Jack & Hill: A Beauty Blog - make-up, cosmetics, perfume, and the substance of style

Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser

For some reason, the switchover from Long's Drugstore to CVS means that those stores no longer carry my tried and true Clean and Clear cleanser and toner for sensitive skin. This was very inconvenient, especially as I was using the last of my travel-sized, self-decanted cleaner last week.

In desperation, I decided to try Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser. I knew that a foaming cleanser might leave my skin feeling a bit tight, but I liked the "ultra-calming" claim. Plus, Aveeno has a solid reputation for living up to its claims to soothe skin. If I didn't buy it, I'd be washing my face with shower gel that night.

It was a risk worth taking. For less than $8, this product really does do what it says on the label. It's a real pleasure to use - light and somewhat creamy, but without the barrier cream effect of Cetaphil or Physician's Formula Gentle Cleansing Lotion (which contains mineral oil that just doesn't seem to rinse away).

I'm still going to keep looking for the Clean and Clear products, especially as the toner is now almost gone. Time to go treasure hunting online...

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

I'm updating my skincare regime at the moment, after a long period of hormone-related stress, breakouts, blotchiness and general Bad Face Days. Cleanser-wise, I've never really paid a lot of attention, trying various random things not including soap, and didn't want to spend a fortune- moisturiser, sunscreen, retinol and general disaster-relief are where the money needs to go. So I started with the obvious and got some Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. It had good reviews and costs a lot less than beauty store products, nine or ten dollars for 16 fl oz, which is only slightly more than Jackie's Clean and Clear. And Walgreens had some with a free cleansing bar attached, which goes for $4.49- something else to try later. 

So is it any good? Basically, yes. I'm using it as a lotion, which suits me best but also makes for better cleansing than using it as a wash, perhaps because it is so gentle. You can do either, but it won't lather. Then I always rinse with water, and the Cetaphil leaves my skin feeling very comfortable, with no dryness, which is as it should be. And actually it has also been a lot calmer and clearer in the last few days since using it. This may be just a coincidence- as my previous cleansing choices were so haphazard any improvement would hardly be a miracle- but it is encouraging. So I am not committed to Cetaphil for life yet, but unless there is another non-wash cleanser that works this well, we could well end up staying together just from habit and laziness. One may as well be realistic.

Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser

Yeah, I kinda left you hanging there. So: Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser is, as I said, my new favourite. It is what it says on the label - non-irritating and creamy without leaving a film on one's skin (as something like, say, E45 Wash - which I was using prior to the Avene - does). According to the label, you don't even need to rinse it off; you can just use a cotton pad to apply and a tissue to remove. Because I'm contrary - not to mention afraid of the tiny spots one can get from failure to rinse thoroughly - I apply it with my fingers, wipe it off with a cotton pad, and rinse with lukewarm water at least ten times. It's good and also relatively inexpensive - I got mine from my (paid) friends at the Skin Knowledge Network for £7, 50 pence off the suggested retail price.

My skin looks fine (or so everyone goes to pains to tell me), but in truth it's something of a nightmare: it tends to dry patches, while also being shiny as hell, and can be awfully sensitive when it wants to be. Unfortunately, I can't find Cetaphil here, and thinking about it, I wouldn't be surprised if the Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser was comprised of the same exact ingredients.