NEW CLEANSERS THAT GET ME EXCITED TO WASH MY FACE - THE BEST GENTLE FACE CLEANSERS, BEST FACE WASH FOR MEN
What an interesting week.
I dined at a restaurant in Manhattan for the first time since mid-March. In NYC, only restaurants with outdoor seating are allowed to reopen. While sitting outside on a warm summer day was lovely, it was more than a bit surreal.
There are all sorts of bizarre, yet understandable, new restaurant procedures and expectations — including having to scan a QR code for the menu and needing to order all at once to avoid repeated contact between wait-staff and customers. Even having to pop a mask back on to go inside to use the bathroom was weird. Of course, I forgot my mask and had to go back to the table to retrieve it!
The City has eerily changed. I jaywalked across Park Avenue — something that would have been impossible not all that long ago. No New Yorker would even attempt something as stupid as that; you’d surely get run down. Being run down on Park Avenue is not the way I wanna go!
Jaywalking across a busy thoroughfare takes me back — all the way back to the high school trip I took to Paris in the 1980s. The first morning there, I got all caught up in the first room-service order of my life — a cappuccino and a croissant. And, of course, a side of those fancy single-use pots of strawberry preserves and orange marmalade.
There I was relaxing on my hotel balcony along the Avenue Macmahon gazing up the boulevard at the Arc de Triomphe. It was the first time I was away from my family in my entire life and I was determined to cherish every bit of it. Having grown up in a loud Italian family, it was the quietest moment I had ever experienced.
Suddenly, it ended. I was startled back to reality by a loud rap on the hotel room door. That most peaceful-in-a-lifetime moment was over. The evil disruptor? One of the teacher chaperones, wondering where I was. Apparently, we were all supposed to meet at the base of the arch 20 minutes earlier. Oops!
I dressed and scurried up the street. I had no idea where I was or what I was doing, let along how to cross that busy traffic circle racing around the monument at Parisienne rush hour.
So I watched the cars whizzing by, waiting for the right moment to race across the street and meet up with the crowd of students waiting for me. A momentary break between cars. And so I bolted. I’d never run that fast in my life. Cars beeping, French people screaming. How was I supposed to know there was a pedestrian passageway to the arch just below? I was living my dream!
Back in New York now, the characteristic vibrancy and energy of the City I love and call home is gone; it feels diminished, a shadow of itself. If you live here, too, you know what I mean. If you’ve visited, you wouldn’t recognize the muted city it is today. Like that surreal moment in Paris, New York feels like a reflection of reality.
And everyone still seems to be on edge.
I met two great friends for lunch in the park of a converted cathedral and it was super cool to see them again. They’re Kiehl’s colleagues and we’ve been regular dining buds for more than a decade, meeting up for wonderful dinners just about every other week. Until March, that is! We’ve enjoyed hundreds of meals together in all corners of the City; made great, lasting memories. As awesome as those memories are, they seem more distant today than ever.
Post-pandemic, we’ll make new memories, have new laughs, commiserate anew on the state of everything — in the City, in the country, and beyond. This too shall pass…
The skincare stuff starts here.
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know my favorite skincare step is cleansing. Cleansing is a ritual for me; it’s cathartic.
And, I hate the idea of a dirty face and clogged pores! Maybe it’s because I live in a bustling City and feel especially covered in filth each day. Rides on the subway don’t help — even now when the train cars are being disinfected with UVC light each night. (How cool is that?!)
I always joked with one of the friends with whom I had lunch the other day about her cleanliness obsessions. She literally wipes down the seat, tray table, and both armrests on the plane before she settles in for a flight. And that was pre-Covid! Funny, that would certainly be me now — if I even had the guts to get on a plane in the first place.
On the train these days, I refuse to touch anything, especially the poles. It was probably never a great idea to begin with, but I’m not a germaphobe and always figured a little bacterial exposure built up my own immunity to illness. But this is the post-pandemic world. (I know in some places, it’s still going full force. I completely get that.)
One of my secrets to optimizing skin health is to keep pores clear. So, when I get home, the first thing I do is cleanse. Honestly, though, it’s the first thing I do in the morning, too.
I’ve fessed up to my personal cleansing obsession before. Yes, I wash my face four times a day. The first and last cleanses of the day are usually with an extraordinarily mild cleansing water.
If you’re not in the habit of washing your face first thing in the morning, let me say that it behoves you to do so. Some of your skin care from the night before is still on your face when you wake. It’s very common for skin care, particularly silicone-based moisturizers, to sit on the surface of your skin. A lot of it doesn’t absorb; and it doesn’t evaporate off your face either. So a good, quick, gentle cleansing water is nearly always the way to go.
