Cleanse & Polish / hot cloth cleansers. Do they work?

[Julius]

When I was younger I had very oily / acne-prone skin so I used to use Neutrogena Visibly Clear clay mask / cleanser all-in-one. As I've got older my skin has normalised (thank goodness) and I'm now thinking of trying something a bit different. I used a Philosophy cleanser once that was very pale yellow and came in a big bottle. I quite liked it. Now I'm thinking of using Liz's C&P. Do you think it will be any good? Her Skin Repair Light was great! (My dermatologist recommended it). What are your experiences of using these hot cloth cleansers? I don't want a routine that involves too much faffing around. Am always busy. Up at 05:30. Porridge. Vehicle. Gym / swim. Work. Study. Thanks for your guidance. J.

 

[miss molly]

Yes if you want a quick and easy routine it is great and they do a Male version but its not much different then the regular one.

 

[Julius]

Yes if you want a quick and easy routine it is great and they do a Male version but its not much different then the regular one.

Great. Thanks Molly/ I'll prob get male version as am likely to be cleansing and polishing after gym.

 

[Ellaaa]

Personally I love a hot cloth cleanser and my skin is usually at its best when I'm using one. I have lots of early mornings with work and never have trouble with time fitting it into my routine, I don't think it's any slower than using a wash off cleanser really.

There's a lot of debate over whether Cleanse and Polish really is still the best out there, as there are much cheaper versions out there. As with any skincare, what suits one person will not suit another. It's certainly good stuff, but I'm not sure it justifies the price any more with the good competition now available.

Superdrug do 2 different hot cloth cleansers for around £5 and have generally good reviews on the net, but quite a lot mention the artificial smell to it. I haven't tried them, but I know some other people on here have. Personally I like the No 7 hot cloth cleanser, it's not as thick as C&P so spreads much more easily over the skin (good when you're in a rush) and it leaves my skin bright and radiant. You also get 200ml for £10 which is over half the price of C&P ,and with Boots offers and vouchers you can get it even cheaper.

 

[Weathergirl]

Hot cloth cleansers are amazing Julius. I started with cleanse &polish in 1998/99. I moved on after many years to a balm style cleanser that is removed with a hot cloth or mitt or microfiber cloth. The one I used for a few years was Emma Hardie, now on Elemis cleansing balm. After 4 years on balms just bought the Liz Earle TSV so back to where I started. The point is they are gentle. They moisturise rather than strip the skin. They are comfortable. They are a very deep, satisfying cleanse so your skin feels cleaner than ever. And it exfoliates because that's what the cloth does. A splash of cold water after Julius, whatever moisturiser if you use one.. and job done. You can even shave with it. I don't think you will look back!

 

[China Girl]

I use Akin Rose and Geranium cleanser for dry sensitive skin, but they do an oily skin one too. I used it years ago when it was first on Q, but then used various other cleansers as we all do. C&P isn't the product it used to be, not on my skin anyway, it brought me out in spots and caused redness. I had a horrendous reaction to Elemis pro radiance, so bad I had to see the doctor. I was fine within a week, but it left my skin sensitised to lots of things I used to be able to use in the past. I returned to the Akin cleanser out of desperation really, as I remembered how lovely it was. Nearly 2 months on and my skin has finally settled back to normal, no redness or sore patches, no dryness either.
I can't recommend it highly enough, you use it like C&P with a hot cloth, or mix with a little warm water for a light wash, it does not foam.
I bought mine from Holland & Barrett when they had buy one get one half price offers on.

 

[QuiteVacuousChat]

I use Ovelle Intensive Aqueous Cream as a hot cloth cleanser (muslin cloth). It's £3.00 for 250ml from Asda pharmacy and is "Sulfate Free (SLS & SLES), Parabens, Colour and Perfume free, Dermatologically Tested & Paediatrician Approved." It works just as well as Liz's stuff and certainly doesn't strip the skin. There was a bit of bad press about ordinary aqueous creams a few years ago but these new SLS & SLES free formulas are great. They were always intended to be used as cleansers rather than moisturisers.

 

[caretodiffer]

I use Elemis Pro radiance and it smells nice and it makes my face feel clean. I don't use foundations or mascara, so it works fine for me.
I like Decleor Hydra Radiance Smoothing Cleansing Mousse also.
Julius, the Decleor mousse foams with a bit of water and I think it will be a great one for men who can shave with it also.
It is one that made me feel as if I had an old fashion wash, and my face felt very clean. Unfortunately, I have so many Elemis Pro Radiance, with all the TSVs I bought :doh: to use up that I have stopped buying any other cleanser :happy:

 

[maymorganlondon]

I think Decleor's Hydra radiance is better for a younger or oilier skin, to be honest. I find it very drying, leaving a tight sensation. My niece loves it, so any I've acquired in past QVC purchases goes her way. Nowadays I won't buy a Decleor set that includes this cleanser, and I've found better sets for my niece to get her fix of it.

