Pixi Double Cleanse cleanser // Caroline Hirons - Review & comparison to Clinique Take The Day Off balm

Whilst casually scrolling through Instagram, keeping up to date with my fave accounts, I had a thumb stopping moment. Caption - "looking forward to trying out Caroline's collaborative double cleanse with Pixi" and sure enough there was a pic of the item, proof there there was indeed a new double cleanse on the market. Immediately I google it to find that it had been talked about for months and released that week, which then lead me to think "how did I not know about this?" the only fair resolution for this misjustice is to purchase - I have forgiven the universe for not telling me sooner.

As much as I would love to hit the shops to purchase (from Marks & Spencers) I could not escape my SAHM duties for a good few days yet and it simply couldn't wait that long. So I headed to the Pixi website, put my blinkers on and headed for the cleanser and the cleanser only, very well behaved I must say.

The double cleanse is split in to two different cleansers (funny that, seeing as its called double cleanse Kim) one side is a balm and the other side is a cream. My immediate thoughts were "OOh a balm I like it" followed by - "ooh a cream hhmm not sure how this will go" but putting my faith into the skincare queen, angel, god - that is Caroline Hirons (no pressure love) I had to give it a try.

My first surprise is that its not scented, I was expecting some sort of Emma Hardie-esque luxury type fragrance but there wasn't any. I actually prefer a non-scented cleanser, don't get me wrong I enjoy a delightfully scented experience, but usually scent = clogged pores for me, a bit like flavour in food, tastes good = lard arse. So I am not disappointed about the lack of smell, just not what I was expecting.
Seeing as this is aimed to be a one size fits all cleanser, it would make sense to leave out the compressed bunch of roses for this one, yep that's right - all skin types.

The balm reminds me of Clinique's Take The Day Off Balm, which I am a big fan of. A scentless, like attracts like, emollient balmy cleanser. The reason I am comparing it to Clinique is because that is my current product for double cleansing, so I am comparing the old with the possible new.

I massage the Pixi balm into the skin all over my face, even my eyes to remove mascara (not sure if this is recommended for this product but I do it and it works fine) once I feel like makeup has been dissolved, I use a flannel to remove the grime.

Then onto the next step - the cream cleanser, I tend to avoid cream cleansers as I have not found them too suitable for oily skin. I need my skin to feel clean after cleansing (what a strange concept) but what I mean is, I do not like to feel a film left behind, not even if its meant to be good for the skin.

So in I go with the cream, massaging it in to the skin, I keep going until it starts to get hard to massage with and remove with a flannel. To my relief my skin felt clean and nourished with no residue.

I tend to use this on make up days, I wouldn't double cleanse on a non make up day unless I feel particularly oily. For me its a nice change from using just a balm and it has opened my eyes up to the possibility of cream cleansers, a realm I thought that I would never step into.

Comparing it to the Take The Day Off balm, I would actually say the balms are very similar. Both removed makeup to the same standard and neither disappoints. The Pixi however, adds something extra to cleansing - it cleans yet nourishes after. But fear not oily skinned friends, it does not leave any residue behind, like other cream cleansers I have tried! which is the main reason why I tend to avoid cream cleansers (hence using Take The Day Off up until this point)

I have read some people are put off buy the thought of paying £24.00 for the Pixi Double Cleanse, but I personally thing its well priced comparing it to similar products on the market, plus if your going to DOUBLE cleanse then your going to use double the product anyway. The Clinique is £22.00 for 125ml so more for your money there, but as a comparison, I think it is worth paying a little extra to have both the balm and cream cleanser in one.

It sits well within the Pixi range and the price wouldn't put me off of buying it again. In fact nothing would put me off as I really like the product, its a 10 from Len, well more like an 8 but I cant think of anything to rhyme, 8 from your mate? not that it doesn't deserve a 10 its just that not many items make it to my fussy 10/10 category. Apart from THIS - which is another Caroline influenced purchase

For a fuller comparison of the two cleansers, and to watch me remove makeup with them both (one side of my face Pixi, the other Clinique) click the vid below