The same goes for the start of your PM skincare routine. You don’t want to apply all those expensive products to unclean skin, do you? Skincare products, especially thinner serums that need to absorb most deeply, are better able to penetrate the skin barrier if unimpeded by grime and clogged pores. So, wipe the slate clean and go!
Yeah, I love cleansers. And I’m very particular about them, of course. I love all kinds of cleansers — cleansing waters, cleansing oils, cream cleansers and gel cleansers. Exfoliating powder cleansers, too.
So let’s take a look at five new cleansers that have been getting me excited to wash my face the last few weeks. Hey, it’s the little things in life…
Drunk Elephant | E-Rase™ Milki Micellar Water
I got my hands on a bottle of the new Drunk Elephant E-Rase™ Milki Micellar Water the very day it came out. If you caught my #selfcaresunday video on my IGTV, you know I could barely contain myself. (If you missed it, you can still catch it here!)
I don’t recall ever coming across a milky cleansing water before — so for me this one is innovation right outta the gate.
E-Rase has a thick, silky texture that reminds me very much of the Dr. Jart Ceramidin Liquid. So imagine if Dr. Jart, in all his wisdom (psst, there’s no such person!), turned Ceramidin Liquid into a cleanser. In fact, just like the Dr. Jart classic, Drunk Elephant’s new micellar water is rich in ceramides. Boom!
Drunk Elephant says it’s a “milky, ceramide-rich micellar water that thoroughly and gently removes makeup, dirt, pollution, and bacteria from the face and eye area—no rinsing needed.”
Indeed, the E-Rase™ Milki Micellar Water delivers a pretty thorough cleansing experience — and it’s one of my favorite cleansing “waters” each morning. The clean, vegan formula, in fact, contains three distinct skin-replenishing ceramides — Ceramide AP, Ceramide NP, and Ceramide EOP, all plant-derived. Ceramides are bio-compatible substances that occur naturally in the skin.
What are ceramides?
There’s an excellent article by the Paula’s Choice Research Team titled, What Are Ceramides and How Do They Work in Skin Care Products? In the piece, the experts explain the benefits of ceramides to the skin this way:
“As far as anti-aging ingredients go, ceramides have a proven record, but are often overlooked, and rarely explained. Here, we’ll dive deep to clarify how ceramides help skin retain moisture, fortify its protective barrier, and keep its appearance firm and plump — especially given the recent research clarifying ceramides’ unique ability to rejuvenate skin’s appearance.
“Below, we’ve gathered the research-supported answers to your top ceramide-related questions:
“What are ceramides? Simply put, ceramides are lipids (fats) that are found naturally in high concentrations in the uppermost layers of skin. They make up over 50% of skin’s composition, so it’s no surprise they play a vital role in determining how your skin looks (and how it responds to environmental threats).
“What do ceramides do? Think of ceramides as the mortar between bricks—if the bricks are your skin cells. Ceramides help hold skin together by forming a protective layer that limits moisture loss and protects against visible damage from pollution and other environmental stressors. In addition, ceramides — even more than retinol, niacinamide, and peptides — are one of the anti-aging “powerhouses” responsible for supporting skin’s dynamic nature. Two particular ceramide precursors—phytosphingosine and sphingolipids — actually help skin make more ceramides.”
At least when left on skin as in a topical treatment like Dr. Jart’s Ceramidin collection, these “anti-aging powerhouses” moisturize skin and strengthen the moisture barrier.
Drunk Elephant’s E-Rase cleanser is also enriched with numerous non-fragrant plants oils like cold-pressed Wild-Melon Seed Oil which contains omega 6 and 9 fatty acids and antioxidant polyphenols — and which DE says “is used for its soothing, moisturizing, and barrier-supportive benefits.”
E-Rase™ Milki Micellar Water is an intriguing cleanser indeed — and the perfect first-thing-in-the-morning cleanse.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Drunk Elephant E-Rase™ Milki Micellar Water for $28 here.
Herbivore | Pink Cloud Jelly Cleanser
The new Pink Cloud Jelly Cleanser from the uber-lux clean brand Herbivore gets me all tickled. I know pink is a favorite color for skincare packaging. And the Pink Cloud packaging is pretty in pink for sure. Its heavy glass bottle gives this cleanser that luxurious, high-end spa feel.
But none of that really matters; it’s what’s inside that counts!
