Cleanse Up Your Act: The Best Cleansers from Eve Lom, Bioderma, Kiehl's and L'Occitane

Strange as this sounds to some, cleansing is one of the most overlooked but important steps in your skincare regime and having the right cleansing routine and products can make the biggest difference in the quality of your skin and how well the other products you use work. Here are the very best cleansers I've comes across from Kiehl's, Eve Lom, L'Occitane, and Bioderma.

This might sound a bit obvious but it's only been in recent times I've truly become aware of the skin sins so many people commit and one of the biggest mistakes of all is underestimating the power a good cleanser has on your skin and the difference it makes to find one that suits you and that you use on an every day basis. A shocking amount of people go to bed without taking off their makeup and so many people apply products without cleansing first which means you get a lot less out of the serums and moisturisers you use. Investing in a decent cleanser can actually transform your skin and I swear by this selection of tried and tested products which have, in different ways, all made such a noticeable difference to the quality of my skin over the past few years.

Best Micellar Water/ Quick Fix Cleanser:

Bioderma Sensibo H2O Micelle Solution for Sensitive Skin

I - and every beauty writer in the world it seems at this point - have spoken at length about Bioderma's Sensibo H2O Micelle Solution and the reason this product is such a cult item is because it's just simply so effective, gentle and also really inexpensive. Bioderma only arrived in Ireland in June this year and before that I used to order this online after hearing so many great reports about it. It's the product models and makeup artists always stock up on at Paris Fashion week and it's hard to find a backstage snap from any catwalk show without spying the famous pink lid of Sensibo H2O.

This extremely gentle solution can be used on even the most sensitive skin; it's as gentle as water but so effective at thoroughly removing makeup and cleansing your skin. It's also very handy, takes little time to use and is available in three sizes including a 100ml travel size I take with me everywhere at this point. If you're feeling a bit lazy or you've come home from a long night out and regularly go to bed with a full face of makeup, consider picking this up. It's the quickest, easiest cleansing solution to not commit the big skin sin of sleeping in your makeup and the very best - much better for your skin - alternative to facial wipes.

RRP from €5.50 for 100ml, €11.50 for 250ml and €16 for 500ml. Available from pharmacies nationwide.

Best All Round Face Wash:

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser

From the moment I first tried Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser I have had a bottle of it on the go at all times and have recommended it to so many people who now also use it as their go-to cleanser. It's just the most simple, effective,  cleansing face wash I've ever tried. Like every product from the Ultra Facial line I mention in this article, it's simple and effective skincare at its best. It removes makeup so well and makes your skin so clean without drying it out. In my opinion it's the best all round, simple and effective cleanser out there for any skin type. I couldn't recommend it more.

Available from Kiehl's Wicklow St., Dundrum Town Centre, Arnotts and arnotts.ie, RRP €10 for 75ml, €18 for 150ml

Best Luxury / More Than Just a Cleanser Cleanser:

Eve Lom Cleanser

Now for a little bit of luxury, to quote Vogue "probably the best cleanser in the world", Eve Lom's Cleanser is a product with a difference and is much more than just a cleanser. This ultra luxurious cleansing balm is the closest you can get to a daily at home spa treatment and the difference it makes to your skin after one use makes the slightly up there price tag make sense. The cleanser comes with a muslin cloth and the cleanser itself is packed full of nourishing oils so by the time you finish the routine, which involves applying the balm, placing the hot cloth over your face, then using the cloth as a gentle exfoliator as a final step, your skin actually looks so different; radiant, clear and glowing. This is one of the most impressive products I've ever used; it's like a cleanser, serum and moisturiser in one and is the ultimate treat for your skin.

Available from Space NK Grafton St., RRP from €55 to €120

Best Oil Cleanser: 

L'Occitane 5% Shea Butter Cleansing Oil

This is a great one coming into the winter, L'Occitane's 5% Shea Butter Cleansing Oil is such a gentle cleanser that moisturises and nourishes while it cleanses. Just released at the start of the year, I found this particularly good through the winter months when the cold affected my skin and the mixture of extreme cold and extreme heat from central heating caused it to become a lot dryer. Part of L'Occitane's amazing and ever-expanding Shea Butter collection, containing 5% Shea Butter, this is also such a luxurious product to use and really cleanses your skin while effectively remove makeup swiftly and comfortably. You rub the oil into dry skin and massage your face with it before adding water to lather it up and rinse it off with warm water. All of L'Occitane's Shea Butter products are so nourishing and hydrating and if you suffer from dry skin or you want to take extra care coming into the wintermonths, this product is a great go-to.

Available from L'Occitane stores nationwide and http://ie.loccitane.com/ RRP €20

Best Break Out Emergency Cleanser:

Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser

I discovered Kiehl's Rare Earth line during a skin breakout where nothing else was working and now this Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser and the Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque are my number one go-tos for break outs. Containing Amazonian White Clay that purifies your skin, this daily cleansing face wash, which gently exfoliates and detoxifies your skin, is a great product to use to prevent breakouts, reduce shine and minimize enlarged pores while balancing greasy skin. The whole Rare Earth line, from experience, is the best range I've come across to handle breakouts and works so well with regular use to maintain clear, smooth, non-greasy skin.

Available from Kiehl's Wicklow St., Dundrum Town Centre, Arnotts and arnotts.ie, RRP €21.50