Himalaya Gentle Exfoliating Daily Face Wash - Review

A new face wash from Himalaya Herbals, I picked it up last week. The company website has the following information:

A soap free daily use herbal formulation, which combines gently exfoliation, deep cleansing & moisturizing, giving you complete daily face care. 

Enriched with Red Lentil that improves the complexion. 

Apricot granules gentle scrub off dead skin cells and helps prevent formation of blackheads. 

Neem & Lemon cleans deeply & removes excessive oil. 

Aloe Vera soothes & moisturizes the skin. 

This unique combination of natural ingredients leaves your skin fresh, rejuvenated and glowing day after day.

Usage

Use twice daily.

 

Indication

Exfoliation of dead cells and reduction of facial blemishes. Gentle Exfoliating Daily Face Wash can be used for All Skin Types

Pack Size

Gentle Exfoliating Daily Face Wash is available in 60ml tube.

Composition

Gentle Exfoliating Daily Face Wash contains the following ingredients:

• Red Lentil that improves the complexion.
• Apricot granules gently scrub off dead skin cells and helps prevent formation of blackheads.
• Neem and Lemon cleans deeply & removes excessive oil.
• Aloe vera soothes your skin and maintains its natural moisture balance.

Review: 

Before I plunge into dissecting this gel, I must air my thoughts on exfoliation. Lots of sites & beauticians suggest that exfoliation be done on a weekly basis, any more is damaging. This is true when your exfoliant is abrasive.

However you should try & avoid using an abrasive exfoliant in the first place itself. I read an article on the net by Clinique's Guiding Dermatologist that compared exfoliation to exercising. I quote him below:

"It's better to exfoliate twice a day using mild or moderate exfoliation than to exfoliate once a week with an extremely harsh process, like a very rough scrub, for example. Exfoliation is comparable to exercise; it's better to follow a custom fit, moderate program on a regular basis, than to overdo it, randomly. If your skin is accustomed to daily exfoliation, it's OK to exfoliate more aggressively on occasion, either at home or at the dermatologist's office (daily training versus an occasional marathon).

Daily exfoliation improves the surface appearance and function of the skin. Studies show that exfoliation increases epidermal turnover rate, resulting in a clearer, smoother, more even-toned skin which has greater translucency, than skin which is not exfoliated on a regular basis."

Read this article: http://beauty.ivillage.com/skinbody/thedermatologists/0,,bl91lnx6,00.html

Pros: 

1. The Gentle Granules: This is the USP of this product. Most exfoliants have walnut or apricot pit grit as exfoliate. This grit tends to be abrasive as it has sharp edges and can tear & damage the skin. The granules in this gel are white, spongy, soft & even in shape. Similar to besan (gram flour). As a result the granules are gentle enough for daily use. They do their work without harming your skin. There are some random red & brown granules too in the gel. I have no idea what they are.

2. Gentle Gel: The company claims that the wash is 100% soap free. It is very gentle & does not dry out the skin.

3. The price: Rs. 55 for 60ml. A good bargain

4. Time - saving: Combines cleansing with exfoliation. saves a lot of time

5. Quantity: the gel is tightly packed with exfoliant beads. No scrimping by the company here.

6. Packaging: The tube is clear & see through, so you can take a look at the gel & it's beads before buying.

7. Everyday Exfoliant: This gel makes is strong enough to exfoliate but gentle enough for use twice a day.

Cons: 
1. The gel claims to be 100% soap free. Then how/why does it produce a lather?

2. The inactive/other ingredients are not known. The company lists only the herbs added

3. Percentage or amount of these active ingredients/herbs is not specified.

Opinion: Himalaya Herbals is soon becoming my go-to brand for face washes. Their Gentle Face wash for oily skin was a favorite & now this one is too!! This face wash is very gentle, non-drying & it has helped my skin tremendously in the last few days. My skin is generally oily, but since the last few weeks it had dried out completely. It was flaking like mad. This made my life tough as all my make-up was powder-based to deal with oil, & now it just looked bad on skin that looked parched & dry.

But within 2 days of using this, I am happy to report that my skin was showing signs of recovery. The flakiness is gone & my skin is able to cope without a moisturizer.

This is a good face wash overall & will definately re-purchase.