Best Acne Cleanser: Zapzyt Acne Salicylic Acid Wash

 

If any of y'all had acne, I'm sure you've had your fair share of acne washes over the years. In my teenage years up until now, I've used the Neutrogena oil free pink grapefruit one, probably one of the Clean & Clear ones, some Korean/Japanese ones, none of which I really enjoyed. Recently, I've tried some other ones including the Cerave SA cleanser, Cetaphil acne cleanser, and SkinFix 2% BHA cleanser that also has azelaic acid and an acne body wash from Pacifica just to see if they perform well. Cerave SA I didn't like how my skin felt after, so I returned it. The Cetaphil I also returned right away, bc it is hard to squeeze and slips out of my hand easily when trying to lather. Most of these have 2% salicylic acid but are usually quite drying. 

The Zapzyt is the best 2% salicylic acid cleanser I've tried, it has a short list of ingredients, including aloe and chamomile which are soothing which I think helps with the non-drying quality. It lathers well but not as creamy as some Japanese cleansers. What I love most about it is after using it a few mornings in a row, I actually see a huge improvement in my blackheads, which nothing really helps other than clay masks which is a super temporary solution. 2% salicylic acid cleansers can also be a good way to mildly exfoliate even if you don't have acne, since the PC 2% BHA is quite popular (I've used 2 bottles of it but it doesn't make a huge difference on my skin? At least with blackheads, it does give you a glow)

On top of everything, it is also affordable at only $5.99 at Walgreens (or $9 ish on Amazon currently) for 5 oz. If you're in the market for an acne cleanser or a gentle exfoliating cleanser, this one is my top pick. Walgreens shipped my cleanser for free - didn't even need a minimum purchase $$.

I found out about this cleanser from Dr. Dray, it has very plain packaging - I hope everyone who has a need can find this cleanser bc it is amazing!

EMPTIES | Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Gentle Milk Cleanser

Pros

Gentle

Doesn't make skin feel dry

Natural ingredients

Cruelty free

Neutral

Almost no fragrance, smells very lightly of cucumber

Doesn't lather (I know lathering cleansers dry out your skin, but recently I feel like maybe a light lather is better for my easily clogged pores)

Cons

Doesn't seem to clean that well if you have easily clogged pores/oily skin

Verdict

I purchased this per Paula's Choice's review of it. It doesn't really lather so it is very gentle if you have sensitive skin. I don't find it especially soothing but I used it up as my morning cleanser to not strip my skin too much to begin the day. I am still searching for my holy grail morning cleanser, but I've been really into Paula's Choice skin care lately, so I'll be reviewing it soon!

Repurchase?

No.

Would I recommend it?

If you have sensitive skin.

Holy Grail Cleanser: La Roche Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser

Pros

Cleans pores well

Seems to help acne

Very mild cooling sensation

Cons

Can be a bit drying

Price

$15 for 6.76 oz / 200 ml

I saw on Target online it's $11.69 (as of April 2016) - why? Don't know

Verdict

I've used up two full size and a 4.2 oz tube of this, so it's safe to say it's a staple in my skincare. I tried not getting this for a a couple weeks but my pores just felt less clean. I typically like to use this at night after makeup to really clean my pores so my skincare products can absorb better. The texture is very liquidy, so I usually store it upside down or else too much will come out when you open it.

I've tried the nonmedicated version of this (with a blue cap) - it doesn't seem to work as well. I especially like to use it with the Clarisonic or a rubber scrublet.

The salicylic acid is pretty standard for acne cleansers, but this also has 0.05% LHA, which somehow makes my pores look/feel cleaner.

If you have combination/dry skin, this might be a bit harsh - definitely follow with a hydrating moisturizer.

Repurchase?

Yes. And I have at least 2 times

I always get mine at Target, but it's also the same price at Ulta, CVS and Walgreens

Would I recommend it?

If you have easily clogged pores, large pores, or oily skin.

