The process of finding a skincare product that is right for your skin is a long and often arduous one that will involve much trial and error.
Growing up with problematic skin since junior high forced me to teach myself how to formulate a proper skincare routine.
Then when I started wearing makeup, it was crucial for me to get my routine down to a T; if not, all the oil, dead skin cells, and old makeup on my face would definitely clog my pores like there was no tomorrow.
Therefore, I needed to find the perfect cleanser that would do the job for me.
When I was once a young and naive pre-teen who had just entered the skincare world for the first time, I was not careful with the products I was buying and putting onto my skin, especially cleansers.
This resulted in getting cleansers that left a tight, “squeaky-clean” feeling as well as several breakouts and sometimes the occasional mild burning feeling (which should’ve raised major red flags because my skin could handle more than most).
One day upon scrolling through my YouTube recommendations feed, I discovered a young Korean YouTuber and skincare guru named Liah Yoo who, by the time I found her, was in the works of creating her own skincare brand KraveBeauty.
She prides herself on not only making products that are simple yet effective but also for her commitment to transparency and honesty in the whole process of creating her skincare products.
You can visit her YouTube channel here where you can find informative yet interesting and engaging videos on skincare, self-care, and mental health.
Price | $16.00 USD
Best for | All skin types
Suitable for Sensitive Skin? | Yes
What is this?
KraveBeauty’s Matcha Hemp Cleanser is an antioxidant cleanser that doesn’t compromise your skin barrier, cleaning out everything your skin doesn’t want while leaving what it needs—healthy pH, hydration, antioxidants and no irritation.
What are the ingredients and what do they do?
The main ingredients—matcha and hemp seeds—in the cleanser are there to boost the skin’s intake of antioxidants and essential fatty acids. You will definitely not find fragrance, essential oil, or colorant in this. Here is a more detailed list of each important ingredient in the cleanser and what benefits they offer to your skin:
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Matcha – Very well-known by many to be a great source of antioxidants; it can either be consumed in food or drink or applied to the face to receive its benefits (but in this case, please do not consume the cleanser).
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Hemp seed oil – Rich in essential amino acids and linoleic acid, which makes the cleanser very hydrating and makes it great for all skin types, even for the most oily skin (like me)! Additionally, hemp seed oil contains a natural antibacterial property that helps to soothe inflammation.
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Coco-betaine, Coco-glucoside, Decyl glucoside – This is a group of mild and gentle cleansing agents that are better alternatives to the harsh surfactants found in lower quality cleansers like SLS; rather than stripping your skin of more than just the nasties but also the goodies (ex. your natural lipids) that keep your skin barrier healthy, these surfactants are less likely to jeopardize your skin.
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Vitamin B5 & Sodium PCA – Strengthens the skin barrier and replenishes hydration
How do you use the product?
I personally use this product twice a day (morning and night) where I apply a dime-sized drop of cleanser on a wet face and gently massage it into my skin.
Aggressively rubbing it into your face is counterproductive and would not wash your face any better than if you had massaged it gently into your skin, so avoid that at all costs.
I then rinse it off with lukewarm water rather than cold or hot water because the dramatic difference in temperature may shock the skin and can do more harm than good.
At night, I often use the cleanser after I removed all my makeup with a soft cotton round and micellar water; the cleanser definitely helps clean my skin from any leftover makeup and grime that the makeup remover failed to remove.
Is the product worth the price?
One tube of the Matcha Hemp Cleanser costs $16.00, which may sound a little pricey to some but you do get 4.05 fluid ounces of product (or 120 ml) out of it. I personally think this is a fair and reasonable price for a such a good-quality cleanser, especially since a little goes a very long way, in my experience. It’s been about two months since I bought the cleanser in July and I have about a third of the tube left to use.
How does it smell?
The cleanser does not have any added fragrance, which is great news for sensitive skin users! Added fragrance can tend to irritate the skin but the cleanser does not contain any.
However, it does have a faint but pleasant, earthy scent that I assume comes from the matcha ingredient.
How does it feel on the skin initially?
Most cleansers that I’ve used before generally tend to foam when I rub them between my hands and apply them to my face.
When using the Matcha Hemp Cleanser, I noticed that it doesn’t immediately bubble up like the other cleansers but instead created a rich and smooth lather.
After washing off the cleanser, I noticed that my skin did not feel tight and dry at all—it definitely felt clean and soft, not because it stripped away everything from my skin but because it kept my skin’s natural oils and lipids, just like Liah had promised. Hydration is key!
How well does it clean my skin?
Finally, the big question: how well does the cleanser work on my skin?
After using it for almost two months, I’ve seen a significant decrease in clogged pores, which was excellent news for me because I suffer from large pores as a result of having such oily skin, making it easier for dead skin cells, makeup, and excess sebum to build up.
This created a mildly bumpy texture on my skin which did not look very flattering up close, in photos, or under my makeup, much to my dismay.
However, the cleanser was great with removing the gross residue in my skin and as the weeks passed by after I was using it consistently, the pores looked cleaner and my skin texture improved greatly.
Anything else I should know about the cleanser?
This has to be one of my favorite aspects of the cleanser so far.
The tube itself is 100% recyclable, making it not only skin-friendly for its user but also eco-friendly for the environment.
Just make sure that when you’ve used up every drop of product in the tube, cut it up into chunks so that it’s easier for recycling stations to recycle them. This is also great for you to ensure you’ve used all the product left in the tube.
You’d be surprised as to how much is left over even when you thought you used it all!
After cutting up the tube, clean the interior with water and dry the pieces before dropping them in your recycling bin. You can read more about KraveBeauty and what sustainability means to them here.
Overall Rating | ☆☆☆☆☆
When it comes to having and maintaining good skin, you can never be too careful of the products you buy.
Your skin can only handle so much, and when you compromise your skin’s natural barrier using harsh products, it can only spell out bad news.
That’s why it is incredibly important to educate yourself on what your skin needs and start caring about what ingredients beauty companies are putting into their products.
Liah Yoo’s promise for simplistic yet high-quality products while maintaining complete and total authenticity towards her consumers is what makes her brand so attractive, and that’s why I would highly recommend KraveBeauty for all you skincare lovers.
If you want to hear a more in-depth review of the cleanser, you can listen to Liah herself talk about it here! If you want to try it out for yourself, you can buy the Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser here!