Review: Shu Uemura Fresh Cleansing Oil

I have extremely oily skin, so much so that I could probably fry an egg on my forehead, and I hate it. People say that I'll come to appreciate it as I get older because it'll keep me looking young but right now I can't stand it. Oily skin means foundations can slip and slide all over the place and eyeshadows don't stand a chance unless I user a primer underneath them first.. It's just a pain in the biggest arse ever.

One thing I've always avoided has been face oils or oil based cleansers. They literally enstill fear in my heart and on my skin because oil and oil can't be right, can it? Apparently, it can.

After attending a Shu Uemura event a couple of months ago, I was advised to use the 'Fresh - Pore Clarifying Gentle Cleansing Oil' because it's formulated to work especially with oily skin and not against it. I decided to give it a try for a month or so to see if it would make a big difference to make skincare regime or not.

I believe there are 7 oils in the Shu Uemura range, the newest being Ultim8, and they are all designed to work with different skin types and concerns so there's something for everyone.

Having never used an oil before, I figured that a little would go a long way so avoided the "3 to 4 pumps of cleansing oil" part of the directions because one and a half pumps was about as much as I needed for my skin. I tried using three pumps once and ended up with oil everywhere so I decided that I'd use it in moderation and it worked a lot better for me. The rest of the directions were pretty straight forward and to the point so I couldn't really go wrong anywhere.

Having used the oil for over a month (FYI - the bottle is pink, not the oil) I can't really tell if it has made a massive difference to my skin. It's a nice product because it did get rid of the makeup and dirt on my face as well as tough mascara and eyeliner but that's about it, to be honest. It definitely made my skin feel softer and comfortable after using it so that is a plus to the product.

Would I repurchase it? Maybe.

The Fresh Pore Clarifying Gentle Cleansing Oil is really nice to use and I would recommend it to someone with oily skin who was looking for an oil to try, but it's not a product I find myself reaching for all the time. I do use it once a week after I've exfoliated to get rid of any last remnants of makeup and dirt but not every day when I'm getting ready for bed.

Shu Uemura Cleaning Oils are available at all counters, stores and online starting from £28.00 for a 150mL bottle.

What are your thoughts on cleansing oils? Do you reach for them every day or as a weekly treat? Let me know what you think in the box at the bottom.

Until next time...
Keep swivelling those hips in your

*PR SAMPLE*