Alba Botanica • Coconut Milk Facial Wash • Cleansers

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bbarry75 on 12/2/2012 1:03:00 AM more reviews by bbarry75

Age: 36-43   Skin: Very Oily, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Green    

love
-does not make me breakout
-leaves my skin soft
-use as my second wash after i take off my makeup

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*TOP REVIEWER* BrittaBot on 11/12/2012 12:17:00 AM more reviews by BrittaBot

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Blue    

When I first used this cleanser, I was taken aback at the smell. I really found it almost intolerable. But it was a little expensive, and I liked the ingredients, so I was determined to finish up the bottle.

Over time it has turned out that I like this cleanser quite well, even though I never grew to *love* the smell of it. I don't even bother using it to wash off makeup. Instead, I use it after cold cream makeup removal and in the shower in the morning. As a bonus, the pump bottle makes it handy in the shower.

I had bought this cream cleanser because sudsing cleansers often strip my skin in the shower due to the combination of detergent, high heat, and water. This cleanser is gentle and never dries my skin, but I think it exfoliates mildly and helps keep my skin looking even and soft.

I would not consider this the most all-purpose product, since I don't think it's the best for removing makeup, but I do think it can serve a very useful purpose in a skincare regime if it suits the user's skin.

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squirrelsatemyramen on 6/23/2012 5:36:00 PM more reviews by squirrelsatemyramen

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

This product is a good match for my normal to sensitive skin. I used to cleanse my face in the morning and before bed. It cleans well, but does not leave my skin feeling stripped or tight and I can get away with forgetting to moisturize for a day or two. The combination of coconut and mint makes for an odd, but pleasant scent and the fragrance does not cause any allergic reactions.

Since I'm on a low budget, I sometimes cannot regularly repurchase items, so I dilute them with water to make them last longer. This works great for many shampoos and soaps, but this cleanser is so gentle that diluting it reduces its cleansing power and I wind up having to use more than I would like.

PROS:
- Very gentle
- Cleanses well
- Moisturizing
- Pleasant scent

CONS:
- Not the cheapest out there
- Not-so-natural ingredients
- Might be hard to find in some areas
- I wish it came in a larger bottle

I used this product for almost a year and really liked it, but none of the local stores carry it anymore, so I have to find a new cleanser since I don't want to order it online. If I find it again, I will definitely repurchase unless I find something even better.

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taurusdragonfly on 5/18/2012 9:03:00 PM more reviews by taurusdragonfly

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Dark, Warm   Hair: Brown, Kinky, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I fell for the pretty bottle and ingredient list and gave this a try. This product is a little odd - I like it, but I wouldn't repurchase. It's a cream cleanser, so it doesn't lather - just smooths onto your skin. Still it rinses clean and leaves your skin feeling refreshed and thoroughly clean. Unfortunately, it doesn't remove makeup, so if you don't wash your face with something else first, it will leave lots of makeup behind. Pretty much countering that deep pore cleansing claims...Also it tingles - not sure which ingredient causes the tingle or why (there are some acids and lye), but my skin doesn't seem irritated by it. But the sensation is odd at first. It smells really good - tropical and a little gingery. The smell is the best thing about it. Since it wasn't a makeup remover or an acne fighter, I started using it as my midday wash - when I got home from work or school or the gym, but wasn't ready for the full before-bed scrub-down.

Overall, it was just a neutral product for me - nothing bad happened and it didn't compete with anything else I already use.

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*TOP REVIEWER* xDOLLFACEx on 4/1/2012 2:05:00 PM more reviews by xDOLLFACEx

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I don't really care for cream cleansers for my day to day face wash routine but this one's okay. I prefer to use it in the morning for a gentle wash vs. trying to use it at night to remove all your makeup, which it isn't bad at but it doesn't get everything. So at night when i do use this I use this to loosen all my makeup. I use 3 pumps of it, massage it around for a few minutes, then rinse. And that has remove about 70% of my makeup. Then i do it a second time which then removes about 90%. then i do a quick wash of a reg. foamy cleanser to get everything. But when i use it in the mornings it leaves my skin super soft, which helps my makeup to go on smoother. But there are some weird aspects to it. Even though its a cream cleanser for sensitive skin, it has a weird numbing/ slightly burning effect. It doesn't hurt or irritate the skin afterwards but its just happens and its weird lol. Especially when applied to the lips it feels very numbing. Also in the morning after you use this and the use toner there is still residue left behind. So its a weird cream cleanser but i do like it.

