This cleanser has 100% 5-star reviews for good reason
The OG of cleansing balms, Emma Hardie’s Moringa Cleansing Balm was once the preferred face wash of every Insta influencer going. But that was 2013. Since then, the formerly-cult cleanse has been lost amongst the wave of high-tech formulas, brand spankers launches and millennial pink packaging.
But ineffectual and redundant, it is not. In fact, with more choice making our purchases more difficult than ever, a return to old school favourites may be exactly what’s needed. And, if the 137 users dropping five-star reviews of the product on Feel Unique are anything to go by, the buttery cleansing balm remains one of the most reliable and luxurious options to melt away every last trace of make-up at the end of the day.
In fact, among its myriad benefits, the cleanser has been credited by commenters with leaving skin feeling “smooth, supple and hydrated,” declared “AMAZING!!!” and relied upon for shrinking pores, stopping breakouts and promoting glow, according to Cosmo.
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“This is probably the most amazing thing I have ever used on my face,” says one devotee in the reviews. There’s “no comparison with any other cleanser. At the top of its game” said another.
Glowing praise and – presumably – glowing skin indeed.
A quick look at the ingredients list establishes it as a certifiable cocktail of skin-boosting heavyweights. Moringa seed extract, wild sea fennel and vitamin E all help to balance and purify. Orange, neroli and mandarin extract rejuvenates and jasmine, cedarwood and rose help to recondition for ultra soft, healthy-feeling skin.
Time to dust off its lid, then.
Here are some other brilliant cleansers we swear by for squeaky-clean skin...
Best clay cleanser
Elizabeth Arden Superstart Probiotic Cleanser - Whip to Clay, £22, Feel Unique
This is clay based to draw out impurities, but also contains probiotics (the buzzword in skincare, don't you know) to feed goodness into the skin. The result is uber clean skin, but without the tightness some clay cleansers leave. Use it in the morning for an all-day-long glow - and use this Feel Unique discount code to save money on your purchase.
Save when you shop for the best cleansers with these Feel Unique discount codes.
Best moisturising cleanser
Ultra Facial Cleanser, £18, Kiehl's
An oldie but a goodie. And an absolute bloody steal. With a gorgeously rich and moisturising formula, the gel formula of the Ultra Facial Cleanser is great for dry skin.
Best gel to oil to milk cleanser
Japanfusion Pure Transforming Cleanser, £25, Beauty Pie
This antioxidant-infused gel-to-oil-to-milk cleansing balm demonstrates Japan's mastery in skincare. Massage it on every night to remove makeup, oils and pollution. It's a supreme clean.
Best cleansing jelly
Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser, from £8, Glossier
You'd be forgiven to think Glossier skincare might not be up to scratch. But you'd be wrong. The Milky Jelly cleanser leaves no trace of makeup (eye and lip included) and soft skin in its wake. Can they do no wrong?
Best cleansing bar
Gallinée Cleansing Bar, £10, Holland & Barrett
Making soap sexy again, this innocent looking bar actually contains a cocktail of lovely things like prebiotics and lactic acid to cleanse and soothe skin - AND doesn't actually contain any soap. So good it keeps selling out.
Best cleansing lotion
Simple Purifying Cleansing Lotion, £3.80, Boots
A product that removes dirt, erases makeup and is suitable for sensitive skin for under £5 doesn't exi.... Oh. Simple Purifying Cleansing Lotion, you are a very effective, very cheap skincare staple.
Save while you shop for the best cleansers with these Boots discount codes.
Best cleanser for sensitive skin
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, £9.50, Boots
Simple, affordable, and a celeb favourite (we're looking at you, Charlize Theron), there's nothing to dislike about this classic cleansing hero. It's super gentle on the skin and great if you struggle with sensitivity. Find a face wash as good for under a tenner, we dare you.
Save when you shop for the best cleansers with these Boots discount codes.
Best gel cleanser
CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, £9.49, Superdrug
Regularly recommended by dermatologists and skin experts alike, CeraVe's Hydrating Cleanser is a non-foaming gel formula that contains both ceramides and hyaluronic acid for the plumpest, most hydrated skin of your life all while ridding pores of grime and dirt. Plus, it's fragrance free so perfect for more sensitive skin types. We advise always having a bottle of this stuff in the cupboard for skin-related emergencies.
Save when you shop for the best cleansers with these Superdrug discount codes.
