On the Cheap: Pond's Deep Cleanser & Makeup Remover

Today's On the Cheap is an oldie but a goodie. I'm going with Pond's Cold Cream, the standby makeup remover for many a woman for decades now. I found it at Wal-Mart recently and when I realized they now have a cucumber version, I just had to give it a try...I'm a fool for cucumber! Plus, mom couldn't have been THAT wrong, right? Right? 

Pond's no longer calls their cream "cold cream," and it may have been updated in recent years, but it's still a thick, white, fairly dense cream that has mineral oil listed as one of the top ingredients. The cucumber version doesn't seem as thick and greasy as I remember my mom's cold cream feeling. I know the mineral oil  will turn a lot of you off, since there's a huge amount of controversy about it, but I have no such qualms. Mineral oil has never made me break out and it's always been a great makeup remover for me. I understand that there are other, possibly better alternative oils out there (most of my beloved oil cleansers are free of mineral oil and use olive, safflower, and the like instead), but this is an "On the Cheap" post and I'm fairly certain the reason I can get the Pond's for $4 instead of $20 (or more) is due to the fact that mineral oil is a lot less expensive than olive oil. 

Anyhow, enough of that. If you're still reading, you are likely similar to me in that you aren't adamantly opposed (or sensitive) to the mineral oil and you're looking for a good, inexpensive makeup remover. Pond's is a good, if not perfect, choice, especially for normal to dry skin types. It's easy to use, can (usually) be rinsed off and can always be tissued off, and it's even fairly effective at removing eye makeup. 

Here's a shot of the consistency of the cream: 

The cucumber version is very cooling and smells fresh and, well, cucumber-y. I love the way it glides across the skin without feeling as if it's sinking in. According to the label, it can be rinsed or tissued off. Interestingly, I found that about 70% of the time it rinses right off, but the other 30% it seems to leave a film on my skin. I don't know what the variable is, since I'm pretty sure I'm using the same temperature water (I even tried hotter-than-usual water once when I was having issues with it), but it is a little finicky on removal. I solved that problem by rinsing the majority off with water, followed by wiping with a warm wash cloth. 

Pond's does a pretty admirable job of removing eye makeup. I still have traces of mascara left after cleansing with the cream, but less than I have when using a foam cleanser alone, and less than I have left even after some of my oil cleansers. Because it handles eye makeup so well, I feel comfortable in believing that it's doing a good job breaking down foundation, powder, blush, etc. 

Bottom Line: Pond's Deep Cleanser and Makeup Remover is definitely not the best cleanser I've used, but it is adequate. With a follow-up of eye makeup remover, you're good to go with the rest of your skin care for the night. I find it annoying that it only rinses off about half the time, but it does remove completely with a warm wash cloth. It handles eye makeup pretty well, and definitely removes all other facial makeup completely. If you're short on cash and not opposed to mineral oil, I'd say give it a try. For $4, it's worth it.