I'm desperately trying to find a simple face wash that won't break me out in the UK. Soap works but unfortunately it's incredibly drying to my sensitive skin and turns it all red and dry. Some history...
I was in Pakistan for a good long while and while I was there I discovered something called 'Saeed Ghani Cucumber Face Wash'. It was amazing! While I was using it I forgot acne existed; in fact, I thought that maybe it wasn't the face wash and perhaps I had finally 'outgrown' acne. This stuff was really incredible and if I could buy it here in the UK I'd no longer have any acne woes. Not only did it work, it was cheap as hell. I think the reason why it was so good was because it hardly contained any chemicals, unlike the chemical factories you seem to get with every other face wash you pick up. [see for yourself. It contains only the following ingredients: Natural extract of cucumber, Glycerin, Vitamin B5, Vitamin E, Decyl Glocoside, Xanthan Gum, Aromatic component of essential oils & certified organic ingredients.]
I bought a few extra satchels for myself before returning to the UK but of course eventually it ran out. Luckily I stumbled onto something else that was amazing. It was called 'BioEnergy bath gel aloe vera' (although according to the ingredients it doesn't actually contain any aloe vera - funny that). This was actually a simple toiletry that I came across in a hotel room, and lo and behold it ended up being the best face wash I ever used by far. It was actually perfect, even better than the Saeed Ghani face wash. It had a completely neutral feel on my skin and didn't break me out at all. Just a simple cleaning liquid that did not irritate at all and kept me wonderfully acne free.
When this bath gel finally finished (I only used it on my face to save it), I unfortunately discovered again, after over two years, that my skin is still acne prone. The first face wash I tried was 'Simple - Kind to Skin Moisturising Face Wash'). It broke me out bad. I then tried 'Bull Dog skincare for men show gel'. Broke me out something fierce. I then reverted back to 'Nivea For Men - Sensitive Face Wash'. This was the product I was using before I went to Pakistan and discovered Saeed Ghani. It wasn't bad but it seems that Nivea have changed the formula and this new one is really terrible and breaks me out something awful. Can't use it anymore! Then I ordered 'Olay Foaming Face Wash' as recommended by people here and from that 'Paula's Choice' website. I really thought it would do the trick but sadly again it broke me out. I then ordered 'Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser' and while it was a major improvement from the Olay Foaming Wash, it still breaks me out. [Edit: Also tried Dr. Organic Aloe Vera Body Wash to no avail. Broke out.]
I'm so sick of this crap, especially when I had been acne clear for so long. I wish I could buy that hotel product or the Saeed Ghani one but I'm unable to and now I'm doomed to breaking out again. There just has to be something else that works apart from these two products. I feel my skin is very sensitive and prone to breaking out based on the product used. I feel I need something that is low on the chemical list and more 'natural', but I just don't know where to get it. That said, the 'BioEnergy' hotel product was full of chemicals but it worked even better than the cucumber product.
TLDR Please, for the love of god, help me find a good face wash (or soap, bar, whatever) that won't irritate my skin and break me out. I think the most appropriate one would be something that is low on the chemical list (there has to be something!!) but any good suggestions would be appreciated. I just need a simple face wash that doesn't irritate my skin, ugh.
If you're curious, these were the chemicals contained in the hotel product: Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamide DEA, Sodium Chloride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Triticum Vulgare Gluten, Polyquaternium-7, Parfum, Citric Acid, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Polysorbate 20, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, CL42051
It was the best face wash ever. So mild and non-irritating. I can feel immediately when a face wash doesn't work for me because my skin is so damn sensitive and gets all tingly with the wrong one. The cucumber face wash and the hotel one felt like heaven to my skin. Non-drying, non-irritating, just a simple mild wash that cleansed and nothing more. So hard to find a goddamn decent replacement...
Try CerVe's Gentle Hydrating Cleanser for dry/normal skin or their foaming cleanser for normal/oily skin. It is very gentle and will not cause any breakouts. One thing to note is that you should steer clear of face washes that contain Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS), which was listed in your hotel wash. SLS helps to break up oils and form a nice lather, but if even the slightest residue remains on the skin it can cause contact dermatitis. Also, how old are you? It is possible that you are breaking out due to hormone fluctuations based on your age or even diet and lifestyle choices.
I've heard that about SLS but seriously dude... that bath gel was amazing for me. The best I ever used by far.
Sadly I'm a 28 year old male and still struggling with this problem. It really isn't hormonal fluctuations. It's definitely topical. My skin is highly reactive to these products and I can immediately feel whether or not a face wash will break me out. Most of them will make my skin feel tingly or a mild burning sensation after immediate use, but when I used the cucumber face wash mentioned or the hotel one I felt absolutely nothing... and note I was using the cucumber one for years. When I returned to the UK I had four or five satchels which lasted me well over a year before they finally ran out and my skin was excellent. Then I used that hotel remedy for a while and it was also excellent. Immediately when I went back to the standard OTC stuff you get at Boot's etc my skin went back to shit.
Hell, I remember when I initially ran out of Nivea For Men Sensitive Face Wash (the older formula) in Pakistan before I had discovered Saeed Ghani. That was a pretty good face wash that kept my skin relatively clear. When I ran out I bought some other face washes from cosmetic stores and the nightmare began as they started breaking me out. Then I finally found the Saeed Ghani face wash and enjoyed years of clear skin until it ran out. If Nivea were still using their old formula I could simply use that in the UK but they changed it and so I have to find something else that actually works.
Thanks for the suggestion, I'll try out the Cerave.