Tested: Yoshimomo Black Magic Charcoal Cleanser

Cleansers are always such a tricky purchase for me to make.  On one hand, I like cleansers that leave my skin feeling squeaky clean, but on the other, I find that most of those face washes dry my skin out.    That is why I always try to sample cleansers first before making a committed purchase.  Well, I didn't sample this cleanser at all before buying it (though offering a small sample size would be nice).  I'd developed naive confidence in the brand after reading their plethora of rave reviews and decided to bite the bullet to purchase one of their best selling products.  I also saw that Nic of OrgaNic Obsessions loved the the line which factored quite heavily in my decision to purchase.  I was left astounded and I've got so many reasons to tout this product as one of the best cleansers I've ever used.  

Consistency: This cleanser has a gel consistency, which I prefer over creams, foams, and oils.  It comes out of the pump as a dark grey gel that lightly foams up as you lather it on your face.  I've used this with and without a Konjac Sponge in my daily cleansing routine and it has worked well with both methods!  Personally, I prefer to use this with my hands because I find it gives me more of a lather than with the Konjac Sponge which I use for a more exfoliating wash.  Once washed off, this does not leave any residue on the skin and I'm left feeling completely clean!  As a side note, I generally use this as a second wash in my double cleanse routine AFTER I take off my makeup.

Ingredients:

ORG Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, ORG Witch Hazel) Distillate, Aqua, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, ORG White Willow Bark Extract, Thyme Extract, Lavender Flower Extract, Calendula Flower Extract, Lemon Peel Extract, Quinoa Protein, Rice Protein, Amaranth Protein, Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5), Activated Bamboo Charcoal, ECOCERT Caprylyl Capryl Glucoside, ECOCERT Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, ECOCERT Honeysuckle Flower Extract, ECOCERT Honeysuckle Flower Extract, ECOCERT Aspen Bark Extract, ECOCERT Gluconolactone, Proprietary Essential Oil Blend (Contains components of: Grapefruit, Mandarin, Japanese Peppermint, and Eucalyptus Essential Oils).

Experience:  I absolutely love this cleanser.  The gel texture, the ease of use, and that squeaky clean feeling without a single bit of dryness has really won me over.  I usually take off my makeup with a micellar water or cleansing oil and a muslin cloth, then I go in with the Yoshimoto Black Magic as my final cleanse.  This has consistently done such an amazing job at fully cleaning my skin using gentle ingredients.  The cleanser has even helped removed some last bits of eye makeup that I didn't successfully remove first.  I feel that this cleanser has helped keep my acne at bay over time, however, my hormonal breakouts still push through and I still have yet to find a cleanser that will fully combat my hormonal acne.  My only qualm is that this is $34 for a 4 fl oz glass bottle of product and I have used up 3/4 of it in 2 and a half months.  I find that the price is a bit steep even though the product is amazing and I sub-consciously don't use much of it each time since I am rationing it.

If you'd love to purchase this cleanser, you can find it: HERE

What are your favorite cleansers?  I'm always keen on trying new things and I'd love to know what your personal favorites are!

Big Love,

Vanessa