Eve Lom Cleanser

I'm new to Eve Lom products though they've been out for years.  The cleanser has quite a cult following, but I was always put off by the instructions: 

Massage a small amount of the Eve Lom Cleanser into your face and neck then immerse the muslin cloth in hot water. Wring out the excess water and place the cloth over your face for two to three seconds, this helps to open the pores allowing the aromatic oils to better penetrate the skin.  Repeat three times.  Rinse the cloth in warm water and remove all traces of makeup and cleanser making circular movements to exfoliate.  Rinse cloth in cold water and reapply to face for 5 seconds to close the pores.  Gently pat dry with a towel.

Honestly, by the time I get ready for bed, I just want to quickly cleanse my face and be done with it!    And I couldn't see the advantage of using a muslin cloth - wouldn't a regular towel do the trick?

Space NK gave me a generously-sized sample to try and a full-sized muslin cloth, so I gave it a whirl.  The cleanser is an oily, semi-translucent cream shot through with small granules for exfoliation that melts on your skin upon application.  It's an oil cleanser without the drip or spillage.  Like other oil cleansers, it emulsifies upon contact with water, in this case the application of the hot, damp muslin cloth.  Applying the muslin cloth three times was not as time consuming as I thought given that you only leave it on your face for 5 seconds each time.  Though the instructions on the jar indicate that one must do this three times, the instructions on the Eve Lom site indicate that once is enough, though application of the cloth three times allows for a deeper cleanse.

The warmth of my hand has begun to liquify the product during the photo shoot.  You can see the granules suspended throughout.

According to Eve Lom, a powerful blend of Egyptian chamomile, hops, clove and eucalyptus oil, together with cocoa butter cleanses, tones, exfoliates all in one.  Ingredients include:

paraffinum liquidum (mineral oil), cetearyl alcohol, peg-30 lanolin, bis-diglyceryl polyacyladipate-2, aluminum stearate, theobroma cacao (cocoa butter), peg-75 lanolin, chamomilla recutita (chamomile oil), eugenia caryophyllus (clove oil), eucalyptus globulus (eucalyptus oil), humulus lupulus (hops oil), phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, butylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, isobutylparaben, p-chloro-m-cresol, eugenol, isoeugenol.

I love liquid oil cleansers, particularly the nice slip of the product on the skin, and watching my makeup melt.  Eve Lom Cleanser has that same slip and the added advantage of being a creamy product rather than a liquid, which makes it better for travel.  It smells faintly of eucalyptus. The makeup accumulated on the muslin cloth rinses out more easily than would from a regular face cloth and dries quickly overnight.  (Though not instructed to, I washed it out with a little soap after using.) The slightly rough muslin feels nice on my skin as I remove the last vestiges of makeup.  And it's huge:  13"x 20", much larger than a regular face cloth.  The cleanser removed my foundation, and eye make up completely, leaving my face soft and clean, with no filmy residue.  Week-long use did not cause my oily skin to become more oily, and it wasn't drying.  I'm sold!

The Eve Lom cleanser is available at Space NK.  $50 for 1.69 oz.; $80 for 3.38 oz.; and $135 for 6.76 oz.  It's a bit pricey, but a little goes a long way.  I applied too much the first time, so apply in dime-sized portions at first. 

Don't forget that beginning this Sunday, Space NK's new site inside Bloomingdales Tysons Corner, is offering my readers a free Nuxe Beauty Kit with any $50 purchase May 6-13th, plus free shipping. Just mention my blog, "When a Door Closes," when you shop at the store or purchase by phone (703-556-4569).  The Nuxe kit includes travel sizes of Micellar Cleansing Water; Creme Fraiche Moisture Emulsion; Refreshing and Relaxing Cream Mask; and Huile Prodigieuse, a multi-use oil for face, body, or hair.

Be sure join Space NK's N.dulge Rewards program. With N.dulge, you'll receive 1 point for every $1 spent. When you reach 100 points, you'll receive a $5 N.centive (reward). You'll also enjoy special privileges such as exclusive invitation, new product previews, and birthday treats.

You read my other Space NK reviews here.

Space NK provided the Eve Lom Cleanser without charge for review.