A Balancing Range That Keeps Shine (And Oiliness) In Check
Francesca is the Beauty Editor at Adore Beauty. With a background in glossy mags and bylines in publications like Marie Claire, ELLE and BODY+SOUL, Francesca has turned her love of beauty into a career. Whether she's decoding buzzy ingredients or road testing lip glosses (so. many. glosses.), her approach to beauty is equal parts glamour and highly-considered.
I've previously written (with copious detail) about my obnoxiously dry skin. Less documented: my struggle with oiliness.
I will preface by saying, it's not too bad but I do experience my fair share of t-zone heavy oiliness.
In recent years, you'd find me slathering, liberally layering and investing a whole lotta energy into achieving the glowiest, glassiest skin possible. And glow my skin did. But in that glorious pursuit of a glass-like finish, I've had little to no regard on what it was, making my skin so shiny.
Spoiler alert: it was oil. Lots of shiny, slippery oil - particularly around the forehead area. That honestly read more like sweat than anything radiant or enviable.
But hey, we all experience our fair share of beauty blindnesses, right?
Reformed, I now yearn for perfectly balanced skin. Think: slightly dewy and diffused, without a hint of grease in sight.
Which brings me to Ole Henriksen’s new Balancing Range. I'm already an Ole convert (their Pout Preserve Lip and Apres Skin Multi-Use Rich Crème are handbag staples), so I felt safe embarking on this de-shine journey with their scandi skin expertise behind it.
Promising to refine pores (yes please!) and treat excess oiliness, this sounded like exactly what my skin (and soul) needed. Here's my first few thoughts on the range:
Ole Henriksen Daily D-Clog Pore-Clearing Cleanser
Fast facts:
- Clears and prevents blemishes
- Visibly reduces oil and congestion
- Leaves skin noticeably smoother and more balanced
- Gentle enough for everyday use
This silky gel emulsifies to melt the day (ie. makeup, debris, grime, general uncleanliness) away. It foams up to a rich lather to thoroughly cleanse and reduce oiliness without stripping the skin. There's also no squeaky or taut feelings afterwards.
Dosed with Salicylic Acid (a BHA), the formula works to exfoliate, unclog pores and treat acne. It's effective at resurfacing and works wonders to slough away dead skin cells and refine skin's texture.
Betaine Salicylate works in tandem to the Salycylic Acid to target blemishes, reducing both inflammation and the appearance of acne. The formula is further bolstered with more anti-inflammatory superfoods like Danish Purple Willow Ferment, Juniper Berry and Cucumber Extract to nourish, calm and soothe.
Ole Henriksen reports that in a 1-week study of 37 people, users saw an instant reduction to the appearance of pores, reduced oil by 78% and 92% agree it clears blemishes. Impressive stuff.
I really enjoyed using this one. The scent is light, almost citrus-y in nature, and found it left my skin feeling energized and bouncy. I've been enlisting this one during my current hormonal flare-up, and saw immediate softening to blemishes (and possibly a reduction in irritation?). I was impressed.
I would however, recommend double-cleansing when considerable makeup is involved. I focused the product in my t-zone area, massaging it in, to really counteract some of that excess (and unwanted) oil. It worked a treat.
Ole Henriksen Detox Drops 2% Salicylic Acid Toner-Europe
Fast Facts:
- Refines pores and smooths texture
- Gently exfoliates with 2% salicylic acid
- Helps control surface oil and shine
- Lightweight, quick-absorbing formula
As mentioned, my skin has always skewed on the drier side which meant, in fear of further stripping, I didn't think I needed a toner. I know, I know - cardinal beauty myth.
Admittedly, I know better now and have started to slowly but surely incorporate these mighty multitaskers into my routine.
This particular formula from Ole Henriksen has quickly become a fave.
It's ultra-absorbent and water-like, which makes for smooth skin prep and increased product absorption for the hopefully-potent skin saviours that follow.
Hero-ing Salicylic Acid, in a 2% dosage, the toner is oil soluble meaning it penetrates deep into pores to clear dead skin cells and absolve excess oil.
Salicylic Acid toners are particularly popular amongst acne and breakout-prone skin types for it's ability to clear blemishes, reduce inflammation and refine texture (that's often associated with those skin types).
That said, the formula's still a worthy addition for the majority. It's great for rebalancing and restoring skin's natural pH levels - something my combo skin clearly needed a little help with.
Added Danish Purple Willow Ferment works to further clarify and Juniper Berry aids in softening texture and tone. The formula is perfectly balanced (word of the day!) to resurface while also nourishing and hydrating skin. Making it a winner for even the driest, or more sensitive, of skin types.
A hack: I like to apply this on my upper arms where I have strawberry skin (Keratosis Pilaris). The salicylic acid works a treat (with consistent application) at resurfacing and evening that texture too. Double duty!
Ole Henriksen Violet Ice Cold Plunge Pore Mask
Fast Facts:
- Clears pores and reduces blackheads
- Helps control oil without drying
- Cooling, whipped clay texture
- Free from added fragrance and dyes
As you can see from the above image - I take a very spirited, freehand approach to my masking. And whilst I would have lovveed to have kept this pic off the internet, the colour and finish of this mask was too good not to share.
It's vibrant violet hue is thanks to the hero ingredient Purple Clay which works like a magnet to draw out impurities, toxins and excess oil from the skin's surface. It contains magnesium-rich Kaolin Clay (which is also a stand alone ingredient in the formula) to promote healthy cell turnover and refine texture.
Speaking of texture, the supercharged duo yield impressive results in reducing the appearance of pores with 95% of users agreeing it instantly clears congested pores and 97% agreeing it clears blackheads + extracts impurities instantly - according to a clinical test performed by Ole Henriksen.
The real hook, 100% agree it leaves skin looking less oily for a healthy glow. Yes please! The formula's bolstered with the range's same Salysilic Acid, Danish Purple Willow Ferment and Juniper Berry inclusions for all those glow-getting benefits.
The whipped texture feels pillowy soft on, and has a cooling (and calming) effect as is dries down. I've started incorporating this mask twice weekly and have noticed a real, visible improvement to the appearance of my pores (size and cleanliness) and the overall texture of my skin.
So, while I came for the oil-control, I stayed for the next-level pore control and dewy, soft oil-free finish. Heaven. If I were to pick one standout from the range - this would be it. A must-try!
How to use the Ole Henriksen Violet Ice Cold Plunge Pore Mask:
Apply an even layer to clean, dry skin. Leave on for 15 minutes until the mask turns marbled purple. Rinse with warm water. Use 2–3 times per week for best results. Avoid the eye area.
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