Disappointing Products: Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Oil

I recently made a trip to Sephora to pick up some skincare items for a special event I had coming up. I love Clinique and wanted a few skincare products - some I've tried and loved and some I have not yet tried out. As you know, I'm a sucker for cleansing oils. A while back, before I was into cleansing oils, I remember Tanya Burr mentioning a Clinique "Take the Day Off" cleansing balm. I kept that recommendation in the back of my mind and when I was at Sephora last week, I decided to finally check out the range. Included in the Take the Day Off range is a cleansing oil. Obviously, I had to try it. 

Clinique take the day off cleansing oil

This pains me to say it was a disappointing product because I absolutely love Clinique products - especially their skincare. Unfortunately, I was really disappointed by this product and cannot continue to use it. I love the formula - it's so silky and smooth and it really dissolves makeup quickly and completely. There's no obnoxious smell and at first, I was really pleased with the oil. However, as soon as I began to remove my eye makeup, it started to sting my eyes pretty badly. I realize this will not be a problem for everyone - as different products react differently with each person, but it was so intense that I definitely won't be using it again. I'm sad that I have to return this. I'm not sure if there's a particular ingredient in this formula that isn't in my other cleansing oils, but this does seem to be a lot less natural than The Body Shop version. I ended up with red, watery eyes that stung all night.

Although the ingredients didn't agree with me, I thought the name of this range was really cute and unique. I definitely want my evening skincare products to "take the day off" and leave my skin feeling fresh and clean. I also love the packaging. I wish all cleansing oils would take note of this! The pump lid twists into a locked position so that it doesn't leak (perfect for traveling). It's also in a pretty translucent purple bottle which looks nice and would be suitable to be displayed on a bathroom counter. It's definitely the best packaging out of all the oils I've tried. If this didn't burn my eyes it would be a definite winner. 

Even though this product isn't for me, it hasn't put me off Clinique. Some of my favorite skincare products are made by Clinique and I will continue to try out their other lines. I don't think I'll be trying any more from this particular range, but my quest for the perfect cleansing oil will continue! Another thing to consider if you're looking to try this product is the price. It's the priciest oil so far - going for $27 for 6.7 oz. The Garnier oil is the cheapest at just under $8 for 4.2 oz., and The Body Shop oil goes for $18 for an even larger (6.75 oz.) bottle. 

Have you tried this oil or any other products from the "take the day off" range? If so, let me know your thoughts in the comments. As always, I'm still accepting recommendations for other cleansing oils!

Until next time! xoxo

The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Oil: Review

I ordered this cleansing oil based off of a recommendation from Amelia Liana. I have been using the Garnier Cleansing Oil for many months and I love it. I like to remove my makeup before cleansing so I can be sure that my cleanser is working to clean my skin rather than just remove my makeup. A cleansing oil is really great option for me because I have dry skin and it gently but thoroughly removes makeup without stripping my skin or drying it out.

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil is more than double the price of the Garnier version (Garnier cleansing oil retails for around $8) but is still affordable at $18. I use 3-4 pumps of this every evening to remove a full face of makeup, so both bottles will probably last my quite a while. I like the smell of the oil - it smells just like camomile tea. Comparing it to the Garnier version, the camomile cleansing oil is a bit more viscous and I find it melts and removes makeup better and quicker. I have noticed that this formulation very very slightly stings my eyes sometimes, but nothing too crazy and it never leaves me with red eyes or any irritation. Once I wipe it away I don't experience any discomfort. That's my only complaint about the product. I definitely feel that it removes makeup quicker than the Garnier oil and it feels very silky and luxurious on my skin. I have also noticed that The Body Shop Oil bottle does not leak. My Garnier oil leaks all over the counter and sits in a puddle of oil where I store it. It makes a big mess so I do like the packaging of this oil much better. I'm not sure if I would repurchase it just because there are so many other cleansing oil options - with the Garnier oil I can even open my eyes without any irritation, so I will probably keep trying other oils until I find my favorite. I still use this every night and will probably finish off the bottle, but I don't see myself repurchasing it at this time.

This oil is made with Fair Trade camomile, which is a nice bonus. It also claims to be for all skin types, not just dry skin. It definitely feels less greasy and it moisturizes but doesn't leave skin with any greasy residue. If you're looking to try out a cleansing oil, I would definitely recommend it, especially if you have dry or easily irritated skin. Either the Body Shop or the Garnier oils are really good at removing makeup and are affordable enough to try out - everyone is different and everyone's skin will react differently to the formulations. I love The Body Shop products and will continue to use them!

What are your favorite cleansing oils? Have you experienced any eye irritation with The Body Shop's oil? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time! xoxo

For the Love of Makeup Wipes...

I LOVE makeup wipes. I fully depend on them. If I'm out of makeup removing wipes I make a mad-dash to Target no matter what time of day it is. I've been using them for years and while I do have my favorites, it's hard for me to turn down a makeup wipe. Here's why I love them...

Late nights. Makeup removing wipes are perfect when you're too tired to get up and wash your face. If you've been out late and you need to fall into bed immediately... they're a lifesaver. I keep a pack in my nightstand for nights when I've already gotten into bed but then remember I haven't taken off my makeup (the worst feeling ever). I used to think this is a horrible habit and that it would leave me terribly broken out in the morning, but it actually doesn't (more on that later).

Pre-face wash. When I wash my face, I typically like to remove my makeup before I use my facial cleanser. That way I know that my cleanser got to actually do some work on my skin, and it wasn't wasted simply removing my makeup. Sometimes I'll use a wipe to do this, sometimes a cleansing oil, etc.

Quick. I don't know about you, but I love the feeling of removing makeup. It doesn't bother me to have a full face of makeup on all day, but I enjoy the feeling of a freshly cleansed face. Especially in the summer. Sometimes if I get home from a long day or I come home and know I'm done for the day, I take off my makeup as soon as I get in. I just remove it with a wipe and then when I'm ready for bed I can cleanse and go through with my usual routine, but that way you don't have makeup sitting on your face for unnecessary lengths of time. This is a good idea when you're having a breakout. Let your skin breathe as much as possible. This is also handy sometimes when you're putting on makeup. Wipes can be useful to clean up liner or shadow or a mascara fleck. I also usually carry a pack of wipes in my yoga bag, so that if I come to yoga with makeup on, I can take it off before class to avoid running mascara/breakouts/etc.

I can't get away with using wipes as my ONLY cleanser, but I do find that they clean my skin well enough to stave off breakouts if I use them periodically. My favorite wipes at the moment are the Burt's Bees Facial Cleansing Towelettes with White Tea Extract. The towels have just enough liquid, they're not greasy, and the smell is really nice and fresh. I tried the Cucumber & Sage version and they were a little rough on my under-eye area, and I wasn't a fan of the smell. The Burt's Bees wipes are one of the cheapest options, which is (pleasantly) surprising because they're all natural. I also like the Simple Skincare Cleansing Facial Wipes. They're also all natural, have a non-offensive smell, and I like to formulation. For many years I used various Neutrogena wipes, but haven't gone back to them because they're usually the priciest and I've been enjoying my other options.

Do you ever rely on makeup wipes? Which are your favorites and how do you use them?


Products mentioned in this blog:
Burt's Bees Facial Cleansing Towelettes
Simple Skincare Cleansing Facial Wipes
Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes