little white truths

I've managed to stack up sixty posts in my drafts and I've still got countless photos sitting around that I haven't edited yet, so I decided today that I definitely need to address the situation and start writing the posts I've already edited photos for - otherwise I'll end up with one hundred drafts and won't know where to start!

This is one of the drafts that's been sitting around for ages, and I've been ready to review the product for a while but haven't done so yet because I've wanted to cement my thoughts before posting. I guess the reason for that is: I was expecting to be blown away by this product because it's Alpha-H and it's a cleansing oil (and I love those), but the truth is that I prefer other cleansing oils I've tried and probably wouldn't buy this one again. More on that below.

As you'll know if you read this blog, Alpha-H is my favourite skincare brand of all time and the products just work for my skin. Plus it's an Australian brand and it's not the most expensive line on the market, so it's a win-win situation in my books.

Having said this, I feel that the brand falls down when it comes to cleansers - not the exfoliants, chemical or otherwise, because they're amazing - but its stock-standard cleansers generally don't grab me and there's only one I've tried that I would purchase (the Alpha-H Liquid Gold Anti-ageing Cleanser, reviewed here). It's not that they're bad, it's just that I have products I prefer. I would put this cleansing oil in that category: it works, but I don't love using it the way I love using other products.

This is a good product that does the job, but I prefer other products like the Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil (review coming soon) because that one smells divine and the texture is to die for. It may not be better for skin due to its fragrance, but sometimes the experience of using a product is what makes you keep coming back.

This Alpha-H product is a thick oil/gel with a light herbal scent that's not overpowering so it shouldn't bother most people. The texture is unlike anything I've used before: it's more like a gel when you pump it out, but it does start to feel more oily once you massage it in.

I always remove my makeup first before using this because I want my skin to get the full benefits of the product when it's already free of surface gunk (so the product can penetrate better). I have used it a couple of times as a dedicated makeup remover for the purposes of this review, and it does work for that but I find that I need 2.5 pumps to remove makeup whereas otherwise I only need 1.5 - so if you want to make the bottle last longer, it's worth using it for a second cleanse and saving the makeup removal process for something cheaper.

Also, while it does remove makeup well, it doesn't remove my mascara. I can say this of almost all cleansers, however: I don't know why, but mascara really sticks to my lashes and nothing but a shower and a good cleanser will remove it. Maybe my lashes are dry and really cling to product. Who knows.

What I normally do with this is apply it to my makeup-free face and then leave it on for a few minutes to let it get to work. It's worth noting that skincare expert Caroline Hirons uses it in this way too, and she notes that a cleanser isn't going to have any impact on pigmentation (as claimed) unless you do use it this way. She likes the product (see her review here), which is usually a good sign!

As for product claims: I don't think it has a brightening effect on my dull, dehydrated skin; it does remove makeup and grime; it is hydrating and feels balancing; and I haven't noticed any effect on hyperpigmentation, although I rarely do.

In sum, this is a good product and I can't really fault it, other than to say that I would prefer to reach for other cleansing oils (like the Josie Maran one) because I enjoy using them more. I realise that 'product enjoyment' doesn't necessarily make for a good product, but it's worth something to me so I wanted to mention it.

Good, but not my favourite. Let me know if you've used this and what you think if so.