Top 5 cleansers for makeup removal

Cleansing is probably my favourite part of my skincare routine. Don’t get me wrong; I absolutely love makeup and wearing it, but at the end of the day being able to take it off, and massaging a beautiful cleanser in, is just divine.

I have previously spoken about most of these cleansers on my Instagram, (see my page here) and I often review products from Emma Hardie, which was the brand that made me want to write this post in the first place. Recently, while doing a cleansing video routine on my Stories loads of you wanted a review of the Moringa Cleansing Balm, so I’ve put this plus four of my most-used cleansers in a post.

Another note about cleansing, I always double cleanse at night. The concept of double cleansing comes from the Japanese 10-step routines, where the first cleanse is usually with a balm or oil to remove makeup, and the second cleanse is with a lighter gel or milk to actually cleanse the skin. The cleanser you use is a matter of preference, for example if you have drier skin you might want to cleanse with a balm in the morning as well. I have oily/combination skin and in the morning I use a gel or milk, and I use these at night and some in the morning. Let’s get to the reviews!

Moringa Cleansing Balm (£47) by Emma Hardie, a thick balm with oils like moringa seed (that gives it its luxurious scent) and almond oil, take a hazelnut size warm it up between your hands, apply all over the face and massage in to remove all traces of makeup. Remove with a damp cloth (the cleanser comes with a double-sided cloth in the pack), that has been soaked in warm but not hot water, in short strokes. The good thing with this balm is that it nourishes while cleansing so won’t strip the skin.

Dr Sam’s Flawless Cleanser (£16) by Dr Sam Bunting a British cosmetic dermatologist. This is the first product from her range, and all the products she creates are formulated without any scents or colours, suitable for all skin types, including sensitive/acne-prone/rosacea. Dr Sam doesn’t believe in the double cleansing system, but recommends to use two pumps of cleanser at night and one pump in the morning. It’s a gel texture that goes slightly milky with water. I remove with a cloth, as I do all my cleansers actually. This is usually my second cleanse most nights and morning cleanse most mornings, as it does what it promises, and doesn’t irritate. Though scentless, to me it smells fresh and clean. Also it’s such an amazing price for the product at £16 and I’ve already purchased a second bottle.

Anti-Pollution Cleanser (£60) by Lisa Franklin an amazing aesthetician with her Clinic Privé in Knightsbridge (see my experience and Q&A with Lisa here). Her line of products have as a main goal to support the skin and protect from environmental aggressors such as pollution and blue light. The line is aptly named ‘anti-pollution Pro Effect’, and this cleanser in particular is the harder working one of the bunch. Imagine that it has to remove makeup, grime and pollution. And it delivers! The consistency of the product is more runny like a clear oil. I massage and remove with a cloth. It’s also vegan, cruelty-free, sustainable and anti-inflammatory.

Gel Balm Cleanser (£45) by Eve Lom is a runnier consistency than a classic balm cleanser, and is packed with good for your skin ingredients like shea butter, eucalyptus, clove and it turns into milk when you add water. This definitely removes all traces of makeup, and smells quite fresh and minty, however it does sting my eyes, so I try to stay away from the eye area. Despite its strong scent, that might not be everyone’s cup of tea, it doesn’t contain any fragrance, and it’s cruelty-free.

Renaissance Cleansing Gel (£33 for 100ml) by Oskia is an amazing gel to milk cleanser that removes makeup and cleanses skin. I usually use this as a second cleanse, but due to its consistency and ingredients this will also remove makeup. This product is also vegan and cruelty-free. It includes rose and chamomile that soothe as they cleanse, and they also give a lovely scent to the product. I massage onto dry skin and then add a bit of water to emulsify before removing with a cloth. This is a mini travel size that retails for £12.50 and perfect for travelling.

Have you tried any of these? What are your favourite cleansers?