Benton Honest Cleansing Foam

Whew. I have a few minutes to finally get this review up of one of my latest curations after jet-setting to Korea. Jet-lag helps. In the mean time, I’ve picked a new cleanser to share with you from Benton, which we just stocked today -- the Honest Cleansing Foam.

Just the act of washing with it was incredibly relaxing because of its amazing texture and botanical ingredients like liquorice and camellia extracts that protect and soothe skin.

I used it after my oil cleanser as part of my twice daily double cleansing ritual. (If you haven’t tried this yet, you must. Koreans see it as an essential step in caring for their skin. Oil cleanser removes oil based-debris, and a cream or foam one gets rid of nasty dirt-based debris.)

With a pH level that’s higher than the average cleanser, it’s better for normal to oily skin types, and not the best for dry.

“Wait -- why are we talking about pH? This isn’t chemistry class!” you say.

It turns out that pH is directly related to your skin’s well being, so take notes.

An effective cleanser for normal to oily skin types.

On a scale of 0 to 14, the pH level (a measurement of how acidic or basic something is) of your face is about 5.5. Seven is perfectly neutral. Numbers above 7 indicate that something is basic (a.k.a. alkaline), numbers below indicate acidity. So your skin is actually a little acidic, and that helps protect your skin from bacteria while maintaining natural moisture.

Slightly basic soaps help break down the debris, but if it’s too much so for your skin type then you risk drying it. The Honest Cleansing Foam hovers right around an 8. Now you know!

Leaves a rosy fragrance in its wake.

The Honest Cleansing Foam tube is simple, standard. Just popped open the cap and squeezed a dime-sized dollop in my hand.

Straight from the tube the product looked like a pearl cream, but with a splash of water and some lathering action it began to suds into a rich foam. 

Pearly cream before lathering.

To my nose this cleanser’s fragrance is a dead-ringer for Estee Lauder’s Soft Clean Foaming Cleanser, a soapy, rosy floral. I'm not a huge fan of scented products, but the good news is that the scent is mild, and fades quickly.

Soft, light bubbles make for a luxurious experience.

The real magic happened when I began to massage it on my face. It seriously felt like soft, fluffy clouds. Not leaving behind any film or residue, it rinsed completely clean and left my face refreshed.

Your reviews

"Best cleanser I've found. This edges out the FAB-brand red clay cleanser that was previously my favorite. A little of this foam goes a very long way with enough water and gentle massaging, and the result is unmatched" - Annastasia S 

"Best VALUE foam cleanser. I really like this product and find it overwhelmingly efficient, however reading other reviews, I realized I am biased because I have oily skin and do not find it dries my skin out as others have suggested. If that's the case I would recommend the Egg White foam cleanser instead as it is much gentler. If not I would highly recommend Benton Foam Cleanser and other products (I use their mist and moisturizing gel in the summer a lot too!)" - Filip S

"I've had issues with acne forever and done everything to try to clear it. Including Accutane, topical Rx products and Proactiv. I'm very prone to hormonal breakouts and deep sebaceous acne. Nothing has ever cleared it this fast. I'm less than one week out from the Crimson tide and completely clear. I'm using this combined with the Benton aloe toner and Benton aloe moisturiser. Acne free and scars are fading fast. You only need a pea sized amount as well. This stuff will last a long time. Will definitely be purchasing this combo again!" - Ashley M

Shop Benton Honest Cleansing Foam