Tag: cleansing oil

[Review] dear, Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil

Kim1 Comment

Klairs is a popular korean beauty line who are known for having effective products containing simple and natural ingredients at an affordable price point. Their slogan “Simple But Enough” is evident in their product line. Their products are cruelty free, colorant free, alcohol free, paraben free and artificial fragrances/fragrance free. A fairly young company, since 2009, was acquired by Wish Company in 2012. Wish’s CEO Ryan Soungho Park, has sensitive skin and after trying out their products, that pretty much sealed the deal. Their philosophy of bringing skin care back to basics really resonated with him. He personally curates the products and also owns Wishtrend, where you can find the whole line of Klairs. The story behind Park and the acquisition is quite interesting, if you’re interested to read more about it, you can find some info here.

Now for the actual product review! I’ve been using this cleanser for around three months and it’s nearly becoming an empty. Which is why I thought it was about time to share my thoughts on it.

Cost:

$28 AUD for 150ml, from cyhouse.com.au.

Ingredients:

from www.klairscosmetics.com

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Isononyl Isononanoate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate , Isopropyl Myristate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil , Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Seed Oil , Tocopheryl Acetate , PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate , Polysorbate 20, Fragrance, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) , Carapa Guaianensis Seed Oil, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil

The inclusion of “Black” in its name is from the presence of black soybean, blackberry and black sesame ingredients in the oil.

Claims:

from www.klairscosmetics.com

 

The Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil is composed of various vegetable oils helpful for skin care. It’s easily washable texture allows mild yet effective cleansing of dirt and makeup without causing irritation and is the best cleanser to maintain the skin’s moisture even after cleansing.

The Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil is formulated with natural oils extracted from black bean to control sebum production and soothe skin. Black sesame oil provides antioxidants and black currant seed oil provides minerals and vitamins. It’s the best hypo-allergenic formula for sensitive skin

Packaging:

It is a plastic bottle with a pump nozzle which is my favourite type of packaging. It’s simple yet elegant, looks more expensive than it actually is.

Consistency:

It is clear and watery. It is also quite runny so once you pump out some product, I use about two or three pumps, you need to act fast with the application, which I will get into a bit later.

dear, Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil
dear, Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil

Scent:

Fragrance is present in the ingredients list which is puzzling since Klairs prides themselves on not adding artificial fragrance to their products. There is a light scent which smells natural to me, kinda hard to describe. It’s barely detectable to be honest.

How to use:

I use this cleansing oil as my first step cleanser in the evening or whenever I need to remove a full face of makeup. The steps are the same as any old oil cleanser or balm but if you are new to the double cleanse method, please keep on reading.

As mentioned earlier, I dispense 2-3 pumps into the palm of my hand and apply to my dry face. The texture is so smooth and slippery that you can easily spread it around. I usually massage it around my face for around 10 seconds. You will see the makeup dissolving which is pretty cool. I then hop into the shower where I slowly emulsify it by adding water bit by bit to my hands and using circular motions to massage it around once again. It will begin to turn milky. I do this for another ten or so seconds then I wash it off with warm water.

I usually follow with either my foam or gel cleanser as my second cleanse.

dear, Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil
dear, Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil

Final thoughts

Rating: 5/5 (loved it!)

Besides this cleansing oil, the only other product that I’ve tried from Klairs was their Freshly Juiced Vitamin C Serum. I thought it was just ok but memorable since it was my first taste into topical vitamin c.

What differentiates this cleansing oil to other balms and oils I have tried is how easy it is to use. It is super quick to dispense the product and the application is seamless. The oil isn’t greasy or oily at all (despite being an oil) and doesn’t leave a film on my face once I wash it off. The claims around “washable texture” is definitely true here. My skin feels fresh and smooth and most importantly, clean without feeling stripped. Because I usually follow with a second cleanser anyway, I guess it shouldn’t matter but it just makes cleansing a nicer experience 🙂 It also, most importantly, removes makeup extremely well.

Even though Shu Uemura’s oil cleanser, Skin Purifier (which I have tried), is hugely popular, I think this oil really compares to it in terms of effectiveness. In the price department however, Klairs wins hands down. It’s half the price.

I’m a bit over it (and lazy) to use cleansing balms now because you have to open the lid and either need to use a spatula or dig your nails into the balm to get the product. Yes I know it’s better for travel but I would much prefer being convenient at home. You can always transfer some into a smaller travel friendly bottle so its a non issue for me.

So yes, I love it and would definitely repurchase!

Have you tried or interested in trying this cleansing oil? What are your thoughts on it? Let me know 🙂

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[Review] Shu uemura Skin Purifier – nutri:nectar gentle cleansing oil in emulsion

Kim4 Comments

Shu uemura are a Japanese beauty line well known for their cleansing oils so I was excited to try this one. This product is a celebration of their 50th Anniversary of making cleansing oils so not sure if this is limited edition or not.

