Nude Cleansing Facial Wash

Nude Skincare has been receiving a lot of press lately. The UK-based brand, co-founded by Ali Hewson (wife of U2 frontman Bono), specializes in organic skincare free of parabens, sulphates, mineral oils and other nasties. I went to Mecca Cosmetica with the intention of trying out a Ren cleanser, but the sales assistant directed me to Cleansing Facial Wash from Nude instead. She said that it was her favourite and that I had to try it even if I didn't intend to buy it. She made me a generous sample to take back home, and I ended up buying a full-sized bottle two days later.

The cleanser feels very gentle and has a 'slip' to it reminiscent of fresh aloe vera gel. This makes it ideal for shaving, as well: I use this instead of a shaving cream in the mornings. It may not be effective enough to remove heavy, waterproof makeup, but it's a very good everyday option for people with normal to oily skin who wear little to no makeup. My skin doesn't feel tight after using this, and I use it twice daily. My acne-prone skin has been relatively breakout-free since I started using this (along with Acne.org Treatment gel and Erno Laszlo Antioxidant Mattifier).

Available at Mecca Cosmetica for $56 (200 ml). It's slightly cheaper if you order it on the Nude website. They offer free shipping for orders over 50 GBP.