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ShalimarMoon on 12/21/2011 4:01:00 PM more reviews by ShalimarMoon

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I love many of Alba's products, but not this one. This cleanser did not rinse off easily, it stung a little, and it made my skin red and irritated. But I'm giving it two stars rather than one because it smells nice, has natural ingredients, and is not tested on animals. Maybe I'm just allergic to one of the ingredients. At least I can reuse the pretty pump bottle. If they improved the product, I would buy it again.

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aznlau22 on 10/29/2011 10:42:00 AM more reviews by aznlau22

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Dry, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

i would actually give this product 3.5 because this product isn't bad but for me, it doesn't give me what i was looking for in this cleanser. i have sensitive areas on my cheeks that i think maybe rosacea but i haven't gone to the derm to get it checked out. anyway, those part of my cheeks are constantly red and sensitive. i bought this cleanser because i thought it could help sooth my skin. but as it turns out, it stings my sensitive areas a little, esp after i exfoliate. my redness isn't relieved at all whenever i use this so i won't be repurchasing again. the smell, wasn't what i expected. it's reminds me of fluoride my dentist uses! haha
i'm not sure how well this takes off makeup.
the cleanser is nice cream cleanser and makes my skin smooth.
i have oily skin and i don't find it to make my skin any oilier.
overall, i recommend this for all skin types esp normal and dry skin. for sensitve skin people, this may work for you but i never experienced stinging on my face until i used this product. i used to wash my face with harsher cleansers but those never stung my face.

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KalmiaB on 7/31/2011 2:18:00 PM more reviews by KalmiaB

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Other, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I like this for applying to my face before stepping in the shower. It's thick enough so it doesn't run down my face or get in my eyes. I love the pump bottle. It's not at all drying and the scent is pleasant enough.

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Katillac on 3/14/2011 7:00:00 PM more reviews by Katillac

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

LOVE! Due to using Differin Gel 0.3%, for many many years, my face has become very dry and sensitive. I've used Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser for years but decided to mix it up about 4 months ago when my skin was becoming dull and dryer. After some research, I found this cleanser and I'm very pleased! It's a creamy cleanser (same consistency as Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser ... does not lather up). I use it twice a day along with the Hibiscus Facial Toner and Jasmine & Vitamin E Moisture Cream (both from Alba). Two times a week I also use Pineapple Enzyme Facial Scrub to get rid of dull skin. My dry and acne-prone skin is now clear and moisturized! The only reason I gave it 4 lippies instead of 5 was that it sometimes burns the skin around my eyes (in all fairness, it says to not put product on/around the eyes)! Other than that, it's wonderful! I've repurchased it twice so far and will continue to do so!

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sunshinelu on 3/8/2011 10:24:00 PM more reviews by sunshinelu

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Unfortunately this product did not work well for me. I have normal skin and had a phase where it just started getting worse (breakouts, dryness, uneven skin tone). I have the Alba Jasmine Green Tea face moisturizer and Body Cocoa Butter Lotion that are amazing so I thought this would be amazing too. This just didn't seem to clean my face very well. although it smells delicious. Nothing was getting better! I finally tried Philosophy's Purity cleanser and microexfoliator(?) face wash and just after 2 days my face was looking so much better (too bad the price is a bit ridiculous...). Still got love for Alba though, just not this product :)

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Cparrott09 on 11/23/2010 10:07:00 PM more reviews by Cparrott09

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I use this as my morning face wash, since its not really well advised to me by my dermatologist to wash my face in the morning, its not enough to clean off makeup but enough to prepare my face for my day creams and makeup. It doesn't feel like a soap at all.

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sollieday on 9/22/2010 10:36:00 PM more reviews by sollieday

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

Bleh. I don't like this cleanser. My skin is sensitive and it stung when I used it. It couldn't take off my mascara, and sure, maybe it's not supposed to do that, but come on, mascara is pretty much all the makeup I wear and it's not waterproof, for pete's sakes. I can mostly just wipe it off with water, so I don't understand how this cleanser seemed to bond with the mascara and give me indelible racoon eyes. I guess it is a miracle product, in its way.

