In the past, I had always been pretty sceptical of any kind of creamy, or oil based cleansers, always favouring a foaming wash that left your face tingly and tight, because that means it's working, right? Well, yes, it might be cleaning your skin but with a few notable exceptions, (Vaishaly facial wash at the high end and Aapri Scrub Gel at the lower) they might be cleaning the dirt away, but they're generally taking the vital oils and moisture in your skin with it.
Even if you have oily skin, products containing the right essential oils (yep, oil on oil) such as lavender, or tea-tree will actually help sweep away excess grease, but not deprive your skin so much of moisture that it produces even more oil as a reaction. If you have dry or sensitive skin, a creamy cleanser is perfect for wiping away dirt with no irritation.
Having been converted, here's my favourite three:
One of the natural cosmetic giant's flagship products, Ultrabland is a gentle but thorough cleanser. Rose and honey leave skin incredibly soft and smelling delicious, while its peanut oil base powers through even the most hardcore make-up. It is probably a bit rich for oilier skins (though still worth using as an eye make-up remover alone), but is perfect for very dry or sensitive skin.
All of Ahava's products contain nourishing minerals from the Dead Sea, so if your skin is prone to irritation, but can't take something too heavy without breaking out, Ahava's 3-in-1 Mineral Cleanser is perfect for you. Formulated with anti-aging Dunaliella algae, it leaves your skin feeling supple and more refreshed than you might expect a cream cleanser would. It took quite a few pumps to tackle a slick of Bobbi Brown gel liner, but it removed less heavy-duty make-up effortlessly.
Liz Earle's legendary Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser is not a classic for nothing. Perfect for all types of skin, it obliterates dirt like Cilit Bang (not so great for use on skin) leaving a fresh, bright complexion. The muslin cloth it comes with acts as a powerful yet gentle exfoliator, sloughing away dead skin to prevent spot causing build ups and dull skin.