GlamGlow SuperCleanse Daily Cleanser

For:

Problem skin, skin imperfections, pore refining, mattifying, clarifying

Pros

Cooling sensation

Makes skin feel clean

Cons

Expensive

A bit drying

Not exfoliating

High maintenance

Price

$39 for 5 oz / 150 g

Verdict

To me this cleanser a bit more high maintenance because I have to remove my makeup, dry my face, apply the cleanser, emulsify it with water and go from there, so I can't just hop in the shower since this product has to be applied on a dry face. Also I don't think this cleans as well when you use it in the morning on an oily face. It barely lathers.

The girl at Sephora said to leave it on for 30 seconds before adding water, which is what I've been doing. There's definitely a learning curve to lathering the cleanser, you have to add water sparingly, which can get messy since the cleanser drips down my elbow. I haven't noticed a huge difference in acne overnight or anything but I do think it cleanses the skin to prevent breakouts.

I strayed away from my Clarisonic to use this and feel like the GlamGlow doesn't really exfoliate like it says. I always try new cleansers to see if there's something better out there but the La Roche Posay Effaclar medicated cleanser is definitely my go to if I want clean pores.

Repurchase?

No.

Would I recommend it?

Yes if GlamGlow products work well for you. One of the Sephora girls said GlamGlow might be too harsh for some people, so definitely get a sample before purchasing.

EMPTIES REVIEW | Perfect Milk cleanser (Shiseido Sengan Senka)

Wraps your skin gently and lifts dirt, excess oil, and makeup while it deposits rich moisture. It contains Moisture-Captive Amino Acid derivative to keep your skin moisturized. No artificial color. The high quality lather removes dirt, excess oil, and makeup without damaging your skin and stripping away your protective moisture barrier. Silky foam quickly cleanses and rinses, leaving skin soft and clean.

Pros

A little goes a long way

Rich lather

Removes face makeup

Makes my pores look/feel clean

Cons

Might be a little drying

Price

$9+ for 150 ml (5 oz) on Amazon

Verdict

Rating: B+

I purchased this in China since it was on sale. Although this is a milk cleanser, it creates a very rich lather, similar to most Asian cleansing foams I've tried. I noticed this seems to clean out my pores better than other cleansing foams I've tried (like the Shiseido White Lucent cleansing foam), but seems a bit drying afterwards. I give it a B+ because it's not a must have for me, but it's pretty good.

There's a whole collection of this Perfect line - oil, milk cleanser, cleansing foam, etc. I've tried all three cleansers, the oil was ok, I probably like the milk cleanser the best. This is part of the lower end of Shiseido products from Japan.

Repurchase?

Maybe.

Would I recommend it?

Yes, as a face makeup removing cleanser. I wouldn't use this in the morning, I noticed that foundation doesn't go on as well on my skin

HOLY GRAIL | Shu Uemura POREfinist anti-shine cleansing oil

It says to use 3-4 pumps, but it's so expensive and runny that I usually use 1-2

I thought this was interesting as part of the packaging, I've seen this in wine bottles too, to give ppl less product? Lol

Travel friendly pump, twist to close

Ingredients:
Ethylhexyl palmitate, isopropyl myristate, caprylic/capric triglyceride, polyglyceryl-6 dicaprate, dicaprylyl carbonate, polyglyceryl-10 dioleate, phenoxyethanol, polybutene, polyglyceryl-2 oleate, dicaprylyl ether, tocopherol, squalane, simmondsia chinesis oil, menthoxypropanedio, carthamus tinctorius oil, capryloyl salicylic acid, propylene glycol, capryloyl glycine, sarcosine, prunus cerasus extract, cinnamomum zeylanicum extract, prunus yedoensis leaf extract, parfum.

