Cetaphil : Gentle Skin Cleanser

Brand:
Reviews
4.0
996 Reviews

Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Stearyl Alcohol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben.

Items marked with orange can be irritating and over-drying, especially to acne-prone skin.

The list of ingredients above is provided for informational purposes only. Always check the actual product label in your possession for the most accurate ingredient information due to product changes or upgrades that may not yet be reflected on our web site.

5
46.9%
4
27.1%
3
11.6%
2
8.2%
1
6.1%

Used Cetaphil : Gentle Skin Cleanser? Rate It:

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October 26, 2011

Pros:

- extra gentle
- lasts forever (1L bottle can easily last upwards of 3 months)
- unscented (for sensitive, easily irritated skin)
- removes most make up effectively (except for long-wear foundation and waterproof mascara)

Cons:

- does not clear acne on it's own
- must use an exfoliant and acne treatment in addition to it
- wish it would remove all make up completely, but this is what eye make up removers are for

Many people complain that this cleanser does not clear up acne on it's own. Since Cetaphil doesn't contain any acne fighting ingredients, this can only be expected. What Cetaphil does contain however is gentle, soothing ingredients which won't further irritate sensitive, acne prone skin. During the summer months, I can use whatever cleanser I want and I don't need to worry about dryness. However, in the winter my skin becomes incredibly dry and flaky. Cetaphil is the perfect answer to dry/sensitive winter skin issues. While it won't clear skin on its own, Cetaphil is a great cleanser for your entire acne fighting regime. I use this cleanser, salicylic acid cleansing pads (Such as Oxy or Clearasil, which are better than cleansers with salicylic acid, since they leave the acne fighting medicine on the skin, giving it a chance to work), followed by Cetaphil's rich moisturising cream at night, and Neutrogenia Oil-Free Moisturizer with SPF in the morning. If I have larger pimples, I use a BP spot treatment. This combo is great, and keeps my skin perfectly balanced and healthy (not red and irritated)!
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June 25, 2011

Pros:

leaves skin soft

Cons:

doesnt take off my make up that well, doesnt lather

good cleanser but i switched to cetaphil daily facial cleanser (it lathers and removes my make up) but if you dont wear make up this is a good choice
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March 28, 2011

Pros:

Does leave skin soft.
Easy to use,

Cons:

I know im going to get downvoted for this, but i dont understand how everyones review says this product is amazing. It doesnt "cleanse". It feels like lotion, and when i wake up in the morning, my face is insanely oily and i have new break outs.

It has the right idea of no irritation, but it didnt do a think for my acne. It feels like a lotion, and isnt the point of a cleanser, to lather, exfoiliate, and get rid of excess oils on your face? Maybe its just me, but this product does not work.
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March 6, 2011

Pros:

Nice clean fragrance
Big bottle
Cheap
Doesnt dry out skin
Soothing
More like a lotion, than cleanser
Light airy feeling when on skin

Cons:

Cant think of anything, its a great product overall.

It makes your skin feel clean and refreshed. It works and its well worth the money, which i got for about $6.00. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !
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November 14, 2010

Pros:

- Gentle
- Gets the job done
- Doesn't break you out
- Non-comedogenic

Cons:

- The price,
I bought a 250ml bottle of it for $12.00 because I wasn't sure if it was going to work or not. The bottle that was the largest size, which I will be buying when I'm done with this bottle, was $16.00 which is a bit painful to buy for a facial cleanser. But It gets the job done.
- It lathers up really well, for me anyway, but the lather feels awkward.

I would recommend this product for anyone with acne. I just use this, benzoyl peroxide then I moisturize and my acne has been clearing up really well.
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September 3, 2010

Pros:

Fairly inexpensive and seems to work well for a lot of people.

Cons:

Seemed to irritate my skin a little bit (it felt like a very mild burning senstation). I had been cleaning my face with an oil based cleanser for about a month and a half beforehand. Maybe my skin has become too sensitive for the chemicals in this cleanser.

I would recommend trying this, because it seems like a good fit for a lot of people, but for me it probably will not see much use. I was looking for a very light cleanser to add to my oil based cleaning routine (to use every few days to make sure dirt was being removed from my face) but unfortunately this is not it.
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August 7, 2010

Pros:

prevents breakouts
makes my skin soft
rids of redness
doesn't irritate my skin

Cons:

doesn't lather no big deal.

not really the cure for acne. but really helps on preventing acne or breakouts. its not miracle cleanser you know. but its the best cleanser i had use so far :)
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February 1, 2017
Good for Winter
I have used this product but I can only use it in the winter when my is drier. I like the consistency and it makes my skin soft but not sure how clean it is getting. I also don't think it removes my make-up very well. Overall I like it but can only use it seasonally.
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July 22, 2015
Great as a cleanser for dry or sensitive skin! (also makeup brushes!)
I used this product for years, and I have to say that if you have dry or sensitive skin, this is fantastic for you. I still use this to date for my makeup brushes, and whenever my skin is dry or needs a little extra care (ex. in the winter, when I have a sunburn, etc.) I would still be using this, however, I needed to change it up to be able to have a better handle on fighting my acne. I never experienced breakouts with this product, or any other complications. I would use makeup remover before using this, though. It doesn't remove all traces of foundation from my skin - but it doesn't claim to! I found it nice for gently removing my eye makeup, though. I used it in both ways that it said you could, like you would a normal cleanser, and putting it on dry skin and wiping off the excess. I would definitely recommend using it like you would your normal cleanser, because it made me uncomfortable to not wash off the product and to leave a thin layer on my skin, when I know that it was mixed with dirt, oil, makeup, etc. While this didn't do anything for my acne, that isn't the reason that I bought it. There are many others who sing the praises of this for acne, and call it a beauty staple and a lifesaver. Personally, I would agree that this is something that I need in my routine. When my skin is in bad shape, this is an essential. For cleaning my makeup brushes easily and gently, this is an essential. I would get the one with the pump, it's much easier to use and you can turn it and lock it for storage or travel. Overall, I would give it a try, but don't hold high expectations for it when it comes to acne, because that's not what the purpose of this product is. If you're looking for a gentle cleanser, have sensitive skin, really dry skin, etc. then chances are this has a very high potential for being your holy grail facial cleanser. I also encourage trying it for makeup brushes! Keeps them soft instead of stripping them and making them dry and uncomfortable to use.
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September 1, 2014
leaves skin oily still
it doesn't do anything for me, just stings and leaves my face oily still.
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