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jenetteln on 9/11/2010 10:27:00 PM more reviews by jenetteln

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

I have rosacea & ezcema, I have a very hard time trying to find a product that meets both of those needs. I read a lot of reviews for this product because my skin is very dry most of the time. When I first tried the product I was a little worried about the tingling feeling when applying, but it was really the peppermint that is refreshing my skin. I have had 0 breakouts and no allergic reactions since I have been using this product over a month. I recommend this with anyone that has extremely sensitive skin.

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KateCasado on 7/31/2010 6:21:00 PM more reviews by KateCasado

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

this product cleans very well and has a tingly feel to it. i find that it sometimes cleans too well and it sometimes leaves my skin feeling very dry and flakey. It but on the bright side it keeps my skin free of acne.

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sweetcandies on 7/22/2010 3:08:00 AM more reviews by sweetcandies

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Very Oily, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I bought this product while I was in a vitamin store because the worker told me it was really popular; but I didn't read that it was for sensitive skin D: And if anything, I am farrr from sensitive skin. I tried this product and uhmmm it did absolutely nothing for my skin D': I really wish it did, but nope not one thing... I would probably recommend this for sensitive skin people. But definitely for people that want a cleanser to help with acne or oily skin control :/

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lulabellabeauty on 5/6/2010 5:11:00 AM more reviews by lulabellabeauty

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

I really like this cleanser. I need something very mild, but that actually does a good job of cleansing and I've found it with this. I took one star off for the smell though. It smells like peppermint with a chemical smell that I can't quite name. Not pretty at all. It also leaves a cool feeling on the face which Im not a huge fan of, but can deal with. THis does clean well though. It also doesn't strip or irritate my face at all. And it is pretty affordable and a natural product ( i try to use natural and organic as much as possible) Overall, i would recommend to those who need a mild good cleanser.

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EUPHORIASTAFF on 4/26/2010 2:29:00 PM more reviews by EUPHORIASTAFF

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Blue    

This cleanser is so amazing for my sensetive acne prone skin, I am so suprised. I use it while my face is still dry and just massage it on then rinse with warm water. Takes my make up off completley and leaves my skin feeling super soft.

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scratchtopaz on 2/27/2010 12:28:00 PM more reviews by scratchtopaz

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Blond, Straight   Eyes: Brown    

I like this product. It was purchased at a health food store in S. Lake Tahoe, when I forgot to pack my Fresh Soy Cleanser. The pump is perfect to keep in the shower for a one stop shopping morning routine. The smell is a bit weird, not coconutty or even really natural, more play-doh. The packaging for Alba stuff reminds me of a quasi tropical-mall type design, it's Key West meets Massapequa. But my skin feels soft and I haven't had any adverse effects, so this cleanser gets 4 lippies!

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*TOP REVIEWER* egoh on 1/10/2010 2:29:00 AM more reviews by egoh

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

Rating : 2.5 lippie if I could . I'm still on the fence about this cleanser, even though I have used it on and off for about 2 months. I love the idea that the cleanser is made with tropical extracts, plant oils, etc etc... but for some reason every time I use this cleanser I get an ever-so-mild "burning" sensation after 15 secs. I normally use about 1 nickel size amount of the cleanser. I also don't feel that it really remove make-up very well. The only thing I really like about is that my skin doesn't feel tight or dry after using it. I probably won't buy it again, since for the price, I think I can get a better cleanser.

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swingsettheory on 12/24/2009 5:07:00 AM more reviews by swingsettheory

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I have dry skin prone to clogging pores. This cleanser is gentle, moisturizing, but without leaving any residue behind. Excellent just before I use an exfoliating scrub. I think of it as a pre-treatment: it softens my skin like no other, so the scrub can get rid of dead skin more gently and efficiently. Hasn't clogged my pores - when my skin's quite dry I think it's helped in restoring the moisture barrier.
Smells more like Thin Mints than coconut, though. Somewhat nauseatingly so if you've just woken up with a hangover.

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