Review: Freeman Refining Facial Cleanser (Pear)

The other day, as I was squeezing out the last bits of my fifth (or was it sixth) tube of my fave Himalaya Herbals cleanser, I found myself making a mental note to have that tube replaced.

Promptly I went prowling in Guardian, but I came home not with another tube of Himalaya Herbals, but with this instead: Freeman's Refining Facial Cleanser in Pear.

As much as I love my Himalaya Herbals, I think I was just itching to try out something new. While it was the bright green tube which caught my attention, it was definitely the words "oil-controlling salicylic acid" on it which cinched the deal.

Of course, the fact that it really does smell deliciously like pear (and apples too), only made me like it more.

Bringing it home, I've put it to work immediately. This gel-cleanser works quite lovely, but I'll warrant you'll need something to remove your makeup first. Used in my usual 2-step cleansing routine where I give my face a scrub first, this cleanser has no problems in cleaning up whatever residue's left on my face.

BUT.

Just a few little points to take note. On their oil-control claim (and the implied anti-acne properties), I seriously doubt it's helping me in that department. The product does not state the percentage of its salicylic acid content, which as Kahani pointed out, would usually mean that the salicylic content is so minimal that it's not worth printing. I'm inclined to agree.

Freeman products are made in the US, but they don't appear to be very popular here (I may be wrong, but so far I haven't heard anyone rave about their products),or on MUA either. There's also something about that little red "contains natural ingredient" stamp, which I find a little potentially misleading.

Kinda like trying to appear as a "natural" product, but 2nd on its list of ingredients is sodium laureth sulphate, and a whole load of parabens near the bottom of the list. Uhhh... riiight.


Back to the product itself, however, as a general cleanser, it does a decent job. My skin feels clean and comfortable after a wash. None of that just-had-a-facelift sensation for this one, thankfully.

These days, I seem to reach for it in the mornings, as the pear + apple combo just adds a little fruity zing (and smile) to my morning routine.

At only RM18.90 for a huge 150ml tube, it's definitely in the affordable zone. For me, it's an okay product, works fine, and I really do like it, but there's nothing wow about it. Save the pear scent, which makes me fruity-happy.

I don't think I'll be replenishing, but hey, I'll enjoy my pear while it lasts.

Has anyone tried it? Thoughts?