Coming clean about Shu Uemura cleansing oil

Oil is not the first thing that pops to mind when it comes to skincare. In fact, the last time any oil made contact with my skin was a few months ago when I was frying up bacon and yelped in pain when the oil leaped out of my pan onto my thigh. Lesson learned- never fry up bacon with no pants on (don't ask, long story). However in this case oil can be good for your skin if it comes in the form of a Shu Uemura cleansing oil. I know, we've all seen the pretty bottles (and the hefty price tag) and wonder if this product is as good as the pros say it is? Well, thankfully the nice folks at the Shu Uemura counter at Holt Renfrew were nice enough to provide me with a few samples so what are we waiting for? Let's get to washing faces.

So first things first, as there are 6 different formulations to choose from, which one is right for you? Well, the bottles are color coded to represent different skin types and to discover which one you are (and the benefits and ingredients list for the oils) please click here. I opted to get samples of the Premium AI, which the sales assistant assured me would be perfect for my sensitive skin.

My little sample, so cute.



Normally I like to use makeup wipes (my favorite are Oil of Olay makeup towelettes) however they are not that ideal because they can be expensive and are not enviromentally friendly. I was excited to try this product as I had heard that it didn't leave your skin feeling dry and devoid of natural oils. So the day that I tried this cleanser this is what I was caking putting on my face:

1. Primer
2. Tinted Moisturizer
3. Eye shadow Primer
4. 3 different types of eyeshadow
5. Water proof eyeliner
6. Smudge proof/Water Resistant mascara
7. Cheek Stain
8. Blush
9. Highlighter
10. Lipstick and Lipgloss
11. Eyebrow makeup

Holy crap, that's a lot of makeup. Who the hell am I, Tammy Faye Baker? And I also just got back from the gym so that added a whole new layer of sweat and grime to the mix (eww!).

So I opened the packet:

The recommended amount is 3-4 pumps

   

There are 5 types of oil in this cleanser including Jojoba seed oil and Avocado oil



Then, as per instructions I smoothed the cleanser all over my DRY face (and I must say that the cleanser smells so nice, like lavender, as I massage the product all over my skin I close my eyes and pretend that I am at a nice european spa). The more I massage, the more I feel like my makeup is dissolving. The oil does feel foreign on my face but I slowly get used to it:



Just be careful and don't open your eyes too much during eye makeup removal!

 After about 20-30 seconds of massaging the oil on my face as per instruction I added just a touch of  lukewarm water to the cleanser for it to emulsify (fancy word for foam) then after a few seconds it turns into a milky cleanser. And this is where the magic happens:



God what an unflattering shot. Got some cleanser in my eyes by accident and am squinting

I massaged my face for another 20-25 seconds and then rinsed with lukewarm water (and don't put it all over the floor like I did- sorry hubby!). And then I was done!


All Clean!!!

So what did I think?


Pros:

• Removed every trace of makeup (including my stubborn smudgeproof mascara). I couldn't believe how well it removed my eye makeup. I didn't have to tug or pull, it just dissolved without hardly any effort at all. I used up all 3 days of samples and noticed the same results every time.
• Smelled awesome, made washing my face turn into a spa-like experience
• Left my skin feeling moisturized and well taken care of. I didn't break out afterwards and even the next day my skin felt really soft and smooth.

Cons:

• Other reviewers of this product claimed that it did leave a bit of a film on the skin. I did notice this slightly but it was more of a moisturizing layer then a feeling of greasiness. It might be an issue for those with oily skin.
• The price: It retails for about $40 CAD (insert gasp here).

The Verdict:


I really like this product, and I will be saving my pennies to buy it in the future. The technology behind this cleanser is truly remarkable and I haven't encountered a cleanser that made my skin feel as good as this one did .So the next time you pass a Shu Uemura counter just go and ask for a sample. Hopefully it'll do as good as a job for you as it did for me!


What about you? Have you tried the Shu Uemura cleansing oil? What was your experience like?