DHC Cleansing Oil:
The cleansing oil is a yellowish colour with a thick consistency similar to olive oil. It has a strong scent of olive oil too.
The thick feel of the oil makes it a pleasure to massage into the skin. Afterwards I use a little bit of warm water to massage with the oil to emulsify the dirt, before splashing off the remaining oil with lots of lukewarm water. I find it leaves my skin with just the right feel - no tight / dry feeling on the skin. If I had a lot of product before or if its been a very humid / grimy day, I follow up with the washing powder.
The product comes in a pump bottle with a cap on top. The cap helps protect the pump from being pushed so you have no fear of product accidentally leaking out during travel. I got the smaller size, which is 70mL which passes the airline liquids rule of max 100mL per bottle.
DHC Washing Powder:
The washing powder is a fine white powder. You pour out about 1/2 tsp into your palm, add a little bit of water and rub to foam up the product. Btw the picture shows too much product - I just poured some out to take the picture but this is definitely over 1/2 tsp :D
The bottle cap is a blue flip top, with a small hole so that its easy to measure out the tiny amount you'll need.
I tend to use this as a morning cleanser, and then at night only if I didn't wear makeup that day, or after using cleansing oil to remove foundation first. So far I find it can be a little drying if I use too much (over 1/2 tsp). Otherwise it does its job , a small amount is really all you need.
What I like best is how convenient the powder format is for travel. No need to worry about the bottle leaking. You also don't have to factor this into the liquids restriction on flights!
The main reason I took so long to review these two products because I couldn't see a dramatic difference in my skin. These products did not improve my skin dramatically, but they did not affect it badly either. During the last few months, my skin has been alright - no purging from using these products, but no massive breakouts or other problems either.
Overall:
For the cleansing oil, the aroma and consistency may appeal to some but not others. I personally liked this because the scent makes it seem more natural, and the thickness of the oil feels nice.
However if you'd rather have a more odourless and thinner product, check out MAC's cleansing oil. MAC's product is also made of olive oil, but it is clear and has much a thinner consistency. It also cleanses just as well as the DHC product and has a milder scent. However MAC comes in only a 200 mL size, while DHC at least also offers a small bottle which is more travel friendly.
Price: 3/5 (US$11/ 70 mL, US$24/200 mL)
Packaging: 5/5
Effectiveness: 4/5
Repurchase: Yes
For the washing powder, I like how the dry format makes it convenient for travel. In my opinion it'd work best for normal/combo skins.
Price: 5/5 (cheap at US$8.50/bottle)
Packaging: 5/5
Effectiveness: 3/5
Repurchase: Yes
