REN Mayblossom T-Zone Control Cleansing Gel Review

www.renskincare.com

REN are a brand that I hadn't really heard much about until they gave away a starter kit with Red magazine a few months ago, since then I have heard on other blogs about how much of a good brand they are. REN products do not contain parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, petrolatum, synthetic fragrance, synthetic colours, T.E.A, D.E.A, Glycols, silicones, and PEGS, I'm not going to lie I don't know what a few of those are but they don't sound good, so I was pleased to know that their products don't contain ingredients that would be harmful to my skin.

When I was on the hunt for a new cleanser I had a look through the clinics on Caroline Hiron's blog and she had suggested REN to others as an alternative to other very expensive brands, I always look up reviews on other blogs and through Make up Alley before buying new products and the REN cleansers had great reviews, so I bought the Mayblossom Cleansing Gel from their range for combination skin.

 REN say that the cleanser is  'A balancing, antibacterial facial cleansing gel for skin that is prone to oiliness and breakouts, particularly in the T-zone.'
Results from using the cleanser are:

• Removes dirt and dissolves excess sebum
• Unclogs pores
• Reduces the appearance of pore size
• Antimicrobial and antibacterial

I have been using this cleanser morning and night everyday since I purchased it, and I absolutely love it, I have noticed a huge difference in the appearance and feel of my skin. My skin feels much softer and smoother after using this, and my pores do appear smaller and less noticeable.

I have been using a flannel in warm water to remove the cleanser as an alternative to muslin cloths as they are much cheaper (pack of 3 for £4 in Primark) and they do the same job, so I can be sure that my skin is completely cleansed and being gently exfoliated at the same time.

Pros

• This cleanser has made my skin feel much softer and smoother, which lasts all day, I can tell my skin is much softer even through my foundation.
• I used my old Simple face wash as a last resort when I couldn't find this when I was in the shower the other day and I realised how harsh the simple face wash was in comparison to the REN cleanser. With REN my skin feels really clean, almost squeaky clean, but not tight or stripped of moisture, it feels really gentle on my skin.
• My pores do appear to be smaller and less noticeable (even if it was only me who noticed them in the first place), which is a miracle.
• The Mayblossom scent is gorgeous, it is quite strong but not overpowering, if you are funny with scented skin care I would recommend you test this on the back of your hand and see how you feel about it throughout the day.
• Price - I was wary at first at the price, £17 for 150ml, it's a lot more than my usual face wash at £2.49, but compared to Liz Earle Cleanse which is £12.75 for 100ml, you are getting more product for your money. You can also use the product sparingly so I'm hoping this will last me a while.

Cons

• I find that this doesn't really remove all my eye make up, so I do have to use an eye make up remover along side it. I have been using my Bioderma to remove my eye make up and as a pre-cleanse before I use the cleanser. I always double cleanse to make sure I remove all my make up especially if I use a product which contains SPF. I don't mind having to use an eye make up remover as I do love Bioderma but it may bother some people.
• This isn't that much of a con as I do love the pump packaging, but you do have to be careful when you first use it, if you press the pump all the way down you get a lot more product than you probably need, so I only press it half way down so I get the right amount and don't waste too much.

Would I repurchase?

Yes definitely, I would recommend this to anyone. The quality of this cleanser really makes me want to try out other REN products.

Have you tried REN products? What did you think?

Check out our Nuxe Travel Kit giveaway here. Good Luck!

Elaine