Ask me what product in your skincare lineup is ever worth spending more than £10 and my answer is seldom cleanser - except in the case of this luxe and oh-so nourishing facial wash...
Washing your face is a one or two-minute job - five, tops, if you’re battling with stubborn eye makeup. The best cleansers are the ones that make this process an easy and satisfying one. You want a product that cleans your skin without stripping it of its natural oils – but beyond that, there’s not really anything else you need it to do, or much it can do, in such a short space of time.
Having said all of that, the hypocrite in me feels the need to admit that there is one slightly premium cleanser that I'm head over heels for...the Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturising Cleanser. While it costs £38 for a full-size bottle, it’s the most nice-to-have (rather than a must-have) product I own - but it is really, really nice to have and here's why...
The *one* premium cleanser our Beauty Editor says is worth every penny
This creamy cleanser is the sort of product that makes something as mundane as washing your face suddenly feel like a treat to look forward to, rather than an autopilot chore like brushing your teeth.
RRP: £38 for 240ml
This gentle, non-foaming cleanser works to rid the skin of impurities, lifting dirt, oil and makeup residue without stripping the skin. Its creamy formula features a luxe blend of manuka honey, avocado and goat milk and is designed for all skin types - especially sensitive.
It’s a cream cleanser, which makes it more suitable for all skin types than the best cleansing balms, but I think you’ll be most impressed if you have a dry, dehydrated or sensitive complexion. I first used it when my skin was in a bit of a pickle (read: red, angry and flaking like a croissant) after I went too gung-ho with a retinol cream and it was just the tonic to cleanse my skin without making matters worse.
Why is it worth buying?
The texture is creamy and loosens when it comes into contact with water rather than foaming. If you’re anything like me and the words “goat milk” are enough to make you imagine the smell of a farm, when you’ll be chuffed to know that there’s no countryside whiff here, just a sweet, comforting milky scent – exactly the kind of thing you want to inhale before bed. My skin feels not just soft after using this, but properly cotton wool, bunny rabbit ears, baby’s cheeks soft, and without leaving any pore-clogging residue behind.
How does it do it? Well, the key ingredients list reads a bit like a shopping list for a smoothie you wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Gwyneth Paltrow drinks, with goat milk to soothe, manuka honey to nourish and jojoba and avocado oils to moisturise. Essentially, it’s a cocktail of good, gentle things and I like that it doesn’t make any wild claims beyond this. All of those ingredients will wash your skin with kindness, but they’re not going to dramatically change its appearance or texture like some active-packed cleansers claim to.
Who should use it?
If you’re a fan of double cleansing then I’d recommend using this as a second cleanse. Using a cleansing oil or even your best micellar water first to remove the top layer of makeup, SPF and daily grime gives Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturising Cleanser maximum opportunity to work its magic on your skin without obstruction, so you can take full advantage of all those nourishing goodies.
Ultimately, I’m still not going to tell you that you need to spend £38 on a cleanser, because you absolutely don’t. But, if you were asking me what would make your nighttime routine feel less like going through the motions, Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturising Cleanser is the answer.
