For balms Elemis, Alpha H and Emma Hardie can't be beaten for the sheer pleasure in using. I tried an Avon balm a few weeks ago. It does the job, but doesn't give me the swoon factor the first three do.
I like Liz Earle, especially the scented versions, but they've all broken me out. Same with the No7.
I was going to say that cream cleansers don't agree with me but I rather like the Alpha H balancing one as an everyday workhorse. I also like the other one they do (some herby version). I'd have never tried these but they were in sets and I've been pleasantly surprised.
I've also tried Soap & Glory and Bare Minerals foaming cleanser - both okay but the BM is nicer to use. NIOD's Sanskrit Saponins is a weird one. Makes my skin feel very clean but isn't a joy to use.
Out of the micellar cleansers I absolutely loved the Lancome one that they discontinued it just before they became popular. I now use Bioderma (you've literally just missed a third off at escentual.com by a few days, but they run the French Pharmacy offer regularly), or Garnier oily or sensitive (the oily mattifies great under makeup). There's also a Garnier WITH oil that you shake up (not the version for oily skin). Now, this is absolutely fab for removing stubborn makeup but I hate the smell so stick to balms.
Philosphy's Purity is a bargain on QVC at the moment for the massive size. It's a pretty good cleanser that didn't beak me out but I bought it years ago when on offer in a 500ml size and got a bit bored with it (those were the days, when I could afford to have several on the go at any time) but I did keep going back to it as it was quite expensive when I bought it (I think only Liberty sold it then and after trying it in the US I just HAD to buy it!). Just to lay to rest the "use after opening" comments, I had my Purity on the go for at least 4 years. I shake all my rotations regularly as it seems to keep them fresher. I check stuff I've had a while but haven't used every month. I've rarely had to throw anything but some things do start to smell a bit different or start to split.
After the oversized Purity mistake I now tend to buy smaller versions of items until I find a "love" that I know I'll not get bored with and keep using. If I could only use three of the items I've listed it'd be the Elemis balm for indulgent cleansing, the Alpha H for in-shower cleansing and the Garnier micellar for quick or pre-cleanses.
I like Liz Earle, especially the scented versions, but they've all broken me out. Same with the No7.
I was going to say that cream cleansers don't agree with me but I rather like the Alpha H balancing one as an everyday workhorse. I also like the other one they do (some herby version). I'd have never tried these but they were in sets and I've been pleasantly surprised.
I've also tried Soap & Glory and Bare Minerals foaming cleanser - both okay but the BM is nicer to use. NIOD's Sanskrit Saponins is a weird one. Makes my skin feel very clean but isn't a joy to use.
Out of the micellar cleansers I absolutely loved the Lancome one that they discontinued it just before they became popular. I now use Bioderma (you've literally just missed a third off at escentual.com by a few days, but they run the French Pharmacy offer regularly), or Garnier oily or sensitive (the oily mattifies great under makeup). There's also a Garnier WITH oil that you shake up (not the version for oily skin). Now, this is absolutely fab for removing stubborn makeup but I hate the smell so stick to balms.
Philosphy's Purity is a bargain on QVC at the moment for the massive size. It's a pretty good cleanser that didn't beak me out but I bought it years ago when on offer in a 500ml size and got a bit bored with it (those were the days, when I could afford to have several on the go at any time) but I did keep going back to it as it was quite expensive when I bought it (I think only Liberty sold it then and after trying it in the US I just HAD to buy it!). Just to lay to rest the "use after opening" comments, I had my Purity on the go for at least 4 years. I shake all my rotations regularly as it seems to keep them fresher. I check stuff I've had a while but haven't used every month. I've rarely had to throw anything but some things do start to smell a bit different or start to split.
After the oversized Purity mistake I now tend to buy smaller versions of items until I find a "love" that I know I'll not get bored with and keep using. If I could only use three of the items I've listed it'd be the Elemis balm for indulgent cleansing, the Alpha H for in-shower cleansing and the Garnier micellar for quick or pre-cleanses.
