Review: Aurelia Miracle Cleanser

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aurelia2Aurelia is a brand that just hits all the marks for everything this blog stands for: green luxury beauty. I love it’s very refined, feminine appeal, the soft and thoughtful packaging with touches of gold and pink, and I just like the ‘feel’ and presence of the brand. Without question, their breakthrough product is their acclaimed Miracle Cleanser, and with a name like that, it definitely commands attention.

Now where to begin with this cleanser? Well, for those of you who are acquainted with Eve Lom’s cleanser, Liz Earle’s cleanser, or even the Pond’s Cold Cream, this is very similar. This cleanser is a remarkably gorgeous scented lotion-type cream that has the consistency of Pond’s cold cream but an ingredients list and fragrance that is sophisticated, clean and dare-I-say: divine?

 

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As with most jar products, I prefer to use my own scooper to get just the right amount of product without contaminating the rest (tip: you don’t need to go out and buy a scooper, they’re available at the sample station of most beauty counters and most sales associates will let you take a couple especially if you’re nice about it). I use about a quarter sized amount which may be a bit more than is usual because I like feeling the lotion moving on my skin and using less than a dollop tended to dry quickly into my skin (kind of like applying a moisturizer that sinks into skin which makes me feel weird as this is a cleanser). I split the dollop of cream evenly in four places: forehead, left cheek, right cheek, nose-t zone, moving the excess cream down to my chin to cover all areas.

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The first thing you’ll notice is just how fantastic you feel, literally the beautiful mix of essential oils will lift your spirits and gently put your mind at ease. I don’t hesitate to throw this out there that of all cleansing balms – this is the most well made fragrance I have encountered yet, so kudos to the team. The fragrance is a mix of chamomile, rosemary, bergamot, and eucalyptus – a simple but sophisticated blend which happens to be scents that I enjoy. Rosemary may be a little on the green side but I think it is balanced nicely with the dominant scent of chamomile and the minty top note of eucalyptus. As the cream begins to break down as it is moved around , my advice to you is to cup your hands over your nose for a deep inhale of pure plant goodness to aromatically unwind. If you couldn’t tell, I believe this cleanser excels in delivering “an experience”.

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I like to massage my face as I use this for two reasons: 1) I love the scent 2) As a girl with not-dry skin, I want to be sure I’m really dislodging all the gunk from my skin. I find that I usually massage my skin until my sunscreen and moisturizers come off around the 5 minute mark (or when whatever I’m watching on tv goes to commercial break) so this may not be the product you reach for when you have some place to be. When the makeup and sunscreen come off, you’ll know (at least I did) – mine clumped because this is like a lotion and it’s not a big surprise that when lotions layer over other lotions and get massaged around they tend to clump (kind of like how oil attracts oil). I wash this off my skin with the included muslin cloth (which makes the packaging all that more charming) after soaking it a little in hot steaming water as recommended. I find that using hot water is a must in order to get this cleanser to wash off fully as there aren’t any foaming agents or water-soluble emulsifiers that allow this to rinse cleanly on its own. I think using hot water is a necessary step especially for those of you who are blemish prone because it helps get the cream off your skin. Or you can do another once-over for safe measure with an emulsifying cleanser.
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I really enjoy using this cleanser because not only does it deliver an experience, but the ingredients are so good that I don’t see how anyone using a non-clean cleansing balm, especially at the luxury price point that Eve Lom is at, can turn away from this greener, higher quality option. The Aurelia Miracle Cleanser uses plant oils and vitamins, you can read the full ingredients list on their website to see why I think it is top notch. This line is also known for using probiotics which is the thing we supposedly eat yogurt for. The idea is that probiotics also have antioxidant property and help keep skin cells healthy as well. Whether you believe it or not (I can’t say definitely), it can’t be argued that the entire ingredients list is full of things that will benefit skin such as Baobab (an omega rich super fruit), Hibiscus (antioxidant rich), Mongongo Oil (Vitamin E), and milk protein. Divine, I tell you, divine!

In terms of performance, I would say this product is more “luxury experience” over “cleansing effectiveness”. It isn’t my regular cleanser because usage isn’t convenient for every-day purposes and my skin is prone to breaking out or being congested if I don’t use something more along the lines of a traditional cleanser regularly. As much as I enjoyed this cleanser for how it made me feel, I was not able to use it consecutively without my skin becoming noticeably more dull/congested like I had neglected to clean my skin and although I didn’t let it get to that point, I think if this were my only cleanser, I would start breaking out after continued use. With that said, I don’t believe the cleanser itself will cause breakouts (unless you’re sensitive to one of the essential oils or your skin cannot tolerate balms or cleansers with an oil base) and I do not think it reflects that this cleanser is not good, as I’ve said before for some people’s skin types, cleansing balms and oils just don’t work as the solo cleanser in a regular routine. I think those with dry and mature skin that are not prone to breaking out may find much to love here. For myself, when I need that time to unwind and just tune out – I find this a good treat for myself and I have come to appreciate it for this weekly purpose.

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At $53 for $120ml, I am comfortable in saying that Aurelia’s Miracle Cleanser is a strong green offering in a sea of luxury cleansing balms that should be definitely be considered. The formula is high quality and thoughtful, while the results are in line with most good cleansing balms. If you love ‘experiences’ this is especially one to bookmark, on the other hand for someone like my boyfriend who is still confused why I spent over $50 on a “thick lotion” to rub across my face, the utilitarians out there who look for function over form may find themselves perplexed if they’re expecting a cleanser-cleanser. The truth is, if cleansing balms or luxury beauty items aren’t your thing and you’re really just looking for a cleanser, this one won’t knock it out of the park for you and there isn’t really any way I imagine this will make you come around but if you’ve been using cleansing balms as your main source of cleansing and you don’t mind the luxury price point – perhaps I’ve just introduced you to your new staple. For me, I would not consider it a suitable regular or daily cleanser though it has become a very very welcomed once or twice a week indulgence for my skin for when I have time to unwind, massage my skin, inhale the rich aromas, and enjoy “me time”.

