Zelens

I love testing cleansers. If I could test them all day every day I would. (well I guess I would have to give my face a break one in a while, ugh) Here are 5 that I have put through the paces over the past few weeks and months.

1. Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Cream – I think of this more as a mask/cleanser than a standard cleanser. As you can see from below, it is a thick grainy texture so it is definitely better for a second cleanse or even a treatment. I add a bit of water to it to make a thick paste and then pat it on my skin. I use upward massaging motions to work it onto the skin for a minute or two and then gently rinse it off. My skin is left smooth, plump and hydrated. Truly a unique product.

2. Zelens Z Pure Cleansing Liquid Balm – Boy is this stuff thick! Which initially had me wondering whether it would perform better as a makeup remover/first cleanse or massaging second cleanse. I did feel that it removed makeup nicely, but it’s a pricier cleanser so I would prefer to leave it as a second cleanse and really work it well into the skin. Because it is so thick, I like to remove it with a warm cloth and love the final result of how my skin feels and looks. Definitely another win from Zelens.

3. Sjal Deep Pore Cleanser – We all know how judgey I can be when it comes to skincare and makeup and I often make snap decisions about a product from just the name or appearance. I am forever proven wrong, but yet I keep doing it. Here was another example of a judgement gone wrong. I saw “deep pore cleanser” and immediately thought it would be foamy and stripping and designed for oily skin but leave my skin feeling worse. And this was after falling in love with the 2 Sjal masks….I’m a tough audience. Welp, my assessment couldn’t be further from reality. This is the most luxurious and decadent creamy balm that glides over the skin like silk. I use this as a second cleanse because I want every bit of the key ingredients to get right on my skin and not be wasted trying to cut through makeup. Add water and this melts beautifully leaving the skin feeling like it’s had a day at the spa. After a good 2 weeks of using regularly, my skin look noticeably brighter and my pores appeared cleaner and less noticeable. The cap is a bit troublesome to remove but frankly I could really care less because what’s inside is so remarkable. Two thumbs up! 

4. Soap & Glory Deep Cleansing Milk – First things first – this stuff smells unbelievable. It has a sweet and enticing aroma of fresh peaches and I wash just a few seconds longer each time to enjoy the smell. But yummy scent aside, the formula itself is soft, creamy and delivers just the right amount of moisture and hydration to balance my oily skin. I know this may seem like a bold statement from a product I was only recently introduced to, but it secured a spot in my top 3 favorite milk cleansers already. Yup, told you it was bold. But when you know, you know. Ya know?

5. Jurlique Nourishing Cleansing Oil – I typically don’t write my blog posts in order of least favorite to most favorite, but in this case I ended with my favorite cleanser of the bunch. I have tried a lot (seriously, a TON) of cleansing oils and this was a stunner from first cleanse. The texture is thick but not too thick, and literally erases any and every trace of makeup from my face. Stubborn eye makeup, thick foundation, 13 layers of bronzers….not a match for this stuff. And while it is easy to emulsify and rinse off, it doesn’t completely dissolve immediately. I have to work the water into the oil to really get a good milk which ensures I get a deep clean. My skin is left soft and smooth, and if I absolutely had to skip a second cleanse it wouldn’t even matter. This stuff is that effective and my skin loves it. I told my mother to go out and buy this immediately. LOL. We love to chat skincare and text about our routines and I told her that her face needed this cleanser. Stat! I’m bossy when it comes to skincare. Sorry not sorry. Her face will thank me.

Being as pale as I am, a daily SPF is a necessity. I rarely if ever leave the house without one on my face, and in the warmer weather that extends to chest, limbs and body. Because it is such a vital part of my daily skincare routine, I love to discover SPFs with different textures, application methods and varying levels of UV protection. I found a few great ones last year (read that post here), and was excited to find a few more that worked for me. Here is a list of my new SPF discoveries:

1. Zelens Daily Defence Sunscreen – I am new to the Zelens line, but absolutely love the makeup range (this foundation is everything) and swear by these facial pads. The sunscreen proved to be another love from the line, especially because of it’s ability to act both as my moisturizer and sunscreen. And being that it’s from a strong skincare line, it has ingredients in the formula to help prevent sun damage as well as tackle any premature aging concerns. It has a nice rich texture, though not too rich that I feel it sitting on top of my skin. (ugh, I hate that feeling) This absorbed quickly and left the skin feeling fresh as if I wasn’t even wearing sunscreen. It gives me a natural finish so I was able to layer on my foundation without any issues of my skin looking too shiny. I do prefer a stronger SPF for beach days or times when I plan to spend a majority of my time in the sun, so this will be perfect for my every day work week life, under makeup, running errands, grabbing brunch, etc.

2. Clarins UV Plus Broad Spectrum SPF 50 – Clarins makes some of my favorite sunscreen products for the body (adore this oil), so I was excited to try this for the face. It was very thin and watery to the touch, but in my experience similar formulas end up being too shiny for my face. Thankfully this was not the case. It absorbed very quickly and dried down to a natural finish. Initially when I first applied it to my face, there was a slight white finish but it disappeared quickly and I did not experience an ashy finish to the formula. My makeup applied smooth and evenly on top, and while I did get a tad shiny mid-day, it overall wore very nicely as an under-makeup sunscreen. Because of the high SPF, this will also double for me as a beach day/outdoors option.

3. Goldfaden MD Sun Visor SPF 30 -This sunscreen was a bit different from the other 3 because it is a liquid formula that you spray on the face. I always give a side eye to spray nozzle applicators because if not dispensed correctly, it can ruin a product. Rather than spraying it directly on my face, I figured I would spray in my hand first to make sure I was not going to be doused with sunscreen. I was shocked to see the most delicate and fine mist come out making it a cinch to control. Before I even tested it on the face, I was loving it because it had passed my spray nozzle test. The formula is oil-free, fragrance-free and very lightweight. I did notice however, that once I applied it to the face it had a slightly tacky finish. It was a tad off-putting initially and I was afraid that it would affect anything I applied on top. But I am never one to back down from a beauty challenge, so I gave it a minute or so to set and instantly loved the natural and slightly matte finish it gave my skin. I then applied my makeup and loved it even more! I read that because the mist is so fine, you can apply over makeup during the day if you plan to spend a lot of time in the sun. I wanted to test this out so I brought it with me to work, lightly spritzed myself mid-day and did not disrupt my makeup in the slightest! I made sure to hold it far enough away so as not to apply too much but still close enough that I could cover my entire face. I’ve talked about Goldfaden MD a ton on this blog and I can definitely add this to my list of product loves from them.

4. Sisley Age Minimizer Sun Cream SPF 50 – Whereas the Zelens sunscreen has a great moisturizer feel but with a lower SPF, this sun cream from Sisley gives me that extra SPF coverage for both daily use and extended sun frolicking. (Is there anything better than sun frolicking?!! No, there is not.) The texture is absolutely beautiful and strikes the perfect balance between rich in texture yet weightless on the skin. There was a slight white cast when first applied that I was concerned would stick around, but thankfully it disappeared almost immediately when I rubbed it in. This is another option for when I want to skip moisturizer and have my SPF handle both jobs. With a specific UVA/UVB filtering complex, this sun cream is designed to block those harmful rays while also fighting free radical damage. I love a product that multi-tasks.

Shop some of my other SPF recommendations: