Review - REN Purity Cleansing Balm

I know my blog is starting to resemble a REN advertising campaign but rest assured I am in no way connected to the company, all my products were purchased independently, I am not getting paid for reviews nor do they know I am doing this. I doubt they even know of my blog existence.

Nevertheless I am a huge REN fan, so much so that if I was allowed only one brand in my skincare routine for the rest of my life I know I would choose REN and be very happy with my decision.
Everything about their clean skincare approach appeals to me and every single product I have tried from their lineup has been a favorite at some point during my beauty journey.
You can't argue with performance gold stars and REN has definitively earn quite a stash of them.

The REN Purity Cleansing Balm was one of the first cleansing balms I tried and subsequently overcame my fears of  "balmy oil" induced breakouts. The rest, as they say, is history!

Description; 

This rose-infused blam sweeps away impurities, including waterproof mascara and the toughest of complexion products. It leaves skin cleansed, purified, calm, and glowing. It also conditions the lashes and brows. 

Ingredients;

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Cetearyl Ethyhexanoate, Glyceryl Cocoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Tribehenin, Glyceryl Behenate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Flower Oil, Viola Odorata Extract, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Oil, Lecithin, Benzyl Alcohol, Oryzanol, Tocopherol, Citronellol, Geraniol, Eugenol, Linalool.

The REN Purity Cleansing Balm was formulated for all skin types and used as a makeup remover or gentle primary cleanser to remove pollution and accumulated dead skin cells. The muslin cloth included is entirely optional as the balm can be used either way but keep in mind that if you use it you are essentially preforming a gentle exfoliation of the skin surface so if you are a member of Sensitive Skin Care Club I would refrain from using other exfoliant solutions on that particular day.

The texture of the Cleansing Balm resembles that of traditional soft shortening but once warmed up in your hands it melts quickly in a silky oil-like solution, which is therefore easily distributed and massaged in to the face. The scent has a strong rose undertone but the fragrance is so balanced,  rejuvenating and luxurious, that it manages to elevate your beauty routine that much more.

The directions indicate to scoop a small amount into the palm of your hand and rub until the balm transforms into a silky oil, which then indicates when to begin the facial massage. I try to do this for at least a few minutes before gradually adding water to the skin surface and thereby emulsifying it into a rich milk tonic that is then either rinsed or polished off with the muslin cloth or a generic warm facecloth. The skin is left soft, smooth, calm, radiant and plumped up right away, with no dryness in sight. Clean and non-stripped of the skins natural oils your complexion responds with a healthy glow and immediate brightening effect. My skin simply feels better after each use and my skincare ritual is definitively enhanced to a bit more of a glamorous level.

Its a little slice of the REN Spa experience and its happening in your very own bathroom.

The REN Purity Cleansing Balm comes in both a traditional tube ($38 for 3.3 fl.oz.) and a tub ($58 for 5.1 fl.oz.) form in case you have a performance. I know a lot of bloggers and other individuals complain and are put-off by jar packaging due to contamination risk which is a legitimate concern but I don't make it an problem since your hands are suppose to be clean when you are about to put something on your face anyways. As an extra precaution I have a tube of hand sanitizer right next to the balm jar so I can use it after the hand wash to lower my contamination chances even more.

The price may seem a little steep for a cleanser however keep in mind that balms last a lot longer than the traditional foaming washes so in the end you break even and get a product that is not only a superstar but its also good for the skin in the long term. REN's Clean Skincare Commitment is something you can always count on and its definitively an incentive for good-for-you skincare splurge.

For more information about the REN Purity Cleansing Balm, their other products and retail information check out their website and as always REN products can be found at our trusty Sephora.


I hope this was helpful!

Have you tried the REN Purity Cleansing Balm? What is your take on cleansing balms - any favorites?

XOXO

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-)

Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm *The Mud You Should Play In!

I will admit it - I am a skin care fiend! I am always looking for that miracle product, I have a hard time finishing products because I am always sure that "the new thing" I got is somehow going to be so much more amazing than "the old things" already littering my vanity and sink. Well that almost never-ever happens! Until now, that is!

Omorovicza is a luxury skin-care spa company coming to us all the way from Hungary (close to my beloved Yugoslavia) so that alone made my heart beat a little faster. I am very nostalgic and mushy about that kind of stuff. Anyways moving on! Omorovicza is pure luxury in every sense of the word - it uses top-notch ingredients, adds "secret" mud & healing waters that have been used for centuries to treat many different things, the packaging screams expensive & impeccable, the scents is intoxicating and of course the price tag gives you a certain level of high expectation. The girly girl in me got very excited about the tiny spatula that came with the balm too!

Now i know as much as the next girl that having a big price tag doesn't guarantee you that you will get a great product, come to think of it its usually the opposite, contrived mostly by my own unrealistic expectations that somehow paying that much must mean that my face will be transformed after a single use...I know, I need help!

Back to Omorovicza and the magic mud in the beautiful glass jar! Despite the fact that washing my face didn't turn me into a beauty queen I am happily conceding that I am a convert and that I would love to wash my face with its thermal blackness for all time.

