little white truths

At the moment I'm trying to review all the Origins products I have from that kit I unboxed (see here), which I've been using for the last couple of months.

Next up is this cleanser, which I like in theory because it's nice to use - but unfortunately I find that it strips my skin so I can't recommend it and I wouldn't buy it. More on that below.

Origins claims/product details:

• This gentle, frothy cleanser cleverly balances both dry and oily skin, treating everything from oily t-zones to the parched skin around the nose and mouth
• It takes a unique cleanser to wash and treat both dry and oily skin, and this gentle, foaming formula cleverly does both
• Built on a unique blend of botanicals, it uses broad leaf kelp extract to tackle excess oil and wheat protein to hydrate and protect dry areas
• Water-activated tourmaline washes away dirt and makeup while essential oils such as bergamot, lavender and spearmint leave skin feeling nourished and refreshed, never tight, pulled or parched
• Suitable for normal to combination skin
• RRP $17 AUD for 50ml or $33 AUD for 150ml

Verdict

I can see why a lot of people love this cleanser because it's nice to use, but I agree with those who say it strips their skin and dries it out - that's certainly what it's done for me.

It's a white gel that smells like sherbet mixed with soap. A little goes a long way because it foams like crazy, and while I can't see SLS or its derivatives listed in the ingredients, something is making it foam that much and this may be why it's too astringent for my dry skin.

Indeed, I tested the pH of this product this morning and it's sitting somewhere between a nine and a ten, which means it's too alkaline and I'm not surprised that it's stripping and drying out my skin.

One thing to note is that I've read the less positive reviews of this product on Mecca's website (see here), and everyone who has given it one or two stars has commented on how drying it is. This includes people with oily, combination, normal and dry skin, and some of those with oily skin have noted that it strips their skin to the point that they start to produce more oil.

I've also seen some people with sensitive skin say that this causes their face to flare up, so that's worth noting too and I would absolutely test this product before committing to a purchase (or at least buy the travel-size first).

The good news, I suppose, is that this cleanser is nice to use and the foam it creates feels lovely - creamy and velvety - on the skin, and it does remove makeup well so I suppose you could use it for that if you wanted to and save your more gentle cleansers for your second cleanse.

As for claims: no I don't think this is gentle or balancing; no it doesn't treat my dry skin; no it doesn't hydrate or protect my dry skin; no it doesn't nourish or refresh my face; and yes it does leave my skin feeling tight, pulled and parched.

Overall I don't recommend this product because it's too drying. Sure, it's nice to use, but I don't want to use it anymore because my face is dry enough as it is, so I may end up using it as a body wash because life's too short.

Not for me.