Now I know many of you have this at home, what are your thoughts? Leave them in the comments!

 

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14 Comments

  1. February 27, 2014 / 11:44 pm

    I wear waterproof sunscreen and currently double cleanse with a cleansing oil then a foaming/gel cleanser every night. However, with so much hype surrounding cleansing balms, I really want to give them a try. I’ve been looking at the Antipodes one — but this also sounds so lovely and luxurious!

    I think I have the same skin type as you (oily and easily clogged — though I do have my dry patches from Retin-A). You mentioned you wouldn’t use this cleansing balm as an everyday cleanser. However, do you think I would still get clogged pores / breakouts using this everyday in place of a cleansing oil if I follow up with a gel or foaming cleanser?

    Thank you! 🙂

  2. February 28, 2014 / 12:10 pm

    I’m a cleansing balmaholic and have this cleanser on my wish list so really interesting to read your review. I indeed have dry skin and use cleansing balms/oils exclusively so this has my name all over it! Thank you for the thorough review.

    On a separate note if any of your readers are looking for a more budget friendly/greener (no mineral oil) alternative to Eve Lom, I really recommend the Boots Botanic Organic hot cloth cleansing balm (my review here http://wonderlusting.co.uk/2014/02/05/green-beauty-boots-botanics-97-organic-hot-cloth-cleansing-balm-review/)

  3. Alexa
    February 28, 2014 / 11:37 pm

    I remember trying to choose between this and Yuli’s Halcyon when I was looking for a new cleanser back in September and though I don’t regret trying out the Miracle Cleanser, it’s not a repurchase for me. The ingredients, packaging, and fragrance are all on point, and this didn’t make me break out despite the shea butter and rich consistency. Also, it did a decent job of removing makeup. However, like you said, unless you have dry skin or are always in the mood for a luxurious spa-like experience, this is not the best product for extended, daily use. I’m glad I tried it in winter, because I think it would be way too heavy for summertime. To me, Aurelia’s Miracle Cleanser is kind of like the Clean Dirt (and various other novel cleansing products): they are luxurious products that I would use as a cleansing supplement or occasional substitute, but they can’t totally replace the regular, everyday workhorse cleanser.

  4. Lara
    March 1, 2014 / 12:39 pm

    Thanks for the thorough review. I have dry skin and think this is a fine cleanser, but I also do not like it for everyday use, though it is fine as a once weekly product for that extra tlc. Unlike you, I do not like the smell, there is too much eulalyptus in it for my taste. So for me, it will not be a repurchase. For daily cleansing I now use kahina, after yuli’s halcyon was sadly too stripping for me.

    • Sheena
      March 1, 2014 / 5:09 pm

      Yes me too! This reminded me of cough drop smell so I did not like it that much. I have dry skin too so now I oil cleanse to remove makeup and use Yuli Halcyon and my skin never looks better.

  5. Lola
    March 22, 2014 / 8:14 am

    editors note: -redacted comment from a brand who is trolling-

    • March 22, 2014 / 8:07 pm

      I’m pretty sure I know which brand this is that is posting this, the same unprofessional one that lashed out at another blogger. Your passive aggressive note is unfounded and just shows what kind of miserable person you are. Just so you know, I correspond with and am sent samples from many lines including Tata Harper, Kahina Giving Beauty, Aurelia, Tatcha, Sunday Riley – they know my name/address and have spoken with me behind the scenes regarding new product launches so leave your paranoid insinuations to yourself. Your conduct is horrible.

  6. Sara
    March 22, 2014 / 11:01 pm

    LBF, shame on you

    • LM
      March 23, 2014 / 3:25 am

      I heard about them going off before but to see this here is something else. Can anyone tell me what the situation was between them and lashing out at the blogger? I like to make informed decisions about my purchases.

      • March 23, 2014 / 7:23 am

        The lashing out is from them to green derm over twitter where they hurled homophobic slurs and condescending comments toward him. All because they didn’t like what he said about a perceived slight (he didn’t even review their stuff). You can check his twitter or go to this entry for information: http://greenderm.blogspot.com/2013/12/do-toners-do-anything.html#comment-form

        These ladies are insane and imploding, they’re trying to attack anyone who doesn’t like their line now apparently, even when I’ve never directly said anything negative about them and held my tongue – no more.

  7. Shelly
    March 25, 2014 / 5:56 pm

    Hello, just wanted to say a few things. First I LOVE this blog! I am new to the world of skincare/natural bloggers, but not new to organic/natural skincare, as I suffered from oily/acne skin since my teens, and decided to give organic/natural products a try, since nothing else was working for me, and I have not regretted it since. I am always looking for HG products for my skin. This blog has helped my decision in purchasing a few items for my skin.

    Secondly, I LOVE this blog lol! I am interested in HONEST reviews. I don’t mind “negative” things being said about a product because what one person views as “negative” because of their skin type, someone else might see it as positive according to their skin needs and type. So honest reveiws are a treat. I don’t mind shelling out hard earned cash on something that might be expensive but works! Especially for my type of skin!

    Third, I really was interested in LBF’s products because of seedtoserum and nomoredirtylooks blogs, but I think I will pass.

  8. linda
    May 14, 2014 / 6:03 am

    I love you and Green Derm! More super-power to honest and intelligent reviewers in the Green industry. We need more and more (not less!) people like you before it truly resembles the greed in the ‘dirty’ industry whose ultimate trick is appealing to customers’ vanity.

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