Skincare Journal wk12: Bye bye Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel

I have combo skin so I’m fine with cleanser that are a bit drying, but when my skin turned SUPER dry and whiny in the winter, Boscia Purifying unexpectedly became a favorite. Even when my cheeks are dry/cracked from the 25mph below-freezing wind, Boscia did not dry it out more and make it hurt like other less moisturizing cleanser for combo skin. Sure, I’ve got a couple of oil cleansers and they are great at cleansing and moisturizing, but I feel like the moisturizing part kind of interferes with the serum/treatment products I put on afterward. This is a gel cleanser, which means it doesn’t foam up very much, but you don’t need a lot to get a lather and it does leave the face feel clean and hydrated, no dryness and no moisturizing residue feel etc.

I still have a hint of a swatch of KVD foundation that’s been on my hand since yesterday (I’ve washed my hand, but haven’t used makeup remover or cleanser on it), so I figured I would test the makeup removing ability. For good measures, I drew a line with Stila waterproof liner and swiped Givenchy lipstick on there, waited a few second for them to dry/settle then used the cleansing gel on it. I was trying to show what the gel looks like, and it alread run/trickled down over the liner while I was trying to take the picture with the other hand. I used quick, gentle circular motion over the area and counted. The liner started breaking down at 20 and my hand was perfectly clean at 50. So yes, it does work work in removing makeup, but just like any cleanser, you shouldn’t just smear it on your face a couple times and call it again. In general, you should rub ~30 seconds to fully get everything off. If you are wearing a full face of makeup, however, I do recommend using a makeup remover before cleansing. According to the website, it’s a “sulfate-free makeup remover and cleanser that deeply cleanses while preserving natural moisture…This purifying lather gently-yet-thoroughly purifies, refines the look of pores, and leaves the skin feeling fresh and comfortable”. Not sure about pores, but it did deliver on all the other claims it made.

As for skincare journal, I decided to be incredibly lazy do a little experiment this week.

Peel it off! Peel it off! Boscia Peel off masks.

Masks are fun and a booster for your skincare. There’s the crumbly mud kind, the fizzy foamy kind, the drippy sheet kind, the moisturizer kind, and the peel off kind. Personally I like the peel off kind, because I already have 1232 steps in my skincare and peeling it off is much simpler and less messy than rinse it off at a sink. For today, we will be playing with Boscia peel off masks: blue for hydration, white for anti-aging/whitening, green for oil-control and black for detox.

I originally got into peel off masks when I discovered Sekkisei Kose, and that stuff is strong I tell ya. It’s great when your skin is sturdy and feels flaky and greasy. It feels like you are peeling the top layer off, but it will make you cry if you use it after showering when your skin is softer. That set me on a quest to find a peel off mask that is fun and don’t make me cry, which led me to Boscia. Now then, which kind is right for you? let’s find out.