REVIEW: Forest Essentials Deeply Nourishing Facial Cleansing Paste

More than a decade ago, when I had started working and slowly building a kitty to spend on my hobbies and interests--books, art and craft and more, I came across one of the first stores of Forest Essentials in Mumbai. I distinctly remember this brand capturing my attention with its beautiful interiors decked with paintings representing the Indian culture, the products arranged neatly on shelves (back then their packaging was simplistic with none of the jazzy gold and vibrant colours that define it now) and most of all, the aroma...oh lord! The scent of their gorgeous products wafted at least twenty metres away. I didn't think twice before saying 'please take my money'. Their Bengal Tuberose collection still remains my favourite even after all these years.

Back then, Forest Essentials was hardly into face care, if any at all. I had bought their date and tamarind (I think) face scrub which was good but I don't remember if they had anything else. At the time, their body care and hair care was all the rage--sugar-based soaps, luscious shower oils, sugar scrubs for the body, highly effective shampoos and hair conditioners. Naturally, this was my initiation into the brand and I promptly fell for its body and hair products.

Fast forward to now and the brand has established a firm foothold into the face care category as well. I'll be honest--I am not wowed by their face care. I have tried their face mists/toners, face washes, blemish treatment product and the like. But I never saw exceptional results. The brand, in my opinion, provides more of a sensorial experience than noticeable results. I had almost given up on it...when they came out this gem of a product.

The Deeply Nourishing Facial Cleansing Paste, like the name suggests, is a dense paste made of Almond, Pistachio, Shea Butter, Marigold, Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Steam Distilled Rose Water, Honey, Buttermilk, Turmeric and more.


INGREDIENTS:
Now, I have a bone to pick with Forest Essentials. Why is it that they do not declare the full inci list of their products. They will mention only the key ingredients...why? In today's age, with smart consumers and a plethora of choices, brands ought to be transparent. Consumers demand (and they have every right to) to know each and every thing that goes onto their skin. If the brand is reading this review, I urge them to consider being transparent for the sake of their consumers and to keep up with evolving expectations. For this reason, I'm not mentioning their inci list here because it is quite pointless to mention a half-list.
 
But if you think the key ingredients mentioned here sound delightful wait till you smell the product. It smells like freshly baked cookies and reminds me of Christmas. Some even compare the scent to Badam Halva, a rich Indian dessert and I agree completely. It's so sinful that the scent alone made me buy the product, despite its high price. Okay, I'm lying; I was wowed by its results too, when I tried it in store. On a side note, the whole ritual of trying the lush products in their store, especially washing over their antique basin, with the attendants taking so much care is a lovely experience in itself.

So, performance-wise, this product met (even exceeded) my expectations. After trying one average product after another from this brand, I was pleasantly surprised by this little jar of goodness.


HOW IT WORKS:
So, I noticed that even though the product is named Cleansing Paste, it's more like a exfoliator cum nourishing mask. I take a small dollop which I dot onto the four quadrants of my face. Then I spread it around with my fingers. It's quite dense and oily at this point, which makes spreading it a bit difficult but I like to do this step nonetheless, especially on my nose and chin areas which are typically congested. Doing this begins the exfoliation process. Then, I add a few drops of water and start massaging. The thick paste turns into a milk on adding water and moving the product becomes much easier. At this point, the graininess of the product becomes less and less and it starts to feel like a cleansing milk. I then like to leave this on for a few minutes to allow my skin to soak in all those lush ingredients. The feeling as you leave it on is non-intrusive and you will only enjoy the subtle scent of it while it's on your skin. Thereafter, I rinse it off.

The results are the same each time. I'm left with super smooth, nourished skin. My skin looks and feels clean without feeling stripped off. That, in my books, is a winner of a cleanser. And I'm so glad this format of a 'dense cleansing paste' has worked well for the brand. It is truly a unique product and I'm glad I gave it a try despite the price tag. Also, I wish they would give us at least 50 mg in the pot instead of a measly 30 mg. On the brighter side, the 30 mg pot is perfect to carry around for travel purposes.

