The Nue Co Barrier Culture Cleanser was in a discovery box I purchased from Naturisimo and it’s normally full of good stuff. (Except for the time they spliced in a face cream by Caudalie, a brand that is not exactly cruelty-free. Booh.)
If you like trial sizes, some full sizes, too, and lots of natural skin and hair care products as well as makeup to experiment with to find your new favorites, these sets are heaven in a box!
Table of Contents
- Good to Know
- Ingredients
- The Nue Co Barrier Culture Cleanser – in Use
- How, What, When
- About The Nue Co
- Conclusion
This review is unfortunately not very picturesque. What was left in the tube got diluted and dumped into the sink by the kids one day, and that was the end of that.
What better excuse to buy some more, right?
Good to Know
In a nutshell, this face cleanser is:
- soap-free
- sulfate-free
- a foaming gel
- non-toxic
- paraben-free
- cruelty-free
- fragrance-free
What it does:
- lifts away impurities, pollution, and make-up
- balances pH levels
- retains moisture
- repopulates the topical microbiome
- protects the barrier for a clean, healthy complexion
After using the cleanser, I can confirm it sure feels like it delivers on all that, and then some!
It’s hard to tell what goes on as far as the skin’s topical microbiome goes, but my face feels clean and fresh in a non-aggressive way. Simply soothed, hydrated, and balanced.
This stuff is surprisingly good at getting rid of make-up. I was using it side by side with two other cleansers. Annmarie’s Aloe Herb Cleanser never disappoints, however, the … looks and feels somewhat similar to this one except that it does not work nearly as well and can’t handle mascara.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients in the Nue Co Barrier Culture Cleanser, straight from the official website.
Full ingredients list: Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Inulin, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Maltodextrin, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Lactic Acid
There are some natural substances and a few less-natural ones.
Everyone has their preferences and sensitivities, and if you know what specific ingredients your skin is sensitive to, all the more kudos to you.
Ethylhexylglycerin is a rare, but highly relevant, cosmetic sensitizer, even in those products advertised to be safe for consumers. (Here’s an interesting study about it.) If you are experiencing any issues, it may be worth taking a closer look at skincare products that contain this. Especially since the blacklisting of parabens, a lot of the more natural(-ish) skincare is made with these alternative preservatives.
While I don’t think I’m allergic to ethylhexylglycerin, I prefer not to use it, however, it is used in so many skincare products, that it can be hard to avoid.
And as far as this face cleanser goes, I really, really like it, and it seems to work well for my skin.
Not as much as my all-time favorite Aloe Herb cleanser by Annmarie Gianni, because that one has it all, including a delicious smell. The Nue Co Barrier Culture Cleanser may come in as my second favorite one. It has no smell, but performance-wise, it’s fantastic.
The Nue Co Barrier Culture Cleanser – in Use
The barrier culture cleanser is completely transparent, glassy-looking, and smooth as silk. How is it that something that barely exists in the physical realm works so well?
How, What, When
Use the Nue Co barrier culture cleanser just like any other rinse-off facial cleanser. It is on the runnier end, so if you tilt your hand, half of it lands into the sink.
Massage the cleanser into your wet face and enjoy that super-smooth glide. It’s like ice skating with your fingertips. I use it all over, eyes included, to wash off makeup and it does the job better than most. Without stinging.
It foams, but only conservatively – don’t expect tufts of white fluff flying around. After washing it off with a few generous splashes of water, my face feels like a baby’s bottom. Soft, fresh, and all makeup is gone. It’s epic.
The only thing missing from the experience is a yummy scent.
About The Nue Co
If you don’t know (of) this skincare brand – neither did I – here’s the quick & dirty on the Nue Co.
They combine natural ingredients with a smidge of other substances to formulate highly effective products that simplify our beauty routine and are less taxing on the environment.
In their own words:
Overly complex beauty routines are doing 2 things: driving over 95 billion units of packaging to landfill each year, while also destroying our skin barrier. Our collection of topical supplements focus on a less is more approach to skin health by preserving the skin barrier, reducing the amount of steps in our routines and, as a result, sending less waste out into the environment.
Nice, right?!
I’ve always given those Korean skincare routines consisting of 16 different steps (and products!) the stink eye. I hate their existence because it seems like something I should be doing if I cared enough. Doesn’t the mere fact that a sixteen-step skincare routine is even a thing point to it being useful? But I’m just too damn busy!
Well, stink eye no more. Because The Nue Co just confirmed that it is indeed possible to do too much. For your skin, in the first place. The trash and plastic infestation of nature will benefit from it, too, since the flip side of those Korean-style skincare routines (overachievers, much?) is loads of empty cosmetics.
Conclusion
Alright, that about sums it up for this review of The Nue Co Barrier Cleanser!
What I loved about this natural face cleanser:
- The texture and feel, smooth as silk, gliding over the skin and gently foaming.
- How efficient it is at removing grime and makeup – you’ll end up fresh-faced, guaranteed.
- The fact that it contains hydrating and otherwise skin-improving ingredients.
What I liked less is the complete absence of scent, which results in a slightly weird smell. It’s supposed to be ‘neutral’ (I guess?) but ends up smelling a tiny bit musty instead. No biggie, though, in light of the good things about this cleanser.
The price tag is higher than a run-of-the-mill drugstore product, though not as steep as certain A-list Sephora ones.