review: dr. hauschka cleansing milk

In general I like to have a gentle, non-foaming cleanser in my skincare routine at all times. I reserve use for it in the mornings to gently wash away treatment/oil residue and I also like having it on hand to use at the end of the days where I don't wear a scrap of makeup at all.

I have been using the Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Milk for the past few months as my gentle cleanser so I thought I would give my thoughts on it.

This cleanser retails for around $37 USD. It comes in a glass pump container that holds 4.9 fl oz of product. It claims to clean away impurities as well as makeup gently without over stripping or drying out the skin. The brand goes on to say that this cleansing milk contains ingredients that nourish the skin, control oil production, and soothe irritation. Sounds like appealing stuff, eh?

INGREDIENTS:
Water/Aqua, Alcohol, Anthyllis Vulneraria Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Glycerin,Fermented Grain Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bentonite, Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Fragrance/Parfum (Essential Oil), Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool, Citronellol.

The cleanser itself has a creamy lotion-like consistency. True to its name, it stays milky and doesn't lather up. It has a very herbal scent to it which I found a little funky. Luckily it doesn't linger. I like this cleanser. It was gentle and non drying just like the brand claims. It does NOT clean off makeup though, which isn't too heartbreaking for me since I don't use it this way.

With the past gentle cleaners I have tried (CeraVe, Cetaphil), the product had no bangs and whistles. They gently cleansed the skin which was all well and good but there was no added benefits. This is the first gentle cleanser that I found had some kind of effect beyond just standard cleaning. I found that it mildy kept small breakouts at bay and felt refreshing on the skin.

OVERALL:
This really is a nice product. It feels nice on the skin, it cleans gently, it pretty much does every thing it says on the packaging besides remove makeup which isn't a big deal for me since I don't use it for that. But is it worth $37? I honestly don't think so. I think that amount is a bit of a stretch for such a gentle cleanser, even if it did have some small benefits. I appreciate that the cleanser was gentle and mildly astringent but I still don't think that justifies the price.

I would recommend it if you don't mind coughing up the dough. It would work with all skin types; it is gentle enough for sensitive skin. The brand is reputable and gets a lot of love from people.