I am a self confessed skincare/cleansing novice. I have no 'routine' per se; I simply drink a lot of water and wash with nothing special. I've been influenced by plenty of beauty bloggers to expand on my skincare and maybe pick up a routine, and whilst I was on the hunt for something new, Purely Natural Skincare were on the hunt for bloggers to review some of their products - a match made in heaven. I'll introduce you quickly to Purely Natural Skincare. They're a company dedicated to creating 100% natural and handmade skincare products which are chemical free, cruelty free and vegan friendly, all of which are made in Great Britain. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience on their website giving out tips and tricks on how to cope with different types of skin and skin conditions, what you can try and do to improve your skin, plus a comprehensive list of natural ingredients and their benefits. What impresses me most is they don't just take into account sensitive, damaged, dry, 'normal' and oily skin with their grades (0 Tolerance, 1 for all, 2 dry, 4 Oily) but they also pay attention to skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, psoriasis, eczema and even cellulite.
I've not got 'bad' skin, however that may be defined, but I can be prone to dry, sore and sensitive skin particularly at the edges of my nose and the top of my cheek bones, therefore I opted for the '2 Dry Cleanser' and gave it a whirl over the course of a week. I've always been wary about trying products littered with chemicals and harsh ingredients. I've not always been convinced that they actually do any good; I've had my fair share of bathroom dramas featuring stinging moisturisers, so I was really excited to try it.
As you can see they send a little tip sheet along with your product specifically aimed at the type of skin you have, handy stuff! When I popped it open I was initially greeted by a lovely herby smell, a great plus as there's nothing worse than having skincare or makeup items having an unpleasant aroma about them when you put them on your face. The consistency, as noted by other bloggers, is definitely like cookie dough. I was initially surprised but of course had nothing to compare it against as I've never used a cleanser before. It's simple enough to use; you crumble off as much or as little of the 'dough' as you like, you don't need a huge amount, and add to a small amount of water before rubbing between your hands to create a paste. It breaks down incredibly easily. I think the last time I stood at the sink in awe was when I had one of those magic flannels that expanded in water. I'm unsure of what the consistency should be, but I found it to be more effective when it was thicker as a couple of times I accidentally added too much water and I didn't feel the same gratifying effects.
You simply massage into the skin and problem areas in a circular motion, and despite the particles in it, it doesn't feel half as grainy as I thought it would. Rinsing off was one of the toughest parts, we've got quite a small sink and simply chucking water over your face is nowhere near as easy as you think it is - after I had finished the first time it looked like Shamu had fallen through the roof of the house and landed in the bath. I find I get the best, but messiest, results when rinsing with handfuls of water. I've been using large cotton wool pads the past few nights to save mess, but you must rinse it off thoroughly or you may find rogue drying particles which add to your already dry skin. Maybe using it in the shower would be a good idea? A couple of times whilst rinsing I've got bits in my eyes, but please bare in mind I am ridiculously clumsy so this could well just be me.
Now, onto the nitty gritty - the results! I've been using it every night and my skin feels amazingly refreshed after a long day, not only that but my skin looks incredibly smooth, and feels gloriously tight (something I never expected). I can imagine it would be a great wake up aid in the morning so would be tempted to use it twice a day rather than once as recommended. It's caused no redness or soreness which I'm prone to but I do appear to have developed a couple more dry patches over the last couple of uses (sad face). I'm unsure whether this is due to not having put on moisturiser with it ( I initially wanted to see what the cleanser was capable of by itself), not rinsing off properly, having more sensitive skin than I ever imagined or simply because my stress levels have shot through the roof the past two days. Needless to say I will still be using this regularly, it was doing a great job of ridding dry patches on it's own and the two small ones I have now aren't noticeable, it's only because I can feel them that I know they're there - I have hope!
It retails for £6.95 which is great for an organic, vegan, all singing and all dancing cleanser. Due to natural ingredients it has a shelf life of approximately 4 months but that shouldn't be a problem if you are going to be using it every day.
In the end, would I buy this in the future? Possibly, BUT I would be more inclined to buy the '0 tolerance cleanser' instead which is especially designed for sensitive skin and use alongside the '2 dry moisturiser' for a killer combo.
Take a look at their website here and have a look at their great range. There's a cheeky sale on at the moment too so you can get a gift pack featuring two products for cheaper than buying them both separately.
Will you be trying them? Or have you already?