Don't get me wrong washing with a mud balm was pretty strange even for someone like me who is very experienced in the world of cleansing balms. However as soon as the soft, dark muddy substance emulsified on my face I got over any hesitations that may have been hovering around - I could feel the detoxifying effect, my face tingled a bit (in a good way!), there was a cooling sensation that indicated that deep cleansing action and the scent was very much like an aromatherapy treatment. The directions instruct that the cleanser needs to be removed with a warm washcloth or their own specially designed cleansing mitt, making the balm a breeze to remove. The best thing about this rich thermal balm is that even though I can feel that my skin is deeply cleansed and even feels less congested, it doesn't feel stripped, dry or thirsty right a way. On the contrary my face feels hydrated, plumped, smooth, supple and oh-so soft!

I don't normally use the Omorovicza balm for makeup removal since it almost feels wasteful to use it like that. However the few occasions i did use it for that purpose, it preformed beautifully - removing every last trace of makeup, including waterproof mascara without any irritation. I would however warn anyone using any kind of makeup remover to be very careful around the eye area - the key being around the eye NOT in the eye!

So to all my fellow beauty addicts I would like to say - give it a try! I know the price is high and the cleanser might look a little different than what you are used to but for me investing in great quality skincare just makes perfect sense. Instead of buying five sub par low price products I buy one that may cost more initially but actually makes a difference on my face.

If you need even more incentive to give Omorovicza a try then I suggest you check out the current special offer they are running right now for the "Summer Detox Pair", which includes a full size Thermal Cleansing Balm and the equally amazing Deep Cleansing Mask for just $180.  To check it out and get more information just click here.
They even have a great loyalty program, Pengo Points, which are earned through purchases, friend referrals, reviews and more. The points can then be redeemed towards future purchases.

I just placed a huge Omorovicza order through their own website and I can't wait to share it with you all!

Ingredients; 
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Sweet Almond Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Heptanoate, Silt (Hungarian Mud), Jojoba Oil, Squalane, Beeswax, Polysorbate 20, Plum Seed Extract, Apricot Kernel Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum (Natural Fragrance), Limonene, Linalool, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acerola Fruit Extract, Vitamin E, Aqua, Zinc Gluconate, Magnesium aspartate, Copper Gluconate.

I hope that was helpful! Have you tried Omorovicza? 

XOXO

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-) 

Emma Hardie - The Balm That Changed How I Think About Skin Care

I love skincare - in fact I am more passionate about good skincare than I am about makeup! I research everything before I make a purchase, scan ingredients, sample when possible, consult friends & family - basically I thought I was doing all the right things for healthy skin! My skin however disagreed - big time!

Enter Caroline's blog (Beautymouth) and a crash course in proper skincare...followed by a conclusion that my skills were seriously lacking :-( Being the "unofficial skin care guru" she knew what she was talking about so I blindly ordered almost everything she recommended - I gambled all over again and crossed my fingers!


Emma Hardies Moringa Cleanser was one of the products she was most adamant about so I made sure I got a pot of it ASAP. The balm has similar texture to butter but with tiny granules suspended in the mixture. I opened it and hated it immediately. Since the balm doesn't foam, there are no "bubbles" therefore I felt like my skin wasn't being clean and lets face it the sensation of rubbing butter on your face is not pleasant.

Despite all that I continued using it - it was expensive so I couldn't let it go to waste...Sure enough after a few days I loved it. My addiction to bubbles was broken!

The way I use it is by taking an almond size dollop and massage it for a good 2-3 minutes on dry face. I gradually add water and the balm transforms into rich milky lotion as it breaks down dirt, makeup and who knows what else! Then I remove it all with a warm flannel, polishing until its all gone. My skin is left smooth, plumped up, hydrated, supple and radiant - the tight feeling I got from the foaming cleanser was gone and my skin was finally comfortable.


Ingredients;
Vitis vinifera seed oil Prunus amygdalus dulcis oil Caprylic/capric triglyceride Cetearyl alcohol Peg-8 beeswax Peg-6 caprylic/capric glycerides Sorbitan stearate Peg-60 almond glycerides Limonene Citrus aurantium dulcis oil Silica Glycerin Phenoxyethanol Benzyl alcohol Lecithin Citrus aurantium bergamia oil Aqua Citrus aurantium amara oil Juniperus virginiana oil Citrus nobilis oil Crithmum maritimum extract Linalool Butylene glycol Octyldodecyl pca Menthyl pca Ascorbyl palmitate Helianthus annuus seed oil Tocopherol Moringa pterygosperma extract Geraniol Jasminum officinale oil Farnesol Disodium phosphate Rosa damascena oil Citric acid Citral Citronellol


Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm ($56.10 for 100ml) can be purchased at FeelUnique here
*Keep in mind that they offer Free International Shipping on all orders, regardless on your total! What a great deal!

I am a True Convert!

Have you tried Emma Hardie? Any other balm cleansers?

XOXO 

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-)