Pink Cloud Jelly Cleanser has a somewhat tight ingredient list with 20 ingredients in all, four of which are humectants — Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate and Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, aka Snow Mushroom.
If you’re not familiar with Snow Mushroom, it’s a delicacy in Chinese cuisine, making an apparently delicious soup. But did you know it’s also a superb humectant, on par with Hyaluronic Acid itself?
What is snow mushroom in skin care?
There’s an insightful piece in Allure magazine titled, The Benefits of Adding Snow Mushroom to Your Skin-Care Routine, that expounds upon the benefits of snow mushroom extract for the skin. It’s quite a remarkable, pro-skin health active!
“As far back as the imperial Tang dynasty, concubine Yang Guifei (713 to 756) — one of China's famed four great beauties — is said to have credited the snow mushroom with maintaining her youthful appearance. Modern science can explain why: Cosmetic chemist Ginger King says silver ear mushrooms, yet another name for tremella fuciformis, are a popular dessert delicacy in Asia due to their ability to boost skin hydration when taken internally. ‘Due to the gelatinous structure and high amount of polysaccharide, it has been used in skin care to provide hydration as well,’ she tells Allure.
“Dermatologist Dendy Engelman, the director of dermatologic surgery at Metropolitan Hospital in New York City, says the fungus acts similar to that of hydration powerhouse hyaluronic acid by pulling moisture to the skin. Hyaluronic acid can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water, so finding an all-natural match for its hydrating power is pretty major. And snow mushroom has an extra edge. ‘The particles are smaller than hyaluronic acid so it penetrates the skin more easily,’ says Engelman. She cautions, however, that she wants to see more targeted studies on the ingredient’s skin-care properties before she hails it as a magic mushroom.”
In fact, while it’s a common claim that Hyaluronic Acid can hold up to 1,000x its weight in water, most HA molecules are rather large and don’t penetrate the skin barrier very deeply. So, as Dr. Engelman implied in the article, snow mushroom has a smaller molecular weight and can go a bit deeper. While it only draws 500x its weight in water, it’s actually a more effective humectant than Hyaluronic Acid.
So the Pink Cloud Jelly Cleanser, despite being washed off, can actually help hydrate the skin. In addition, there’s a good amount of bio-compatible, moisturizing Squalane.
Pink Cloud has an intriguing texture as well — reminiscent of popular K-beauty snail mucin cleansers. If you know, you know! It’s a good, clean, gentle and effective formula — supremely lightweight and a pleasure to use. Plus, at a little more than $20, it’s one of Herbivore’s more affordable treats.
Go ahead, treat yourself!
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Herbivore Pink Cloud Jelly Cleanser fo $24 here.
Yon-ka | Gel Nettoyant Cleansing Gel
If you’re a spa fanatic like me, you know what the sensorial spa experience is like; it starts with a proper cleanse. And the Yon-ka Gel Nettoyant is just that, a proper spa cleanse. If you’re not familiar with Yon-ka, permit me to introduce you to one of the coolest, most spiritual brands I’ve come across this year.
Paris-based Yon-Ka is a self-described phyto-aromatic range of spa-inspired skin care. “We look to nature and two complimentary plant specialties to treat, heal, and restore the skin…phyto + aroma.”
And when I say it’s spiritual, I mean it. That spirituality is characterized by the very name of the brand itself:
Yon – represents energy, perpetual renewal;
Ka – the subtle healing energy inherent in every being, part of eternity
A few weeks ago, I introduced another brand that aims to connect with its customers on a spiritual level, Strange Bird Beauty. In my article titled, Summer Moisturizers Part II – Some of the Best Lightweight Face Creams for Oily Skin and All Skin Types in Hot Weather, I reviewed the brand’s Inner Light Moisturizer. It’s a super lightweight, milky fluid that smells like a slice of herbal heaven. There’s just something so uniquely calming and sensorial about the Inner Light Moisturizer that feels, well, spiritual.
I love brands with a soul and Yon-ka feels soulful to me.
Yon-ka’s Gel Nettoyant cleansing gel is that richly pampering spa experience I’d be perfectly comfortable paying $100 or more for. It takes me back to the two-hour facial I had in Costa Rica at the Xandari Resort a few years back. I’ve never experienced anything so tranquil — and even reflecting on the experience today seems to calm and nourish my soul. I miss traveling!
Gel Nettoyant is composed of 96% natural ingredients and enriched with softening, skin-nourishing Iris Root Extract and red seaweed. It has a unique velvety feel to it as it emulsifies on the skin.
