In the past year I have tried several different gentle cleansers. Some have been great and others not so much. When picking a cleanser I am generally looking for a product that will remove my makeup, not irritate my eyes and leave my skin feeling clean, but not totally stripped of moisture. It also cannot have any added fragrance. I will never understand why anyone would want perfume on their face! I generally rinse my face with water in the morning and use a cleanser at night. Below are my reviews for some of the cleaners I have used along with my current favorite.

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

This has been by far my most used cleanser. I started using Cetaphil over 10 years ago when it was recommended by my dermatologist at the time. From that point on, every dermatologist I have been to  has recommended it. Overall, this is a great basic cleanser and it is very gentle for sensitive skin. About a year ago I decided to stop using this cleanser because I felt that it did not do a great job of removing my makeup and it also contains parabens (which I have been trying to shy away from). I have not decided if switching off of this cleanser was the right choice, so this could be one I put back into my rotation. Cetaphil is affordable and available just about everywhere you can buy skincare products. It is definitely a cleanser I recommend.

Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser

I tried this cleanser after deciding I was not fully happy with Cetaphil. The Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser is pretty gentle and did not irritate my skin. I did not love or hate this product, but it did not do a good job of removing my makeup, so I decided to not repurchase. If you do not wear much makeup and are just looking for a basic cleanser, this one might be a good choice.

Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Hydrating Cleanser (Creamy forumla)

As I have mentioned in my previous posts, my skin became very dry this past winter. In my search for a new cleanser I was turned on to this Neutrogena Ulta Gentle cleanser by a Pinterest post. I purchased this cleanser because it not only has just 11 ingredients, but it is also fragrance-free, soap-free, dye-free, paraben-free, SLS-free, non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic! The creamy formula is also great for drier skin types. It is super affordable too! The only reason I decided to not repurchase this product was because it did not do a great job of removing makeup. I see myself purchasing this cleanser again and definitely recommend it to others!

Neutrogena Facial Cleansing Bar (Original)

The Neutorgena Facial Cleansing Bar is my mom’s go-to face wash. I personally do not like how it smells and it makes my skin feel a bit tight after washing. This product is super affordable, but not the most practical if you have dry skin. I could see this product working well with oilier skin types. Overall, I was not impressed by this cleansing bar.

Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Extra Mild (Type 1)

I recently went to Ulta with the intension of buying the BareMinerals cleanser below, but when I told an Ulta consultant the type of product I was looking for and my skin concerns, she recommended Clinique. I own a few other Clinique skincare and makeup prodcuts, so I figured I would give it a try. Unfortunately, this cleanser was a huge dissapoinment and went back to Ulta within a week. This product irritated the skin around my eyes so much that I felt a slight burning when I applied my moisturizers. A few months ago I had a similar reaction to Clinique Naturally Gentle Eye Makeup remover. Even though I am a fan of Clinique, I do not think I will be trying any Clinique cleansers in the future.

BareMinerals Purifying Facial  Cleanser

After returning the Clinique cleanser reviewed above at Ulta I picked up the BareMinerals Purifying Facial Cleanser. I have been using it for about 2 weeks and so far I am happy with the results. It does not irritate my skin or sting my eyes, does a decent job at removing makeup and leaves my skin feeling clean yet moisturized. This cleanser is gentle, non- irritating and has very light scent. I definitely recommend this product to others and see this as becoming a new favorite of mine!

What are you favorite cleansers? Let me know in the comments below!

xo Miss Alyss