skin fix: shu uemura art of beauty cleansing oil

I've long heard about the cult-beloved beauty product Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil, that's said to have changed the lives of many a beauty editor, but hadn't had the chance to try it until recently. But I'm no stranger to the concept: I've tried and loved cleansing oils by Dermalogica and Origins and figured Shu's would be much like the others. But I stand corrected, because Shu Uemura's Cleansing Oil was not only probably the first-ever launched, it is by far the best cleansing oil I've tried. First a bit of background: did you know this stuff has been around since 1967? It's crazy when you think about it, because it seems cleansing oils have only recently become popular. Shu Uemura developed his famous cleansing oil while he was working as a makeup artist in Hollywood to remove actresses' heavy stage makeup and moisturize their skin at the same time. Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil, which comes in six different varieties depending on your skin type, blends avocado and jojoba oils to cleanse skin without disrupting its natural balance and protect it against environmental invaders. The premise is that oil attracts oil, so if you're afraid of dousing yourself in grease, worry not, because when mixed with water, this cleanser removes all traces of makeup, dirt, oil and sweat in one fell swoop (or several). Afterwards, skin - even oily skin like mine - feels clean yet hydrated. I tried the Premium A/O (that's Art of Beauty for short) and fell in love with the scent: a fresh, botanical-esque aroma that instantly puts me in a good mood (it also helps that it happens to be a brilliant green color). And right now, the cleansing oils are available for a limited time in bottles adorned with artwork by manga artist Moyoco artist, so they'll look even more beautiful set atop your beauty shelf.