I’ve been meaning to do this review for quite some time, as I started testing this before Christmas!

I’m a big fan of cleansing oils – they remove grime, makeup and cleanse the skin without stripping it. A lot of people freely admit that they are freaked out at the idea of using a cleansing oil, but they basically work on the principle that like removes like…

Cast your mind back to when you were a wee nipper, and your dad/mum/guardian/older brother sister/role model of any gender or age would come in from tinkering with the car engine… What do you remember them using to clean up? WD40, or some other form of (what can only be described as) potted grease. This would disolve the grease already on the skin more effectively than a squizz of washing up liquid…
Did you ever run out of nail varnish? My mum once taught me a trick involving using an old polish to add an extra coat, which would liquify the existing polish, and that could then be wiped away… Now I’m not sure if this trick still works in these “big three free” days, but hopefully I’m getting the point across (if not excessively labouring it) that like removes like… 

There are a lot of cleansing oils on the market… Shu Uemura, RMK, SK-II, Laura Mercier, Bobby Brown, MAC. The issues is that a lot of them contain Mineral Oils…

What’s the big deal with Mineral Oils (Petrolatum; Petroleum or MSDS)? 
Mineral oil is a waste product from the production of petrol and other products made from crude oil. It costs more to dispose of mineral oil than it does to use in cosmetics.It actually has many good uses – softening and removing earwax, various medicines and the reduction of eczema… however it has also been associated with skin irritation, cited as a possible carcinogen and also associated with pneumonia if inhaled in aerosol form…

So why am I harping on about mineral oil? Because NUDE cleansing oil is a rare exception in the cleansing oil arena, as it is free of mineral oil… It is also free of parabens, sulphates, PEGs, TEA, DEA, propylene glycol, phthalates, GMO and silicones. 

glycine soja (soybean) oil, polyglyceryl-4-oleate (vegetable oil), squalene (olive oil), tocopherol acetate (plant sources), natural fragrance (parfum), benzyl benzoate (essential oil), linalool (essential oil), eugenol (essential oil) 

A lot of people are also confused about how to use cleansing oils too… Basically they all work in the same way – you apply them to dry skin, and massage onto the skin surface. This massaging action enables the oil to dissolve grime, makeup and general muck on the skin. After this, warm water is applied to the skin, either using the hands or a muslin cloth. When the warm water is added, the oil “emulsifies” and forms a milky liquid, which can then be rinsed off. And you are, as Gordon Ramsay would say “Done”. 

This oil is aimed towards people with normal-dry skin, and as such worked well on my skin – the oil retails at £22.00 for 100mls, and also boasts completely recyclable packaging. As with all the NUDE line, the packaging is clean and modern, which I really like. 

The bottle recommends using 2-3 pumps for the face, however I found I usually needed a little more than this. It has a pleasant “herbal” smell – it reminds me of a light olive oil, but nicer, spreads well over the face and works well both to cleanse and use as a lubricant for facial massage (no sniggering at the back there!). When water is added, it forms a light milky fluid (not as creamy and opaque as other oils such as Shu Uemura, possibly due to the absence of mineral oils?), which rinses away easily, and leaves my skin feeling cleansed but never tight. It removes all makeup, including mascara and eye makeup easily and gently, without tugging or pulling at the gentle skin around the eyes. It does not feel too heavy on the skin when applied.

I’ve experienced no irritation or breakouts from using this. The oild feels luxurious and smooth on the skin, and does a great job.

VERDICT - Thumbs up from me, as this oil removes every scrap of makeup easily, with no harshness or irritation. It is priced similarly to other premium oils too, and its eco credentials are also a winner. 

You can buy NUDE skincare HERE or HERE.