Hello everyone!
I'm reviewing the Black Pearl 2-in-1 Cleanser + Moisturizer, a budget-friendly face wash that claimed to deliver a gentle cleanse without drying out my skin.
A good face wash is essential, but I'm not willing to break the bank on expensive products. I figure, it's not rocket science - its main job is to clean my skin without drying it out. For that, I don't need any fancy-schmancy ingredients, like essence of morning-dew-collected lavender petals, but a gentle cleanser with a balanced formula would be nice. And personally, I prefer a foamy or hydrating oil cleanser.
The product claims are pretty impressive:
Try the new standard of cleansing* from Black Pearl experts.
The 2-in-1 foamy cleanser from the Cleanser + Moisturizer series gently and effectively cleans my skin without leaving it feeling dry. The product's light, airy texture is like a cloud on my skin.
The unique technology* with 20% active serum moisturizes, nourishes, and boosts skin elasticity right from the cleansing stage, and continues to work effectively even after rinsing.
Now, skin care is twice as effective.**
So, I grabbed this product, lured by the promise of a 2-in-1 formula, hoping it would live up to its claims and not dry out my skin. What did I end up with?
Let's get to the product details:
Penka - Black Pearl Cleansing + Care 2 in 1 for Normal and Combination SkinManufacturer - OOO 'Unilever Rus', RussiaVolume and price: from 185 rubles for 150 ml, usually around 200 rublesWhere to buy - In any store/supermarket, as well as on marketplaces.Shelf life - 12 months after opening the packagingPenka comes in a transparent bottle with a pump, and the product itself is a pale green liquid.
I've got to say, the pump is super reliable - it withstood the entire time I used the penka (and it's already running out):
Ingredients are listed on the packaging. By the way, the ingredients are different on some websites - here's what's on my penka:
Aqua,
Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Laureth-5 Carboxylate, Coco-Glucoside, Cocamide DEA, Cocamidopropyl Betaine - a mixture of surfactants,
Glycerin - glycerin, a moisturizer,
Desamido Collagen (deamidocollagen) - a moisturizing ingredient,
Sodium Hyaluronate (sodium hyaluronate) - a moisturizer
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil - camellia oil, a moisturizing and anti-aging oil
Tropaeolum majus flower/leaf/stem extract - arabinogalactans of nasturtiums. It protects the skin from hypoxia, reduces the appearance of free radicals, and protects against blue light, according to some data.
Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin - preservatives
Benzophenone-4 - UV filter
Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline - Sepifil, an anti-aging component
Lecithin - it's a humectant, restoring the lipid barrier.
Linoleic Acid - Vitamin F - it's a humectant, a moisturizer, and it helps restore the lipid barrier.
Mannitol - a humectant and antioxidant.
Parfum - a fragrance
Sodium Ascorbate - Vitamin C
Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA - various additives,
Tocopherol - Vitamin E, an antioxidant
Benzyl Alcohol - a fragrance and preservative
CI 19140, CI 42090 - dyes
I'll break down the ingredients. The first one is quite harsh, while the others are milder - it all depends on the percentage ratio and additional components, so I always go by how it feels. I found a lot of humectants and anti-aging components in the foam (I've highlighted them in the ingredients list). That's probably the promised serum, and my only question is - will it be effective if I rinse it off?
I also found a UV filter, which surprised me - why would it be in a face wash? Oh well.
The dispenser works perfectly, dispensing a fluffy cloud of foam:
The scent is light, floral, and refreshing - nice.
So, what are my experiences when using it? I apply the foam to my face and massage it in for 1 minute (I usually need 2, but I've got a bit of a backlog). The foam is fluffy and voluminous, so it applies and spreads well - I love face washes like that.
Then I rinse it off, and here's the surprise - I rinse, rinse, rinse, but the product seems to be still on my skin. By feel, it's really hard to wash off. It's only when I use a cotton pad with toner that I feel like whatever's left on my skin disappears.
I'll show you how it removes makeup on my hand, since I don't wear much these days.
When I'm getting ready, I stick to the basics: a toner, light brown eyeshadows, mascara, eyeliner, and lipstick. As you can see, the cleanser struggled with the eyeliner, but I appreciate how well it stays put on my skin. I'm not fussed about the cleanser for this, as I use a micellar water or a two-phase remover to take off my makeup. In fact, this tells me that the cleanser is pretty gentle, or it would have just wiped everything away. The rest of my face came clean easily.
My face after washing
As you can see from the photo, my skin is looking clean.
Now, the real test: how my skin feels after washing with this cleanser. Unfortunately, it does leave my skin feeling a bit dry - not desert-dry, but I do feel like I need to moisturize. It's got a nice, soft texture, but could be a bit gentler.
So, what's the verdict?
✅ I love the fluffy texture of this cleanser
✅ It does a great job of removing dirt and grime
✅ It smells nice
✅ It's affordable
❌ It's a bit of a pain to rinse off
❌ It leaves my skin feeling dry, like most cleansers do.
Honestly, my experience with this product has been a bit weird - I'm not sure what to make of its all-in-one approach. Maybe the cleanser is just struggling to rinse off because of the serum, and that's why it's leaving my skin feeling dry, like most cleansers do. Either way, I'm not interested in buying this again, so I wouldn't recommend it - I'm giving it three out of five stars. It's not terrible, and maybe someone with less finicky skin might find it works for them.
Good luck with your beauty shopping!