There’s Some Fine Hoodoo in Yoshimomo Black Magic Cleanser

It looks intimidating. It’s BLACK for goodness sake. Sometimes I wonder why I do this but I felt very challenged back then. I really wanted to try this black stuff.

I did wait a while before I finally did. Within a week of use, this product has shot right up into one of my favorite face cleansers.

Yoshimomo Black Magic Bamboo Charcoal Cleanser.

Yoshimomo Black Magic, according to the web’s description, dissolves surface debris, excess oil, and impurities without stripping skin of natural moisture. Targets the overproduction of sebum and the buildup of blemish-causing bacteria to leave skin refreshed, detoxified, and nourished.

This cleanser has some lovely ingredients as well (taken from the web):

• Activated Bamboo Charcoal works like a sponge to absorb and trap pore-clogging impurities and bring them to the skin’s surface, allowing them to easily be washed away.
• Willow Bark is a non-irritating, natural source of salicylic acid that penetrates deep into pores where it dissolves debris and excess oil that could lead to blackheads and blemishes.
• Thyme has powerful antibacterial and cleansing properties that effectively kill Propionibacterium acnes, the primary bacteria that causes the redness and inflammation of a pustule.
• Quinoa, Rice, and Amaranth proteins lock moisture into skin cells to prevent over-drying and the production of excess oil.
• Lavender, Lemon, and Calendula calm redness, protect skin from bacteria, clarify, and brighten.

It took a few pumps for me to see the full black consistency. It’s like a black jelly polish. Upon inspection, I can see the tiny speckles of bamboo charcoal that make up for that color. It’s like a black hazy smoke. It actually somehow reminds me of Harry Potter’s eerie Dementors. Sorry, I can’t help it 😀

Black, dark, eerie stuff.

It has a gel texture that lathers up gently when mixed with water. I take a pump for every use. I usually use this during nighttime as a second cleanser and I take the time to massage the lather in, sometimes leaving it for a minute or two for that full gratification. Here’s what surprises me. I had expected this to strip the skin and it never does that. There is no taut or tight feeling. As a quick comparison, I feel Antipodes Juliet Cleanser strips my skin a bit more than this. Yoshimomo Black Magic is mild, despite the detoxifying qualities it possesses.

It has a peppermint scent. It’s refreshing but it also translates on the skin. It was slightly uncomfortable at first, the cooling sensation is a little bit awkward for me to digest. It’s not really a con just because I’m not the biggest fan of mint in general. But I get by through it because the cleanser is really, really GOOD.

The key, or rather, the star ingredient here is the Bamboo Charcoal, no doubt. I believe this is the one that makes the cleanser work so well in terms of purifying the skin. I’ve used this ingredient in a bar soap and I’m head over heels how the soap has helped with my back acne (will share about it soon). Willow Bark is also another nice element to help fighting blemishes. This ingredient can also be found in FAB Blemish Patrol Pads that I reviewed before.

As I mentioned earlier, within a week of use, I knew this is going to be my go-to cleanser. I started using it during the time where my skin was experiencing constant blemishes. They’re small and probably insignificant compared to others but definitely pesky because I can see them. I find that the cleanser really helps to purify excess dirt and sebum as I see my skin getting clearer during the week. I didn’t use anything invasive or serious (e.g. using other clarifying products) just to see the effect. These little red dots went away one by one and as an overall result, my skin became less red and spotty.

When dealing with more serious, larger blemishes, Yoshimomo Black Magic won’t be the savior, but it definitely has a first hand in handling the issues. Remember, good skin starts with clean skin, which means a proper cleansing. This cleanser also has a good pH balance at around 5.5. It’s a great option for those who are seeking for low pH cleansers.

The cleanser is best suited for combination, oily and blemish-prone skin. But because of the mild character and the fact it doesn’t leave that squeaky clean feeling, I think this might work for drier skin types as well, especially if you tend to have blemishes. It can be used simply as a detoxifying step in the routine once in every few days.

I am glad that I took the chance trying out Yoshimomo Black Magic because the outcome is absolutely marvelous. It really pays off. I do feel I experience less blemishes once I incorporate this cleanser more often and constant. The winning point for me, aside from the bamboo charcoal, is definitely the mild, non-stripping feel. It doesn’t compromise with how my skin feels afterwards. I don’t hesitate using this, gravitating towards it almost every night. And I don’t even feel guilty about it.

I am definitely going to let my SO taste some Black Magic once his cleanser runs out.

Score one for Yoshimomo!