Battle of the Hot Cloth Cleansers: Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Vs No.7 Beautiful Skin

I am a big fan of the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, but recently in Boots I came across the new No.7 version which they have launched in their Beautiful Skin collection. I had my trusty No.7 £5 gift voucher, so decided to put it towards giving this alternative product a go.

Firstly, the two main differences I noticed are the size of product and also the packaging. The Liz Earle Cleanser has a much more polished look about it (excuse the pun), but in comparison to the No.7 Cleanser it has half the amount of product.

The Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Starter kit is £14.25 for 100ml and comes with two muslin cloths. The full price of the No.7 Hot Cloth cleanser is £10.00 for 200ml and comes with 1 muslin cloth.

On the surface, the choice between the two may seem like a no-brainer, but there are other aspects in comparing these products that may make you think differently.

I found that I needed to use a little more of the No.7 cleanser than the Liz Earle (one and a half times as much) as the consistency of the No.7 product is a little thinner and didn't feel as creamy on my skin. Also, I wasn't so impressed with the scent of the No.7 Cleanser, which has a nice subtle fragrance but a distinct after-smell that, though not unbearable, is still a bit iffy. In comparison, the Liz Earle cleanser has a gorgeous eucalyptus-based smell that simply oozes the feel of luxurious spa treatment.

No7 muslin cloth on the left, Liz Earle muslin cloth on the right

I also found that the muslin cloth that came with the No.7 cleanser was very cheap looking and rough in texture in comparison to the cloths provided in the Liz Earle starter kit. It reminded me of a large medical gauze swab, which isn't such a great thing! The muslin cloths that come in the Liz Earle kit are softer and made of a tighter weave fabric. They are also larger in size, and I like how you get two of them so that you have another to use when one is in the wash.

In regards to the cleansing effectiveness of the product, Liz Earle is AMAZING, but the No7 comes a VERY close second - although, I'm not sure how much of this is due to the actual product with No.7, as opposed to the roughness of the muslin cloth, which tends to stay rough (and maybe more abrasively exfoliating) even when wet. My skin was left feeling soft after using the No.7 cleanser, but I still felt the need to moisturise. In comparison, Liz Earle cleanser not only does an extremely great job of cleansing, but my skin always feels so amazing afterwards, so that when I am applying my moisturiser I feel that I am doing so out of habit rather than feeling that my skin really needs it. However, both products are really effective at completely removing make-up - especially mascara.

Overall, I think that No.7 have created an excellent alternative Hot Cloth Cleanser, and if you are lucky enough to purchase the product with the £5 No.7 voucher (bringing the cost down to a mere £5.00) it is a real bargain for your money. Liz Earle remains my top choice though, and I will definately opt for this one in the first instance.

I like to think of the two products like this: Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser is like Disneyland Florida, and No.7 Hot Cloth Cleanser is like Disneyland Paris... If you go to Disneyland Paris first, when you then go to Disneyland Florida you are even more impressed. However, if you go to Disneyland Florida first, and then you go to Disneyland Paris, you like it there but not as much!!

What are your thoughts? Have you tried any of these cleansers before?