Available in Singapore for sometime now, we put The Pure Lotus Botanical pH Balancing Cleanser to the test after receiving a complimentary sample from them. Keep reading for our full product review.
The Pure Lotus is a small cult brand from South Korea, that features White Lotus Extract in a proprietary botanical blend in all its products, including the Botanical pH Balancing Cleanser. Sourcing exclusively from Jeju island where the rich volcanic soil imbues the botanicals with high levels of antioxidant activity, The Pure Lotus is a unique brand that focuses on quality, efficacy and affordable luxury - unique in the fast and furious world that is the k-beauty industry.
Though The Pure Lotus has had a wide range of products available in Singapore for a few years now, The Botanical pH Balancing Gel Cleanser is the only cleanser in its range. “With the number of focused skin treatments to choose from, we wanted to simplify things by making just one high quality cleanser that works for all skin types.” says Oh Yu-jin, founder of The Pure Lotus.
With just a single cleanser in its range, rather unsurprisingly, the Botanical pH Balancing Gel Cleanser has won many accolades in North America and Europe. Closer to home, this cleanser won the Singapore Women’s Weekly Best Cleanser for Dry Skin award a couple of years back, which makes it odd that we’ve never done an in-depth review of this cleanser. But better late than never!
TL;DR
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BEST FOR:
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All skin types especially dry and sensitive skin
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USE:
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A light cleanser with a mild lather and a citrus scent that cleans and refreshes without drying out your skin. Gentle enough and effective as both steps in a double cleanse.
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ABOUT:
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Clean, Vegan, Cruelty-Free, pH Balanced
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PRICE:
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$39 (US$29), 150ml/5.07fl oz
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ABOUT THE BRAND:
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The Pure Lotus focuses on the antioxidant rich white lotus that they harvest from the grounds of a 800 year old buddhist temple. Proudly made in Jeju, all its botanicals are sourced exclusively from Jeju-do where the rich volcanic soil imbues them with high levels of nutrients and antioxidant activity.
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About My Skin: Dry & Sensitive
Selecting the right cleanser is a bit of a Goldilocks situation for me. Cleansing, by its nature, is the harshest step of any skincare routine and with dry, sensitive skin it can be very challenging to get it just right.. Cleansers with harsh surfactants while effective at removing dirt, makeup and other debris, can strip my skin and cause scaliness and dry irritation. This has made me quite wary and selective when it comes to the cleansing products that I use.
I currently use the pH Cure Foam Cleanser from Lagom which is specially formulated for sensitive skin. Though my current cleanser works well for me but as a beauty writer, I’m always game to trying something new and the Botanical pH Balancing Gel Cleanser is also formulated at the skin’s natural pH in order to minimise irritation.
First Impressions
The packaging is excellent from the design of the box that it comes in, to the quality of the pump dispenser which you often only see with high-end luxury brands. The bottle is also a generously sized 150ml. The outer box is covered in a water-colour print that has been beautifully designed by a renowned Jeju artist, or so I’m told.
The cleanser itself has a gel texture - no surprises - with an off-white appearance. It has a mild and pleasant botanical scent with a strong hint of citrus and some mild floral notes which I found quite natural and refreshing. There isn’t any added fragrance, natural or synthetic, in this cleanser and the scent comes entirely from the active ingredients in the formulation.
This cleanser lathers very easily into a mild foam and is quite different from the pH Cure Foam Cleanser which has a thicker lather. Nevertheless, I found the Botanical pH Balancing Gel Cleanser to be just as effective a cleanser and it did feel stripping. In fact, my skin surprisingly felt mildly moisturised despite a thorough double cleanse.
What’s In It?
All the Ingredients that go into this cleanser are all clean and vegan, and while most of the ingredients are natural or naturally occurring, this cleanser isn’t strictly 100% natural. It does contain some synthetic ingredients that while listed as EWG-Green and therefore clean and safe to use, means that this cleanser isn’t marketed as a natural cleanser.
While natural skincare has its merits, there are some synthetic ingredients that still make a huge difference in stability, quality and efficacy. Some synthetic ingredients can also be much less irritating to sensitive skin than its natural alternative. So, while I am a strong proponent of using products that are as natural as possible, this wasn’t a big issue for me.
This cleanser has quite a complex formulation with over 30 ingredients like Aloe Vera, Lavender, Lemon, Rosemary, Panthenol, Allantoin and more - simply too many to list. But here is a quick run down of some of its key active ingredients:
- Niacindamide - Water soluble, Vitamin B3 strengthens your skin’s natural barrier minimising environmental damage, tightens pores, improves uneven skin tone, softens wrinkles and brightens dull skin.
- Green Tea - High in antioxidant activity, Green Tea is a natural anti-inflammatory and -bacterial that has powerful anti-ageing effects and can improve skin moisture and texture while protecting against harmful UV rays and other environmental stressors.
- White Lotus - Rich in Flavonoids and Polyphenols, powerful antioxidants, The Pure Lotus’ signature ingredient helps protect the skin against environmental stressors, preserving skin moisture and promoting cell regeneration.
- Rice Bran - Containing antioxidants like Vitamin B and E, moisturising Squalene, and nourishing omega fatty acids, Rice Bran Oil is a skin nourishing ingredient that helps soften and condition your skin for that soft and supple feel.
- Barberry Fig - Derived from a type of cactus, this is a rare cosmetic ingredient that is a natural antimicrobial that kills most common germs and bacteria. It also contains moisturising Trehalose that helps promote barrier function and prevent inflammation.
Try It or Skip It?
Overall, this is a very good cleanser that you should definitely try if you have dry to combination skin or if you suffer from skin sensitivity. Not only is this an effective and hydrating cleanser but The Pure Lotus did not stinge on its formula by including the best skincare ingredients more commonly found in high-end luxury or dermatological brands.
At $39 it wouldn’t be considered cheap but the generously sized bottle makes it real value for money especially if you are already using a more expensive cleanser from the big brands like SK-II, Clinique or Estee Lauder. On top of a thorough cleanse, the Botanical pH Balancing Cleanser delivers many additional skincare benefits and sets the right tone for any skincare routine.
About the writer
Hanna is a writer, dog-lover, and beauty connoisseur. Outside of writing, she spends most of her time snuggling her cocker spaniel pup, trying all kinds of fitness classes, and attempting to learn to cook.