Pros
Lightweight (doesn't make me break out)
Removes waterproof eye makeup very well
Light, pleasant fragrance

Cons
Doesn't really make a difference in my pores
Expensive

Price
(at Shu Uemura USA website, not sold in any US stores as of Dec 2014)
$31 for 5 oz / 150ml
$67 for 15 0z / 450ml

Verdict
I purchased this in Taiwan at a department store because it's cheaper than the Shu Uemura USA website (same with SK-II, Asian high end beauty brands are more expensive in the US). I originally wanted the tea tree (green bottle) one but the girl saw I had acne and said this one is better for oily skin. I really like this to take off my face makeup and eye makeup (it's amazing for waterproof mascara). The girl at the counter said I could just use this without a follow-up cleanser, but personally I can't really do that if I'm wearing makeup. Going over it with a toner after just the cleansing oil = oil or makeup residue left.
If I use a good follow-up cleanser and/or Clarisonic Mia my skin feels great.
The counter recommended using 4 pumps, seeing how expensive it is I use one pump for my face and a little squirt for my eyes if I'm wearing waterproof mascara. 

FYI, if you have oily skin, this doesn't make you breakout because you emulsify it with water (making it a milky cleanser) after messaging it into your skin. The chemical change in the product always fascinated me. When you pat your face dry it's actually dry as if you washed it with a conventional foaming cleanser.

All in all, I think this is worth trying if you can afford it, but when I finish this I want to try the Garnier cleansing oil (which is only $6-7) or the MAC one. Shu Uemura was the first brand to come out with cleansing oils I think, so this is a oldie but goodie.
[Edit] After trying a Tony Moly Mint Apple cleansing oil, I realized that not all cleansing oils are created equal, review here!

Repurchase?
Yes.

Would I recommend it?
Definitely, if you're willing to pay the price

Update November 2015:

I recently ran out of the 150ml and repurchased the 450ml version! This is a lot lighter than some other cleansing oils I've tried (like the Clinique cleansing oil, Neutrogena, Tony Moly [review here]), I definitely recommend it for people who have oily skin.

REVIEW | Biore Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser

The texture is very runny, but lathers surprisingly well

As you can tell, it has 2% salicylic acid, common to most acne gel cleansers

Pros

- Lathers very well

- Fresh scent

- Tingles slightly if you have it on for longer

- Gentle (not drying)

Cons

- Didn't help much with my acne

- T-zone doesn't feel clean

Value

$5-7 for 6.7 oz / 198 ml

Verdict

Overall: B-

I liked how this cleanser lathered up because I like the foamy feel, but this didn't not make my skin feel clean. In the morning I'd use it and notice that the pores on my nose look very dirty, particularly in the crevices where I usually don't have much problems anymore. It seems fine for the rest of my face but I actually feel like this gave me bumps on my forehead because it didn't clean that well. The second ingredient in the cleanser is glycerin, which is why it doesn't dry my cheeks out, and it also has methylparaben, which I wasn't aware of until recently. As an all-over cleanser, I can't say I like it.

I am kind of disappointed because this is heavily advertised in magazines I've seen and it won an Allure award. 

However, skin care is subjective and works differently for everyone. I'd say if you have less than oily skin you might like this. I personally don't think it cleansed my oily t-zone that much.

Repurchase?

No.

If you loved this, let me know why!

Review: Purpose Gentle Cleansing wash

Hi everyone,

I can't believe I never reviewed this, had it for so long (I think 2+ years?)

Pros:

- Gentle, like the name (good for sensitive skin)

- Cleans off face makeup well

- Has a pump (like most gel cleansers)

Cons: 

- Doesn't remove washable mascara completely (most gel cleansers I've tried remove it, including some gel acne cleansers)

- Doesn't clean the huge pores around my nose as well b/c it is so gentle

Verdict:

I would recommend this for people with sensitive skin or normal to dry skin, but for those with oily skin... I would go with a stronger gel cleanser.

Repurchase?
Possibly

Repurchase? Possibly if my skin becomes less oily as I age.