Characteristic of the brand’s sensorial distinction, the Yon-ka Gel Nettoyant contains Lavender Oil — an essential oil that I’m not a fan of in skin care. But, as in a rinse-off cleanser, essential oils deliver the aromatherapeutic experience I like, without sensitizing the skin.
Gel Nettoyant also doubles as a makeup remover that’s gentle and effective enough to sweep away eye makeup. I love using it in the shower, where I often reach for a gel cleanser to wash both my face and scalp. As we always said at Kiehl’s, the scalp is an extension of the face!
Yon-ka’s Gel Nettoyant cleansing gel is non-stripping, too, leaving your skin feeling plump and super comfy. If you can’t go to the spa, the spa can at least come to you!
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Yon-ka Gel Nettoyant cleansing gel for $40 here.
*WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW OF NEW CLEANSERS THAT GET ME EXCITED TO WASH MY FACE ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE.**
Aaron Carré | Re:Charge Cream Cleanser
When I double cleanse in the late afternoon to remove sunscreen and pollutants on my skin, I always start with a cleansing oil. One of my longtime go-to’s is the Purito From Green Cleansing Oil which I reviewed on my blog here.
There’s simply nothing better than a cleansing oil for removing sunscreen residue, makeup, grime and excess sebum from the surface of the skin. But a double cleanse takes it to the next level. I think of it as a skin reset after a long day out in the City.
If you’re not familiar with the point of a double cleanse, first popularized in K-beauty routines, I invite you to check out this terrific article in Allure magazine titled, A Beginner's Guide to Double Cleansing and Its Importance to Your Skin-Care Routine.
Why double cleanse your face?
In the Allure piece, the author explains the origins, rationale and how-to’s of a double cleanse: “Double cleansing has become revered — both with pros in the aesthetic world and as the backbone of many K-beauty skin-care routines — since cleansing your skin at the end of the day is so important.”
STEP 1:
First, you use an oil-based cleanser (like Savor Beauty Coconut Jasmine Pre-Cleanse Oil) or micellar water (like Bioderma Sensibio H20) to wipe off makeup and oil buildup. “Using a micellar water, which is a neutral non-lathering emulsion, or an oil-based cleanser, will gently remove the makeup and oils and gently wipe them off leaving the natural hydrating oils behind,” Lily Talakoub, a dermatologist in McLean, Virginia, tells Allure. “These products break down the sebum of the skin and makeup, which are both also oil-based.”
STEP 2:
After the first step has removed any makeup and impurities, step two involves a good old-fashioned lathering cleanser and water. “To get deeper into the pores, I like a gentle cleanser from Pai,” says Talakoub.
Benefits of double cleansing:
So, why make cleansing a two-step process? According to the experts, there are two major benefits to the technique. First up, when you wear foundation, double cleansing scores you a better clean.
That makes room for any products you apply afterwards to penetrate deeper, making them more effective, says Darden. “Think of your skin like a canvas,” Engelman adds. “You need a clean canvas to start your work. Clean skin will allow active ingredients to penetrate better and work more effectively.”
So, I always start out with a cleansing oil. For step two of my double cleanse, I usually reach for a soothing cleansing milk or cleansing water. During the colder fall and winter periods in New York City, the air gets very dry — and my skin along with it. A cleansing milk is generally the most gentle and least stripping of the cleansers in your arsenal.
One of my fave new cleansing milks is the Aaron Carré Re:Charge Cream Cleanser. It’s a thick, creamy treatment which, like the Yon-ka Gel Nettoyant, feels straight out of a high-end spa. I love how it pampers my skin, leaving it soft and comfortable. And after a double cleanse, that’s particularly beneficial.
Re:inventing ourselves with skincare that works. Our rocky road to smooth skin.
- Aaron Carré
The Re:Charge Cream Cleanser contains a soothing blend of Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Chamomille Extract and Cocoa Seed Butter to give it that rich, pampering texture I appreciate, particularly in the cold. There’s also a bit of natural Salicylic Acid in the form of Willow Bark Extract for a gentle deep cleanse of pores. Nothing beats a Niacinamide serum for deep-cleaning pores, but you can’t get enough of that IMO.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Aaron Carré Re:Charge Cream Cleanser for $26 here.
Selfish Facial Cleanser
While cleansing is to me a ritual and an essential component of my skincare routine, it doesn’t always have to be so serious. It can be fun, too! And that’s exactly what the new SELF/ish Facial Cleanser is — fun!
I first introduced SELF/ish in one of my articles about summer moisturizers a few weeks ago.
The new, clean men’s skincare brand was founded by a group of guys and friends of mine, all skincare enthusiasts, living their best life in sunny Southern California. SELF/ish has been a labor of love for them and it’s taken two years to get off the ground.
