PRODUCT REVIEW: SELFISH FACIAL CLEANSER – THE BEST FACE CLEANSER FOR MEN (AND WOMEN TOO!)
SELF/ish | FACIAL CLEANSER
This review was originally part of my blog article titled, New Cleansers that Get Me Excited to Wash My Face - the Best Gentle Face Cleansers. You can catch it here.
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While cleansing is to me a ritual and an essential component of my skincare routine, it doesn’t always have to be so serious. It can be fun, too! And that’s exactly what the new SELF/ish Facial Cleanser is — fun!
I first introduced the SELF/ish in one of my articles about summer moisturizers a few weeks ago.
The new, clean men’s skincare brand was founded by a group of guys and friends of mine, all skincare enthusiasts, living their best life in sunny Southern California. SELF/ish has been a labor of love for them and it has taken two years to get off the ground.
As I’ve said, I like my cleansers to be sensorial; whether that’s through texture, scent, or both. With the Facial Cleanser from indie men’s brand SELF/ish, you get the whole package.
The first thing you notice about the Facial Cleanser is its surprising liquid gel texture. It pours out of the tube with a silky, lavishing feel that I love. It’s also got a crisp, refreshing scent derived from the Lemon Peel Oil and Orange Peel Oil in the formula.
I’m not a fan of fragrant plant oils in skin care; the only exception being a wash-off cleanser. In a cleanser, for me they have an actual purpose — to bring a little uplifting joy in the shower.
What is clean beauty and what does clean skincare mean?
I found a thoughtful article full of clean beauty insights on the Martha Stewart website titled, Everything You Need to Know About Clean Skincare, that I think really gets to the heart of it.
Right along with green and organic, clean is a word often used today in the sphere of wellness. “Clean eating” is used to describe a diet full of fresh, organic foods made without additives, preservatives, and chemicals. Likewise, clean beauty is used to describe cosmetics formulated without toxic ingredients.
But there’s not a universal definition of clean beauty since it’s not regulated by the government. “In the United States, there's a feeling that the government doesn't restrict enough ingredients in personal care products,” says Tara Foley, founder of clean beauty mecca Follain. “In Europe and Canada, the government better regulates what can and can’t be in beauty products.” In fact, the European Union has banned more than 1,300 ingredients for cosmetic use, while the United States has banned only 11, according to the CSC, or the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
Instead, beauty brands are increasingly taking it upon themselves to restrict toxic ingredients linked to cancers and hormone disorders. “Each of us has to decide for ourselves what clean means, and customers have to decide what’s important to them,” Foley says. “I believe clean skincare prioritizes human and environmental health and restricts ingredients that are harmful to that. Clean skincare uses nutritious, plant-based ingredients as much as possible, and safe synthetics as necessary for preservation or performance.”
And that’s where I most often use the SELF/ish Facial Cleanser — in my morning shower. It’s a wonderful, clean cleanser that makes me smile.
In addition to being a terrific cleanser, the formula also contains a beneficial blend of exfoliating AHA and BHA acids, including Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Mandelic Acid and Malic Acid. As with all exfoliating acid cleansers, it’s smart to leave it on your face for a a minute or so to let the acids do their thing. You get a bright, glowing complexion.
The SELF/ish Facial Cleanser also contains tiny scrub particles that can gently slough off dead surface skin cells if massaged into the skin. I’m not into physical exfoliation. Given its effective level of acids, you actually get a more effective exfoliating benefit by leaving it on the skin for a few minutes.
SHOP THE BLOG: For a limited time, save 20% off all clean skincare from SELF/ish. Code: SKINCARMA20. Purchase the SELF/ish Facial Cleanser for $12 (reg. $15) here.
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The Ingredient List of the Selfish Facial Cleanser:
Aqua, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamide DIPA, Acrylates/ C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Jojoba Esters, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Polysorbate 20, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Disodium EDTA, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hexylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Tocopheryl, Acetate, Bakuchiol, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Malic Acid, Gallic Acid, Ferulic Acid, Ellagic Acid, Cyanocobalamin, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Tocopherol, Limonene.
