Choosing the perfect cleanser

I remember that 20 years ago, my skincare routine consisted of a cleanser with exfoliating particles that left my skin tight and irritated. Today, we have the luxury of choosing from various brands, formulas and textures.  Korean cosmetics introduced us to different creative textures and innovative ingredient blends.

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BALMS

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Balms are soft solids that melt when they come in contact with your skin. They are oil-based cleansers perfect for removing even stubborn make-up and SPF, deal for incorporating a quick gentle massage to increase blood flow and muscle relaxation. Compared to cleansing oils, the slight advantage is that balms are less messy. But it depends on your preference. The formulas, infused with beneficial ingredients, keep your skin moisturised and soothed. Every skin type can use balms, but they are extra helpful for people with dry or sensitive skin and people who wear make-up.

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HYGGEE - Soft Reset Green Cleansing Balm

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The melting sherbet balm leaves the skin clean, fresh and super moisturised. Perfect for dry skin but also all other skin types. Jojoba seed oil and moringa seed oil gently dissolve make-up and remove dead skin cells. The product contains extracts from grapes, apples, plums, and papayas to keep your skin moisturised. The tea tree complex helps to soothe the skin.

The balm melts the moment it touches the skin so that you can clean your skin without irritation. The feeling is pleasant, and you can massage your skin for a few minutes. You can use the balm as the first step in your double-cleansing routine. However, you can quickly minimise your skincare routine by using only one product- the Hyggee cleansing balm! It keeps your skin clean, fresh, moisturised, soothed and ready for the next skincare step: the toner. The balm won first place as the best new product in the cleansing lotion/ cream category at the annual 2021 Hwahae beauty award, and I am not surprised at all.

Our reviewer Anet says: "I honestly like this product. Almost everything about it is perfect. I am delighted with it visually and functionally, and I recommend it.

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OILS

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Cleansing oils, formulated to be easy to rinse off, are oil-based cleansers perfect for removing make-up, SPF and excess oil.  They smoothly remove any make-up residue or dead skin cells but leave the skin feeling moisturised and soft, without irritation. Similarly to balms, you can use cleansing oils for a quick gentle face massage.

Experts from Paula Choice say: "Oils don’t just moisturise the skin; they also work as solvents, a group of ingredients that can dissolve similar substances. Oils are a particular type of solvent because they’re lipophilic, meaning they’re naturally attracted to other oils, including the sebum our skin produces and the oil-like makeup ingredients. This allows the oils in a cleansing oil to quickly dissolve make-up and excess oil while softening skin at the same time." (1)

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HAYEJIN RiceFila™ Cleansing Oil

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This product contains six natural oils: olive oil (nourishing and moisturising), aromatic geranium oil (revitalising), lavender (conditioning, smoothing), chamomile (soothing, eliminating free radicals), orange peel (refreshing), skin rejuvenation juniper (soothing, cleansing).

Our reviewer Jasmina says: "I never liked cleansing products based on oils due to my oily skin. Once, my friend recommended using a cleansing oil in a double-cleanse regimen. I tried it and never looked back. This oil is super soft on the skin, and adding water changes it to a kind of "milk", and then I wash it off with more water. I use it only in my night routine to clean all the make-up off my face, then continue with cleansing foam. Together, these two are like heaven for my skin.  My skin is 100% better after using this oil for just one month. It is not the cheapest cleansing oil, but I will consider repurchasing once I run out of this one. My skin is combination/oily."

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GELS

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Gel cleansers are water-based cleansers with a gel-like texture, as the name suggests. They are perfect for people with sensitive skin and also acne-prone skin. They often contain beneficial ingredients and can offer excellent results like other different-textured cleansers. The texture is a bit more slippery, but it is about preference. The advantage here is that you will need just a little bit of the gel to wash your face so that a bottle will last you for ages.

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HEIMISH All clean green foam

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Heimish green foam cleanser is a translucent gel that forms gentle foam once allied. It's hypoallergenic and, therefore, suitable for sensitive skin – it does not irritate or dry out the face. I like this cleanser because it is fragrance-free and does not strip the natural oils on the skin. You need just a little bit to clean your face, so a bottle lasts a long time.

This cleanser has an ideal composition and perfect ingredients for the skin. It contains Centella Asiatica and Witch Hazel extract, which are excellent for soothing and moisturising the skin, and the pH is 5.5, which is perfect for the skin barrier.

Our reviewer Eva says: "I highly recommend this product. After using it, my skin becomes clean, fresh and hydrated. It is a great morning cleanser."

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FOAMS

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To put it simply: a foaming cleanser is a cleanser that foams. It is a widespread cleanser and may appear less innovative initially, but it offers good results. This kind of cleanser may not be suitable for dry and sensitive skin types, but many foam cleansers now contain moisturizing ingredients to keep the skin balanced, hydrated and soothed. A step above is bubble foam cleansers; after pressing the pump, you get a handful of white bubbly foam. If this cleanser type might be the right choice, read on.  

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FRAIJOUR Original Artemisia Bubble Facial Foam

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This skin-soothing and highly moisturising hypoallergenic bubble foam with Artemisia capillaris extract is perfect for sensitive and easily irritated skin. It contains various vegetable extracts to keep the skin hydrated and 40 000 ppm of Artemisia capillaris extract with soothing and brightening effects. Artemisia capillaris is a mugwort species and a popular ingredient used in traditional herbal medicine and cosmetics in Korea. The extract has soothing, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects on the skin.

The container is green and looks minimalistic but has a particular type of pump that foams the watery product inside. Once you shake the container and press the pump, you are left with a light foam to clean your face gently. The scent is fresh and smells a bit of tea tree.

Our reviewer Mirka says: "I use it twice a day, and my skin feels soothed and fresh. There is no tightness, only moisturised and clean skin. I love the light, bubbly texture and the scent of tea tree extract."

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(1) https://www.paulaschoice.com/expert-advice/skincare-advice/cleansers/what-is-cleansing-oil-who-is-it-for.html

images: via Instagram pages of @hyggee_official; @hayejin_official; @heimish_cosmetic; @fraijour_official