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Describe the brand in five words.
Argan. QVC. Body butters.
That's it - I'm sorry I literally have no clue who Josie Maran, is, or what her background is. This is more to do with her lack of distribution in the UK than anything else though. I came across the body butter in Sephora, smelt it, bought it, loved it, bought it again. Searched for them in the UK and came across them on QVC. Saw this, thought 'Yes thanks.'
What is it?
'My California-girl roots inspired me to create innovative, multi-tasking Argan Cleansing Treatment, which makes great skin nearly effortless. It hydrates, exfoliates, and purifies in a hot minute, leaving your face glowing, energized, and never stripped. Achieving balance has never been so laid-back, or so luminous.'
Alrighty then. It's a traditional balm cleanser.
Who is it for?
It says all skins but I'd go easy if you have active acne. It's a proper oil balm, doesn't come off in one go.
What’s in it?
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Beeswax, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Tribehenin, Glyceryl Behenate, Tocopherol, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Lavendula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Parfum (Fragrance), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil.
What's not in it?
'No parabens, so sulfates, no phthalates: nothing you’d find in the final round of a spelling bee, and most importantly, nothing that’s toxic to your skin or the planet.'
I love the spelling bee comment, but let's pretend they didn't use the 'T' word.
Possibly acne/allergy/troubling for some ingredients?
shea butter
beeswax
fragrance
Natural? Organic? Man made? Vegan?
natural
Tested on animals/sold in territories that advocate testing?
No/unsure, but I doubt it.
How does it smell?
Not great. Which is weird, as they went to the trouble of putting fragrance in it. Odd. It's not even easy to describe the smell. I would just warn that if you are sensitive to smell you may want to try this first before you buy. It's bland, but 'there'.
How does it feel on the skin?/Absorption rate?
It feels nice on the skin. Smooth, luxurious. Absorption rate not really appropriate on this one.
How do you use it?/Where to use in your routine?
All stages of cleansing. First, second and AM.
How long before you should see results?
N/A - immediate. Obvs.
How long did I test it for?
I've had this for about 5 weeks, used it maybe 7/8 times?
How much is it? /Size/Approximate cost per usage?
£32.00 from QVC. $48.00 in the US. 90ml. Depends how much you use. If you use it every evening you're probably looking at 4 weeks? If you use it for makeup removal, longer if not.
What’s good about it?
I'm torn about this one. It's a lovely texture, feels good with massage, it really does remove makeup very well.
What’s not so good about it?
It doesn't smell great. That shouldn't be important but it would almost be preferable if it was unfragranced. And despite removing well, I always feel a little residue. I'm not a fan of the cloth it comes with either. Some people complain that cotton flannels are rough, but nothing drags the skin like a microfibre cloth. IMO.
Works well with?
A good acid toner afterwards for any residue.
What’s the website like?
Pretty basic. Easy to navigate.
Would I repurchase?
Probably not. There are other cleansers out there that do the same job/if not better and the strange smell just doesn't make it a pleasure to use. I'm sure I'm in a minority though, it's clearly a best seller. Do let me know if you love it.
The body butters however, are divine and they are always on my list.
Similar products?
Emma Hardie
Balmology
Suti
Elemis
OSKIA
Temple Spa
Josie Maran Argan Creamy Oil Cleansing Treatment is £32.00 from QVC in the UK and $48.00 in the US from JosieMaran.com
