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“A rose is a rose is a rose…” I bet you have heard that before. The sentence was written by Gertrude Stein as part of her poems.
It is often interpreted as meaning “things are what they are”, a statement of the law of identity. In Stein’s view, the sentence expresses the fact that simply using the name of a thing already invokes the imagery and emotions associated with it.
But I bet you are not here for an excurse in poetry (though it is a fascinating topic!). You are here for beauty products, and I promise I am going to talk about one:
The pixi Rose Cream Cleanser *, which, as rightly observed by Mrs. Stein, instantly evokes a certain mental image by name. I for one expected it to be a rose scented cream cleanser.
Which it, spoiler here, isn´t.
What pixi Claims
Nourishing cream cleanser with mineral rich mud cleanses skin as it helps strengthen & soften skin.
Facts
Prize and size
One tube contains 135 ml an retails for 24 € on the website here. You only need a small amount, so the cleanser will last you several months.
Texture and smell
It feels like a cream (even though it, again spoiler, is more of a clay cleanser by ingredients) and smells slightly medicinal. Not even a hint of rose for my nose!
Application and effects
Despite the Diatomaceous Earth, which is an exfoliant, and the two types of clay added this is incredibly gentle. It glides on smoothly, rinses completely and leaves my skin feeling clean, but nourished at the same time.
Ingredients
Favorable ingredients
- Aloe Barbadensis Juice: Antiinflammatory, soothing
- Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil: Rich in linoleic acid and other fatty acids, moisturizing
- Cetyl Alcohol: Emollient
- Glycerin: Humectant
- Diatomaceous Earth: Fossiled algae, rich in silica and minerals, gentle exfoliant
- Glyceryl Stearate: Fatty acid, naturally occurring in the human body, emollient
- PEG-100 Stearate: Emollient
- Montmorillonite: Clay, oil absorbing
- Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate: Surfactant, very gentle
- Persea Gratissima Oil (Avocado): Rich in antioxidant, fatty acids
- Squalane: Occlusive, non-oily oil, natural in skin
- Kaolin: Clay, oil absorbing, pore refining, clears congestion
- Caprylyl Glycol: Emollient
- Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract: Soothing
- Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil: Plumping, antioxidant, occusive
- Aniba Rosaeodora (Rosewood) Wood Oil: essential oil, antiseptic, antibacterial
- Eugenia Caryophyluss Flower Oil: Essential Oil, antiseptic
- Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil: Essential oil, balancing sebum production, mimicks rose scent while being cheaper
- Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil: Essential oil, reducing scars and hyper pigmentation, increases collagen production
- Cymbopogon Martini Oil: Balancing sebum production
- Cupressus Sempervirens Seed Extract: Essential Oil, antibacterial
- Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil: Essential Oil, antibacterial, adds lemon fragrance
- Sodium Hyaluronate: Hydrating, smaller form of hyaluronic acid with deeper penetration
- Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil: Essential oil
- Rosa Damascena Flower Oil: Essential oil, toning
- BHT: Antioxidant
Other ingredients
- Phenoxyethanol: Preservative
- Ethylhexylglycerin: Preservative
- Xanthan Gum: Improves viscosity
- Chlorphenesin: Preservative
- Disodium EDTA: Binding Agent
- Magnesium Aluminium Silicate: Thickener
- Mica: Lubricant
- Rosa Gallica Flower Powder: Fragrance
Unfavorable Ingredients
- Linalool and other essential oils, potentially irritating
Aloe Vera Juice is the first ingredient (usually it is water) and the surfactants used are very gentle. The fact that it contains quite a few essential oils though might limit the use for people with very sensitive skin. It is by no means stripping or tightening, as many clay/mud cleanser can be, so if they are usually not your thing, you might be surprised by this one.
Does it live up to its claims?
Yes.
It is a very gentle cleanser, containing mud and full of nourishing ingredients.
Would I repurchase?
Yes.
I plan on doing a comparison post on clay/mud cleansers soon, but this one has clearly made it´s way into my top three (here and here are the other ones)
Who do I recommend it to?
Anyone that is looking for a gentle, yet purifying cleanse, especially those that find the regular clay cleansers too stripping to deal with. Only if you have sensitivities towards essential oils, it might not be first choice for you.
