Lancome Creme Douceur Cream-to-Oil Massage Cleanser

Almost through with this 60mL/2fl oz. deluxe GWP tube of Lancome Creme Douceur Cream-to-Oil Massage Cleanser. Having been introduced in summer 2011, it was promoted as a part of the Nordstrom Spring 2012 Cheek GWP. However, I'd been away until fall 2012 and couldn't get around to using it until now. Oh well.

Despite the prevalence of oil cleansers in Asia, they've only come around to main stream American consumers within the past few years and even then, quite slowly. I do admit that the stigma of "oil" as something "icky" and problem-causing is pretty hard to dispel. In my own case, it took me a year in Japan to work up the nerve to try an oil cleanser. My first was DHC Deep Cleansing Oil back in the fall of 2007 and it was only with the Oil Cleansing Method the year after that my fear of oil was gone for good. Since then, my religious daily use of Japanese sweat and water resistant sunscreens has a huge role cementing my loyalty to the oil cleanser camp. So a cream-to-oil cleanser from Lancome? Bring it.

The Nordstrom Spring 2012 Cheek came with Renergie Lift Volumetry 15g, Volumetry Eye 7g, both of which went to my mum, Color Design Lipstick in Fashion Icon, this Creme Douceur Cream-to-Oil Massage Cleanser, Visionnaire Advanced Skin Corrector 7mL (will review next!), and Tonique Radiance 50mL/1.7fl oz. Despite what the screencap lists, I received slightly different items my GWP, not that I'm complaining, mind you ^.^

***Screencap via Nordstrom.com.

This Creme Douceur is actually not bad! In fact, it's more user friendly than Boscia Soothing Cleansing Cream and Dr.Ci:Labo Super Cleansing EX, as in breaking down into oil much faster. As a cream it's thicker than both Cle de Peau Beaute Cleansing Cream and Dr.Ci:Labo Enrich Lift Cleansing & Massage, but not gluey at all like the Super Cleansing EX. As an oil, it has a much thinner consistency too, just like liquid oil cleansers minus the runny mess. This means it spreads much easier on my skin and is not tugging when used to massage with. It rinses cleaner off of my hand than my face though, leaving a slight film which I don't mind. I haven't tried removing my makeup with it, but it does remove my sunscreen completely so makeup shouldn't be a problem.

Still, there are 2 things I don't like about this cream-to-oil cleanser. A minor downside is that it's, umm, pretty. It comes out of the tube a glossy cream that's shimmery pearly off white with a periwinkle iridescent sheen. However, since I'd wash it all off in a minute anyway this is annoying but tolerable. A bigger downside is that it's clumsily scented. I think it's meant to smell of roses like many other Lancome products, but it turns out to smell really chemical and fake. Urgh. I would have liked this cleanser much more if it weren't for the smell. That said, fragrances are totally subjective, so for all I know you might like it ^.^


Over all, I would say this is a good introductory product for oil cleansers. It cleans well, easy to use with a nice texture and consistency, and it's more affordable than Dr.Ci:Labo and Cle de Peau Beaute. It's very convenient for traveling too, because a traveling liquid oil cleanser is an oil-spill-in-your-luggage waiting to happen. I used to pack individual use packets, but as you know they are more expensive than the pump bottle, not to mention the wasteful packaging. So it turns out these cream-to-oil cleansers are an excellent traveling choice to the liquid ones.