REVIEW: Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Intensive Cleansing Balm

Hi all!

Cleansing balms: gentle, nourishing, luxuriant. For me, the cleansing balm has superseded cleansing gels, foams and lotions, providing all the rich nourishment of an oil, but with none of the mess or inconvenience of the oil squirting erratically out of the bottle and dribbling everywhere. I simply adore a cleansing balm. A couple of years ago, I tried the famed Emma Hardie moringa balm, and I was hooked.



Today I am reviewing the new Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Intensive Cleansing balm.


What is it?

Shu Uemura describe their cleansing balm as:

"a 2-in-1 intensive cleansing balm that goes beyond a superior cleansing ability to deliver visibly renewed skin. With continuous use, the skin feels soft yet firm, plumped and moisturized. Like magic, the cashmere-like balm melts instantly into a cocooning cleansing oil and wraps your skin gently in a light, fluffy veil. It is elaborately designed as a massage balm thanks to the cushioning feel of the texture between your skin and fingers. This luxurious balm delivers just the right amount of cushioning feel between the fingers and skin, making it ideal for quick renewing massages for busy lifestyles."

I'd agree. The description of the product may seem a little hyperbolic, but in my opinion, every word is true. It is heavenly.

What is in it?

A full ingredient list (I.N.C.I.) coming soon. Shu's claim that the 'Mother of Pearl protein' in the balm 'preserves [...] skin elasticity' is not supported with much clinical research, and so I personally am choosing to disregard this claim. However, the patented Pro-Xylane is a nice blend of emollient ingredients, used, I believe by L'Oreal. The brown algae extract within the balm acts as a thickening agent, while also holding antioxidant properties to defy premature aging. Primarily, the effect of the algae on the skin will be felt in the form of hydration.

Usage

A dream. I simply adore using cleansing balms, and this new product was no exception. Unbelievably soft, with an almost buttery consistency (in the best possible way). The tiniest piece of the balm spread easily over the face and neck, melting instantly into a luxuriously thick oil. I used a warm, clean, damp flannel/washcloth to remove the balm. This is my preferred method of removing all cleansers, but especially balms. I find that this method has reduced the number of blemishes and breakouts I encounter on my skin.

The cleansing balm left my skin feeling soft, supple and nourished; not at all dry or tight.

A really beautiful product. A significantly cheaper alternative is the Emma Hardie balm. For me, the Hardie one is unbeatable; the fragrance is divine, and the balm leaves your skin as soft as silk. The Shu Uemura one is a great alternative, especially if you like their Ultime8 cleansing oils. In my opinion, better than the famed Eve Lom cleanser, which is too waxy for me.

Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beuaty Intensive Cleansing Balm: £60.00 for 100ml at Liberty, SpaceNK, and Shu Uemura USA. Not yet available on Shu Uemura's UK site.

ALEX

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REVIEW: Dermalogica Dermal Clay Cleanser

Hi all!

I've been a semi-loyal user of Dermalogica products for a couple of years now, and thought that today I should review the Dermal Clay Cleanser.


What is it?

I'll start with Dermalogica's own explanation of the product:

"Purify and refine oily skin with this deep-cleansing clay formula, containing oil-absorbing, water-soluble Kaolin and Green clays. Calming Cucumber and Sage soothe, while refreshing Menthol revitalizes even the most tired skin. Formulated without artificial fragrances and colors."

Okay. In regards to texture, the cleanser has the consistency of a very light moisturiser. Somewhere in between and fluid and a gel. It doesn't feel thick or dry like most clay-based products. The clay makes it suitable for congested/spot-prone skin that needs a deep cleanse.



What is in it?

The INCI (ingredients) list states:
Water (Aqua), Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Kaolin, Disodium Cocoamphodipropionate, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Sorbitan Oleate, Illite, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Magnesium Silicate, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Parietaria Officinalis Extract, Nasturtium Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Hedera Helix (Ivy) Leaf/Root Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf/ Root Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Trioleate, Menthol, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891)

Kaolin (clay) may pose problems for people with very dry skin.

Regarding the menthol, read on... 



Usage

"Apply to dampened face and throat, massaging with light, upward strokes. Concentrate on oily areas. Rinse with warm water and repeat."

Upon opening the product, the very first thing I noticed was a strong smell of menthol. Menthol is not for everybody. I associate it with terrible experiences in the past, where a product has made my face feel like it is on fire. I should add that I do not have sensitive skin. I can tolerate most things, but can't stand the discomfort of menthol 99% of the time.

As soon as I put the cleanser on as instructed, yup...the menthol burn. That minty cool/raging fire feeling. Not unbearable, but certainly not at all comfortable. I would not recommend this product for use around the eyes. Due to the light texture of the product, it spread onto the face and neck extremely easily, which was nice. A little of the product goes a long way.

I removed the product with my usual cleansing method; namely a warm flannel. The cleanser removed extremely well, and I repeated the cleansing process as instructed. Due to the menthol burn, the whole process was not at all enjoyable. By the time I was doing my second application, I couldn't wait for it to be over.
Once the second application was complete, my skin did admittedly feel great. The menthol leaves a minty cool feeling once the product has been removed; a feeling nothing like the raging fire from before. My skin didn't feel at all dry, which I was pleased to note, because many clay-based masks and cleansers can dry and strip the skin of its natural oils. I contribute the high percentage of safflower seed oil (second ingredient on INCI list) as the reason why my skin was left feeling comfortably moisturised. The kaolin clay - a highly absorbent ingredient - had done its job though, drawing a few red pimples to the surface of the skin. I found that by the next day, these pimples had gone, and found that the cleanser helped with clearing my skin of the spot congestion.

"The consistency of a very light moisturiser"

To sum up

Using this cleanser was not one of the most pleasant experiences I've had. The presence of menthol, in my opinion, makes this unsuitable for people with sensitive. The product did a good job of dealing with my congested skin without stripping it of too much oil. For that reason, I'd recommend the cleanser for people with oily or combination (i.e. oily forehead, nose, and chin and relatively dry cheeks) skin, but not so much for very dry skin, as the clay will only exacerbate that condition. The cool, tingly feeling result from the product would perhaps make this nice during the height of summer, but again, I wouldn't recommend this for sensitive skin, so if you are suffering from allergy-related sensitivity, please avoid.

Overall, the cleanser did it's job. At the price it is, it's very expensive for what is essentially the same as any clay cleanser or mask, and did not have any remarkable results. However, if you like other Dermalogica products, you may wish to try it. I found the addition of menthol to be unnecessary, and for me, it made the usage of the product extremely uncomfortable. It did however cleanse sufficiently without being drying on my skin.

You just have to way up whether you are willing to pay this price for average results.

Dermal Clay Cleanser, £28.00 for 250ml at Dermalogica


ALEX

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