Sometimes (especially in the morning) you just want a wash that’s light and fresh, that rinses off easily yet still does the job when it comes to leaving the skin perfectly cleansed. Because of the Teen Skincare Series I had been using Alpha-H’s Clear Skin wash quite a lot, but as my testing duties have now finished, I am free to experiment with products from other realms of the beauty world. Most recently, this hi-tech wash from 111 Skin.

The Lift Off 111 NAC Y2 Facewash Essential Cleanser (still there?) belongs to 111 Skin‘s range of anti-ageing skincare. It’s stocked exclusively by Harrods (therefore not cheap!) and so far it seems to be pretty hard-working stuff. It contains ingredients to cleanse, fight free-radicals and remove dead skin cells, and although it doesn’t seem to have a full-on exfoliating effect (in comparison to the other two cleansers I’m having a bash at this month, more on them later!) it does leave my skin extremely clean without drying it out.

Note that I use this in the morning as a “fresh” cleanser – for heavy-duty makeup removal and a thorough, massaging cleanse I prefer something creamier/balmier. (See Emma Hardie, Pai, NuBo, Alpha-H.) You get 120ml of product in the bottle, yet the bottle weighs approximately the same as an eight-year-old child, so I suppose you could say that the packaging is suitably luxurious for the £35 price-tag. It looks like its been dressed in a Starship Enterprise uniform. Also, the lid is so large it can double up as a mouth-rinse glass: just thought I’d put that out there. (I only know this because I almost burnt the bejeezus out of my tongue rinsing with Listerine the other day, and the lid was the closest thing to hand. It’s Mr AMR’s Listerine – that man must be made from asbestos!)

This cleanser is very firmly at the top end, price-wise. Per ml, it’s not really any more than the NuBo Velvet Cleanser that I adore, and it’s cheaper than the Vaishaly Balm, but it has a far less sumptuous texture. It’s clear, quite runny and although it slips easily across the skin, it’s not the kind of cleanser that you’d spend a long time luxuriating in. It’s quite perfunctory and quick – spread it, work it in, rinse it. For those readers who have been asking about a high-end NON-creamy cleanser, this one could be right up your street!

This is the only product from 111 Skin that I’ve tried – I’d be interested to know if anyone has any experience with other products in the range? Cleansers can be funny old souls – they’re not often the “star” product of a range, usually it’s a serum or some kind of cutting-edge moisturiser or eye cream. This cleanser really does do the trick and after a few weeks, I notice a brightness afterwards that isn’t perhaps so noticeable after a cream or balm cleanser – a freshness and clarity – and I think that the antibacterial properties (did I mention those?) have been quite useful in helping to keep blemishes at bay.

I should add (and this is one of the main points made in the press literature) that the Skin 111 products are tested in extremes of space and deep sea. So if you find yourself on a mission to Mars to save planet Earth from certain destruction then you know what you need to be packing in your toiletries bag! For Deep Sea adventures? Perhaps not so much. Everything would just wash off, I’d have thought.

The 111 Skin Essential Cleanser costs £35 from Harrods.com