Washed, Not Stripped

For a long time, moisturisers were my weakness, the jars stacked on my bathroom shelf like little trophies of hope. But lately I’ve found myself lingering over cleansers with the same kind of devotion. Perhaps it’s age, perhaps it’s the pleasure of ritual, but cleansing has become my moment to reset, refresh and treat my skin with a little more generosity. I almost can’t believe it myself, but I’m investing more in cleansers than even my creams these days - or almost!

Because I wear very little make-up day to day, a good cleanse is my equivalent of a fresh canvas. The texture, the scent, the way it leaves the skin feeling prepped but not stripped – that’s what matters most. I tend to rotate between a few favourites, each bringing something different to the table depending on how my skin feels and what kind of day it’s been.

I’ve been working through CHANEL’s Sublimage L’Huile‑en‑Gel de Démaquillage for the past year, and it still feels like a small ceremony each evening. The oil‑gel texture melts effortlessly on contact, massaging into a rich, cushiony base that seems to dissolve the day away. When water touches it, it transforms into a silky white emulsion that rinses clean while leaving behind a faint, comforting veil of moisture. The brand’s Enriched Planifolia extract from Madagascar - a potent antioxidant derived from the vanilla plant - gives this cleanser its reparative edge, helping to protect skin from environmental stress as it purifies. It’s the definition of luxury skincare that actually earns its keep.

Then there’s Merit’s Great Skin Double Cleanse, a newer arrival that has already secured its place in my travel kit. It’s practical – perfectly portable and straightforward with a quick shake to mix it up – but also smartly formulated. Designed as a two‑step experience in one bottle, it uses micellar technology to lift away make-up and surface grime first, then follows with nourishing squalane and niacinamide to rebalance and prep the skin. It’s rare to find something that removes even stubborn mascara yet leaves the skin hydrated and calm, not tight. It feels modern, clever and very much of our time – for those who want results, not rituals that take half an hour.

And then there’s Emma Lewisham, whose science‑meets‑sustainability ethos continues to raise the bar. Her Illuminating Exfoliant has long been my deep‑cleanse day favourite, powered by natural AHAs and BHA from fruit enzymes to lift dullness and reveal brightness. It gives just enough physical polish to make me feel truly renewed, without irritation. Her brand‑new Supernatural Creme Cleanser, which I trialled before its launch, is even more impressive. It purifies without disrupting the skin’s delicate moisture barrier, keeping the microbiome balanced thanks to a smart blend of ceramides and botanical oils. After rinsing, my skin feels nourished and protected – the perfect base to decide which layers of moisturiser or serum the day will demand.

With older models gracing the catwalks at Chanel, Miu Miu and Givenchy, it’s encouraging to see beauty embracing age with grace, not apology. For me, that begins with care, not covering up - and the cleanser, humbly enough, feels like the first beautiful step in that process.