PRICE:
The cleansing paste is priced at INR 1850 for 30 gm, which I think is a bit much if you consider the price per gram. But I can tell you this, the product does not disappoint so at least it's money well spent.

WILL I REPURCHASE:
I'm in two minds, frankly. If I weren't exposed to several other beautiful brands such as Earthwise Beauty, Moss Skincare, Mahalo Skincare and the like, I would have repurchased this product in a heartbeat. But I already have a long wishlist of cleansers to try so I will wait a while before I decide to open my purse strings for this cleanser once again.

You can buy the Forest Essentials Deeply Nourishing Facial Cleansing Paste from their site here. Or you may purchase it from nykaa here.

EMPTIES + MINI REVIEWS (Emma Hardie, Earthwise Beauty, De Mamiel, Merumaya, Just Herbs, Liz Earle, Bravura London)

Hey everyone, I usually don't do an Empties post, because I don't own that many products to get through, well, compared to other skincare bloggers. LOL. Nevertheless, I have amassed a few that have thankfully cleared up precious real estate on my skincare shelf. So, here are my express reviews on these products, which may help you decide if you'd like to get them yourselves. The products which I have previously reviewed in detail on my blog have been linked so.


Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm:
This was my first pot of the highly raved cleansing balm. What can I say, this is a true luxury skincare product, with its sensual scent of rose, jasmine, mandarin, orange peel and more. It feels like silk and looks just as gorgeous. It performs really well in removing makeup but is also wonderful for a second cleanse. I don't use it every day, simply because I want a luxurious product that I can pull out when I'm feeling especially knackered. Needless to say, I already have a backup. 😄


Bravura Hot Cloth Volcanic Mud Cleanser/Masque:
This bottle was never-ending and even now you can see a bit remaining, which try as I may, I can't get it out. I've been using this since two years I think, but now that I'm consciously off chemical exfoliators (this contains glycolic acid), I will not repurchase this, plus there are many other cleansers that I want to try. This is good for a second cleanse and a mask, though.


Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser:
I loved this! Anything that has eucalyptus in it is likely to be a favourite with me. The Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser is good for both first and second cleanse. And while I'm sad that it's over, I will not repurchase because I have found an even better cleansing milk/lotion type cleanser, right here in India. In case you're wondering, it's the Just Herbs India Deep Cleansing Lotion, which I may get a full size of.


Just Herbs Pomegranate Mandarin Pore Refining Tonique:
Speaking of Just Herbs, this toner is my jam! I love it poured on a cotton pad and swiped across the face or even as a refreshing spritz. Definitely a repurchase! Detailed review here.


Merumaya Treatment Toner:
I loved using this toner. It has next-gen ingredients such as brown and micro algae, amino acids, minerals and most of all Ascorbyl Glucoside, a type of Vitamin C released slowly into the skin, which activates only on contact with the skin. Maleka, the brand owner is wonderful to interact with and is a pioneer when it comes to formulating potent products, that not only perform but also give a great user experience. Anyone who has used Merumaya products knows of its signature scent. Ah, I'm gonna miss it! I'm not sure whether I want to repurchase this, because shipping is way too expensive. Plus, I have a couple other treatment products on my radar. If you'd like to read my detailed review on it, go here.


Earthwise Beauty Ruby Facial Oil:
A holy-grail skincare product, this is a glow booster! I like it mixed with Ambrosia Del Cerrado, also from Earthwise Beauty. The mixture gives me a fast-absorbing lightweight moisturiser while working to give my skin a luminous glow. I also like it mixed with Earthwise Beauty Farizad's Veil sunscreen powder, as it provides high antioxidant value, amplifying the sun protection ability. A definite repurchase!


