Recently I had the opportunity to try out the Abbey St. Clare Rice & Olives cleansing and facial serum. It is supposed to be one of their top sellers and best products out there. While I’m not a practicioner of the oil cleansing method, I liked the idea of a cleanser and serum in one.

The Website Claims:
What started as a cleansing oil has turned into an amazing treatment for face, neck, hair, or skin anywhere.

An exceptional mixture of botanical oils provides cleaning and nourishing skin care actives to leave your skin clean, soft, and renewed. Skin purifying botanical oils include Rice Bran, Olive, Marula, and Rosehip Seed. This antioxidant rich cleanser removes the heaviest makeup, dirt, and excess oils and then rinses clean without leaving a greasy residue. Gentle enough to remove stubborn eye makeup, including waterproof mascara. Excellent for sensitive, dry, mature, or delicate skin, but useful for all skin types at any age. It is the skin oil of choice for psoriasis or eczema.

But there is more. This antioxidant rich serum makes an excellent post cleansing treatment for dry skin and wrinkles. It is quickly absorbed and wrinkles disappear. Slather on your face and neck and let it soak in overnight. Most of you will even find it gentle enough for the area around the eyes, but always test a small area first for sensitivity. It makes an excellent oil for facial massage.

We also have reports of this helping scaly skin on the arms, itchy patches on the elbows, and rough hands. High in essential fatty acids, which defend against infection and inflammation, this potion is the cleanser of choice for those with eczema or psoriasis. It will leave your skin feeling fresh, soft, and conditioned.

• Amazing mix of antioxidant rich plant oils, extracts, Vitamin E tocotrienols, Coenzyme Q, and essential oils.
• Deep cleansing and gently melts away heavy makeup without clogging pores and leaves only clean skin with no greasy residue.
• Excellent for theatrical makeup and waterproof mascara.
• Unmatched for dry skin but nourishing for all skin types, including sensitive, fragile, and mature skin.
• Anti-inflammatory components make this ideal for eczema or psoriasis.
• Exceptional formula makes this the perfect skin care oil to combat wrinkles. Apply generously to face and neck after cleansing and toning and let it perform its magic overnight.

Ingredients:
Oryza sativa (Rice Bran) Oil, Organic Olea europaea (Olive) Oil, Organic Rosa mosqueta (Rosehip Seed) Oil, Vitis vinifera (Grapeseed) Oil, Cocos nucifera (Fractionated Coconut) Oil, Organic Sclerocarya birrea (Marula) Oil, Oenothera biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Ricinus communis (Castor) Oil, Organic Borago officinalis (Borage Oil), Persea americana (Avocado) Oil, Vitamin E Tocotrienols, Organic Hippophae rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn Berry) EO, Boswellia carterii (Frankincense) EO, Rosemary verbenon EO.

Price:
$26 for 4 fl. oz.

Does it live up to its claims?
It has a ridiculously long list of claims. For me, I had mixed results. I couldn’t get it to remove my waterproof mascaras or liners. Maybe it’s because I’m not used to the oil cleansing method.

My eyeshadows came off easily, but anything waterproof was stubborn and I had to resort to using my makeup remover to get it off. So for me, this would not remove my waterproof makeup at all. It didn’t matter how much or how long I held my cotton paid covered in oil against my eye before I rubbed, it just didn’t want to come off. I ended up rubbing and tugging at my eyes entirely too much for comfort.

For my face it worked pretty well to remove my foundation. It did leave my skin feeling soft and and smooth. It didn’t irritate my skin at all. It didn’t dry it out. It worked really well in that sense.

Would I purchase?
Probably not. I’m just not good with the oil cleansing method for my face. While I did like the way it made my skin feel, I didn’t like that I couldn’t get it to remove my waterproof mascara and eyeliner and caused me to rub and tug way too much around my eyes. I do like that it’s multi-purpose and you can use it as a night serum.

I think if you’re a fan of the oil cleansing method, you will probably like this product, it’s just not for me. Also, if you don’t have to use a lot of waterproof makeup like I do (because of my oily lids), this product will probably work great for you. Additionally the fact that you can use it as a serum makes it pretty nice. I’ll be continuing to use it as a night serum. I took off one star for the inability to remove my waterproof makeup and the tugging.

Rating:

To the best of my knowledge Abbey St. Clare is cruelty-free.
Product sent for consideration. All opinions are my own.