As I’ve said, I like my cleansers to be sensorial; whether that’s through texture, scent, or both. With the Facial Cleanser from indie men’s brand SELF/ish, you get the whole package.
The first thing you notice about the Facial Cleanser is its surprising liquid gel texture. It pours out of the tube with a silky, lavishing feel that I love.
It’s also got a crisp, refreshing scent derived from the Lemon Peel Oil and Orange Peel Oil in the formula. I’m not a fan of fragrant plant oils in skin care; the only exception being a wash-off cleanser. In a cleanser, for me they have an actual purpose — to bring a little uplifting joy to the shower. And that’s where I most often use the SELF/ish Facial Cleanser — in my morning shower.
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It’s a wonderful, cleanly formulated cleanser that makes me smile. In addition to being a terrific cleanser, the formula also contains a beneficial blend of exfoliating AHA and BHA acids, including Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Mandelic Acid and Malic Acid. As with all exfoliating acid cleansers, it’s beneficial to leave it on your face for a minute or so to let the acids do their thing. You’ll see a bright, glowing complexion — a great way to kick off the day.
The SELF/ish Facial Cleanser also contains tiny scrub particles that can gently slough off dead surface skin cells if massaged into the skin. I’m not into physical exfoliation. Given its effective level of acids, you actually get a more effective exfoliating benefit by leaving it on the skin for a few minutes.
SHOP THE BLOG: For a limited time, save 20% off all clean skincare from SELF/ish. Code: SKINCARMA20. Purchase the SELF/ish Facial Cleanser for $12 (reg. $15) here.
That’s it, guys! I hope you enjoyed these insights into my latest cleanser picks. And, I hope you’re enjoying the waning days of summer.
Happy cleansing!
🖤 SKINCARMA
*WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW OF NEW CLEANSERS THAT GET ME EXCITED TO WASH MY FACE ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE.**
The Ingredient List of the Drunk Elephant E-Rase™ Milki Micellar Water:
emo, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil emo, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil emo 0 1-3, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil emo, Tocopherol aox 0-3 0-3, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer vc, Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Seed Oil emo, Ximenia Americana Seed Oil emo, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate emu, Ceramide AP sii, Ceramide EOP sii, Ceramide NP sii, Cholesterol sii|emo 0 0, Phytosphingosine sii|cci|aacne|amic, Xanthan Gum vc|emu|surf, Carbomer vc 0 1, Sodium Hydroxide buff, Phenoxyethanol pres, Potassium Sorbate pres, Polysorbate 20 emu|surf 0 0, Ethylhexylglycerin presThe Ingredient List of the Herbivore Pink Cloud Jelly Cleanser:
so|h, Glycerin 
sii|h 0 0, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate emu, Squalane sii|emo 0 1, Glyceryl Caprylate emo|emu, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract aox|h, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Juice emo|h, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract aox|so, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil emo, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Tapioca Starch vc, Xanthan Gum vc|emu|surf, Glyceryl Stearate emo|emu 0 1-2, Caprylhydroxamic Acid chelThe Ingredient List of the Yon-ka Gel Nettoyant Cleansing Gel:
Water, Glycereth-5 Lactate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Xanthan Gum, Ppg-26-Buteth-26, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Asparagopsis Armata (Algae) Extract , Hydroxypropyl Guar, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Iris Florentina (Orris) Root Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Leaf Oil, Glycerin, Copper Pca, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Blue 1/CI 42090, Citral *, Linalool *, Citronellol *
*Natural Components of Essential Oils | 96% natural ingredients
The Ingredient List of the Selfish Facial Cleanser:
Aqua, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamide DIPA, Acrylates/ C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Jojoba Esters, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Polysorbate 20, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Disodium EDTA, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hexylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Tocopheryl, Acetate, Bakuchiol, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Malic Acid, Gallic Acid, Ferulic Acid, Ellagic Acid, Cyanocobalamin, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Tocopherol, Limonene.
The Ingredient List of the Aaron Carré Re:Charge Cream Cleanser:
Aaron Carré Re:Charge Cream Cleanser
Aqua, Cocos Nucifera derived Sodium Olefin Sulfonate, Stearic Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycol Stearate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/ Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Sodium Hydroxide, Borago Officinalis Extract, Willow Bark Extract, Chamomilla Matricaria Extract, Cucumber Fruit Extract, Sodium PCA, Cocoa Seed Butter, Beeswax, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lavender Oil, Ginger Root Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol
