to get rid of my make-up and while I will always have a soft spot for the original Shu Uemura, my budget doesn’t always stretch to it which means I have tried and tested quite a few over the years.
Most recently I’ve been trialing three which are all good in their own ways, doing what they said on the tin - removing make-up and leaving my skin feeling clean. But are any of them better than the other… and does paying a little more yield better results?
L’Oreal Extraordinary Cleansing Oil: I picked this up a little while ago during a quick dash into Boots. At the time, I remember I had been run ragged with work and hadn’t had time to even buy toothpaste, so running out of cleanser was no big surprise (even my emergency pot of Ponds Cold Cream was gone) so I thought – why not? At €10.49 for 150ml it’s a decent price after all.
The official claim is that this is will “rebalance” your skin “restoring optimum hydration levels”. I found that it removed my make-up with no fuss or muss, and left it feeling just fine, no tightness or dryness at all.
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Some may have an issue with this due to the inclusion of mineral oil as a key ingredient, which you can see is the first thing listed on the back – so if you’re anti that type of thing, steer clear. If you’re not too bothered and just want something that will remove make-up quickly & efficiently without breaking the bank, this does the trick.
Kinvara Absolute Cleansing Face Oil: First off, I have to say I am loving the new packaging from Kinvara, it makes the whole range look a lot more appealing doesn’t it? At €19.95 for 100ml, it’s more expensive than the L’Oreal but still not a crazy price, and a little goes a long way. It’s a great choice for anyone who is concerned about the type of ingredients going into their skin care too as it is made from 100% plant oils with no added water (full list of ingredients are on the website).
In terms of make-up removal I found it took everything off quickly and efficiently although, I will say, less is definitely more, you do not need more than one, conservative pump. Use too much and there will be residue left over, which will have to be washed off with a cleansing foam or face wash (I learned that the hard way).
Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Replenishing Cleansing Oil: Launched last month, this is the most luxurious of my recent test subjects, both in feel and price tag, coming in at €30 but, that’s for a substantial 195ml bottle. Like the others, this removed my make-up with no trouble at all but there was something different about it, my skin just felt… cleaner. And I don’t mean squeaky clean, I just mean, free from make-up, free from grime and like I had actually washed the day off.
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The secret to this apparently is that the formula contains a “unique blend of botanical oils” which include olive, safflower and apricot that are rich in omega 3,6, 9 and vitamin E. Well, it’s working for me, so it’s a big ol’ thumbs up from this girl.
Are you a cleansing oil fan? Have you tried any of these? Thoughts please!
