My Cleanser Is Black! And other stories...

That's right - charcoal is the hip new ingredient to know when it comes to cleansers. I've used charcoal for drawing and in tablet form for digestive cleansing, but it has never occurred to me that it would make a fabulous skin purifier.

As a beauty product fanatic, I considered it my duty to unearth the best affordable and widely available cleansers for sensitive skin. Especially considering that it's now winter in Melbourne and skin is already copping an environmental whack. My two picks for the best brands on a budget are Biore and Neutrogena. There is a product in both brand ranges for every skin concern, from dryness through to oily and acne-prone skin.
For a thorough pore-excavation, go for the self-heating one-minute mask with charcoal.

The Neutrogena Naturals range is skin and eco-friendly. Great for young skin and anyone with sensitive and redness-prone skin. I would recommend using the purifying facial cleanser daily and saving the purifying pore scrub for once every three to four days. Though it's not particularly harsh, the skin doesn't need to be exfoliated daily and this can lead to excess oil production as the skin tries to restore its natural balance. For the scent alone, I would recommend the Pink Grapefruit range. Zesty fresh and makes your skin feel tingly clean too.

You can find Biore and Neutrogena at Priceline, Coles, Woolworths and other major retailers.