Best foaming cleanser
Caudalie Instant Foaming Cleanser, £15, Cult Beauty
Caudalie’s cult cleanser has had a makeover and now boasts a fully vegan, 97% natural origin, eco-friendly formula. The clear lotion transforms into an airy foam that sweeps makeup and grime away without stripping skin.
Save when you shop for the best cleansers with these Cult Beauty discount codes.
Best hot cloth cleanser
Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, £16.50, Feel Unique
If you think you're into skin care and you haven't tried the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cleanser then you're a fraud. The buttery, delicious smelling cream melts away makeup, then the cloth gently exfoliates as you remove the cleanser. Some cleansers come and go, but this will always have a place on our bathroom shelf.
Save when you shop for the best cleansers with these Feel Unique discount codes.
Best everyday cleanser
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser, £12.50, Space NK
Fresh's Soy Face Cleanser doesn't scrub, doesn't sting, doesn't leave skin tight and tingly, just... cleans. Well. Lovely and cooling, and smells like cucumber too. The perfect everyday cleanser.
Save when you shop for the best cleansers with these Space NK discount codes.
Best cleansing milk
Clarins Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser, £22, Boots
Clarins extensive range of cleansers all feature nutrient-rich alpine herbs and 100% organic ingredients sourced directly from the brands alpine farm and open-air laboratory, Le Domaine Clarins, in the French Alps. You can choose from a range of foaming cleansers for every skin type, an AHA-infused mousse cleanser, an oil cleanser, micellar water and our favourite, the Velvet Cleansing Milk. It’s ultra gentle on skin and is powered by softening plants balms to loosen and lift stubborn makeup.
Save when you shop for the best cleansers with these Boots discount codes.
Best affordable cleanser
The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser 150ml, £5.50, The Ordinary
We sense Deciem might have yet another sell-out on their hands with this one. When The Ordinary launched their Squalane Cleanser back in March, they couldn't keep it on the shelves for any longer than 24 hours. The gentle cleanser starts off as a balm but quickly melts into an oil-like consistency as its warmed between the hands, melting away makeup and impurities in a mater of seconds. Deeply hydrating, non-irritating and insanely luxurious, it's no wonder that we all wanted more, more, more. Luckily, The Ordinary has answered our prayers and this week launched a supersized 150ml version. We're bulk-buying and suggest you do too.
Best cleansing balm
A firm favourite of beauty editors, bloggers and celebs alike, Emma Hardie's Moringa Cleansing balm strips and soothes in equal measure. Comes with a cloth, as all good balms should. Use a LookFantastic discount code to save money on your purchase.
Save when you shop for the best cleansers with these LookFantastic discount codes.
Best cream cleanser
Lixir Electrogel Cleanser, £25, LookFantastic
Pleasing to the eye (we do love a 'Grammable brand), this cleanser isn't just a pretty face: some boffin scientists have popped negatively charged 'electrogel' in this, which will attract and pull the bad stuff (that is, generally, positively charged) out of your skin, ready to be rinsed away without drying it out in the slightest. People with combination skin have gone crazy for it, and we can see why.
Save when you shop for the best cleansers with these LookFantastic discount codes.
Best cleansing gel
Susanne Kaufmann Cleansing Gel, from £32, Cult Beauty
Don't be fooled by the wee-yellow colour, this Susanne Kaufmann gel cleanser smells absolutely dreamy. Not to mention, it's extremely gentle on the skin, but somehow manages to remove mascara with ease. A gem for dry skin. Tempted? Use this Cult Beauty discount code when you make your purchase.
Save when you shop for the best cleansers with these Cult Beauty discount codes.
Best refreshing cleanser
Q+A Natural Skincare Peppermint Daily Cleanser 125ml, £7.50, Amazon
Perfect for a refreshing wash after a hot day, this cleanser helps fight blemishes and revitalises your skin. Not to mention, it's vegan friendly and does not contain fragrance.
Best luxury cleanser
Orveda Clay-Mud Cleansing Powder, £89, Harvey Nichols
Combining the intelligence of science with the power of nature, Orveda's products are some of the most effective yet gentle on the market. This one's quite fun too: you rub the powder into a paste by adding water, then smoosh it onto your face with the accompanying Konjac sponge. You'll be bright and squeaky clean after. Worth the investment.
Best stick cleanser
Frances Prescott Tri-Balm, £46, Liberty London
The Tri-Balm cleanses, exfoliates and moisturises in one sweep. Like, literally a sweep, as the formula is set in a nifty solid stick (like a deodorant) that you roll around your face. Innovative and effective.
