Review: REN Clearcalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser

I purchased REN's Clearcalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser after reading Amy's rave review almost a year ago now; I spent quite some time deliberating over whether to splash out, but in the end I decided to use some Asos vouchers, and placed a little order. I've been using this cleanser now as part of my evening cleansing routine for around a month, which has given me a good opportunity to develop an opinion of it.
"A purifying antibacterial cleanser formulated to combat the appearance of breakouts and blemishes leaving skin visibly clearer and calmer. Results: Deeply cleanses and purifies. Gently exfoliates to improve skin tone and texture. Minimises the appearance of pore size. Antimicrobial and antibacterial. Skin looks clearer and calmer. REN's ClearCalm 3 system combats the three key causes of breakouts and blemishes; excess sebum, build-up of dead skin cells, blemish-causing bacteria... without harshness. Skin type: Problem skin, prone to breakouts and blemishes. To use: Rub one pump between the palms of slightly damp hands. Gently massage onto face for 1-2 minutes. Rinse off with warm water."
The ingredients list is what you'd hope for from a product in this price range, with plenty of natural sources and no SLS, parabens or petroleum. I haven't found that this product has irritated my sensitive skin at all, which is always a point in its favour!
I really like REN's packaging; it's lovely and simple, and I find it looks really pretty on the shelf in my bathroom! It's also super hygienic with the easy-to-use pump which dispenses the perfect amount of product each time you want to use it. I've basically been following the instructions, massaging one pump over my face with damp hands for a minute or so, before wiping off with a muslin cloth and warm water. I was expecting a clay cleanser to feel quite heavy on the skin but found that wasn't the case at all with this; on the contrary, it felt really light and honestly not much different than the cream cleansers I've used in the past. The scent is a little unusual and I must admit I'm not that keen on it, but it's certainly not enough to put me off using the product and it doesn't linger on the skin after rinsing, so it's more than bearable.
I find the ClearCalm 3 Cleanser to do a beautiful job of removing my make-up, including eye make-up, leaving my skin feeling clean and soft, but not at all dry or tight as some clay-based products can tend to do. I tend to follow with a gel cleanser such as Premae's Balance Rescue Cleansing Gel Face Wash, to ensure that all traces of dirt and make-up are removed, as double-cleansing has definitely improved the quality of my skin. I found that my skin broke out a little during the first couple of weeks I used ClearCalm 3; I'm loathe to put that down to the cleanser, though, as I was definitely a little hormonal and I'd started quite a few new skincare products around the same time. Either way, my skin settled back down with a fortnight and is now looking better than it has in a long time; again, I wouldn't like to put that exclusively down to this cleanser but it's definitely helping!
In all, I've been enjoying using this of an evening and would recommend it as a gentle creamy cleanser for those with skin on the oilier end of the spectrum. I'm not sure that I'll be repurchasing, though; that's not to say it's not a good cleanser, because it is. It's just that there are so many other products I want to try!!
REN's ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser is priced at £18 for 150ml of product, and is available from Marks & Spencer and LookFantastic, amongst other retailers. Have you tried any REN skincare? Which products would you recommend? What are your thoughts on clay-based cleansers?

xo