I’m not a fan of the iconic Eve Lom original cleanser, mostly because I resent being asked to pay heaps of money for a product pumped full of yucky mineral oil. But I respect Eve hugely for how she revolutionized the industry’s approach to cleansing, and I absolutely love many of her other formulations. Primary among them is the Eve Lom Morning Time Cleanser, which I always have in both full-sized and travel-sized versions.

As a cleanser, this is as blissful as it gets: a creamy balm that melts into skin and rinses away easily with a hot, damp washcloth. Your skin will look instantly vibrant and glowing, and be left soft and residue-free, yet not tight or dry. While this is called Morning Time Cleanser, and is indeed an exceedingly pleasant way to wake up, I also frequently use it as a second cleanse after removing makeup with an oil or other makeup remover. So I can confirm that it ends the day quite nicely as well.

But where this product really justifies its price tag is in the double-duty it pulls as a calming balm. I was on holiday in Israel last year when I made the horrific, amateurish error of sunbathing in Tel Aviv after using alpha-hydroxy acids, vitamin C serum, and retinol on my skin the night before. The skin on my neck became painfully inflamed, red, and unevenly textured. I freaked out. Out of desperation, I applied a thin layer of Morning Time Cleanser to the affected area. Within minutes, the skin wasn’t on fire, the red had died down, and I woke up in the morning with a smooth neck. Since then, this has been my go-to skin soother whenever I go a bit heavy with the retinols or have any other irritation. (Pommade Divine, which is supposed to calm and heal upset skin, always makes it worse.)

So now I always travel with a mini Morning Time Cleanser, and frequently start and end my day with a face full of it. A tiny bit goes a very long way, so I have yet to finish my full-sized tube even after a year of ownership. This is an investment well worth making, and is suitable for all skin types. Get it here with free shipping.