Ingredients: water (aqua), sodium lauroamphoacetate, sodium trideceth sulfate, limnanthes alba (meadowfoam) seed oil, coco-glucoside, cocos nucifera (coconut) alcohol, peg-120 methyl glucose dioleate, aniba rosaeodora (rosewood) wood oil, geranium maculatum oil, guaiac (guaiacum officinale) extract, cymbopogon martini oil, rosa damascena extract, amyris balsamifera bark oil, santalum album (sandalwood) oil, salvia officinalis (sage) oil, cinnamomum cassia leaf oil, anthemis nobilis flower oil, daucus carota sativa (carrot) seed oil, piper nigrum (pepper) seed extract, polysorbate 20, glycerin, carbomer, triethanolamine, methylparaben, propylparaben, citric acid, imidazolidinyl urea, yellow 5 (ci 19140).

Product Description: “our award-winning daily facial cleanser is formulated to gently cleanse, tone and melt away all face and eye makeup in one simple step, while lightly hydrating the skin”.

My Experience: This is an uber popular cleanser. It’s meant to be very gentle on the skin and thorough at removing makeup, so I thought I’d give it a whirl. I like philosophy as a brand, from the yummy scented shower gels to the practical and durable packaging. It’s aimed at bridging the gap between “the doctors’ offices and retail, so women everywhere could personally access leading skin care technologies”. It’s also nice that philosophy gives you lots of price options. This cleanser is available in three different sizes, ranging in price from £8 – £28.50 (£10 – $49.50 in the USA). I chose the smallest size. This is a decent, no-nonsense cleanser. It’s fragrance free, which is a plus for those with ultra sensitive skin. But it’s a bit of a downside for me. Although I admire the omission of fragrance, a cleanser just doesn’t feel like a treat for my skin unless it has some sort of lovely, alluring smell that enhances my cleansing routine. The cleanser’s texture is silky smooth, though, and glides over the skin. Makeup washes away easily and my skin is left feeling fresh and clean. However, it stings my eyes to the point of angry, eye-squinting redness, so I’m afraid I can’t praise its gentleness. This cleanser reminds me a lot of Peter Thomas Roth’s Gentle Foaming Cleanser. It has the same pros and cons: simple packaging, a formula free from synthetic fragrance, efficient cleansing without stripping the skin, yet it’s too harsh for my eyes. This cleanser is much cheaper, though, and gets a lot more raves, particularly from those with acne-prone skin. It’s a decent cleanser, it’s just not for me.

The Skinny: A decent, no-frills cleanser that’s free from fragrance. It’s effective at removing makeup and leaving skin feeling fresh and clean, however, it stings my eyes and just feels too basic. I like to feel like I’m treating my skin, not just cleaning it.

Cost:

UK: £8 for 90ml from philosophy

USA: £10 for 3 oz from philosophy

Rating: 3/5