Philosophy Purity Made Simple Review

Two weeks ago, I got this cleanser from Sephora as a free 100-point reward with the purchase of any skincare item. I've heard many great things about this cleanser, but I've never gotten the chance to buy it because the price can be pretty steep ($20 for 8 oz, $32 for 16 oz) compared to my usual drugstore purchases. However, you only need a nickel-sized amount each time, so one expensive bottle can probably last you a long time.

Product Description
"Philosophy Purity Made Simple is a ph-balanced formula that rapidly dissolves dirt and makeup while deep cleaning pores. The best-selling cleanser contains infusions of sage, chamomile, and carrot."


Other Information

• "One-step", meaning it's supposed to replace makeup remover, eye makeup remover, facial cleanser, and toner
• Safe for the eyes
• Designed to soothe even the driest and most sensitive skin, but can be used for all skin types (including acne-prone)
• Can be used everyday,  day and night

Packaging
Comes in a round, fat plastic bottle with a black push-top cap. Although my 12 oz bottle is short, it holds a lot of product because the bottle is so wide.


Experience

The bottle with a stack of nickels

The cleanser has a soft, milky texture that smells strongly like rosemary, sage, and other fancy herbs (every time I use this in the shower at night, the smell reminds me of the soap you'd get in a five-star hotel or cruise ship spa, which is a very very good). I wet my face, take a small amount in my hard, and spread it onto my face for 30 seconds to 1 minute. It doesn't have much of a lather (bubbles), which I don't mind. Because this cleanser claims it can take off stubborn eye makeup, I massage it on my eyes as well, and experience zero irritation.

I can feel it clean deep down and gently wash away dirt and grime when I use it. Although it doesn't contain any acne-fighting ingredients, existing breakouts looks smaller and less red (but doesn't eliminate them) and I haven't had any severe acne breakouts since using this (although I still get small bumps here and there). The cleanser doesn't leave any soapy residue on the face, and your face feels moisturized and smooth, not tight. I don't see much of a reduction in pore size, oil-control, or skin texture improvement though.

As far as its makeup-eliminating abilities go, it is effective to an extent. It takes off the day's BB cream and eyeshadow gently and very well (although I only wear small amounts of eyeshadow on a daily basis. If you like to sport darker or more dramatic eyes regularly, you may have to wash your eyelids two or three times because this cleaner may not get all of it the first time around). Its mascara-removing abilities are average-- although it takes off most of my usual Covergirl Waterproof LashBlast Mascara, I still have a faint gray ring under my eyes after I'm done showering (but nothing that can't be removed with another makeup remover).

Does this cleanser live up to the price and hype? Indeed it does, not by too much. It is an excellent cleanser for a soothing experience, effective cleansing, acne control, and light-to-moderate makeup removal, but I feel like a few drugstore cleansers can do the same. If you have the money to spare, definitely try this cleanser out! If you're strapped for cash, just keep looking for the right drugstore cleaner for you because I'm sure there's one out there.


Final Thoughts

• Can be expensive, depending on your budget
• Very smooth and creamy texture
• Strong smell of herbs
• Cleans skin well
• Diminishes existing acne and prevents severe acne from forming
• Skin feels nice and soft after use
• Safe for the eyes, but may not remove all of your eye makeup if you wear a lot of it
• A very good cleanser overall, but drugstore cleansers can definitely compare

Recommend it? Yes!

Rating: 9.1/10

Love,
Jessica

Posted in: cleanser, face, Philosophy, Review, skin care