I really, really want to just say “forget about ’em” when it comes to luxury cleansing oils.
The minimalist in me says, “Girl, just use jojoba oil. Quit being fancy. You’re tired. Go to sleep.”
The beauty addict in me counters with, “Girl, you spent all that time applying that makeup. Spend some time massaging your face with a gorgeous oil and take in the whole experience. A cleansing oil is just as important as the wash that comes after.”
While both parts of me are absolutely correct, the beauty addict in me has a slight edge. I thoroughly enjoy using thoughtful oil blends to cleanse, massage and wind down at night.
One that I went through super quickly is Province Apothecary’s Moisturizing Cleanser + Makeup Remover.
{Province Apothecary sent me a sample of its Moisturizing Cleanser + Makeup Remover to review. It costs $16 for a 30 ml glass pump jar. Photo Courtesy Province Apothecary}
This sweet Canadian line, created by certified holistic esthetician and aromatherapist Julie Clark, is committed to creating nourishing, balancing skincare that takes advantage of organic, biodynamic and wildcrafted ingredients.
For someone like me who craves balance in both life and skincare, this appeals to me, and especially in winter. My skin craves balance, yet needs the right boost of moisture and nourishment. It’s quite an art to achieve, and very few brands can get the formulations right.
Made with my ever-so-cherished organic jojoba oil, Province Apothecary’s Moisturizing Cleanser + Makeup Remover slips in organic sunflower seed oil, organic avocado oil and organic evening primrose oil, some of my absolute favorite oils for acne-prone skin that provide that slip-n-soothe that you need when your skin is feeling finicky.
While I imagine we’ve all been reading up more on the value of linoleic and oleic acids for acne-prone skin (THE blog post to read if your skin is troublesome like mine), I do see value in using some heavier oils, such as avocado oil, on the skin in winter.
You just need something that’s heavier to get in there and quench your skin’s thirst without throwing it into overdrive.
Even greaseballs like me get flaky and dry in extremely cold weather, and these extra-nourishing oils, coupled with an evening facial massage, can provide great, gentle exfoliation and softness to the skin.
What I love about Province Apothecary’s specific formulation is just how hydrating it feels during the makeup-removing massage, yet it’s not overly thick or gooey. If you’ve ever cleansed with a castor oil mix, you know that gooey feeling I’m talking about!
Here’s everything inside Province Apothecary Moisturizing Cleanser + Makeup Remover:
Sunflower Seed Oil*, Jojoba oil*, Avocado oil*, Evening Primrose oil*, Raspberry Seed oil*, GMO-free Vitamin E, Rosemary leaf extract, and therapeutic essential oils of: Bergamot, Lavender*, Frankincense* and Petit grain. *Certified organic ingredient. Our Bergamot is Bergamotene-free (not photo-toxic)
In addition to the effective carrier oils, the thoughtful inclusion of bergamot, frankincense and lavender leaves skin feeling deeply cleansed, toned and calmed. Bergamot is known for cutting through congestion while frankincense tones.
I think by now we all have come to appreciate the wonders of lavender as a blemish-healer and skin soother, and it’s no different in blend, besides the fact that it has an amazing posse of oils to fight finicky skin!
As I continue to streamline my beauty routine, I will without a doubt continue to stock a huge bottle of un-sexy, un-fancy organic jojoba oil for all my everyday needs.
But that won’t keep me from having a nice oil cleanser in stock for those nights I want to wind down in style and truly get a big picture of benefits from various carrier oils and essential oils that I don’t always keep on hand.
Province Apothecary’s Moisturizing Cleanser + Makeup Remover is one I would restock. The scent is light and clean — not overly perfumed at all, but if you’re sensitive, is available in an unscented version — and doesn’t compete with my various skin oils and serums that I layer on after cleansing.
In fact, it complements most of them quite nicely, as bergamot, lavender and frankincense provide the base for many of my favorite skincare treats!
Have you tried anything from Province Apothecary? What’s your philosophy when it comes to skin cleansing oils? Do you choose blends? DIY it? Use a straight carrier? Tell me in the comments!
