Pai Skincare Middlemist Seven Calm Gentle Cream Cleanser
Works for
CleansingCetearyl alcohol, Cetearyl glucoside + 1 moreCleanses gently
“A face cleanser that features a trio of oils that lift away dirt and makeup with ease while protecting the skin’s delicate oil and PH balance.”
This product works by removing dirt and oil from the surface of the skin. It uses a combination of mild cleansing agents (cetearyl alcohol, cetearyl glucoside, sodium stearoyl glutamate) and should be able to cleanse the skin gently. Still keep in mind that any cleansing can disrupt the skin barrier, and most people do not need to cleanse their skin more than once per day.
Can it cause trouble?
Irritancy10 strong irritants: Rosa damascena flower oil, Pelargonium graveolens oil + 8 more — patch-test recommendedHigh risk
Comedogenic3 ingredients rated 2 or more on the 0–5 pore-clogging scale3 flagged
User reviews
2 of 2 community members would buy it again.
I’m addicted to this creamy cleanser. It takes off makeup and sunscreen, has a light but beautiful scent, doesn’t cause me to break out, and it leaves my skin feeling moisturized, nourished, and plump, never stripped. It’s the first cleanser I’ve used that feels delicate but does the job of removing makeup. It is expensive, but one bottle has a lot of product in it. It’s a clean cleanser, and cruelty free, which is important to me. If you’re looking for a great, creamy cleanser, I highly recommend this.
This is a nice gentle cleansing cream that I did enjoy using. I should note, however, that when I say "gentle" here, I mean it's not stripping -- I do not think this is "gentle" as in sensitive-skin friendly. This is quite fragrant and when I had a bit of barrier damage this did irritate my skin a bit.
This is meant to be used with a cleansing cloth, but I personally didn't notice any difference in how this performed whether I was using a cleansing cloth or not, so most of the time I opted to use this without one. Since the cleansing agents in this are very gentle, it required a bit more manual work and some patience to e.g. remove mascara, but overall I was surprised how well this managed to do it.
While I did like using this, there are other cleansers I like better so this won't be a permanent fixture in my routine. I also suspect that there are very similarly performing cleansing creams available at a much lower price point, so while I can recommend this, I'd probably look for cheaper options first.
Ingredients
Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.
Water~40–60%
Camellia oleifera seed oil~5.5–8.3%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
An emollient that does not leave a greasy finish
More about Camellia oleifera seed oilRicinus communis seed oil~4–6%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A plant oil that can help soften the skin. It might be helpful in calming down inflammation, but solid research is lacking. Is often used in lip products to create the needed product consistency
More about Ricinus communis seed oilPrunus amygdalus dulcis oil~2.9–4.3%
- Irritation risk
- Low
An emollient that softens the skin
More about Prunus amygdalus dulcis oilLactobacillus ferment~2.1–3.1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A fermentation product created by bacteria Lactobacillus. The fermented product has anti-bacterial properties and might be helpful in calming down inflammation, but studies are lacking. Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin. Can be used as a preservative
More about Lactobacillus fermentCetearyl alcohol~1.8–2.7%
- Irritation risk
- Low
- Comedogenicity
- 2/5
A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture
More about Cetearyl alcoholGlycerin~1.5–2.3%
- Irritation risk
- Low
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
More about GlycerinButyrospermum parkii butter~1.4–2%
- Irritation risk
- Low
- Comedogenicity
- 3/5
A great moisturising ingredient that softens the skin and reduces water loss from its upper layer. It also can be helpful in protecting skin from free radicals
More about Butyrospermum parkii butterTocopherol~1–1.5%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
More about TocopherolCetearyl glucoside~0.85–1.25%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps water and oil in the product mix well together and improves product texture
More about Cetearyl glucosideBeta-sitosterol~0.55–1.25%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A phytosterol that can support skin's barrier function and help the skin stay hydrated
More about Beta-sitosterolRosa damascena flower oil~0.4–1%
- Irritation risk
- High
Used as a fragrance. Can be irritating
More about Rosa damascena flower oilSqualene~0.45–1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
- Comedogenicity
- 2/5
An oil that is naturally part of skin sebum that helps to soften its upper layer, reduce water loss and neutralize free radicals. It might be comedogenic. Avoid applying large concentrations (or pure oil) before sun exposure as oxidized squalene can clog pores and lead to skin irritation. Today squalene is mostly derived from vegetable oils or synthetized by yeast
More about SqualenePelargonium graveolens oil~0.35–0.8%
Sodium levulinate~0.3–0.75%
Lavandula angustifolia oil~0.3–0.75%
- Irritation risk
- High
An essential oil. Potential allergen and can be irritating. It has some anti-bacterial properties
More about Lavandula angustifolia oilLactic acid~0.15–0.7%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
More about Lactic acidLitsea cubeba fruit oil~0.15–0.5%
- Irritation risk
- High
An essential oil with a lemon-like smell that is extracted from a fruit grown in Asia. Used as a fragrance
More about Litsea cubeba fruit oilSodium stearoyl glutamate~0.2–0.75%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps oil and water mix together
More about Sodium stearoyl glutamateSodium anisate~0.15–0.5%
Citral~0.1–0.4%
Citronellol~0.1–0.35%
Limonene~0.1–0.3%
- Irritation risk
- High
A common frangrance that can easily irritate skin, especially if exposed to air, light or heat
More about LimoneneGeraniol~0.05–0.25%
Linalool~0.05–0.2%
Ingredient list view
Water, Camellia oleifera seed oil, Ricinus communis seed oil, Prunus amygdalus dulcis oil, Lactobacillus ferment, Cetearyl alcohol, Glycerin, Butyrospermum parkii butter, Tocopherol, Cetearyl glucoside, Beta-sitosterol, Rosa damascena flower oil, Squalene, Pelargonium graveolens oil, Sodium levulinate, Lavandula angustifolia oil, Lactic acid, Litsea cubeba fruit oil, Sodium stearoyl glutamate, Sodium anisate, Citral, Citronellol, Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool
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Worth comparing, line by line.
Match % combines shared ingredients, the first five ingredients, shared actives and hero ingredients, irritancy (lower counts in the alternative's favour), texture and body area. Only products in the same routine step are compared.
| Pai SkincareMiddlemist Seven Calm Gentle Cream CleanserYOUR PRODUCT | VotarySuper Sensitive Cleansing Cream, Chia and Oat Extracts | The Body ShopAloe Soothing Cream Cleanser | Q+AOatmilk Cream Cleanser | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | — | 34% | 33% | 32% |
| Price | $69.00 | $44.28−$24.72 | $13.47−$55.53 | $9.65−$59.35 |
| Shared key ingredients | — | 5 of 11 | 4 of 11 | 4 of 11 |
| Key difference | — | Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil | Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2 | Avena Sativa Kernel Oil |
| Irritancy | High | Medium | Low | Low |
| Drying alcohol | — | — | — | — |
| View product | Shop | Shop | Shop |
More alternatives: Ranavat Luminous Ceremony Cream CleanserSonage Skincare Soothing Cleansing Creme
Sources cited in this review
Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 19 studies and safety reviews.
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