MARA's New Cleansing Oil Will Give Your Skin A Clean Slate For 2020 — EXCLUSIVE
In 2019, skincare-lovers rejoiced as the practice of taking care of one's complexion became as mainstream as applying winged eyeliner. Out of nowhere, people who had never thought twice about the drugstore cleanser they'd been buying since high school were suddenly revamping their entire skincare routines — and of course, beauty brands took notice. There were a lot (and I mean, a LOT) of new product launches crowding the market, and the same will be true in 2020, which is why you need to know right now that MARA's new Chia + Moringa Algae Enzyme Cleansing Oil will be one of the best. Never have I had so much faith in a cleansing oil to change my life (OK, my skin), but here we are.
When MARA founder Allison McNamara launched her skincare brand back in 2018, she debuted it with an incredible hydrator, the Universal Face Oil ($72, MARA). After that came the first treatment product, the Algae Retinol Face Oil ($120, MARA), which drastically changed my complexion and minimized my texture struggles. Fast-forward to 2020, and the brand's third oil is here. This time, it's a cleanser, the Chia + Moringa Algae Enzyme Cleansing Oil ($58, MARA), and if it's half as good as the first two, I'm ready and willing to add a third MARA oil to my skincare lineup.
At $58, the Cleansing Oil is the brand's most affordable product, minus the new travel and sample size versions of the incredible treatment oils. While not as expensive, the Cleansing Oil maintains the brand's luxurious, sea-inspired packaging, as well as an equally high-quality ingredient list, including a quatre fruit enzyme blend, B complex vitamins, and vitamin E. The mix of papaya, pineapple, pumpkin, and grapefruit works as a gentle alternative to acidic exfoliators to remove dead skin and reduce redness. Offering vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6 are moringa, kelp, spirulina, chia, and chamomile, which will all help protect against free radicals, as well as strengthen skin's protective barrier.
"This is our first rinse-off product, so the most important elements for me were that it effectively removes makeup, rinses clean, and doesn’t dry out the skin," Allison McNamara, MARA founder, exclusively tells Elite Daily. "Both algae and moringa are at the core of the brand, and we brought back in moringa (which is the hero ingredient in Universal Face Oil) for this formula because it’s incredibly nutrient dense and moisturizing." The key to MARA's successful formulas, she notes, is all about balance. "I love active ingredients, but I also believe in pairing them with hydrators and calming ingredients so that the skin is never stressed out," she says, noting that this makes the cleanser particularly good for anyone with oily, acne-prone, or dry/sensitive skin types.
Something that really excites me about this oil is how many ways it can work within my beauty routine. "This cleanser is a multi-hyphenate product," says McNamara, "It can be used on damp or dry skin, morning and night, and always shake before use, as we use clean ingredients that work best when shaken prior to use." Plus, you can couple it with your other cleansing faves: "It’s powerful enough to work on its own, but if you double cleanse, it could be used as the first step then, too," she says. You can even leave it on for five minutes for a deeper exfoliating moment, like a face mask in oil form. If you're ready to treat your skin to a MARA oil in 2020, you can shop the Chia + Moringa Algae Enzyme Cleansing Oil on the MARA website now.
