REN Rosa Centifolia Hot Cloth Cleanser
I've previously raved about my love for REN's Invisible Pores Detox Mask (an absolute miracle worker), and I'm currently undergoing a passionate love affair with a tiny sample of their Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask, so I was super excited when the lovely people at REN told me they'd be sending me a cleanser to try out. The Rosa Centifolia Hot Cloth Cleanser* is a fairly new addition to REN's popular Rosa Centifolia range and I've seen reviews of it popping up left right and centre since its launch. Needless to say it certainly lived up to its already glowing reputation.
According to REN this cleanser will purify, decongest, exfoliate, remove makeup, and leave skin refreshed, radiant, and smooth. Big claims for a little bottle. I have to say, I was expecting yet another dupe of Liz Earle's cult Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser. The blogger's favourite which inspired just about every skincare brand on the market to add their two cents to the hot cloth cleanser trend. I'm personally a huge fan of Soap & Glory's offering, The Ultimelt, and have read rave reviews of No7 and Superdrug's dupes as well. However, REN have broken boundaries and created soothing completely new and different, and I am in love.
The texture is completely different to any other hot cloth cleanser I've used before. It's much lighter, more of a smooth, milky texture than the thick balmy consistency that I'm used to, and it's also much more gentle and soothing than other hot cloth cleansers that I've used before. In terms of where this fits into my skincare routine, I've been using it in replacement of The Ultimelt, as a double cleanser after removing my makeup with Bioderma. It applies beautifully and feels instantly soothing and refreshing, but also very rich and nourishing without being at all heavy or greasy (down to the high ingredient count of caprice triglycerides). After leaving the product on my skin for a few minutes I remove it gently with a hot, damp flannel. The hot cloth enclosed is really soft but also textured, so provides a gentle exfoliation, ideal if you have sensitive skin. My skin feels instantly refreshed and replenished but without feeling either too stripped or too oily. Seriously, this is the kind of product you could double cleanse, triple cleanse, quadruple cleanse with, and it wouldn't leave your skin feeling at all stripped or irritated.
Onto ingredients, this product is packed with cocoa butter, a natural ingredient rich in antioxidants and renowned for being super hydrating and nourishing. Thumbs up so far. It also contains Rosa Centifolia (obviously) a source of vitamin P which helps to decongest the capillary system, and Rosa Damascena, known for its soothing stress relieving properties. This cleanser is also high in moisture retaining ingredients such as glycerin and stearyl olivate which leave the skin's surface looking and feeling smooth and soft.
This is the kind of all in one cleanser you could use at any time of the day, and it would be perfect for travelling with if you're limited to one cleanser. As well as cleansing (and removing every trace of makeup left behind by Bioderma), it also checks the 'moisturise' and 'exfoliate' boxes. Not something you see everyday in a decent product. If you struggle with the richness of a cleansing balm/oil or with the harshness of a cleansing gel or scrub, then I would really recommend this cleanser. Likewise if you're on the hunt for a hot cloth cleanser but want something that will maintain a balance in your skin, this is definitely the hot cloth cleanser for you.
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