Aqualabel Moisture Creamy Oil Cleansing

On the road for the past week and been using this 20g tube of Aqualabel Moisture Creamy Oil Cleansing from the Aqualabel Moisture Kit, which also includes the Moisture Milky Mousse Foam, 20mL each of Lotion R (Softening) and Emulsion R (Softening), both of which I will review next.

I purchased my kit from Adam Beauty for USD16.50, which is actually not bad considering Japanese retail for the kit is JPY1,200.

Here, "Creamy Oil Cleansing" means gel-to-oil, and unlike Dr.Ci:Labo Super Cleansing EX where the gluegel-to-oil needs a little help from the shower's steam to break down into oil, this Aqualabel one was quick to action, apply, massage and 5 seconds later I have myself a nice and thick cleansing oil to massage my face with. It is scented with a very mild and pleasant fragrance which doesn't bother me.

The gel-to-oil removes sunscreen and makeup pretty well. That said, I'm very disappointed it doesn't rinse as well as it should. Don't get me wrong, I don't expect a squeaky clean rinse. In fact, I'm pretty used to the slight film most cleansing creams, milks, and some oils leave behind. But this one? This one leaves behind a film so thick it felt as though I was washing my face with cooking oil. Thank goodness I follow up with the Milk Mousse Foam, which washes most of the greasy film away leaving my skin nice and soft.

So I think this Creamy Oil Cleansing is meant to use in conjunction with another cleanser, be it of the same skincare range or whatever else you wish. It's not meant to be a stand alone cleanser, which I where I think it falls short of other oil-type cleansers, for which a follow up cleanser is nice but certainly not required. I don't like it when a product makes me feel like it's not enough and requires something else to finish the job, because that would totally defeats the purpose, don't you think? Sure, I do use a follow up cleanser regardless, but that's because I want to, and not because I have to, and that choice is an important distinction to me. I will not purchase this in a full size.