Herbivore | Aquarius BHA + Blue Tansy Clarifying Cleanser & Aquarius Pore Purifying BHA Cream: Review

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links and the products featured were provided for review.

Known for its soothing and clarifying properties perfect for oily, combination skin, blue tansy (aka Tanacetum annuum) is one of Herbivore's star ingredients. I've only tested the Blue Tansy Resurfacing Clarity Mask and the Lapis Blue Tansy Face Oil so far so I'm intrigued to try a couple more products formulated with blue tansy. Both the Herbivore Aquarius BHA + Blue Tansy Clarifying Cleanser (C$35 for 100 ml) and Aquarius Pore Purifying BHA Cream (C$62 for 50 ml) are designed for oily, combination skin to help clarify pores and reduce shine. To read my thoughts on both, click......

Aquarius BHA + Blue Tansy Clarifying Cleanser

Herbivore | Aquarius BHA + Blue Tansy Clarifying Cleanser (C$35 for 100 ml):

The Aquarius BHA + Blue Tansy Clarifying Cleanser is packaged in a tall, sturdy glass bottle similar to the Herbivore Pink Cloud Creamy Jelly Cleanser. The overall packaging is luxurious and aesthetically pleasing but the pump spout is super short, making it impossible to dispense the cleanser without picking up the whole bottle.  It sounds silly but the packaging design is a dealbreaker for me, even though the formulation is great.

Aquarius BHA + Blue Tansy Clarifying Cleanser

Formulated with willow bark extract (a form of natural salicylic acid or BHA), blue tansy oil, and zinc PCA, the Aquarius BHA + Blue Tansy Clarifying Cleanser is a gentle gel cleanser that gently exfoliates and balances sebum production. With a light herbal scent, the formulation forms a gentle lather that effectively removes dirt and oil. Compared to the Herbivore Pink Cloud Creamy Jelly Cleanser, which forms a more creamy lather, the Aquarius BHA + Blue Tansy Clarifying Cleanser provides a more sudsy, light foam lather. The Aquarius cleanser leaves the skin feeling very clean but not stripped so I think it could work even for those with non-oily skin. Overall, I would definitely recommend this cleanser if only it had more practical packaging. However, if you have oily skin and do not mind a hefty glass pump bottle that you have to pick up to use, then by all means, give this a go!

Ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate, Lauryl Glucoside, Coco-Glucoside, Salix Nigra (Willow) Bark Extract, Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil, Zinc PCA, Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Menthyl Lactate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Lactobacillus Ferment, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Betaine, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Flower/Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract.

Herbivore | Aquarius Pore Purifying BHA Cream

Herbivore | Aquarius Pore Purifying BHA Cream (C$62 for 100 ml):

Packaged in a very wide but short glass jar, the Aquarius Pore Purifying BHA Cream is described as a lightweight moisturizer formulated with the same clarifying ingredients as the Aquarius cleanser. This includes blue tansy oil, willow bark extract, and zinc PCA, in addition to squalane, aloe extract, green tea extract, and a plethora of other botanical extracts. With no distinct scent, the Aquarius Pore Purifying BHA Cream has a light cream consistency.

Herbivore | Aquarius Pore Purifying BHA Cream

Unfortunately, the formulation doesn't blend very easily. It actually creates a ton of micro-lather (basically turning white and foamy) that takes a good minute to fully blend out. I tried using less product to combat the problem but that did not seem to make any difference. I've complained about skincare products that produce a micro-lather before and it's a dealbreaker for me. With that said, once blended, the moisturizer is very lightweight and shine-free so those struggling with oily skin would likely really enjoy this. Personally, though, the difficult-to-blend formulation is a no-go for me.

Ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Squalane, Glyceryl Caprylate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Propanediol, Salix Nigra (Willow) Bark Extract, Zinc PCA, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, Magnesium PCA, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Cellulose Gum, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Caprylyl Glyceryl Ether, Caprylhydroxamic Acid.

Availability:

Herbivore is available in stores and online at Sephora.