Ponds Cold Cream Review

Okay - so I admit it! I absolutely bought this purely for it's retro appeal!

I don't think there can be any other skincare product that conjures up an image of any iconic 1940s actress sitting in front of her dressing table mirror taking off her makeup more than cold cream does!

 

It's been sitting in the back of a drawer, still sealed and passed by for far too long now, so I thought I'd best crack it open and see how it actually performs.

 

Pond's Institute Cold Cream Cleansing Cream

RRP £3.25 - £4.00 50ml

What is it?

This iconic cold cream has actually been around since 1846 when pharmacist Theron T. Pond extracted a healing tea from Witch Hazel when he discovered it could heal small cuts and other ailments. He named it 'Golden Treasure'. After his death, his cream became known as Pond's Extract.

Two Pond's products were best known from the 1910s onwards - Pond's Vanishing Cream and Pond's Cold Cream. Vanishing Cream to me (as a child of the 70s) was something that was used as a stalwart joke in comics like The Beano, where it would be used to make a physical object disappear (Oh, how I laughed at this notion!). But apparently, a vanishing cream is just a cream that leaves no trace and disappears when rubbed into the skin. Which is far less exciting than the comics would have you believe!

Cold Cream on the other hand (according to Wikipedia) is an emulsion of water and certain fats - The emulsion is of a "water in oil" type unlike the "oil in water" type emulsion of vanishing cream. Cold Cream is so-named because of the cooling sensation felt upon the skin when using it.

Ostensibly a cream cleanser, Pond's Cold Cream is also 50% Moisturiser and can be used as an ultra rich facial moisturiser for dry skin.

 Full ingredients:
Paraffinum Liquidum, Aqua, Cera Alba, Ceresin, Sodium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Butylene Glycol, DMDM Hydantoin, Iodopropynyl, Butylcarbamate, BHT, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool, Eugenol.

 

 

Scent and Texture:
This is an incredibly thick cream. Reminds of me of that very last stage when whipped egg whites turn into meringue! I can't think of any other product that I've tried that is this rich and creamy. Scent-wise - it's exactly as you'd imagine it to be - a vintage powdery floral scent which you're either going to love or hate. Luckily for me, I love it! It reminds me of the smell of the beautiful 1950s evening dresses that I used to sell.

 

 

Application and Removal:

I would usually start my double (treble) cleanse by removing my eye makeup first with Micellar water. However, as this is intended to remove eye makeup as well, I thought that I'd go straight in with this and not the usual Micellar water first step.
About two big dollops of the cold cream cover my face, eyes and neck. It's odd that being a cream, it's still actually a heavier (but different) texture to a cleansing balm, and certainly doesn't melt like a cleansing balm.
It has enough slip to massage in well. In fact, I was able to go at it quite hard on my eyes and lashes without any discomfort or irritation and it didn't feel 'wrong'!
After application, I still have quite a lot of product on my hands, so before removal I'll wash my hands to remove the excess. And this is the thing that really surprised me - after washing my hands, the cold cream had formed a waterproof barrier on the palms of my hands. Big drops of water formed on the skin - it was exactly like water off a duck's back!

I think the 'classic' way to remove this product is by wiping it off with cotton wool. However, I will always choose to remove my first cleanser with a damp flannel or cloth. And this cream really does need a bit of a scrub with a cloth to remove.

 

 Lipstick removal test

 

Just a slight massage is all that is needed and you see the makeup lifted up out of the skin. The Cold Cream takes on the colour of whatever it is you're removing (if you can see, it's turned slightly pink in the photo).

 

Thoughts:

 

So what started out as a bit of a novelty buy for me has actually turned out to be a pretty 'interesting' cleansing experience! If I ever felt that cream or milk cleansers felt a little bit insipid next to the meatier cleansing balms and oils, I think I've found the one exception. This is an incredibly ballsy cleanser!

I was initially taken aback by the richness of this cream and definitely more than surprised at the waterproof barrier that the residue created. Because despite that residue, I actually do think this cold cream could suffice as a sole cleanser. And that's tantamount to heresy coming from me - I've always been a die-hard double-cleanser. But the residue weirdly feels like a good residue! I don't feel the need to wash it off with a second cleanser - it's just not that type of obtrusive or occlusive feeling. And anyway, if I'm going in with a toner afterwards, which I will always do, then that would be enough to sweep out anything that might be invisibly clogging my pores. However, remember YMMV (your mileage may vary). I personally am not susceptible to break-outs - see below why this may not be the product for you if you are.

 

The downside:

Okay, so it was fun and it worked - but alcohol can be fun and it can 'work!

The biggest downside for me are the ingredients - several of which I would usually give the side-eye to. The very first listed ingredient is Liquid Paraffin, which is commonly referred to as mineral oil. Liquid Paraffin has no nutritional value for your skin. According to The Derm Review " liquid paraffin is often included in cream formulations because it is believed to help the skin retain moisture." Meaning that it gives the illusion of hydration. That explains the waterproof barrier that formed on my skin then!

Again, from The Derm Review - "some skin experts suggest that this ingredient (Liquid Paraffin) can clog pores and promote the development of comedonal acne. Although the research on this topic is still inconclusive, individuals with a history of severe acne may want to avoid products with liquid paraffin, as a safety precaution".

Ceresin, the third listed ingredient is also a form of mineral oil.

 

Pond's do state that the Cold Cream Cleanser is suitable for all skin types - but having a look at these ingredients, I wouldn't feel comfortable recommending to people with sensitive skin, Eczema or skin prone to acne or breakouts.

 

So this is a bit of a double-edged review. Yes, I thought it was great fun - cheap and did the job really well. But will I repurchase? Probably not - I'm uncomfortable with the ingredients. And could I /should I recommend it? Again - this feels wrong to sing it's praises out too loud without being aware that there are many people who it just won't be

 suitable for.  So this review does come with a caution - what works for one, certainly won't work for all.