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It isn‘t often that a goose offers to send you skincare to review. In fact I was quite surprised when one day I received mail from the Ambigoose, asking whether I would be interested in trying their Respect Water Cleanser and their Powerhouse Moisturizer.
A quick look at the very colorful website revealed that Ambigoose aims to create unisex products respecting the skin barrier, two things I can easily get on board with.
But other than colorful, unisex and vegan, how do both products perform? What ingredients do they use, which skin types are they best suited for and, most importantly, do they get my recommendation?
Ambigoose Respect Water Cleanser
Claims of the Ambigoose Respect Water Cleanser
With a unique blend of ultra-mild surfactants, emollients, and soothing ingredient like centella, green tea, chamomile, aloe-vera this gentle formula does not strip your skin, disturb your natural PH or cause irritation.
It brings loads of hydration and antioxidants leaving the skin fresh, plump, clean and glowing while preparing for better active ingredient absorption.
(More info: Ingredient Spotlight Centella Asiatica)
Facts about the Ambigoose Respect Water Cleanser
Prize and size
The pump bottle with the red writing contains 100 ml and retails for 19 € on the website here. One pump is enough for a quick cleanse, but I prefer two for my face.
Texture and scent
A firm and non-foaming gel cleanser, this one falls in the category of unspectacular cleanses, which is a compliment in my world. Unspectacular means it does what it is supposed to without added actives (potentially irritating) or excess amounts of foam that can oftentimes be stripping. It is fragrance-free, meaning there is nothing to mask the ingredients own scent. And as most of them don’t really have a pleasant scent on their own, the result is a very faint, but still strange scent. This absolutely didn’t bother me, but if you are here for the pleasant olfactory experience, I don’t think this is the cleanser for you. (More info: How to choose the right cleanser for your skin type)
How to use the Ambigoose Respect Water Cleanser
You pump some in the palm of your hand, mix it with water (or just apply it to a wet face) and then massage it into your skin before rinsing it off again. There is no residue, so no need for a washcloth if you don‘t want to.
I like it best as morning cleanse or second cleanse at night, as I don‘t think it excels at removing makeup. It struggles with removing my mascara and liner, even if I am not wearing anything waterproof, but does not sting or irritate the eyes.
Ingredients of the Ambigoose Respect Water Cleanser
sii|h 0 0, Anthemis Nobilis (Roman Chamomile) Flower Water, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Water, Coco-Glucoside surf, Sodium PCA 
sii|h 0 0, Xanthan Gum vc, Panthenol so|h 0 0, Lactobionic Acid exf|buff, Benzyl Alcohol pres|perf|solv|vc, Black Willow Bark Extract, Glycerol sii|h 0 0, Allantoin Powder, Benzoic Acid pres, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Flower Extract, Sorbic Acid pres, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate chel, Dehydroacetic Acid pres, Centella Asiatica Extract so|aox|h, Chondrus Crispus (Red Algae) Extract h|vc, Citric Acid buff, Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract, Lactic Acid exf|h|buff, Sodium Hydroxide buffHover the mouse over an ingredient for short explanation. Read more on INCIDecoder.
Now you can argue whether or not a cleanser needs a lot of beneficial ingredients or if a simple gentle cleanse is enough. For me the gentle cleanse is the minimal requirement, and here Coco-Glucoside provides this very gentle surfactant action. As additional ingredients you will find what reads like the who is who of soothing: Panthenol, Allantoin, Chamomile, Centella Asiatica and Green Tea Extract alongside humectants like Glycerin. There is also Lactobionic Acid, a Polyhydroxy Acid, which I doubt has much effect in a wash off product.
I really enjoy these types of formulas, as I feel the soothing potential is ideal to prepare my skin for the active step, in my case the Tretinoin, in the best way possible. (More info: What are Polyhydroxy Acids?)
How does it compare to…
Dr Sam’s Flawless Cleanser
Both are similar in texture and effect on the skin, both are not my favorite to remove eye makeup and both would work very well when you are on stronger acne treatments or even prescription.
While Dr Sams cleanser contains less soothing ingredients, it is also exactly the same price for double the amount of product.
You can read my full review of the Dr Sam’s Flawless Cleanser here.
Geek and Gorgeous Jelly Joker
Another non-foaming gel cleanser, also fragrance-free and not the best to remove makeup. Jelly Joker contains Panthenol and Allantoin and is the most affordable out of the three.
You can read my full review of the Geek and Gorgeous Jelly Joker here
Ambigoose Powerhouse Moisturizer
Claims of the Ambigoose Powerhouse Moisturizer
With a blend of barrier-replenishing ingredients, including niacinamide (vitamin B3), panthenol (vitamin B5), sodium PCA, allantoin & centella asiatica, POWERHOUSE effectively rehydrate and soothe the most demanding skins.
Formulated for all skin types including the most sensitive, it is fragrance free, vegan and cruelty free.
Lightweight, it easily soaks into skin, retains long-lasting moisture and forms a protective layer that allows skin to function at its optimal level.
Facts about the Ambigoose Powerhouse Moisturizer
Price and size
One pump package contains 50 ml and retails for 29,99 € on the website here.
