Review: 3CE Real Soft Cleansing Sherbet

3CE are a popular brand with great marketing and exciting products. Whilst I love browsing their stores, I tend to stay away, as they’re a little pricey and the fun shopping experience means I’m always at risk of dropping a load of cash! But when I finished my last cleansing oil, I remembered how much I’d loved the feel of the cleansing sherbet the last time I was testing in store, and I grabbed it to try.

Purpose

This product is a cleansing balm, meant to melt and remove makeup before washing your face with a second cleanser. I always double cleanse, because to remove products that contain oil, such as sunscreen or foundations, you need to use removers containing oil, not just water. The only way, IMO, to properly cleanse your face is by double cleansing.

I’ve been using this product from July until now, in the evenings, in the first cleansing step to remove makeup and sunscreen. I tend to use an eye makeup remover first, but at times I have used this to remove eye makeup as well as base makeup.

Packaging

The packaging is very sleek and classic black 3CE style.

It’s a short plastic tub, with a protective inner cover, and small spatula for application.

For a balm or sherbet this is the typical form of container, but it’s definitely not the most convenient. First you have to take off the lid, get the little spatula, remove the cover, and scoop out the product, before putting it all back together. I sound lazy, but it’s not as easy as a pump of cleansing oil, and I’ve dropped the inner lid and spatula a million times.

You also have to make sure not to get any water in the tub, because it’s difficult to get out, and just kind of sits in there- gross. So yeah, I’m not sure what alternative kind of packaging there could be for this product, but I really don’t like tubs! 

Scent

On the ingredients list is fragrance, but I can’t detect any scent. Maybe there was initially…unfortunately now there is a kind of plastic-y smell that’s unpleasant. I think this may partly be my fault, as my bathroom is a tiny wet room and it could be the result of keeping plastic packaging in a damp environment.

Ingredients

Mineral oil, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, PEG-10 Isostearate, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Polyethylene, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Trihydroxystearin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Fragrance (Parfum)

This is a very short ingredients list, but there are a few safety flags according to the cosdna analysis. I didn’t have any major concerns and to this point have had no irritation or problems.

Texture and Application

Ohhh this feels gorgeous when you apply! It’s so soft and smooth. I spatula a penny sized amount and dab it on my forehead, cheeks and chin. The balm melts and glides very easily across my face as I massage it in and try to remove my base makeup. It’s less oily and messy than a typical oil cleanser, and gives a really enjoyable cleansing experience.

In terms of removing eye makeup, if I’m using this sherbet instead of a specific eye makeup remover, I dab a small amount beneath each eye, before gently massaging it into my eyes. I am extremely gentle,  especially when massaging my eyelashes to remove stubborn mascara. The most miraculous aspect of this cleansing sherbet, is that it’s the first first-step cleanser that hasn’t burned and stung the living hell out of my eyes! I have very sensitive eyes, and I truly thought I could never use a first step cleanser to remove eye makeup, but this has defied my thoughts.

Once I’ve massaged the balm in, I then splash my face with water, and the sherbet emulsifies well to give a chalky liquid. I further massage my face, before rinsing off the residue. I then go on to my second cleanser.

Results

The sherbet does a fantastic job of removing stubborn makeup, as well as feeling soft and luxurious on skin. Here you can see how well it removes  (from left to right) Missha Long Wear Cushion Lip Crayon, Maybelline Great Lash Mascara, Clio Kill Black Pen Liner, Innisfree Browcara, and Moonshot Face Perfection Balm.

So will I purchase again? I’m serioussssly in two minds. It does it’s job very well, and I enjoy applying it to my face. However the packaging is just such a turn off for me- the tub is a real hassle. It’s also not the cheapest first cleanser, at 22,000 Korean won, or $23. The aspect that really separates it from other great first cleansers I’ve used, is the fact I can use it to remove eye makeup. However I still prefer using a separate eye make up remover, so this doesn’t reeeally factor into whether I’ll buy it again. I also want something with a gorgeous smell, which this doesn’t provide. So many different battling thoughts here, who knows…I probably won’t repurchase straight away, but I wouldn’t rule out buying it again in the future, as it removes makeup extremely well.

Where can I buy it?

If you’re in Korea you can buy it in Style Nanda stores or in their online shop. If you’re outside Korea, you can also shop on Style Nanda’s online store, and I’ve seen it on Amazon, Ebay, W2 Beauty and Urban Outfitters.

What’s your favourite first step cleanser?