I'm quite addicted to cleansers and cleansing balms in general. Royal Fern Phytoactive Cleansing Balm has become a quick favorite. Details per Royal Fern:
Luxurious and thorough treatment gel-balm. Royal Fern Phytoactive Cleansing Balm hydrates, softens and soothes skin as it cleanses. Gently removes eye and face makeup and all traces of dirt and oils. Enriched with patented Royal Fern Complex – an anti-aging blend of botanicals to defend against harsh environmentals, hyaluronic acid to hydrate, soothing cucumber and antioxidant-rich green tea extracts. Restores skin´s natural balance and calms irritations without drying or stripping skin of essential moisture.
Benefits:
- Cleanses without stripping skin
- Removes eye and face makeup without drying or irritating
- Enriched with patented Royal Fern Complex
- Hydrates and softens
- Soothes and nourishes with botanicals and antioxidants
- Free of sulfates and detergents
Royal Fern Complex:
Fern extract- Has an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effect, protects against the results of environmental influences, regenerates, inhibits the reduction of collagen and elastin by matrix metalloproteinases, stimulates the production of new collagen in the fibroblasts, inhibits pigment formation
Synergetically effective patented biological complex with:
- Sea buckthorn oil- regenerates, anti-inflammatory effect, protects against dehydration (with highly concentrated essential fatty acids), acts as antioxidant and has moisture-binding property (through vitamin E, beta carotene)
- Wild rose oil- active against free radicals and inhibits the reduction of collagen (through highly concentrated vitamin C and essential fatty acids)
- Oil from the seeds of the African Voacanga tree- anti-inflammatory and soothing properties
- Coconut oil- smoothes and refreshes the skin
Active Ingredients:
Mineral oxide complex- By reflecting provides immediate protection against UV rays. Cosmetic side effect: The light reflection lets the complexion appear more refined; fine lines seem to disappear (the so-called “blur effect”).
Green Tea Extract- Antioxidant rich, reduces free radicals. Soothes and protects from urban pollution. Anti-inflammatory, reduces impurities.
Cucumber- Deeply moisturizing and hydrating. Anti-inflammatory, reduces impurities. Reduces puffiness.
Hyaluronic acid- Hydrates and binds moisture. Gives the skin volume. Smoothes the skin.
Vitamin C (highly concentrated) from the Acerola cherry- Stimulates the metabolism of the connective tissue and the production of collagen. Inhibits the reduction of collagen. Combined with vitamin E effective against pigmentation marks.
Jojoba oil- Binds moisture. Protects the skin against water loss without being greasy.
This cleanser has the dreamiest light cucumber scent. The texture is a gel cream more so than an oil balm. I expected this to have a heavier gel oil balm feel but it really feels more like a light hydrating gel cream cleanser. It actually has a slightly slippery texture. I love the pump packaging. I found this soothing, comforting, hydrating and refreshing. It doesn't feel heavy at all, very light contrary to it's name.
I preferred to use this as a second cleanse or morning cleanse. I didn't feel it was heavy duty enough to remove a full face of makeup. I'm very intrigued by the whole fern extract part of Royal Fern and I would love to explore that more in a leave on product versus a rinse off product like a cleanser. You can put exceptional ingredients in a cleanser but for the amount of time it really touches your skin the top notch ingredients don't matter as much in a cleanser as a serum.
What I want out of a cleanser is the texture, feel and experience behind using it. Obviously I want my cleansers to work. This cleanser works well as a second and morning cleanser. I love the refreshing hydrating feel to it. The light gel cream style cleanser has won a special place in my heart. I would repurchase even though it's a pricier cleanser. It's that nice and luxurious.
Ingredients
AQUA, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, GLYCERIN, DICAPRYLYL CARBONATE, SORBITOL, DEHYDROXANTHAN GUM, SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS SEED OIL, PANTHENOL, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, DRYOPTERIS FILIX-MAS ROOT EXTRACT, OSMUNDA REGALIS LEAF EXTRACT, LECITHIN, ALCOHOL, MALPIGHIA PUNICIFOLIA FRUIT EXTRACT, SODIUM HYALURONATE, COCOS NUCIFERA OIL, HIPPOPHAE RHAMNOIDES FRUIT OIL, ROSA CANINA FRUIT EXTRACT, VOACANGA AFRICANA SEED EXTRACT, CUCUMIS SATIVUS FRUIT EXTRACT, CAMEILIA SINENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, GUAR HYDROXYPROPYLTRIMONIUM CHLORIDE, ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER, TRIETHANOLAMINE, BENZOPHENONE-4, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, ALPHA-ISOMETHYL IONONE, PARFUM, TITANIUM DIOXIDE