Royalty Shine Cleansing Cloths – You won’t find these in Buckingham Palace Hun.

Here is the first of my #Poonique product reviews.  These reviews are based on my personal experience using the products and are formed of my opinions.  It is just a short snapshot of how I felt using each product.  I am not going to go deep into science and analysis, but I will give my views, be it good or bad.  Just a real life review from an everyday, normal makeup wearing woman.

The first review is on the Royalty Shine Cleansing Cloths… Prior to the royal re-branding, they were known as the Shine Eye Makeup Remover Wipes, they used to come in this fetching yellow packaging…

Before getting this lavish golden facelife…

Basically, they are makeup wipes with a fancy pants name.

So how much will these posh wet wipes set you back I hear you ask?  Oh, just a measly £16….  Yes, don’t adjust your monitors, you did read correctly, SIXTEEN POUNDS.  For a pack of 36 cleansing cloths.

Before I go into my thoughts, lets take a look at the ingredients –

Water
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate: a binding agent
Gluconic Acid: Preservative
Sodium Benzoate: Preservative
Sodium Citrate: Provides pH control
Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil: contains antioxidants that MAY help protect the skin
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil: an emollient that moisturizes and soothes dry skin
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil: Rich in Vitamin E.
Tocopherol: Vitamin E found in vegetable oil.
Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran (oil) Extract: Conditions skin.
Tocopheryl Acetate: Supports the skin’s response to UV light from the sun
Cyclopentasiloxane: Transient emollient that soothes and softens the skin
Polysorbate 20: Mild cleanser.
Fragrance: masks or imparts odor+
Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract,
Sodium Hydroxide: Also known as lye and caustic soda

I count 5 oil products.  Now, I am not going to pretend to be an expert in the making of cleansing wipes, but to me that seemed a little excessive.  Also a little concerned about Sodium Hydroxide.  And yes, before anyone starts shouting, I know it is used in other things including hand soap, but lets remember, these are going to be getting all up close and personal with your eyes.  It also made me smile that the fragrance is used to “mask” as well as impart, odors…

So how do they feel on your skin….?  Not surprisingly… OILY.

Yes, they do remove all your makeup so I guess they tick that box, but that is probably one of the only things that I could call a positive about them.  I would describe their texture as slick.  You know when you have picked up a bit of fried chicken and you have the grease on your fingers, that is what your face feels like after using these.  I already suffer with oily skin, so I really didn’t need all that extra lubrication.  Luckily, I wash my face with a facial scrub after using a wipe as they dry my skin out, so I was able to scrub it off straight away.Next, the smell….  They smelled rather funky.  I guess they didn’t mask it that well after all.  Some cosmetics smell clean, you know what I mean?  They smell fresh, light and invigorating.  I really wish I could come up with a better adjective for you, but funky is the best I have.  I couldn’t bear it.  And never mind the smell, DO NOT lick your lips after using one of these.  The taste is horrendous.  It is bitter, tastes like chemicals and VERY strong.  Not just a little residual taste, oh no.  More like you have stuck one in your mouth and sucking the moisture out of it, like you have been stranded on a desert island for days without liquid and you are desperately trying to quench your thirst.  You may think I am being dramatic, but honestly, the taste is foul.

They looked the part though.  They are large makeup wipes, which I liked.  There was plenty of surface area.  They are also slightly thicker than other wipes, which made them feel sturdy.  You could cake on a whole face full of products for your demo video, and one wipe would be able to cope with it all.  Spider lashes, lipstain and all.

Yes that is right, they even remove the “unmovable” #Poonique lipstains (stay tuned for that review).

You may even recall the Sharpie challenge.  Not the one that Elle blogged about recently about the liquid foundation covering up Sharpie.  This one was grown women again drawing over their faces in Sharpie but this time using the shine cloths to wipe it off.

Which it did.  But, am I the only one slightly dubious about using Sharpie remover on my eyes?

So, would I recommend you buying overpriced pieces of cloth, that leave you feeling like you stuck your head in a deep fat fryer, smelling funky at best and leave an awful taste on your lips?  Surprisingly, no.

In all honesty, they are a rip off.  They are simply not worth the money.

£16 for 36 makeup wipes (44p per wipe).  Essentially £16 a month on wipes.  £192 a year on damp clothes to remove cosmetics.  It is insane.  WHY is the cost so high?  Hint, it is not because they are high end, watch this space for more info *Looks over at Elle*.

How do they compare to other wipes?

High End – Clinique Take Off The Day Face and Eye Cleansing Towelettes are also priced at £16, but you get 50 instead of 36.  So almost 2 months worth of wipes (32p per wipe).

Mid Range – MAC Comestics Makeup Remover Wipes are priced at £21.50 for 100 wipes.  3 months supply (21.5p per wipe).

Everyday Brand – Simple Kind To Skin cleansing 25 pack facial wipes are £2.90 for a pack of 25 (11.6p per wipe)

Budget – offer Boots Essentials Fragrance Free Wipes are £1 for 25 (4p per wipe).

Personally I would prefer to use Boots own brand over #Poonique Royalty crap.  Even as a presenter I was floored by the extortionate price.  I was encouraged by my upline to buy some so I could demo them and sell them because they were soooo amazing.  So I used one of my half price items and got them, still massively overpriced at £8.  I never used them apart from to try one.  I never tried to sell them.  I never used my face as a drawing book with a Sharpie.  I couldn’t bring myself to try and sell something so terrible in value and unpleasant to use.

Our survey says…

 

If you have used these wipes, or any of the products that I review, I would love to hear your feedback whether you agree with me or not.  I would be interested to hear how people with other skin types found them to use.  Did anyone else notice the Funky smell, or did you like it?  Things you loved, things you hate.  Please comment below and tell me what you thought of them.