Texture and scent
A little firmer than a lotion and slighly yellow in colour this moisturizer again suffers from something many fragrance-free products are affected by: It really does not smell nice, but rather of the added ingredients. Thankfully the scent here isn‘t strong either and doesn‘t linger, but you can definitely notice it upon application.
Texturewise it spreads with ease, but kind of stays on your skin for a while rather than being immediately absorbed, something I notice with many Ceramide containing products. Just as a reminder, ceramides are part of the layer in between our skin cells and important for forming that barrier that prevents moisture loss, so this might again be a good thing if your skin barrier is compromised. (More info: Damaged skin barrier – cause of acne and irritation?)
How to use the Ambigoose Powerhouse Moisturizer
Whether you prefer it morning or night will depend on your skin type. My normal to oily skin gets along with it best at night while it is too much during the day. Drier skin types might love the protective layer it gives during the day, especially now that it gets colder.
It is worth noticing that one pump is plenty – I can use it all over my face, neck and still have some left to take care of my elbows (they also need love!)
Don‘t be disheartened by the added Bakuchiol – while it is often touted to be a „natural retinol“ (it is not if you ask me) – right now there is no warning against using it during the day, as opposed to real retinoids it is not sensitive to UV exposure. (More info: Bakuchiol – is it an alternative to retinol?)
If you use it in the mornings, it goes on as last step before sunscreen, if you use it at night, it goes on as last step. I don‘t see any problems pairing it with other actives except maybe Tretinoin. Bakuchiol and Tretinoin might be overkill for your skin, so in that case I would stick to Tretinoin only that night. (More info: The different retinoids explained)
Ingredients of the Ambigoose Moisturizer
sii|h 0 0, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil emo 0 0–2, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil emo 0 1–2, Sodium PCA sii|h 0 0, Niacinamide cci|sb|aacne|h, Cetyl Alcohol (Vegetable Co-Emulsifier) emo|vc 2 2, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter emo|vc, Panthenol so|h 0 0, Isoamyl Cocoate (Vegetable Ester) emo, Salvia Hispanica (Chia) Seed Oil aox|emo|h, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Oil, Benzyl Alcohol pres|perf|solv|vc, Glycerol sii|h 0 0, Xanthan Gum vc, Benzoic Acid pres, Tocopherol (Vitamin E) aox 0–3 0–3, Allantoin so 0 0, Bakuchiol cci|aox|amic, Bisabolol so, Lactic Acid exf|h|buff, Triethyl Citrate perf, Glyceryl Caprylate pres, Black Willow Bark Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Seed Oil, Citric Acid buff, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate chel, Hexapeptide-11, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract so|aox|h, Chondrus Crispus (Red Algae)Extract h|vc, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate emu, Sorbic Acid pres, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate amic|pres, Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract, Ceramide NP sii, Phenoxyethanol pres, Ceramide AP sii, Phytosphingosine sii|cci|aacne|amic, Cholesterol sii|emo 0 0, Sodium Hydroxide buff, Carbomer vc 0 1, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, Ceramide EOP siiHover the mouse over an ingredient for short explanation. Read more on INCIDecoder.
What you will find here are a lot of so-called barrier-repairing ingredients like the Ceramides and the added phospholipids, soothing Panthenol and Allantoin as well as Vitamin E. There are also several humectants and emollients, Niacinamide which you guys know I am a huge fan of and then Bakuchiol. As I said before, I don’t really look for Bakuchiol in my products – I use Tretinoin, so for me it is pointless. You might feel different though. (More info: The benefits of Niacinamide explained)
How does the Ambigoose Powerhouse Moisturizer compare to…
Dr Sam’s Flawless Moisturizer
In this case the Dr Sam Moisturizer contains the same amount and goes for roughly the same price, but also is lacking the ceramides, which might make the Ambigoose version the better choice. Same is true if you don’t like Shea Butter in your products, as this features as third ingredient in Dr Sam’s cream – I personally don’t have issues with it, but I know some people claim it breaks them out.
Read my full review of the Dr Sam’s Flawless Moisturizer here (coming soon).
The Inkey List Peptide Moisturizer
I feel like The Inkey Lists version sinks in quicker while being equally as hydrating. The main player here are the peptides rather than barrier repairing or soothing ingredients. (More info: What are peptides in skincare?)
You can read my full review of The Inkey List Peptide Moisturizer here
Which skin types do I recommend the Ambigoose products to?
The cleanser is one that can be used by all skin types and should pair well with stronger acne treatments as it is very gentle. Dry skins might prefer a more creamy texture, but that is more a preference than a performance issue.
The moisturizer on the other hand is not one I can see working for people with oily skin, I think it is much better suited to those that lean towards dry. It is also not my first recommendation if you think you wrecked your skin barrier – the ceramides and Niacinamide are amazing for that, but the Bakuchiol might not be. I personally would have preferred if they had left that one out, but if you don‘t want to go the retinol route, yet still would like to try an active that promises to have vaguely similar effects, it might be a good option for you.
Would I repurchase?
Out of the two I personally would consider repurchasing the cleanser, but not the moisturizer, as it is not working with my skin type.
If you want to get a vote in the next Ask Doctor Anne Topic, Ingredient Spotlight or product I review, don’t forget you can head over to my Patreon account to get more involved!
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