It’s Review Time

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And talking of cleaning and polishing …. another in my Beauty Bits series, this time on good ways to start the day. As October darkens and November prepares to drizzle in, I definitely need something with a bit of oomph to wake me up in the morning as I stare at the mirror in increasing shock. All these cleansers will do the job; and a couple are just bliss.

I’ve decided to add details on price in my beauty reviews. It’s the kind of information I definitely look at when I’m buying something new. All the products are available online and most are in the High Street too. Best of all, I think they’re all British (well, Body Shop used to be, though I’m not sure who owns it now the great Anita Roddick is no longer with us). Enjoy!

Body Shop Sumptuous Camomile Cleansing Butter, £12

I suppose I sort of felt I’d grown out of the Body Shop, partly because it’s such a must-have among my girls’ teenage friends. But when Child 2 invested £12 in this Camomile cleanser, and then rapidly decided it was a bit heavy for her skin, I couldn’t bear to see it chucked out and gave it a go. What a revelation. It’s an absolutely lovely, silky cleanser, which starts off in solid form in its tin, looking a little like shoe polish (though the colour of Vaseline). On the skin it melts in beautifully and is easily rinsed off taking your slap with it. Child Two said it made her eyes go blurry but I haven’t had that experience myself. Possibly because I keep my eyes shut when using it! Great stuff.

Buttery bliss
Buttery bliss

Temple Spa In the Beginning, £21.50

A pricey cleanser from a swish, spa-oriented make. Everything about it is expensive, from its packaging to the pleasantly solid glass jar with its dinky spatula, meaning you can keep your mitts out of the mix. This creams on quite slowly and has a pungent, though not unpleasant, ‘aromotherapeutic’ smell (think eucalyptus, rosemary, slightly medicinal stuff like that). The results are good, though you’ll need a muslin cloth to get it all off.

Aromatherapeutic
Aromatherapeutic

Elemis Melting Cleansing Gel, £22

This has a rather gorgeous melty texture and smells heavenly – mangoish, exotic-fruity, and it’s a pale orange in colour too. The gel cleverly changes into a foam when you add water. Swirl it over your face and splash off with water to feel renewed. Note of caution: it won’t get your eye make-up off.

Elemis, my dear Watson!
Elemis, my dear Watson!

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, 100ml £14.50

This isn’t the very first of the cleanse-and-cloth-off brigade – I think that honour goes to Eve Lom – but it’s certainly among the most popular. It comes with its own muslin square so you can remove it with water, and it smells lovely. Quite a faff, though, if you actually follow Liz Earle’s removal instructions to the letter. I wouldn’t bother if you have a job you have to get to, or small children hanging off your leg. A quick once-over with the muslin does the job without all the recommended folding etc. This is said to remove eye make-up but my muslins are inkily scarred by losing battles with waterproof mascara.

Polished performance
Polished performance

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