Review : Neal's Yard Wild Rose Beauty Balm

I recently went to Neal’s Yard to check out their selection of face oils and was very kindly given some samples of their multi-tasking Wild Rose Beauty Balm to try. (Hence the stock photo) Apparently, it can be used as a moisturising balm, an exfoliant, a mask or as a cleanser. I’m not a fan of “multipurpose” products but the combination of cleansing balm + roses had me sold.

Ingredients:

Rosa canina (Wild rose) seed oil, Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) seed oil, Cera alba (Beeswax), Butyrospermum parkii (Shea butter), Cannabis sativa (Hemp) seed oil, Borago officinalis (Starflower) seed oil, Pelargonium graveolens (Geranium) flower oil, Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) leaf oil, Boswellia carterii (Frankincense) oil, Cymbopogon martini (Palmarosa) herb oil, Pogostemon cablin (Patchouli) leaf oil, Ascorbyl palmitate, Tocopherol, Citral, Citronellol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool.

Rosa Canina = gives you Rose Hip oil which is high in anti-oxidants

Jojoba Seed Oil = repairs the skin’s barrier

Shea Butter = high in anti-oxidants

Hemp Seed Oil = moisturising, won’t get you high

Starflower Seed Oil = moisturising, contains fatty acids

There are a number of fragrant plant extracts after that: Geramium, Rosemary, Frankincense, Palmarosa and Patchouli - which people with sensitive skin, or people who really care about their skin might want to avoid.

As a Nourishing Balm

I’m trying to cut out products with beeswax and shea butter and unfortunately this contains both >.< In the name of experimentation I decided to leave a thin layer on overnight, massaging it into my skin. I didn’t wake up with a face full of spots as feared but I wouldn’t dare use it more frequently! It’s supposed to be suitable for all skintypes, but isn’t something I’d use if I had oily skin (which I don’t) because it's so thick and would feel too greasy. For normal or dry skin, it’s ok and left my skin feeling soft and plump. It’s a nice alternative to the much pricier Decleor balms - and has the benefit of being 99% organic if you appreciate that sort of thing :)

*btw, it goes without saying that this isn’t something you’d use in the daytime, unless you’re aiming to look slicked up like Kim Kardashian’s a$$.

As a Cleanser

I’m reluctant to call this a ‘multi-tasker’ after trying it as a cleanser. It’s quite heavy on the beeswax content and SUCH a pain to remove. My skin didn’t rinse clean of make-up, but with the sheer volume of water needed to remove the balm I’m pretty sure it came off eventually. I've since learnt that you’re supposed to do the first cleanse and then go in with the balm. Oopsie. Still, I don't think this Balm is suited as a cleanser - it's not gentle enough with all that facecloth action. I'd much rather use the Frankincense cleanser from Balm Balm (reviewed here) which is much cheaper and easier to rinse. 

As a Mask / Exfoliant

To use the balm as a mask, leave it on for ten minutes and then rinse off. I didn’t try this because it’s like telling you to wash off your moisturiser. The ‘exfoliant’ function is a bit of a misnomer because that’s just you using a flannel trying your damnedest to rinse it off.

Price

A jar costs £37/50g. The most similar products that I've used are Decleor night balms, which in the equivalent size would cost upwards of £100 (!!!!) Bear in mind however that the Wild Rose Beauty Balm has a three month shelf life - which is a nuisance because it’d easily last you more than a year! I don't think it would sprout mould in all that time, but it's something to bear in mind if you're strict about use-by dates.

As a cleanser it’s quite pricey compared to other brands. For example, Emma Hardie's Moringa Balm is cheaper by a £ but is twice the size. (Though 1ml is not the same as 1g.)

I can't think of other multi-use products to compare, but I reckon you could make a cleanser out of Trilogy's Everything Balm (12.50/45ml). That contains Sweet Almond, Rose Hip and Jojoba Oil among others. (As well as my arch-nemesis: olive oil.)

The Verdict

Like a stock of plasters and cotton buds, this is something I’d like to have handy when my skin is feeling dry and needs some TLC. But I feel like it'd just be a waste of money with that short shelf life!

Review : Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm

Continuing the cleansing balm theme, the next one I have for review is Omorovicza'sThermal Cleansing Balm. Omorovicza is a luxury brand with a fancy-ass backstory involving Hungarian Spas and Nobel Prizes so as you might imagine, it doesn't come cheap. It costs £46 for a 50ml jar, and if you've read my last post, it was the most expensive cleansing balm in a sample of 30.

Now I spend a fair bit on skincare but I steer away from expensive cleansers because at the end of the day, all they do is take your make-up off. Not even the ‘special’ ones formulated to do more than just cleanse because it’s all going down the sink. Let me qualify that: I TRY not to, but then a special offer comes along and that mentality is swiftly thrown out the window. So I bought myself a jar. And got a second free!

I bought the 15ml travel size which worked out to be cheaper than the big momma. Plus it means only £20s, not £100s worth of cleansers will be languishing in the skincare drawer if I can't use it.

Ingredients:
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Heptanoate, Silt (Hungarian Mud), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Squalane, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Polysorbate 20, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Prunus Domestica (Plum) Seed Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Parfum (Fragrance), Saccharomyces (Hungarian Thermal Water) Ferment Extract, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aqua (Hungarian Thermal Water), Linalool, Malpighia Punicifolia (Acerola) Fruit Extract, Phospholipids.

When have you ever seen “silt” on an ingredients list!? Sweet almond and jojoba oil are moisturising and cleanse without stripping. I assume the aforementioned “silt” is what holds the mineral goodies that Omorovicza is famous for. Plum seed extract is hydrating, apricot kernel oil is an anti-oxidant. All of these oils are non-fragrant, but unfortunately the formula contains fragrance (limonene, linalool and one unspecified). That said, I'm less bothered about fragrance in facial washes because you rinse it off. The Acerola berry is an anti-oxidant and is good for treating hyper-pigmentation thanks to its high Vitamin C content. Acerola is quite popular in Japanese skincare, and DHC in fact have a whole range built around it. There's some doubt over its effectiveness in skincare, but in any event, it's near the end of the ingredients list and you wash it off.

Texture:
The texture is light and non-greasy, almost like a thinned out oil. It smells like lemongrass (not Flash Kitchen). And it's black o.o  It has the nicest texture of any cleansing balm I've used which feel like lard compared to this.

However, I felt like the cleanser was a bit of a let-down for two reasons. As a 'first cleanse', it didn't remove "absolutely everything" as claimed. But I'm OK with that now, since it's too expensive to waste on a first cleanse anyway!

And then there was - yep you guessed it: spots. Btw, now is a good time to mention that I bought four jars. FML. I generally don't believe in the idea that your skin "purges", I do think that this cleanser needs some getting used to ... I say that because after around one month of use, my skin seemed to calm down - but this coincided with my changing my cleansing technique. I used to cleanse, cook dinner, sweep the floors, sweep the chimney etc., then shower, and double cleanse. I switched to showering after the two rounds of cleansing and having a thorough rinse by running my face under tepid water for a couple of minutes. It sounds nuts but it seems to have worked and from that time the spots lessened! And this might defeat the purpose of using an expensive cleanser, but if I'm to believe the science, "Hydro Mineral Transference" delivers minerals deep into the skin - meaning that I should get the benefit of more supple and firmer skin even if I wash it off really well. On the plus side, I did notice that my skin was more hydrated. After showering I usually rush to apply lotion because my skin feels to dry and tight, but not after using this!

