Over the past few months,
cleansing balms have become my makeup remover/cleanser of choice. The latest
addition to my stash is The Body Shop’s Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Balm.
Retailing at about $16CAD, this little number is a more affordable, less bumped
up version of the incredibly popular Emma Hardie cleansing balm (and for those
of us living across the pond, not only is it significantly cheaper, but it is
also much easier to get your hands on).
On their website, The Body Shop has the following to say about this product:
On their website, The Body Shop has the following to say about this product:
This cleanser is an indulgent make-up remover
for the whole face. It gently and efficiently melts away make-up and
impurities, leaving skin feeling clean, refreshed and pampered.
Well that’s all fine and dandy but does it actually live up to its description?
I think so - it works like a dream when it comes to removing makeup, and if I wasn’t so worried about destroying my washcloths, I would most likely use it to remove eye makeup as well (more on this at a later date…)
Speaking of washcloths, when using this cleanser, I take a small amount onto my fingers, rubbing together until it turns into a sort of oily consistency. Then I go ahead and massage it into my skin for about ~60 seconds before wiping it off with a warm washcloth. With this particular product, I would say that you would not need to use a second cleanser afterward, as it does not leave any sort of residue and your skin really does feel cleansed and nourished.
It should also be noted that there is no heavy scent to this product, and the light smell that is present dissipates quite quickly after use, so for anyone who is particularly sensitive to scents, I would say there’s nothing to worry about on this one.
Lastly, the one thing that I particularly like about this product is how it holds up in the container. My EH cleanser began to separate (oil coming undone from the actual balm – forced to mix up in container before use, thus changing the consistency of the product) after about two months of use. I also thoroughly enjoy the light packaging and the fact that the container is more disc shaped, making it a breeze to throw into your bag when travelling.
So, long story short, would I repurchase? Probably not.
There are so many cleansers out there that I’m itching to get my hands on that it would be pointless to do such a thing. My skincare expectations are probably somewhat unrealistic, but I will probably forever think – what if there’s something better out there? Something that gives a deeper, cleaner feeling, while still providing optimum moisture and without being too harsh on my sensitive/acne prone skin. Does it exist? I’ll keep you posted.
With that being said, a second question needs to be asked: would I recommend this product? Absolutely. It really is a great product, and it is especially good for anyone interested in trying a cleansing balm, thanks to its budget-friendly pricing, plus it's cruelty-free!
Important Update:
After testing this product, I found that it was causing serious breakouts. I mean, serious. I hadn't seen anything like this on my face in years. It was horrific. I cannot even include a photo of this product as I had handed it down to my dry-skinned friend, who thankfully, had much better results with it than I did.
So, if you're oily, prone to acne, or have sensitive skin, you may want to see if you can get a sample of this before committing to it.
Thank goodness it wasn't an expensive purchase...
