After years of thinking we needed to use a gel-based cleanser to keep our combination skin in the clear, we finally caved and gave the oil thing a try. We were hooked from our very first time, in awe of how soft, smooth and completely free of makeup our skin was. Since venturing over to the other team, we’ve tried our fair share, and The Organic Pharmacy’s balm-like Carrot Butter Cleanser has been hard to beat. Now, after nearly 15 years in the beauty business, we finally tried one of Shu Uemura’s cult-favorite oil cleansers, and there may be no going back.
We credit Shu Uemura with bringing cleansing oils into the mainstream, and it’s hard to believe they’ve devised seven distinct formulas to address a wide range of skin issues (even clogged pores!) while incorporating antioxidants, the power to remove waterproof makeup and much more. Bottom line: There’s a reason one bottle is sold every seven seconds.
We recently started using the Whitefficient Clear Brightening Gentle Cleansing Oil since we’re on a mission to fade a few spots. This particular formula targets dullness and discoloration by helping to remove dead surface cells as prevents the buildup of melanin with vitamin C and a skin-brightening complex. We haven’t been using it long enough to see a visible difference in our spots, but we’re totally digging how our skin feels and we’re definitely looking a little more glowy.
When starting out with an oil cleanser, it’s almost like breaking a habit after using a traditional cleanser for so many years. With this one, you put 3-4 pumps in your DRY hand, smooth it over your DRY face, and then add water to your hands to emulsify the oil. At this point it turns milky and almost un-oily, and then you wash it off. This particular cleanser has a fresh botanical scent, and it washes away every bit of makeup (and mascara) with just one pass—and of course leaves skin feeling soft, smooth and oh-so clean. This is one of those situations where we’re begging you to trust us… There’s a reason this cleanser is a classic.
