Written by: Jessica Plumbley
Does your facial wash leave your skin irritated and dry? With oily skin stinging from acne medications, I had problems finding a soap that would clean my face without aggravating it. Then I bought a 16-ounce bottle of Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. After a year of its use, I’ve finally found a product to stick with.
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser has landed coveted spots in Allure, Family Circle, Cosmopolitan, People, and Women’s Health, as well as on SheFinds.com. It can be used with or without water, and comes in sizes ranging from 4 to 20 ounces. Cetaphil’s website proclaims the product as good for “all skin types” and promises not to “strip the skin of natural protective oils or emollients” or upset its “natural pH balance.”
The product is smooth on the face, and when washed off leaves the skin soft but clean (I use the method with water, which I feel leaves my skin cleaner). I have noticed an evener skin tone and less acne since I began to use it, which might be due to the fact that my skin isn’t over-dried and so does not produce extra oil. As a bonus, the 16-ounce bottle lasts for a good four or five months, since one pump is sufficient to clean your face. Reviews from sites such as acne.org report similar results: most people love the feel, gentleness, and cleaning capability of Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. Many report less acne, and would recommend the product to others.
A drawback for some is the cleanser’s smell. True to its promise, Cetaphil hasn’t added fragrances to its formula, but this means there’s nothing to mask the light, almost sweet scent of chemicals. It doesn’t bother me and others even enjoy it, but for some, it’s a turn-off. Another complaint is price. At 60 to 70 cents per ounce, a 16-ounce bottle could cost upwards of $10.00. If your face is especially oily or you wear a lot of make-up, it might take more than one wash to get clean, and for those with dry skin, a post-wash moisturizer is often necessary.
In the end, Cetaphil 16 ounce Gentle Skin Cleanser seems to be a good option for the majority of people. If price is a concern, the off-brand versions found at Walmart or Costco work just as well. If you’re unhappy with your current wash, this is a product I’d recommend.