I have ranted previously on this blog about whitening ranges so it may be a surprise to see me review the Decleor Aroma White C+ Foaming Cleanser. I don’t think that anyone, regardless of skin tone should be aspiring to have Dulux white skin even the most porcelain of skin tones are not opaque Tippex white. Many of us (myself included) aspire to brighter, clarified skin. So, I do not understand how in a global market, ranges are still named whitening ranges, and yes, I appreciate the importance of the Asian market but not withstanding this, why can’t the ranges be called brightening.
I tend to steer clear of foaming cleansers as they leave my skin feeling very taught and uncomfortable and often contain ingredients like Sodium Laurel Sulphate which my skin does not agree with. Which brings me to my foaming little secret. This product was recommended to my by a Decleor therapist after a facial many years ago. Well, she worked for the brand so of course she would recommend it. It is not the only foaming product that Decleor have so why that one? Why the Decleor Aroma White C+ Foaming Cleanser? Well, she was of Iranian heritage so I told her straight. I am not trying to be white and I am definitely not looking for a whitening cream or a foaming product thank you very much – I am very happy with the cleansing cream from the range.
She did not roll her eyes at that statement (although I think that she wanted to however, she was professional). She very patiently explained that despite the name the product it did not whiten the skin. She used it daily with no issues. She also advised that although it foamed, it did not strip the skin or leave it taut. She did not recommend any other products from the range, but she advised me to try it and see. I was hesitant, but she had worked on my face many times before, she had amazing skin and I trusted her. So I bought it, I tried it, and I loved it. The tube in my empties post must be my fourth or fifth tube. I know! Not only did it not whiten my skin, it did not leave my skin taut in fact my skin really liked it.
Why do some foaming cleansers strip the skin? Surfactants. A surfactant is a chemical (you can get naturally secreted surfactants) which makes a detergent or emulsifier, which means that it can break down and oil or a liquid and it can foam. In a cleanser, you want to emulsify the make up and oil on the skin and remove the dirt. The surfactant that has been used in the majority of foaming products is Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) which in certain concentrations in the skin can cause irritation. SLS is not the only surfactant in the cosmetics industry’s armoury but it is a cheap surfactant which means that the product is cheaper to make. My skin is prone to dryness and over many years, I have found that SLS makes my skin dry and taut. I don’t like the feeling on the skin and I find that when my skin is irritated it breaks out or I get dry patches or both. Irritated skin is not healthy skin. Squeaky clean needs to be saved for dishes. After cleansing the skin should feel supple smooth, soft and be clean but in my opinion should not feel like a porcelain plate.
There are alternatives, currently surfactants made from coconut oil are used in many cleansers but just because a cleanser is gentle does not mean that it wont irritate the skin. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that a couple of months ago, I tried my sisters’ S5 Neutralise Cleanser which is targeted at Normal to Oily skin. This product is organic, SLS free, non foaming and gentle – but it left my skin dry and taut. My sister LOVES the S5 cleanser. Her skin is much more sensitive then mine, but slightly oiler. Everyone needs to observe and understand their skin and buy products that are suitable for it. It takes time and a bit of investment but it can be done. Which brings me back to my foaming little secret. The Aroma White C+ Foaming cleanser does not contain SLS. It does contain synthetic and natural surfactants ( PEG-8, Myristic Acid and Stearic Acid amongst others.) so it does foam. I am not suggesting that the ingredients in this product won’t irritate anyone’s skin, but I can say categorically that it does not irritate mine.
This is a pretty hard core cleanser – not only does it clean the skin there is a slight exfoliating action (salicylic acid papaya extract) and brightening (peony, tamarisk and Saxifrage). I noticed a clarified complexion from the first use. It did not leave my skin dry or taut and a 150 ml tube lasts me a year. The cleanser is pretty much Dulux white and has the consistency of thick toothpaste with a very light clean cotton type fragrance. I don’t use it twice a day, or necessarily every day I don’t use it as a make up remover but I do use it very regularly and love it. Not everything is for everybody but this is definitely for me!