Review: Neutrogena Fresh Foaming cleanser

Hi everyone,

I'm suddenly really into reviewing things, so here it is

I actually have a huge pile of blogposts piled up, but I don't want to post them all in one day and then not post for like a week, so I will be posting one a day :)

Now that my camera actually focuses in on the words well, I'll be taking these types of pictures

Pros:

- Cleans off makeup, oil, and dirt well

- Good value ($4.99 for 6.7 oz at Target)

- Has a pump

Cons:

- Cream cleanser, doesn't lather as much as gel, which is expected

- Could be a little drying, especially around the cheeks (I have combination skin)

- Doesn't feel clean on the skin after rinsing, despite the name
- Feels harsh on the eyes if you try to use it for removing eye makeup

Verdict:

I'm not really sure how I feel about this, it's not a bad cleanser but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. It didn't break me out and it cleans off makeup really well, but... If you like cream cleansers for their moisturizing properties you might find this a little drying.
It's one of those products that I don't mind trying but wouldn't repurchase.

Repurchase?
No.

Rating: 3.5/5

Till next time :)

Review: Neutrogena Clear Pore cleanser/mask

Hi everyone,

I recently have been breaking out again, so I decided to use this cleanser, and I think it's worthy of doing a review on :)

Excuse the picture, I was trying to use my mom's professional camera... Didn't work out so well. Still need to play around with it a bit more

As it says on the packaging, it could be used as a daily cleanser or intensive mask, here's the breakdown

Pros:

1. 3.5% Benzoyl peroxide - reasonable for a cleanser, if it was anymore it'd be really drying, any less might not be as effective

2. Seem to have little exfoliating bits

3. Minty/cooling feeling - much more cooling when used as a mask

4. Helps with acne - no miracle worker, but it is very good paired with a salicylic acid treatments, which are common on the market as of yet

5. Can be used as a cleanser or mask

6. Tube form, good for the thick creamy texture this is

Cons:

1. Small size - 4.2 oz, doesn't seem like it'd last long but you need a little for your entire face, don't use too much unless you want to dry out your skin

2. Doesn't lather too much - it does lather a little bit, but just barely

3. Could be drying - if overused, I'd say if you have dry skin use this every other night, never morning AND night. I have a oily t-zone with less oily cheeks, using it morning and night had dried my cheeks out to a point where you can see a little bit of flaky skin when putting on moisturizer. You definitely NEED moisturizer after washing your face with this. I don't recommend using it in the morning if you're planning to wear makeup that day.

Verdict:

I definitely recommend this if you've been breaking out and nothing seems to work. This definitely makes a difference but don't expect clear skin overnight, probably never happening without damaging your skin.

If you don't break out very often, you can even use this as a treatment every now and then for those "bad skin" days, it feels refreshing on your face.

Repurchase?
Not really.

Rating: 9/10

If it came in bigger sizes and lathered a bit more, it might be perfect.

Quick Take: Olay Blemish Control Lathering Cleanser

I've never really seen this anywhere except Walmart, but when I saw it I thought it was interesting, and something from Olay is probably good.

Wrong.

Pros:

Review: Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Cream Wash

Pros:

- Pleasant scent
- Feels cooling on the skin

- Makes skin feel soft

- Squeeze tube packaging

Cons:

- Cream cleanser, which I should've thought about before buying (pro for ppl w/ dry skin)

- Doesn't seem to clean well

- Doesn't lather

- Doesn't help my acne unless I use a cleanser before it

Verdict:

I would recommend this for people with dry skin, but make sure you remove all your makeup before using this cleanser, b/c it kind of clogs your pores. For oily skinned gals, STAY CLEAR of this. I hear the spot treatment and exfoliator from this line is good though, so I might try that out.

Texture: Creamy, moisturizing, but doesn't lather AT ALL, no matter what water-cleanser combination I tried

Scent: A light cucumber melon type scent

Acne fighting ingredient: Salicylic acid 2%

Purpose: For what it's supposed to do, I find it ineffective. I have combination oily skin, and I find that if at the end of the day, when my face is full of oil, and I use this, it clogs my pores. When my pores are clogged, how is the acne ingredient going to help my skin? I don't recommend this to anyone honestly, unless you use a makeup/cleansing wipe before, or if you have really dry skin and by the end of the day your skin's still not oily.

Price: $7-8

Verdict: I wish I returned this while I had the chance, instead of letting my skin suffer in the process of trying to use this up. Now I know to never mess with cream cleansers again, gel all the way!

Repurchase?
Probably not.