Forest Essentials Facial Cleanser
The quietude of malls on weekdays is delightful. And so it happened. It was an hour past noon in the end of December, a day with no agenda, I walked into Express Avenue Mall, Chennai. There was some buzz about the day-old Sephora store and facing this was Forest Essentials, a skin and hair care brand whose recipes are derived from Ayurveda, an age-old Hindu system of medicine. I was not a novice to their product-range. I picked up three products on this visit - 50 ml facial cleanser, one lip balm and a luxury butter soap. I'll share my experience with the first two products. At INR 525 for 125 g, I haven't the heart to indulge in the luxurious soap, yet.
Forest Essentials Delicate Facial Cleanser Mashobra Honey, Lemon & Rosewater
Weight 50 ml
Colour
Amber
Packaging
Product comes in a light plastic container with an elegant golden cap suggesting opulence
Key Ingredients
Aqua, glycerin, rose flower extract, kumud flower extract, nagkesar extract, durva extract, lemon juice extract, anantmool root extract, honey, royal jelly extract, bee polen extract and Vitamin E
Other facial cleansers from Forest Essentials
Kashmiri Saffron and Neem
Purifying Soya Milk
USP Authentic Ayurvedic Formulation
Price INR 295
To buy
Most malls in major cities have Forest Essentials outlets. Alternately, you can buy online here http://www.forestessentialsindia.com/
Aqua is a solvent used in many products. In this cleanser its job is to dissolve the ingredients below making it easy for the skin to absorb their goodness.
Glycerin, a water-soluble compound contributes to the faint viscosity of this cleanser. Popular for its moisture-retaining ability, glycerin controls dryness.
Rose flower extract (rose oil) is a fantastic ingredient. Of its numerous qualities, a few are: it is an antiseptic, it calms the skin. I believe rose is skin's best friend.
Kumud flower extract (white waterlily). This beautiful flower that blooms in moonlight is lesser known in skincare but comes packed with moisturising, skin lightening and age-delaying properties. It also removes impurities and fights infections.
Durva extract is derived from the sacred Durva grass used in HIndu rituals. There is an interesting mythological tale of a demon Analasura who was swallowed whole by Lord Ganesha. Having eaten a large demon, the digestion was quite a task, even for the Lord and he continued to struggle until some durva grass was placed on his head. This apparently brought down the heat and aided in metabolism.
It is used in skincare for its potential to treat disorders such as eczema.
Lemon juice extract helps clear out scars and pigmentation
Anantmool root extract: Anantmool is a plant commonly found in Southern India, whose roots run deep into the ground. It is of great medicinal value. It is used in skincare for its ability to detoxify and lighten pigmentation.
Honey is loaded with antioxidants, has antibacterial properties and imparts moisture and glow to skin.
Royal jelly extract is that milky secretion of worker bees. So what's royal about secretion? Well, it is so high in nutrition that the queen bee feeds on it to increase her lifespan and improve her fertility. In us humans, the royal jelly bean is believed to aid in the production of collagen, thereby delaying signs of ageing.
Bee pollen extract: Bee pollen is full of proteins and is an excellent emollient.
Tocopheryl Acetate, a form of Vitamin E fights free radicals and moisturises skin.
TO USE
- Splash water on face and neck.
- Take required quantity of the cleanser on your palm, dot over face and neck.
- Massage face and neck with upward strokes for a couple of minutes.
- Rinse with water and pat dry.
- I prefer to spray on some rose water/vetiver water after.
PRODUCT
Forest Essentials always wins in the packaging department. They use Ayurvedic recipes and none of their products have caused my skin any harm. The fragrance of this cleanser is herbal with a faint scent of lemon. I love the rich amber colour of this cleanser. It is a good product, however, it is not strong enough to rid skin of make-up and oil. I prefer to use this as a part of my morning routine, when my skin is free of product residue and can absorb all the goodness of this cleanser.
VERDICT
- Excellent addition to morning skincare routine.
- Good value for money.
- Contains Ayurvedic ingredients that are filled with goodness.
- As the product label suggests, this is a delicate facial cleanser, so do not expect it to froth/foam like regular face-wash products.
- This is certain to help your skin in the long run.
- The 50 ml pack is travel friendly.