De Mamiel Restorative Cleansing Balm:
I got a generous sample of this from Integrity Botanicals. It's a silky rich cleansing balm, which was unfortunately too rich for me. Glad I tried the sample before spending money on the full size. Two reasons why it didn't work for me: 1) It doesn't emulsify and even though I know non-emulsifying oils and balms have their benefits in retaining moisture in the skin, it's just not my preference. 2) Its scent is a bit strange; initially, I did get a hint of ginger, which I absolutely love but later on, the scent morphed into something else, which I did not enjoy.

So, that's it folks! Hope you find these mini reviews and the detailed ones linked wherever possible, helpful. Have a great weekend! 😃

Why the PH value of your cleanser matters!

As much as I love Clinique and its bestselling Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm (one of my favourite cleansers), their other cleansers do not make the cut. All because of ingredients that raise the PH level of the product. A recent example was this cleanser, given to me as a sample.

PH value of 7-8 indicated by the strip turning blue

One of the things you need to be careful about when putting a cleanser on your face is its PH level. PH (stands for potential for hydrogen) is a "figure expressing the acidity or alkalinity of a solution on a logarithmic scale". If you put that down on a simple scale, it would look something like this:

Image: drypharmacist.com

Our skin is slightly acidic by nature, with a PH of 5.5.

Image: happyskincare.com.au

This PH of 5.5 is necessary for the skin to maintain its healthy state. A disruption in this level can cause the skin to either burn (if it goes to the acidic level of 4 or lower) or be vulnerable to infection (if it goes to the alkaline level of 7 or above). Did you know that there are microorganisms on the skin that protect it from skin infections and serious skin conditions like acne and rosacea?

When you use conventional soap or face washes with a high PH (anything above 5 is potentially damaging), you're getting rid of the healthy microorganisms that are keeping the skin healthy and immune to infections.

Harsh cleansers may give you that squeaky clean feeling that immediately feels fresh, but that's actually a warning sign that you have gone too far. What these cleansers are really doing is stripping the face of its natural moisture barrier and healthy microorganisms along with the dirt and grime, making you feel "clean".

On the other hand, if you use a cleanser with an optimum PH (5.5), it still removes the dirt and grime but does not disturb the moisture barrier.

I'll be honest and say that not all cleansers are created equally. The majority of cleansers on the market, irrespective of how big a brand is, are high in PH. Which is a shame because they mess up the skin, cause acne and other conditions and then make you buy another product to deal with that condition. A vicious cycle that must stop!

Using harsh cleansers also strip away more oil than is necessary, leaving the skin dry and irritated, and then causing it to produce more oil (sebum) to compensate for the loss. This, in turn, makes the skin more oily, which makes you think that you need an even stronger cleanser. Another vicious cycle that must stop.

So, treat your skin wisely.

1) As a rule of thumb, avoid cleansers that create a supreme lather. 9 out of 10 times, they are loaded with harsh detergents, which help create that rich lather.

2) If you have to use a face wash that lathers, try to find a cleanser that has the right PH value, although such cleansers are rare. In Indian brands, Just Herbs is on the right track with its Silksplash face wash. I have tested its PH more than once. (A thorough review coming up soon)

PH of 5 indicated by the strip turning yellow

3) Cleansing oils and balms are much better to clean the skin with as they are essentially oils, so you're using oil to remove dirt and grime, and not harsh detergents. This takes some time to getting used to but your skin will thank you for it. If you're in India, The Body Shop's Camomile Cleansing Oil is a great cleanser to try out.

Overseas, there are plenty of cleansers (face washes, oils and balms) that are made keeping the right PH value in mind but here in India, such cleansers are hard to find. I have listed two good ones above, and I will update this post as and when I find more.

Lastly, remember that PH is not the be all and end all of great skin as there are several factors at play, but if you are having skin troubles and were wondering how to deal with them, this is a good place to start at.

Hope this was a helpful post. :)