NATURE REPUBLIC Soothing & Moisture ALOE VERA Foam Cleanser Review & Ingredient Analysis

The K-beauty aloe vera series continues! Today it’s finally the time to share my thoughts on the Nature Republic Soothing & Moisture Aloe Vera Foam Cleanser. I’ve received this cleanser in my second Jolse order (unboxing & review here) to replace my favorite foam cleanser Holika Holika Daily Fresh Rice cleansing foam and have been using it for around 6 weeks now. The ingredients are interesting in this product, so I decided to break them down the same way as I did in my Missha aloe vera gel review and Nature Republic aloe mist review. Let’s start!

Right away, let me tell you my skin type and main concerns. I’m in my late 20s and my skin type is combination. My T-zone is normal to oily and my cheeks and chin are normal to dry. As a rule, the oiliness of my T-zone is aggravated by certain foundations, skincare products, and in the summer, but even then it’s just a bit of shine, so I wouldn’t call it oily. The cheeks and chin are usually normal to dry (sometimes very dry, especially during the colder months). I am allergic to some artifical colorants and fragrance in skincare products – usually my skin gets itchy and flare up, more rarely I can get rash.

What I want from a cleanser: mild yet quality cleansing – deep cleaning to keep my pores clean in the long run, but not drying over time. No irritation is crucial. Usually I can tell that a cleanser is drying immediately after trying it.

NATURE REPUBLIC Soothing & Moisture ALOE VERA Foam Cleanser Review

The product promises to deliver “excellent everyday cleansing solution for all skin types, as well as providing soothing & moisturizing effects” and “creamy texture completely cleans skin to remove makeup residue; provides perfect pore cleansing effect without causing any dryness; provides a moisturizing and a soothing effect especially for sensitive skin” – exactly what I expect.

Price: $8.64 for 150ml – that’s how much I paid for it on Jolse website

Used for: 6 weeks

Packaging: standard plastic tube, sturdy, easy to squeeze the product out:

Texture and consistency: smooth and creamy, not runny, but not too thick either (the aforementioned Holika Holika foam is considerably thicker):

Scent: very pleasant fruity-flowery scent, reminds me of cherry blossom for some reason. Dissipates amost immediately after I wash the foam off

NATURE REPUBLIC Soothing & Moisture ALOE VERA Foam Cleanser FULL INGREDIENT LIST ANALYSIS

I usually check the ingredients on SkinCharisma, but recently I’ve noticed many errors in their lists, so I’ll be doing my own research when I need to.

Here you can see the ingredient list of this foam (click on the image to enlarge it in a new tab):

Water – self-explanatory
glycerin – non-toxic ingredient that moisturizes and softens the skin
stearic acid –  surfactant (agents that bind oil and water molecules together thereby dissolving dirt and oil) that helps wash away excess oil and dirt from the skin, also helps protect the skin from moisture loss (source), however comedogenic
myristic acid – naturally occurs in fruits and vegetables, in cosmetics used as a surfactant and cleansing agent, however comedogenic
PEG-32 – texture enhancer and emulsifier – ingredient that keeps substances that don’t mix (such as oil and water) from separating in the product
potassium hydroxyde – cleansing agent and pH modulator, inorganic compound
lauric acid – the main fatty acid in coconut oil and in palm kernel oil, and is believed to have antimicrobial properties (source)
butylene glycol – conditioning agent and humectant that maintains the moisture in the skin by covering cells
cocamidopropyl betaine – surfactant, interacts with water, making the molecules slippery so they don’t stick together, according to HealthLine
glyceryl stearate – organic and safe fatty acid that naturally occurs in human body as well as nature; commonly used in personal care products as an emollient and helps mix oil and water together
PEG-100 stearate – safe emulsifier and surfactant, works over a wide pH range and very commonly used
aloe barbadenis leaf extract – extract of the Aloe Barbadenis plant leaves, which has anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, and soothing properties
sodium laureth sulfate (aka SLES) – very commonly used medium mild cleansing agent, even though much more mild than SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate), can still irritate the skin, comedogenic
PEG-75 – water-soluble moisturizer and solvent, helps keep the formula smooth and slippery and solubize other ingredients
TEA-lauryl sulfate – another sulfate, it helps bind the oil and water molecules together and cleanse the skin, generally considered safe in very small concentrations
sodium chloride – aka salt, serves as a binding agent and cleaser
laureth-2 – another surfactant, cleansing ingredient
sodium sulfate – thickener
disodium EDTA – protects the consistency of the product, generally considered safe because it’s not well absorbed by the skin
sodium benzoate – preservative; fungus, yeast, and bacteria growth inhibitor, scent enhancer
fragrance – common irritant in skincare, used to perfume the product
caramel, yellow 5 (CI 19140), blue 1 (CI 42090) – colorants, potential irritants

Wow, the ingredient list doesn’t exactly scream ‘safe for sensitive skin!’ does it? 🤔 As we know, the ingredients are listed from the one with the largest amount to those with smallest amounts, however the manufacturers don’t disclose the exact amounts of the ingredients (it’s a trade secret). As consumers we’re bound to do our research and then make an informed decision on our own. The ingredient list contains several ingredients that don”t seem like the best choice for sensitive skin, but the overall effect of the product might demonstrate that the amounts of these ingredients are small enough to not cause irritation. The second ingredient after water is glycerin, which is probably what cushions the blow.

Effect: my skin immediately flares up whenever I use something aggressive or drying. For instance, I’ve used Garnier Soothing Milk Face Wash with Rose Water and it left my skin itching with dryness and irritated, despite it not containing sulfates. This Nature Republic cleanser is very mild, yet it cleans the skin very well. I use it as a part of my double cleansing routine and it leaves my skin soothed and very soft, I’d say even moisturized. Over the course of 6 weeks I haven’t noticed any increase in my acne (even though irritating products usually cause me breakouts) or skin moisture level. My husband, who has very dry skin, has been using it too all this time and has the same impression. I guess the high ratings of this products are really justified (at least for us).

Efficiency: This foam cleanser doesn’t foam up that much, but the amount you saw on my hand is enough to clean the whole face – the size of 2 peas

Similar: 5 Game-Changing K-Beauty Skincare Strategies

Would I repurchase? Yes, it’s a very good foam cleanser that gets the job done and keeps the skin moisturized. If my opinion changes, I’ll update this review.

Have you tried this cleanser? I’m also very curious to know if you research skincare product ingredients or reviews before purchasing? I rarely do so, but sometimes it’s very interesting to see what makes the product work the way it does.

As always, thank you for reading and I’m looking forward to reading and responding to your comments 💖

See you in my next post,

Alex

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