Honest Review: Huxley Secret of Sahara Cleansing Oil

I am always on the lookout for a good cleansing oil since I believe in double-cleansing. No, it is not a religion, but if you practice it every day, it is very close to being one. 

If you are a K-beauty fan, you might have heard of Huxley. Huxley is a Korean skincare brand that has been around for a while, although it is not the most common brand that you can find at your nearest Sephora. 

Inspired by Aldous Leonard Huxley, the author of “brave new world”, this brand intends to take over the skincare world with products supporting the natural value of the skin. According to their website, Huxley is working with unknown ingredients and trying to set new beauty trends.

Their motto is “Great things never come from comfort zones” and it really shows when it comes to their products. More on that, later. 

What is Huxley Secret of Sahara cleansing oil claiming to be?

On the official website, Huxley Secret of Sahara Cleansing oil is described as a lightweight cleansing oil that gently works on the skin. This cleansing oil is plant-based and claims to be suitable for all skin types. It dissolves makeup and leaves no heavy residue at the end of cleansing. 

Huxley Secret of Sahara cleansing oil claims to be a simple, one-stop-shop cleanser to remove face, lip, and eye makeup. It is non-comedogenic (meaning it won’t clog your pores), a lightweight cleanser that minimizes skin irritation while cleansing, and leaves the skin hydrated. 

The ingredient list of Huxley Cleansing Oil

When looking at the ingredient list, their motto totally checks out, as Huxley uses, let’s say, less popular ingredients in their formulations. 

First, we have emollients – meaning, ingredients that soften the skin, like Caprylic (Capric Triglyceride), Glycine Soja Oil, and Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil. (aka fancy name for sunflower oil) 

The first name in the ingredient list and first emollient is Isopropyl Palmitate. It is derived from isopropyl alcohol and palmitic acid which is a fatty acid. Now, isopropyl alcohol is different from alcohols like ethanol which is damaging to the skin. It is used in many products to enhance its absorption by the skin. Also, it evaporates from the skin in no time and basically gets no chance to irritate or damage the skin. 

More about alcohol in skincare: The Truth About Alcohol in Skincare: Friend or Foe?

Caprylic (Capric Triglyceride) is a common emollient obtained from coconut oil and glycerin, so this is where its soothing properties are coming from.

Glycine Soja Oil comes from (as you can guess) soybean and is technically a plant oil. It is packed with omega fatty acids like linoleic acid and oleic acid.

Next, we have antioxidants such as Hippophae rhamnoides oil, Calendula officinalis flower (aka calendula oil), and Bixa Orellana Seed Oil. Huxley website highlights these three ingredients as the main ingredients of Huxley Secret of Sahara cleansing oil. 

The former is commonly known as Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil and is a powerhouse antioxidant made from the pulp of sea buckthorn berry. It has a number of active ingredients that are very useful for the overall health of the skin. So, get this: 65% of Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil is omega-7 fatty acids!

But that’s not all. It also contains another powerhouse antioxidant – vitamin E. So, you get the whole package of antioxidants with it. So, due to this, it has moisturizing and skin-protecting qualities. 

Another emollient here is Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil. So many new ingredients, right? Apparently, this comes from the moringa tree that grows in India. This study shows that moringa oil has antioxidant benefits and increases skin hydration.

Additionally, we have another ingredient, Tocopherol, which is a vitamin E – a fat-soluble antioxidant. Vitamin E is known for its soothing, anti-inflammatory qualities and provides high protection against UV damage. 

If you have sensitive skin like me, you have probably heard of Calendula Officinalis Flower, aka Calendula Oil. Technically, it is extracted from marigold flowers. It has some anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial properties and calendula itself is very common in skin treatments of eczema, irritation, and wound healing. 

Bixa Orellana Seed Oil is definitely not the most popular ingredient out there, so, I guess the fact that they are using less-known names in Huxley products checks out here. It is a plant that is native to Brazil and grows in other regions throughout Central America. Annatto is the tree that belongs to the bixa family, and the annatto oil complex used here helps deal with irritation. 

Phew! This was one long-ass ingredient list. So far so good. 

Consistency of Huxley Cleansing Oil

Overall, it is a very lightweight oil just like their website claims. It doesn’t feel very greasy like it wouldn’t get off your hands once washed off. It easily spreads on the face and doesn’t sit on your face.

It has a yellowish color but when you mix it with water it turns into a white milky texture liquid. So, when you apply it to your face it is almost invisible, minus the shine obviously. When you wash it off it feels clean and hydrated. 

