I ordered this because Herbalism was back ordered and I didn't have any luck with the other cleansers, so I thought I would try something new. It feels a little like rubber...I had a hard time dissolving it like the other Lush cleansers. It felt like I was just rubbing my face with....rubber. It didn't calm my redness, it didn't clean my skin. I think I used it for a full week before I had to stop.

I wanted to love this product. I've been a pretty big fan of every Lush product I've tried so far, but this is the first cleanser of theirs that I've tried, and it just wasn't for me. I started out using it twice daily but found it incredibly drying. After reducing use to once daily I still found it drying. It left my face with an uncomfortably tight, almost astringent feeling, and left a powdery, flaky residue on my face after use, making it feel coated. Using toner afterward got rid of the residue, but even using extra moisturizer did not compensate for the dry, flaky skin this left me with. The smell is also rather off-putting, sort of like a combination of chalk and cough medicine. It's just a weird product all around. The texture makes it kind of fun to use, and going in to the store and watching the sales associate cut off a sushi roll of product and packaging it up for you is entertaining. The packaging makes it difficult to get the appropriate amount of product out of the container, though. Like I said, I wanted to love this product because it just seemed like so much more fun than a regular cleanser. But I can't recommend it for dry, sensitive skin.

I really like this cleanser and I think it is really good for sensitive skin. It feels really natural and feels like it is doing your skin a lot of good.

USE:
I use aqua marina for light makeup days or sometimes when I just want my skin to feel fresh. I also use it when I feel like my skin is a bit sensitive or is acting up. It has quite a calming sensation when my skin is flaring up - I think because of the calamine powder and aloe vera gel. It is quite soothing and makes your skin very soft afterwards.

PRICE:
I think I paid AUD$16 for a tub of aqua marina which I think is quite reasonable because a tub will last a good few months. Natural skin cleansers are important to me so I'm willing to pay a little extra for something that is good for my skin. I think the shelf life of aqua marina (like most LUSH cleansers) is three or so months, but you are able to freeze it, which is what I do with half of my tub.

VERDICT:
To be honest, I usually reach for my other lush cleansers over this one on a daily basis because I tend towards oily skin. I also wear a fair bit of makeup and need a heavier duty cleanser than aqua marina. However I do like aqua marina for when my skin is feeling particularly sensitive. So if you have sensitive skin this is a great choice.

INGREDIENTS (taken from the LUSH website):
Glycerine (Glycerine), Calamine Powder (Calamine Powder), Kaolin (Kaolin), Irish Moss Gel (Chondrus crispus), Organic Aloe Vera Gel (Aloe barbadensis), Fine Sea Salt (Fine Sea Salt), Nori Seaweed (Algae), Sweet Wild Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis), Patchouli Oil (Pogostemon cablin), Carrageenan Extract (Chondrus crispus), Perfume (Perfume)

I'm on my second jar of this cleanser now, and I must say it really works good on my skin. I like it because it's good for those who have dry skin but need someting that removes dirt and prevent breakouts. Before using this my face would be really dry from other cleansers, but since using this my face has been much better. It's still a little bit dry sometimes, but easily fixed by lush's moisturizer imperialis. I can't say how effective it is to prevent breakouts, but it has kept my face pretty clear. It just keeps fresh for 3 months, but I found that you can make the expiration date longer if you keep it in the fridge. I hate the smell.. but otherwise a great product.

I tried Aqua Marina after using Angels on bare skin for a couple of months, it made my skin look greasy so I tried a non-exfoliating cleanser. I don't understand why it is recommended for sensitive skin, it dries my skin so much I can see small cracks on it, and normally I don't have dry skin issues. No thank you.

tried this 5 years ago with disasterous results. Accidentally picked it up the other day when buying some herbalism and this had been mixed in the stack of them.
Thought I would try it again just to see, and same issue, burned like hell on my skin, itching, redness almost instantly. i had to actually take a shower and rub calamine cream into my skin then wash it off in the shower, i then had to use eye drops for hayfever and allergies just to get the stinging out of my eyes, then took a Benadryl. NIGHTMARE!

Ok so far in terms of how my skin is taking it, though I am not sure I want to mess with putting this in my palm and soaking and stroking it to a point where I apply it to my face. If it makes my skin great, it might be worth the effort.

I love the facial cleansers Lush comes out with. I've tried almost every single one, except Angels on bare skin. And I'm only talking about the 4 they usually have laying out. Anyway, I used to use herbalism and dark angels. But alas, my skin has become dry and less oily recently. I had two pimples that left my face in havoc, and my skin needed moisture. The blemishes had healed, but left my skin dry and patchy. And the past few weeks, NJ has been experiencing snow and low tempature, already making my skin dry.

This soothed my irritated skin, replenished the moisture I needed, and managed to not make acne prone skin break out. The cleanser is definitely more creamy than dark angels and herbalism, which makes the process of blending it a bit harder, since it's kinda bulky or tacky? Those might be the wrong words, but it takes a little bit more time to break this down to a thick not watery consistency. With the prior two I used, I had a nice paste after a bit of water. All in all, I love this and no longer have dry skin.

I started using this 6 months ago and I LOVE IT!!! I am on a medication called Accutane as I have really bad acne and my skin was very sensitive and flaky. After I used this for about 2 days I immediately saw a difference. My skin was hydrated and less red. It is a little messy with the bits of seaweed but I don't care. I suggest if you have really dry skin couple this with cetaphil moisturizer.

I can't use this cleanser as it makes me break out badly. So I wont be buying it again. It's a shame really as it it makes my skin feel soft and clean. I've gone back to it a couple of times (when I get samples) to try it and the result is always the same - acne!