Contains affiliate links. All opinions are honest, as always.
I’ve been using the same natural cleansing balm and gel facial wash for a while now and as much as I LOVE them, they are not the most affordable. So I’ve bought some more affordable, yet still pretty natural Q+A Cleansers to review, to see if they match up to my more expensive versions. Afterall, we’re all trying to save money where we can, right?
I’ve been using the Q+A Grapefruit Cleansing Balm for ages and thought it was about time I did a review of it. I also got the Q+A Oat Milk Cleanser in a clean beauty advent calendar so I gave that a try too, and finally I have also been using the Q+A Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Gel Cleanser so I can let you know which is better. Read my Q+A Cleansers review to see which of these clean cleansers I recommend.
I recommend buying from Holland & Barrett, who often have great offers. When you shop through my refer a friend link here we’ll each save £10 if you spend £40.
SHOP AT HOLLAND & BARRETT AND SAVE £10
A Word About Oil Cleansing
You may think that cleansing oily or spot-prone skin with an oily cleanser sounds like a terrible idea. It does sound counter-intuitive to add oil to oily skin, BUT it is actually a great way to cleanse. This is because like dissolves like – oil dissolves the oil in our skin and also in make-up. You can read more about the oil cleansing method here.
Since using oil-based cleansers as my first cleanse, followed by a water-based foaming cleanser, my spot-prone, yet ageing skin has improved dramatically. I prefer to use an oil-based balm cleanser as it’s much less messy, with the same results! You’ll also need an oil-based cleanser to dissolve waterproof make-up and in fact it makes all make-up removal much easier. But always follow with a water-based face wash, to remove any oily residue. Otherwise, it may cause blemishes.
About Q+A
Q+A is a 98% natural beauty brand. This independent brand manufacture their products in Norfolk, which helps reduce their carbon footprint, and say they source their ingredients and packaging in the UK where possible. They have solar panels on site and use a bio-fuel generator and a carbon-neutral hauling supplier.
Q+A have a comprehensive range of clean beauty buys at more affordable prices than many other natural beauty brands. For example their Vitamin C Serum is £9, which is a great price point. The Q+A Grapefruit Cleansing Balm that I am reviewing here is £9 for 125ml, whilst the Q+A Oat Milk Cleanser is £7.50 for 125ml, which is the same price as the Q+A Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Gel Cleanser.
Q+A Grapefruit Cleansing Balm Review
I’ll start with my favourite of the Q+A cleansers for my review: the Grapefruit Cleansing Balm. Q+A say “Let your makeup melt away… designed to tackle even the most stubborn makeup, as well as other daily pollutants, with its soothing combination of oils, gentle cleansers, and grapefruit aroma. Feel the product melt as you apply, a true natural innovation!”
This grapefruit cleansing balm is 100% natural, cruelty-free, alcohol-free and Vegan-friendly. Lots of big ticks from me!
You gently apply this balm to dry skin and massage it in for about half a minute before wiping away with a warm, damp face cloth.
I also follow up with either Evolve face wash or the Q+A Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Cleanser, which I review below, as it does leave some residue.
As you can see here, this cleansing balm is beginning to melt in my hand. It feels lovely on your skin, with plenty of ‘slip’ so you can massage it in without dragging your skin.
100% natural Q+A Grapefruit Cleansing Balm leaves skin feeling really clean but not stripped. So it’s my new favourite and I heartily recommend it unless you have any sensitivity to citrus or fragrance.
Q+A Oat Milk Cream Cleanser Review
Next in my Q+A Cleansers review, I’m going to tell you about the Oat Milk Cream Cleanser. Q+A say “Nourish and soothe your skin as you cleanse with the Oat Milk Cream Cleanser. This gentle, moisturising cleanser is formulated with a triple blend of oat derived ingredients designed to help gently lift makeup and impurities, leaving a refreshed and calm complexion.”
It’s 98.8% natural, cruelty-free, alcohol-free, fragrance-free and Vegan-friendly.
You gently massage this oat-milk cream cleanser into wet skin or dry skin. Then use a face cloth to remove it, along with your make-up. Rinse clean. Again, I follow up with my favourite water-based cleanser, as it does leave some residue – more than the Grapefruit cleanser.
Whilst it’s OK, I don’t love it. It’s not as ‘slippy’ as the grapefruit cleansing balm and a bit dryer. That makes it more difficult to massage in to your skin without dragging it about.
I feel that the face cloth is doing most of the heavy lifting here: it doesn’t melt away make-up as easily as the grapefruit cleanser, which I much prefer.
So would only recommend the oat milk cleanser if you don’t wear a lot of make-up.
Q+A Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Cleanser Review
And finally, here is my review of Q+A Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Gel Cleanser. Q+A say “Hyaluronic Acid is a super hydrator. Don’t let the word “acid” scare you; we produce it naturally in our own bodies too! Our Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Cleanser uses gentle and smoothing cleansing agents which only boost your skin’s moisturisation, rather than feeling dry and tightening!”
It’s 94.7% natural (which is a lower percentage than I usually strive for), cruelty-free, alcohol-free, fragrance-free and Vegan-friendly.
You gently massage this foaming cleanser into wet skin and rinse clean. I use it in the morning or as a second cleanse after my Grapefruit Cleansing Balm and it works well. As you can see, adding water makes this gel cleanser foam nicely.
It doesn’t feel like it’s drying out my skin, however I wouldn’t say it is particularly hydrating either. So it may not be best for very dry skin.
A note of caution- be careful about getting in on your lips as it tastes awful! On the whole, I’m happy with this gel cleanser and will use it up. However as it isn’t as nice as my favourite Evolve Daily Detox Facial Wash, I don’t know if I’ll buy it again, although the lower price point is a consideration.
How To Recycle the Packaging of Q+A Cleansers
The plastic tubes all of the Q+A cleansers are recyclable plastic, and a lot of the cleanser clings to the inside. So my tip is to cut the tube in half when you think it’s all gone, and you can scoop plenty more out, at least whole week’s worth. Then rinse the packaging and pop it into your normal plastic recycling.
I’m on my third tube of Q+A Grapefruit Cleansing Balm now and I like it almost as much as my favourite Evolve Gentle Cleansing Melt. It’s a lot more affordable so I’m sticking with this Q+A cleanser from now on.
I recommend buying from Holland & Barrett, who often have great offers. When you shop through my refer a friend link here we’ll each save £10 if you spend £40.
SHOP AT HOLLAND & BARRETT AND SAVE £10
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