Overall:
- Expensive
- Doesn't remove all traces of make-up
- Does not appear to be suitable for spot-prone skin
~ A little goes a long way. The 15ml jar lasted around one month (and would have gone longer if not for over-zealous use)
+ Good ingredients
+ Hydrating
+ Lovely smooth texture

For the price tag and surrounding hype, I expected to be 'wowed' by this cleanser. I can't say it made a real difference to my skin, except call forth an army of angry red spots so it it's not for me! But since I have another three jars, I'll definitely be giving this a re-run soon! Stay tuned ;)

Review : Balm Balm Frankincense Deep Cleansing Balm

Hello everyone, happy new year! First post of the year is a review of Balm Balm’s Frankincense Deep Cleansing Balm.

Ingredients
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)
Cera Alba (Beeswax)
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract (Marigold)
Boswellia Neglecta Oil (Frankincense Essential Oil)
Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil
Citral
Limonene
Linalool

Balm Balm’s products are 100% organic, made in Britain (George Osborne will be proud) and have nice n short ingredients lists. Some of the key ingredients are Sunflower and Jojoba oil, which are anti-inflammatory and thought to help heal the skin; and shea butter which is moisturising and rich in anti-oxidants. In TCM, frankincense is used to stimulate blood circulation and as a treatment for acne and wrinkles. Sounds all well and good but I wonder how much benefit you get since you wash it off :/ The most important thing is that it hasn’t caused any spots, which I always worry about when trying new products!

The balm has a very mild smell - its not bad, I'm just not sure what it is. The texture is smooth and it doesn’t feel really waxy so there’s no dragging the skin trying to work it in for a deep cleanse. (SO DEEP!) (Had to be said guys.) It doesn’t melt into an oil or emulsify so you have to rinse it off with a flannel and then voila! Super soft skin and no residues =^-^=

I prefer using the balm as my second cleanser in a double cleanse routine. I tried it to remove make-up and it doesn’t work well. To be fair, I was totally expecting that because cleansers with beeswax (like Neal’s Yard Wild Rose Beauty Balm) never seem to work well for me.

It costs £7.99 for a 30ml jar, which although not obvious by the photo, IS TINY. Some of the reviews on feelunique mention that the size is misleading and you’re actually paying too much compared to other brands. With too much time on my hands, I decided to round up as many cleansers I could find and calculated how much they would cost for an equivalent dinky little size. Among 30 cleansers, Balm Balm's Frankincense cleanser falls under the ‘low’ price category (nos. 1-9). (10-19 are mid-range and 20-29 are expensive)

Here they are:-

1. The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter, £12/90ml >> £4.00 <Reviewed Here>
2. Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm, £22/125ml >> £5.28
3. RMS Beauty Raw Coconut Cream, £12.50/70g  >> £5.36
4. REN Rosa Centifolia Purity Cleansing Balm, £30/150ml  >> £6.00
5. Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Melting Cleanser, £24/118ml  >> £6.10
6. Bobbi Brown Extra Balm Rinse, £44/200ml  >> £6.60
7. Monu Cleansing Balm, £39.95/150g  >> £7.99
8. Aurelia Miracle Cleanser, £34/120ml  >> £8.50
9. Rodial Stem Cell Super-Food Cleanser, £32/200ml  >> £9.60
10. Antipodes Organic Grapeseed Butter Cleanser, £24.99/75g  >> £10.00
11. Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm, £36/100ml  >> £10.80
12. Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, £39.50/105g  >> £11.29
13. Balmology Neroli & Sweet Almond Cleansing Balm, £21/50g  >> £12.60
14. Diptyque Nourishing Cleansing Balm, £44/100g  >> £13.20
15. Charlotte Tilbury Multi-Miracle Glow Cleanser, Mask & Balm; £45/100ml >> £13.50
16. Georgia Louise Cleanse and Heal Duo Balm, £46/100ml  >> £13.80
17. De Mamiel Restorative Cleansing Balm, £49/100ml  >> £14.70
18. The Organic Pharmacy Carrot Butter Cleanser, £39.95/75ml  >> £15.98
19. Spiezia Organics Facial Cleanser, £26.95/50ml  >> £16.17
20. Natura Bisse Diamond White Rich Luxury Cleanse, £108/200ml >> £16.20
21. Eve Lom Cleanser, £55/100ml  >> £16.50
22. Suti Facial Cleansing Balm, £28/50ml  >> £16.80
23. RMK Cleansing Balm, £29/50g  >> £17.40
24. May Lindstrom The Honey Mud Cleansing Silk, £64/100ml  >> £19.20
25. Neal’s Yard Wild Rose Beauty Balm, £37/50g >> £22.20  <Reviewed Here>
26. Amanda Lacey Cleansing Pomade, £68/90ml  >> £22.67
27. ESPA Nourishing Cleansing Balm, £46/60g  >> £23.00
28. Darphin Aromatic Cleansing Balm, £32/40ml  >> £24.00
29. Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm, £46/50ml  >> £27.60 <Reviewed Here>