I think you can turn pretty much any cleanser into a hot cloth cleanser. I alternate between dedicated cleansers such as Clarins Cleansing Milk with Alpine Herbs, and wash off cleansers such as the Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm... My morning cleanse is the Elemis sensitive skin foaming cleanser (which doesn't foam very much, mercifully). They all go on the same way, and come off the same way - with a clean white flannel soaked in warm water.

So I'd say find a cleanser you like, and suits your skin and your budget, and if you want to remove it with a warm or hot cloth, you absolutely can.

 

[srhgts]

Hot cloth cleansers can be terrific, gentle on the skin and enjoyable to use. They can be a bit problematic for acne or clog prone skin, though. Depending on the base ingredients; oils, butters and waxes, they can exacerbate clogged pores and cause spots. It depends on your skin and which ingredients it tolerates though, you might be fine. It's a question of experimentation really. Cleanse and Polish was great for me until they reformulated, then it clogged my pores like mad.

 

[iloveshopping]

I have stopped using cleansers and moisturisers and am back to washing my face with soap and a microfibre cloth. I am using a sunscreen instead as currently on holiday. I am wearing a little Laura Geller BnB at night.
I think I may continue with the sunscreen when I return unless my skin dries out with the cold weather in the U K winter.

 

[MrMault]

I have tried C&P before and after the recipe change but didn't get on with it. I have oily/acne skin and felt almost as if there was a film left on my skin after 'polishing'. Things seem to have completely normalised recently, using the Elemis special edition cream cleanser by night and Vichy's micellar oil in the morning.

 

[donna255]

LE took the almond milk out of C&P(they said because of allergies), but its a expensive ingredient(this is when Avon bought the company). Upped the coco butter content which is really cheap but also clogs pores.

 

[Breeze]

I use the Boots No7 one too. Just as effective as the old LE used to be & a fraction of the price at £10 for a bigger bottle. With the almost constant £5 off No7 skin care vouchers you feel as though they're almost paying you to use it.
I don't like the cloth it comes with much though so I buy a huge pack of baby muslins from Tesco (they're in the baby stuff aisles) for about a tenner & use those instead.
I also use other Boots cleansers as hot cloth ones, just take them off with the cloth, if I feel like a change.

 

[boffy]

i dont like thick creamy cleansers. if i have to remove make up its a light milky one alpha h balancing or superdrugs micellar water. for everyday cleansing no make up removal just l'occitane facial soap. i also like the tea tree soap from holland and barret on my face

 

[Anna]

I really like the Liz Earle cleanse and polish - have used it for years and it suits my skin type. I haven't tried any of the other brands so cannot comment on them, but I like the ease and speed of C & P, and find it cleans my face and neck area (as AY would say) really well. Has gone up in price though, which one day will make me try the other brands around.

 

[Twinkle]

I stopped using it when they removed the almond milk. It was never the same. I've tried a variety of cleansers since then and find that Natural Elements Cleanser is the best for me. I use that every night, remove with SBC's pink shammy and in the morning use Natural Elements facial wash in the shower.

 

[Jackanory]

I am using the Superdrug hot cloth cleanser and although it has a different smell to C & P (no eucalyptus) in my opinion it's just as good at a fraction of the price.

 

[mariecat]

I've found that the most important thing about 'hot cloth cleansing' is that you use a thick soft flannel/face cloth, run under hot water, and just use a cheap silicone-free cream or lotion (depending on the consistency you prefer) as the 'cleanser'. For removing makeup, it's important to do a 'double-cleanse', which means you follow up the hot cloth cleanse with a mild foaming cleanser, again, just use a cheap one aimed at sensitive skin. In my case, being prone to a bit of rosacea, I use unscented products, and because of the rosacea too I find muslin cloths too harsh, hence the thick soft cotton flannel. In the morning, I just use the bar soap I use in the shower on my face (I use a mild soap and find it's totally fine and non-drying) - no need for the hot cloth cleansing/double cleanse faff when makeup is not involved!

 

[Autumn]

Tried many cleansers and for me the Alpha H balancing cleanser is by far the best , a close second would be the Elemis special edition pro radiance cleanser.