Rocaille Reviews: REN ClearCalm Clay Cleanser

Isn't the title an absolute joy for alliteration fanatics? Linguistic quirks aside, I've purchased the REN ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser (aaah... see what they did here again?) recently in an attempt to find a Holy Grail morning cleanser for my fickle facial dermis. In the past couple of months, I've been experiencing a lot more hormonal breakouts around my chin area, coupled with an oily nose and forehead as well as annoying, peeling dryness everywhere else. I've also noticed that my face was getting very red and irritated after washing it in the morning with a cream cleanser and wanted to find something a bit more natural and soothing that would leave my skin feeling satiny clean before applying make-up for the day. Overly demanding, moi?

 REN ClearCalm3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser (now, say that fast 3 times) retails at $32 for 5.1 oz/150ml and claims to 'deeply cleanse and purify the skin to leave skin clearer and calmer. The ingredient salicilin gently exfoliates to unclog skin, minimizes the appearance of pore size, and provides antimicrobial and antibacterial properties' (from Sephora's website). The product comes in a signature REN vacuum pump (yay for no preservatives!) with controllable dispensing possibilities. BTW, the photos were taken when the product was still brand new, so no, don't expect your bottle to come all the way full.

The texture of the REN cleanser is that of a slightly more emollient clay mask; with dampened hands, it spreads very easily on a dry face and sets as you massage it in. For myself, I only ever need about 1/3 of a full pump (which is why a controllable dispenser is so important) so I can see the product lasting quite a long time. There is absolutely no foaming action at all. After the cleanser sets, I remove it with a warm flannel but splashing off works just as well. After using, my face feels clean and matte without any residue or dryness. However, I still experience some redness, which I think is down to the essential oil content; also note that this gives the cleanser a very herbaceous, chamomile scent. I don't mind the scent at all but I wish my face tolerated it better... I think a fragrance/essential oil-free cleanser might be my next resort.

As for unclogging and breakout-reducing properties, I don't believe there's anything that can affect hormonal cysts but the rest of my face has been quite clear so far; I usually get some clogged pores on my forehead and they seem to be few and far between now. I've also noticed that my make-up does stay a bit longer and applies better after using the REN ClearCalm cleanser in the morning and my skin looks more satin without feeling tight or dry, which was definitely one of my goals.

So, while not quite Holy Grail, REN ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Cleanser is a great product for combination/oily acne-prone skins that I will continue to enjoy while it lasts but probably won't repurchase. Do you use a separate cleanser in the morning? Which one is your favorite?