Since getting into k-beauty, I am a total advocate of the double cleanse method. I do it every night to take off my makeup + cleanse. I’ve used a few cleansing oils, some good and and some not so great. Keep reading to find out which category this nutri:nectar falls into.

Cost

$58 AUD for 150ml

My husband gifted it to me on my birthday in September.  He purchased it from shu uemura concept store in QVB Sydney

Ingredients

The shu uemura website states that it contains Essential oils, Acai, Magnolia and Reishi Mushroom. No ingredients list found on their site.

The list below I painstakingly typed from the packaging: Please reference my site if you use this.

ethylhexyl palmitate, acqua, glycerin, caprylic/capric triglyceride, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, propanediol, peg-20 glyceryl triisostearate, sucrose laurate, sucrose palmitate, sodium methyl stearoyl taurate, salicylic acid, tocopherol, sodium hydroxide, linalool, citronellol, geraniol, ganoderma lucidium extract, isopropyl lauroyl, sarcosinate, isopropyl myristate, dicaprylyl ether, dicaprylyl carbonate, euterpe oleracea fruit extract, butylene glycol, maltodextrin, hydrolyzed opuntia ficus-indica flower extract, citric acid, perilla ocymoides leaf extract, magnolia liliflora flower extract, sodium benzoate, phenoxethanol, potassium sorbate, ethylhexyglycerin, parfum.

It is non-comedogenic and has been opthalmologically and dermatologically tested.

Claims (from their website)

This extravagantly nourishing fusion is carefully composed to reboot skin barrier function while resisting the environmental stress. This cleansing oil in emulsion created with the power of nature help even dry delicate skin feels conditioned & strengthened.

Packaging

Like their other cleansing oils, the bottle is plastic and has a good pump. It is housed in a sturdy, slim and pretty pink bottle, though the product is semi-transparent.

shu uemura skin purifier nutri:nectar
shu uemura skin purifier nutri:nectar

Consistency

Its consistency is thicker than any liquid oil cleanser I have used. It is semi transparent in colour and looks a bit like gel. Because its an emulsion, it doesn’t run down my palm when I pump it out.

Emulsions can be described as a lightweight moisturiser/lotion which 
koreans apply before their more heavier moisturiser for dry skin 
types or used alone for oilier skin types.

Anyway, so the texture is alike and I quite liked that because there is no wasted product and its relatively mess free.

shu uemura skin purifier nutri:nectar
shu uemura skin purifier nutri:nectar

Scent

Their website describes the scent to be healing and comforting, as if taking a deep breath in the forest.

I would agree that it is comforting but not as refreshing as taking a deep breath in the forest as such. It is a complex smell, smells a bit florally (magnolia) but also with a hint of maybe lavender or derived from the mix of essential oils. Its not an obnoxious smell, I find it be quite pleasant and soothing.

How to use

I would usually use this at night as my first cleanse to remove my makeup. The instructions on the bottle say to pump 3-4 pumps into dry hands, then apply it in circular motions to a dry face. I only need 2 pumps, 3-4 is a bit excessive, especially for such a pricey product.

I would then massage it into my face, gently rubbing it in using circular motions as instructed. If you have used any liquid cleansing oils, the application method is the same. Then I would jump into the shower and apply a small amount of water to my hands and continue to massage my face. Adding water emulsifies it and turns it slightly milky. I would continue to massage for about 5-10 more seconds then I would rinse my whole face in the shower. My skin would feel soft, moisturised and smooth afterwards, no sticky residue at all.

shu uemura skin purifier nutri:nectar
shu uemura skin purifier nutri:nectar

To finish off the double cleanse, I would follow with a foaming cleanser. Loving the su:m37 Rose Cleansing Stick at the moment.

 

Final thoughts

Rating: 4/5 (really liked it)

I’ve only used about a quarter of the bottle (been using other oils as well in fear of this running out too soon!) and I already know that I really like it. The mess free application is great and you don’t need a lot of the product.

As mentioned earlier, it makes my face feel hydrated and soft afterwards without leaving any residue. I could probably do without a second cleanse when I use this but I always follow with a second cleanser anyway. I enjoy the fragrance, but if you don’t like fragrance in skincare you might not like this one.

I docked one star off due to its price. $58 is a bit too much for something that is just basically a makeup remover. I have used cleansing oils and balms at maybe half that price point which do the job just as well. I know that the shu uemura website (us) has regular sales which is great for people in the US. For us Aussies, shu uemura products are hardly ever on sale unless Sephora (the range is limited) or David Jones are having sales.

If you like the brand and you’re interested in trying out this cleansing oil in emulsion, I would highly recommend you to do so. It is also sold in a larger bottle (450ml) but if you are just curious I would recommend buying this size first.

Happy cleansing!

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