While not the cheapest among the brands, this cleanser isn't expensive - especially for an organic product. I’d happily recommend it, just as long as you don’t intend it to remove make-up! It feels quite luxurious (especially when you accidentally leave it near a radiator and it melts a little) but doesn’t cost so much that you kinda resent using it. (See: Omorovicza. Every use breaks my poor frugal heart.)

Review: The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter

Really late to the party with this one aren’t I? I first saw The Body Shop's Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter featured in an article on The Grauniad about ‘the best cleansing balms’ and it seems to have made an appearance on every beauty blog out there. That was approximately one year ago … and now its rolled up on my blog too, whuppee! I actually bought it months and months ago but left it to languish at the back of my skincare drawer. I dusted it off (figuratively speaking, ew) to review for my mini-series on cleansers.

Packaging:

Seems sturdy. No worry of dropping glass jars on bathroom tiles and smashing them to smithereens - only of it landing face down. Unanimous agreement that the broad flat tin resembles a pot of shoe polish. Boor-ring.

Texture:

The texture is very far from the ‘sumptuous cleansing butter’ it’s described as. It’s like a wax that melts into an oil. Not a nice smooth blend, but something slippery and lumpy. That is NOT cleansing butter. Antipodes grape seed butter cleanser is exactly that. Omorovicza’s night cream is sumptuous and buttery. This is not.

Performance:

This cleanser was ok at removing suncream + make-up, but not 100% effective. A flannel and second cleanser are a must to remove the product and residue. I’d follow up with a cream cleanser.

Ingredients:

Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Synthetic Wax, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil/Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil,  Butyrospermum Parkii Butter/Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopherol, Parfum/Fragrance, Aqua/Water, Linalool, Limonene, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil/Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil,  Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract (Camomile), Citric Acid.

I’m always waffling on about checking the ingredients (I didn’t realise you had to peel the label back to read them >.< the irony eh), but how many of us actually do that? Why/why not? My label-checking mania stems from my battle with hormonal spots (which I mention a lot too). I probably wouldn't have bought it had I known it contained synthetic wax (nasty texture) and virtually no chamomile. What stands out to me on reading it a second time round - and with the benefit of hindsight - is OLIVE OIL. I had a severe reaction to DHC’s Deep Cleansing Oil (reviewed here) and I avoid it like the plague now. The reason this cleanser was left to languish wasn’t because I disliked the texture - it was because little spots started appearing after a few days of use! :( I think it's safe to say olive oil is the culprit ... Obviously this won’t be a problem for a lot of you, but I thought I’d put it out there, juuuuuust in case you ever wondered why you had a terrible experience with DHC products…

Price:

At £12 for a 90ml tin, I doubt you’ll find anything cheaper. Its the cheapest among thirty odd cleansing balms/butters that I compared the prices of. However I’d much rather spend my money on something that functions and feels better - your skincare routine should be enjoyable not a waxy mess!

Has anyone else tried this cleanser? How does it compare to the Camomile Cleansing Oil? And dare I ask: is there a cheaper alternative??