Packaging & Scent 

One thing you gotta give to Huxley is their amazing packaging. I mean, I am a huge fan of those pastel colors and landscapes! The packaging for Huxley Secret of Sahara Cleansing oil is very minimal, it comes in a gray carton box.

The product itself is stored in a pump bottle with a frosted kind of design. It also has a cute sleeve around the top of the bottle so you can put it on to prevent any leakage if you are traveling with it. The bottle is 200 ml and normally an oil cleanser this size will last me around four months or so. The bottle itself looks quite modern and kind of high-end. 

If you like oil cleansers with no scent, I have to tell you straight out – this one isn’t going to be your favourite. It has a fruity, yet kind of herbal scent to it. It didn’t really bother me, but I wish it didn’t have the smell at all. It is not very pungent, but you can smell it right away. 

How to use Huxley Secret of Sahara Cleansing oil?

Don’t rinse your face before using an oil cleanser. It is better to apply it on a dry face. Take two or three pumps and massage it into your face in circular motions. When you add a bit of water, you will notice that it will start reacting and turn into a milky like texture. That’s when you know it is removing all the makeup, wear and tear of the day! 

I used it in the morning and at night, sometimes getting lazy in the morning. But I definitely didn’t go to bed without double-cleansing.  

Overall performance of Huxley Secret of Sahara cleansing oil: Does it work?

jabarli.madina

Huxley Secret of Sahara cleansing oil

Huxley Secret of Sahara cleansing oil

3 5 0 1

It did its job pretty well at removing all the makeup, and dirt. Other than that, it burnt my eyes and it has fragrance. This is a straight neutral for me.

It did its job pretty well at removing all the makeup, and dirt. Other than that, it burnt my eyes and it has fragrance. This is a straight neutral for me.

3.0 rating

3/5

Total Score

Neutral

buy at amazon

The short answer is yes! (although it did sting my eyes a little bit, more about that down below) 

I have used many oil cleansers before that had their fair share of drawbacks. Although I have tried many K-beauty brands before, this is the first product I have tried from Huxley. Since the main task of an oil cleanser is removing makeup, SPF, and all the dirt accumulated on your face, I feel like this one checks all the boxes for me. 

It did remove my full face makeup very well.

I have been using this cleanser for over a month now, these are my first impressions: 

• It is very easy to spread on the face;
• Washes off with no problem, there is no residue of any oil;
• Removes eye makeup very well; 
• Leaves the skin hydrated and doesn’t feel dry 

I have been using this Huxley cleanser as the first part of my double cleansing routine (as it should be, lol) followed by my tried and true-BFF-go-to cleanser by CeraVe, Hydrating Facial Cleanser. But sometimes I felt like I could leave it out (although I didn’t) because my skin felt clean and soft already. 

As I mentioned, it did remove eyeshadow and mascara very well, it did, however, sting my eyes a little bit. What was weird was it didn’t sting for a long time, and it start it right after the application. I would say it would last for 15 minutes or so and get a bit watery around my eyes. But it stopped doing that after around 2 weeks or so. It might be a specific ingredient in it. (because some plants extracts might be irritating) Or it might be my eyes building tolerance for that specific ingredient? Hard to tell. 

Since I have sensitive skin anyway, my eyes reacting wasn’t really shocking for me. It didn’t have any reaction on my face. Another takeaway from this is: Life isn’t easy for sensitive skin people like me. But luckily, it didn’t last for a long time, or else I wouldn’t be writing this positive review.

Who is this product for? 

The website claims that it is for all skin types, and I partly agree with that. As a person with sensitive skin, it worked well for me. (minus the eye part) It has calendula extract, and vitamin E oil soluble agents which are great for sensitive skin. 

It seems to me that dry skin types might enjoy the Huxley Secret of Sahara Cleansing oil the most. If you have oily skin, don’t freak out. Since this is a very lightweight oil, I doubt it will clog your pores. That said, consulting with your doctor if you have a certain skin condition would be your best bet here. 

Where can you get Huxley Secret of Sahara Cleansing oil? 

Although you can find it on Amazon (most of the time not in stock), you will find it in Korean skincare store like Yesstyle, Stylevana, or StyleKorean. 

Final verdict 

If you are reading my final verdict, congratulations, you made it! If you are an avid double cleanser and are into K-beauty, this Huxley cleansing oil should be on your list. I will probably review other products by Huxley down the road. 

This oil cleanser by Huxley partially lives up to the hype and really is an all-in-one cleanser as it deeply cleanses the skin. It leaves the skin hydrated, and silky soft and works for sensitive skin. The two downsides include eye sensitivity and fragrance.