This is a product review of Kama Ayurveda’s Kumkumadi Clarifying, Brightening & Cleansing Oil.
On the surface, it has a strange ingredient list, which includes:
- Goat’s milk,
- Jojoba oil,
- Sunflower oil
- Various skin-lightening extracts (e.g.) and,
- Surfactants (Laureth Sulphate, Cocoamidyl
What is a surfactant?
A surfactant is a chemical compound that is responsible for the cleaning action of your cleanser. Surfactant micelles adhere to the oil/liquid interface (of make-up, sebum etc), roll this up and its then washed away with water.
Is it a face wash?
I don’t think its a face wash or a substitute for it. Its oily and critically it doesn’t contain glycerin. I know how that reads BUT 99% of face cleansers that I have used glycerin or a glycerin substitute and this has neither.
Glycerin is really important to prevent after wash tightness.
What am I expecting?
My experience of multi-functional cleansing products is extremely poor: they usually over-promise and under-deliver.
I am expecting this to take off my make-up and it doesn’t leave a thick oily layer that requires additional cleansing that would be a bonus.
Make-up I am using
I always test make-up removers against a highly pigmented lipstick. mascara, kajal and eyeshadow.
Obligatory before and after photos
What was my experience of using this?
- The make up is entirely removed (with a few remnants of glitter here and there). This does not happen often. I am especially pleased that the kajal and mascara are entirely gone.
- I didn’t need to use an additional facewash – which was a bonus
- The instructions suggest 1-2 pumps. But for this amount of make-up I needed about 3-4 pumps.
- The main downside of using this product is it really did sting my eyes a lot.
- While there was not immediate skin-tightness after washing my face, my skin did feel tighter after a few hours.
Would I buy this again?
This is an expensive product at INR 1995 for 100ml. However, its an excellent make-up remover. If you are using it as a cleansing oil (whatever that is) then that works too. Its Kama and the quality is far superior to any Ayurvedic products on the market, so it can charge whatever it wants, before I complain.
I certainly would buy this again.