This review is a big one, so big I had to split it into 2 parts. To start off with, I get scared when it comes to trying new products, let alone a whole skin care regime. The reason why is because I know how long it will take to get my skin back to normal if anything bad happens and, when you try a whole regime, you don't know which product is actually working. It was something that required a lot of observation and time. In the end though, my skin was fine, actually more than fine - it was glowing. Turns out I was just being melodramatic, thinking I was some delicate flower. Anyways, enjoy part I of my review of the Bare Minerals Skinsorials range.
Oil Obsessed
The BM oil cleanser is definitely one that gets everything off. I'm talking about that waterproof mascara that manages to still linger when you wake up in the morning - that is GONE. Like any other oil-based cleanser, the removal of the makeup is probably the most fun. This is because you almost look like the joker before emulsifying the cleanser. When adding water, the cleanser turned into a light milk and upon removal didn't leave any oily residue. Actually, I felt rather dry and tight after using the cleanser, which is abnormal compared to my other experiences. It wasn’t too unpleasant but good to keep in mind for all you dry skin gals.
All in all, I enjoyed using this product but will purchase some other brands in order to find the best one.
The Rundown
Safflower oil - Really high in linoleic acid which is an ingredient that is high in essential fatty acids (something we can't produce ourselves).
Other ingredients, after the first few listed that are emollients, include sunflower oil, cucumber oil and borage oil which help to soothe and nourish skin. There is a slight bit of fragrance. You can mainly smell lavender. I personally find it quite soothing but because it is a known irritant its good to patch test first. I find that it is so far down the list of ingredients it shouldn't be too bad.
Clay Chameleon
I'm not really one to test clay or foam cleansers, my go-to cleansers are usually balm and oil, but I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this one by BM. It first comes out as a thick red cream and you're meant to massage it into dry skin. Water then activates the cleanser to form a slight foam. What really struck me is the lack of bubbles that came from the cleanser despite the many surfactants that make up the ingredients. Surfactants help to break down the invisible barrier between water and oil - essentially it helps to lift the dirt and oils from the skin so it can be washed off with water. There tends to be an association with surfactants being drying, I find that you really have to see how the other ingredients play a part. In the end, I felt my skin was thoroughly cleansed and not overly dry. It felt smoother and my pores looked clearer.
The Rundown
As I mentioned the first few ingredients are surfactants, very common in facial cleansers. A lot of them are derived from natural sources such as coconut oil. Kaolin clay is mentioned which is a fabulous detoxifying clay used to reduce sebum production. The rest of the ingredients are listed as their 'hero' ingredients. These are papaya, bamboo, sea salt and the Brazilian red clay. The ones that are probably the most active are the bamboo and some of the Brazilian clay. Mainly because it sits quite high in the ingredients list. The bamboo is probably the one I was most excited about. It is a great source of silica, now silica is something that degrades as we age (along with everything else) but it is vital in strengthening our collagen and elastin. So, having ingredients that are rich in silica is super beneficial for your skin. (Note: don't mix silica with silicones)
That's it for part I! Glad you stuck around. Keep an eye out for part II in a couple of days. Also, I understand I went through a lot of ingredients. You'll be able to find short summaries of ingredients and what they do in my Ingredient Spotlight page.