Clear Skin, Clean Face

Ever walk into the facial cleanser aisle at your local drugstore and find yourself utterly confused? Why does Clean & Clear sell so many different types of face wash? What if you want to use the Morning Burst at night, is that ok? Or do I have to buy two different kinds of face wash? If this brand is more expensive...does it mean it's a lot better?! Will this dry my skin out?

That’s what goes through MY mind when I’m there. I used to always end up going home with a different product after each visit, and for that reason, I can share some good insight with you all! I have tried Neutrogena, Clean & Clear, Clearasil, Aveeno and many other drug-store facial cleansers, and here is a rundown:

I have rather sensitive skin, so I always have a bit of trouble finding something that doesn’t dry my skin out. It seems everything is too drying for me these days! My dermatologist recommended Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser (about $9 for an 8 oz pump) to me a few years ago and I was really pleased with it. It did a great job keeping my acne at bay and evening my skin tone. I liked the pump better than I liked the squeeze out tubes, and the cleanser didn't leave my face dry.I have always enjoyed the Johnson & Johnson’s Purpose Gentle Cleansing face wash so much more. And who can resist this $4.74 price tag for a 6 oz bottle?! (taken at the Target in Diamond Bar, CA).

Purpose feels like it is doing a better job cleaning my face. I also feel my face is a lot clearer after I use this product and it certainly doesn’t dry out my skin. What’s great about Purpose is it claims to be fragrance free and free of other drying ingredients. It’s a great face wash! It is soap-free, 100% oil free, hypoallergenic, and claims to not clog your pores like other products might. What this means to you is basically this product won't leave stuff behind on your face that might clog your pores and make you look ugly. Good deal.


If you refuse to use drug store brands, I highly recommend The Body Shop's Vitamin E Cream Cleanser. It is pricier--$14 for a 6.7 oz bottle, but it eliminates the need to moisturize after washing your face. It contains Vitamin E (which is a natural antioxidant) soy oil, shea butter & wheat germ oil. I enjoy this product tremendously but I opt to use The Body Shop's Vitamin E night cream to moisturize my face in combination with Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash.




*photos courtesy Cetaphil & The Body Shop websites