Acne.org Cleanser - Reviews

I originally purchased this cleanser in hopes of finding a basic cleanser. In looking for a basic cleanser, I was eager to find something that was going to work for my skin as I am currently on my complete second round of Accutane (Isotretinoin) AKA I'm extremely dry AND sensitive. On my first go with Accutane six months ago, I went through a variety of cleansers to try and find what worked best for me. All-in-all, by the time I was actually finished with my treatment, I was still bouncing between cleansers. So, this round, I really wanted to do everything right to keep my skin healthy throughout the process (again)...

I had used some of the resources on acne.org before prior to beginning my Accutane experience, but I had never really tried the products.

After doing a little research, I was left basically with a few options that seemed pretty consistent across the board when it came to an "Accutane skincare routine". Those were Cetaphil and Cera-Ve. These results did not surprise me as the two brands are known for being gentle and whatnot, but I personally do not like either one of those brands. The smells of the products also seemed to bother me when I used it in the past, trying to find some sort of solution to acne in my late teens. I had also been using a cleanser from my dermatologist that is made directly from their office, but, I didn't feel like it was doing much before Accutane, and it actually ended up irritating my skin in my current treatment. 

So, I came here and found the acne.org cleanser. Although it was part of the regime, I couldn't use the entire regime due to the fact I am on Accutane and there are several products that can cause serious skin problems because of the harsh interaction with the drug. 

When my package arrived in the mail, I'm not going to lie, I was very excited to try a new cleanser that is so widely used and that has so many reviews on it. These reviews share a large range of experiences, both positive and negative, but I was willing to give it a try. 

As I began using the cleanser in my daily routine, (AM Wash, PM Double Wash), it really seemed to be getting the job done. My skin felt clean, I wasn't too dry, and I actually had no breakouts and/or sores which I am experiencing with the Accutane round two. I also love foaming cleansers over gel, creams, milks, etc., but that is only personal preference. Although the acne.org cleanser does have a fragrance, it is not too overpowering to my nose, but where I started coming into issues were with my eyes.

Now, I personally have many allergies which are flared up by a variety of different things like air quality and pollen, but, I also have chronic eye issues like dry eye and several bacterial problems which I also am on a treatment plan for. At the beginning of using the cleanser, as I stated above, everything seemed great and it was great. But, as I got deeper into my Accutane treatment (knowingly, it does cause dryness and I am aware that it makes dry eye worse and I am playing with fire (for myself)), it started to cause a sensitive, burning sensation in my eyes when I washed my face. Yes, I have also read many articles in regards to how the way we "wash our faces" can definitely cause some of the problems, like splashing water and things like that. But, as soon as I recognized this issue as being with my cleanser (and let me say, it is VERY painful and uncomfortable when it occurs) I tried my best to be gentle and extra careful when it came to applying and removing the cleanser each time I washed. 

My only natural solution was to do some research into the ingredients on the cleanser myself, because I had seen several people complain about the ingredients in the cleanser. My research came to find there are two ingredients that would be considered "high risk" based on the EWG Rating Ratings. These two ingredients are Quaternium-15 and DMDM Hydantoin which are both preservatives in the cleanser. There are also two ingredients which are "medium risk" based on the same set of ratings, which could have also caused the irritation I was experiencing. Those ingredients are PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate which is a Surfactant/Fragrance that can increase risk for those susceptible to Fungal acne, and Cocamidopropyl Betaine which is a viscosity controlling agent, aka, its what makes the cleanser foam up. 

All in all, I personally do not care much usually about ingredients, but those are the ones in particular that raise a red flag and could have caused me to experience irritation. It could possibly cause the same for others regardless of what type of health problems you may have. If you are low-risk, I would definitely go for this cleanser if you are looking for something new to try out, or to add to your current routine. It gets the job done and allows you not to worry about your skin when you wake up each day.

 I ordered it before 3 month and still didn't get it, when I When I turned to customer service of acne.org - they told me it was not their responsibility!!