I have a riddle for you.
It looks like water but there’s not a drop of water in it.
It melts anything away like an oil but it’s not an oil.
You can wipe it away without water but it’s not a micellar water.
So what the heck is it?
Niod Low-Viscosity Cleaning Ester. A new type of cleanser (oops, cleaner, sorry!) that has given up on greasy oils or drying surfactants.
Instead, it uses isolated sugar and avocado esters to remove every trace of makeup and dirt and regulate sebum production without upsetting the skin.
What’s In Niod Low-Viscosity Cleaning Ester?
SUGAR AND AVOCADO ESTERS TO CLEANSE SKIN
Up until now, if you wanted to get rid of all the crap on your skin, you had to use either surfactants or oils.
Surfactants are the ones with the bad rep. Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine and co allow water to mix with oil and dirt, so they can be rinsed away. But, they tend to strip a bit too much natural oil from your skin, leaving it feeling tight and dry after cleansing. That’s why they’re usually recommended only for oily skin.
Oils are for everyone else. They work according to the “like dissolves like” principle. Olive oil, castor oil, argan oil etc attract and wash away the oils in your makeup and sunscreen and moisturize your skin to boot, leaving it soft and clean. But, they leave a greasy residue behind.
Sugar and avocado esters work more like oils, but not quite. Here’s what I mean:
- Fatty Alcohol Ethylhexanoic Acid Ester: An emollient ester that, just like oils, uses the enemy’s strength to break it down. Because it’s nearly identical to the emollients – including silicones and oils – used in your makeup and skincare products, it can melt them all away. By they way, don’t let the name fool you. It’s not a drying alcohol or acid.
- Isoamyl Alcohol Lauric Ester: This is another skin-friendly ester that has nothing to do with alcohol. It’s here because it can break down UV filters, easily removing every last trace of even the most stubborn of sunscreens.
- Catalyzed Avocado Butyl Alcohol Ester: An avocado ester that can get rid of everything that wouldn’t mix with water and keep sebum production under control. Basically, it works sort of like a surfactant, minus the drying effects.
- Gallic Acid Ester: A cleansing ester that gets rid of Low Viscosity Cleaning Ester after its friends have removed all other impurities. Plus, it doubles up as an antioxidant.
These esters are quite revolutionary. They do everything that surfactants and oils do but much better and with a gentler hand. Why isn’t everyone else using them?
P.S. This cleanser does contain ONE oil. But that’s not what does the bulk of the cleansing work.
Related: What’s The Oil Cleansing Method And Should You Use It?
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Texture
Slippery, slightly oil-like.
Fragrance
There’s no way around this. It stinks. It’s not necessarily a bad thing. It just means it’s fragrance-free. What you smell are the natural scents of the ingredients (yep, chemicals smell, too). Fragrances are irritating, so I’d take a smelly, fragrance-free cleanser over a beautifully scented irritating one every day.
How To Use It
Morning and night, it’s the first step of your skincare routine.
Performance & Personal Opinion
Do these cleansing esters live up to the hype when they come face to face with makeup?
Yep. Low-Viscosity Cleaning Ester takes EVERYTHING off. Waterproof eyeliner, bright lipstick, stubborn sunscreen… You mention it, it melts it away. Quickly. I don’t have to tug and pull at the skin to get it to do its job.
I do find it works better when rinsed away with warm water, though. Using a cotton pad without rinsing it off isn’t as effective. You do have to use a bit more product to get the job done that way.
Did I mention it leaves my skin super soft afterwards? Not once I’ve experienced that tight feeling after washing since I’ve started using it.
If you’re looking for a cleanser that gets the job done quickly and gently, this is hard to beat. But, if you like your skincare products to come with bells and whistles, this will leave you wanting for more.
When it comes to cleansing, Niod Low-Viscosity Cleansing Ester goes back to basics. The slippery, slightly oil-like texture doesn’t feel particular luxurious and the scent… Well, it stinks.
For me, the scent is its only flaw. That aside, I’m totally in love with this cleanser and I’ll definitely repurchase it.
Who Is This For?
Anyone who has a face. Seriously.
Who Is This NOT For?
If you want something that smells good or you’re allergic to one of the ingredients, this isn’t for you.
Packaging
A big, see-through bottle. Not the prettiest, but it’s functional.
Does Niod Low-Viscosity Cleansing Ester Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| LVCE is a skin cleaning system that respects dermal barriers while regulating visible sebum production, cleaning the skin thoroughly and removing all traces of makeup in a single step. | True. |
| LVCE contains no cleansing plant oils, no detergents and no water but instead uses isolated sugar and avocado esters to remove every trace of dirt and makeup with or without water. | True again. |
| While the skin feels comfortably hydrated after each use, the technologies in LVCE will actually further act as delivery boosters for topical treatments applied after cleaning. | True, but then you could argue that all cleansers, by removing the dirt on the surface of the skin, make it easier for whatever you apply next to penetrate. |
Price & Availability
ÂŁ30.00 at Beauty Bay, Cult Beauty, Feel Unique, and Look Fantastic
Do You Need It?
Yes. This is one of the best cleansers I’ve ever tried. Period.
Dupes & Alternatives
I honestly don’t know of any dupe for this product.
Ingredients
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Isoamyl Laurate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isoamyl Cocoate, Butyl Avocadate, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Propyl Gallate, Ethoxydiglycol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Farnesol, Linalool.
i loved your post! Each and every product of Niod looks amazing (in fact all Deciem products). Please give us your opinion on CAIS, from Niod. have a great weekend! 🙂
Melisa, they are. Nothing from Deciem has disappointed me yet. My bottle of CAIS is on its way. I will review it soon. Stay tuned! 🙂
Now this sounds fascinating!!!!!! The price is not too bad either.
Barbara, it is indeed! I usually don’t like to spend more than ÂŁ20 on a cleanser but this is worth the extra tenner. 🙂
is it cruelty free?
Sasukesaradasakura, yes, it is.
I really enjoy your blog! I’m very interested in the cleanser too, but you said it’s fragrance free, but there’s farnesol and linalool n the ingridient list. Aren’t these fragrances?
Sarah, thanks! Yes and no. Those are components of some fragrances. They’re also components of some natural ingredients, like essential oils. Linalool is an allergen so if you use a natural ingredient that’s made up of it, you have to disclose it separately on the label. Hope this makes sense!
Is this cleanser suitable for sensitive skin? Thank you!
Debbie, yes it is.