Viva Woman

Cyndi of Cyndi Heart Pink left a comment in my last post Keep Skin Beautiful With A Balance pH Level, to recommend a gentle cleanser since most of those she has come across in Malaysia comes with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).  I thought that was a very good question since natural and organic skincare products are not readily available in many markets.  In addition, not everyone is into natural or organic skincare.  So what would be a cleanser that is gentle, non-irritating, provides natural pH balance, is easily accessible and also reasonably priced?

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
Well, I told Cyndi to try Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser.  Personally, I haven’t tried the product because the packaging doesn’t appeal to me.  I also suspect I may not like it very much because this is a non-foaming formula which doesn’t lather much.  But the product has won many accolades and rave reviews.  On Makeupalley.com, this is the most reviewed products with 2686 reviewers currently giving it a rating of 3.5 out of 5.  In addition, 62% of these reviewers indicate they will buy the product again.

Good for dry and sensitive skin
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser cost around S$15 and is great for those with dry and sensitive skin.  I also read many positive reviews from those with acne conditions too.  Which is no wonder since this product was specifically formulated for those with acne, atopic dermatitis, diaper rash, dry skin, eczema, healthy skin, impetigo, psoriasis, rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis, sunburn,pre- and post-cosmetic procedures.  Even dermatologists are recommending this.

Contains low SLS concentration
This cleanser is said not to strip the skin of natural protective oils or emollients, or disturb the skin’s natural pH balance.  It is fragrance-free and non-comedogenic, making it an excellent choice for daily facial cleansing which leaves skin feeling soft.  And if you’re using topical medications for your acne for example, this is a great cleanser to prepare your skin for the topical applications.

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

Although it contains SLS, the concentration as I understand is only about 1%.

Alternative:Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser For Normal To Oily Skin
However, because it does not lather and leaves a moisturizing residue, it generally didn’t get great reviews from those with oily or combination skin because most complained that the product doesn’t clean enough.  For this group of users, Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser for Normal to Oily Skin seems to work better as it is a foaming cleanser which can remove some of the facial makeup.   Apparently, some dermatologists are even recommending this cleanser to those with cystic acne.  The only drawback is this product isn’t widely available in Singapore but you can still get it at the in-house pharmacies within hospitals like mypharmacy.com.  Current price is about S$20, not exactly that affordable to me.  (I have no idea if this is available in Malaysia though.)

Ingredients:
Purified Water, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate (and) PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Masking Fragrance, Panthenol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben.

I also have no idea on the concentration of SLS in this product but logically, it should be higher since this is a foaming formula. 

Do not over cleanse
Well, at the end of the day, whichever cleanser you pick, you should not be over washing your face.  I think three times a day is about the maximum.  Because anything more, you are actually stripping away the natural oil on your skin and that by itself would stimulate the skin to produce even more oil.

© www.vivawoman.net copyright notice
_______________________________________________________