As someone who has always suffered from acne and oily skin, I was ecstatic to try SkinCeuticals Gentle Cleanser face wash.  I’m always bouncing around from face wash to face wash, trying to find one that doesn’t irritate my skin and works well with my makeup and the regimen my dermatologist has prescribed for me. Speaking of which, I just went to the dermatologist last week, and when he asked me what I had been using to wash my face, I told him SkinCeuticals Gentle Cleanser. He was so glad to hear me say that! He told me that is what he was going to tell me to try if I wasn’t already using it. Talk about meant to be!

Because I have sensitive skin, I was glad to discover that when I pumped out the cleanser, it was silky smooth. It wasn’t rough like a scrub—it actually had a consistency much like lotion. When applying it to your face, if it doesn’t lather, don’t worry! That’s normal. It does not lather up like a regular soapy face wash. In this sense, I was little weirded out because I felt like I needed to keep rubbing it on my face over and over to get it really good and penetrating my skin.

I will say that while I like the way it feels on my face when I’m washing it, when I’m drying my face off, I sort of feel like my face did not get 100% clean. I guess it is because I am used to harsh scrubs and soapy cleansers? Maybe I am just not used to my face feeling so smooth that I mistake it for dirty? Either way, it does clean your face and it will make your skin feel very soft. And while the smell is strong, is an intoxicating, fresh aroma that I really enjoyed.

Overall, I am enjoying this product. It makes my skin feel fresh and smooth, and if my dermatologist recommends it, it must be good for me!

The SkinCeuticals line isn’t exactly drugstore prices—the Gentle Cleanser will run you about $30 anywhere you buy it. But if you’ve been prone to bad skin such as I have, that may just be worth it.

SkinCeuticals uses non-irritating emollients, skin conditioning ingredients, and orange oil to soothe sensitive skin.  Here’s the full list of ingredients:

Aqua (Water), Carbomer, C12 15 Alkyl Benzoate, Methyl Gluceth 20, Cetyl Alcohol, Tridecyl Stearate, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG 100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil (Orange), Thriethanolamine, Polysorbate 20, Disodium EDTA