Overall Rating: ★★★★☆
Price: $ (under $10) – Available at Drugstore.com, Walgreens, and Ulta.
Scent: hard to describe “masking fragrance.”
I Like: how relatively gentle the cleanser is. Low foaming.
Not a fan of: the sodium laureth sulfate and paraben ingredients. Don’t care for the synthetic scent.
Cetaphil’s Daily Facial Cleanser is a good face wash to start with if you’re new to skin care. It’s fairly inexpensive and much gentler on your skin than your typical bar soap. This product is made for people with normal to oily skin, so if you have overly-sensitive skin, then I suggest using a face wash that is fragrance-free and made without sodium laureth sulphate, a known skin irritant. What I like most about Cetaphil’s Daily Facial Cleanser is that it’s a clear, low-foaming gel that doesn’t dry out the skin too much. I found the synthetic fragrance a little off-putting, but not unbearable. Give this product a try if you’re tired of using that bar of Dial on your face.
Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 15 Ingredients List
Overall Rating: ★★★★☆
Price: $$ ($10-$20) – Available at Walgreens, Target, and Drugstore.com.
Scent: none
I Like: how well the unscented moisturizer works on dry skin. Also provides UVA/UVB sun protection.
Not a fan of: the silicone (cyclomethicone) and plastic (polymethyl methacrylate) based ingredients.
Cetaphil’s Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 15 was my go-to face moisturizer for a number of years when I first got into skin care. The product is very basic, but effective for those with dry skin. It’s unscented, provides moderate sun protection, and moisturizes quite well. While this moisturizer is lightweight compared to other facial sunscreens I have used, it can leave some shine. I have combination skin and this product worked particularly well on the dry areas. While I didn’t experience breakouts using this moisturizer, I have heard of people with sensitive skin experiencing a slight stinging sensation when using it. If you’re looking for a fragrance-free face moisturizer with UVA/UVB sun protection, Cetaphil’s Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 15 is worth trying at least once. Who knows – maybe it will be your go-to face lotion for years to come.
Overall Rating: ★★★★☆
Price: $$ ($10-$20) – Available at Walmart, Target, and Walgreens.
Scent: Fragrance free
I Like: how rich and easily spreadable the cream is. Moisturizes body and face. Effectively treats dry, irritated skin. A good value.
Not a fan of: the petroleum-based ingredients.
Cetaphil’s Moisturizing Cream is a fantastic gateway moisturizer for those who are not too concerned about how natural their skin care products are. This widely-available unscented cream effectively moisturizes dry, sensitive skin on the body as well as the face. Its consistency is extremely thick – similar to that of Crisco, but nowhere near as greasy. What impresses me most about the cream is how quickly it alleviates dryness. The product leaves behind a slightly greasy film, but it becomes hardly noticeable ten minutes after application. If you’re still using your girlfriend’s synthetic berry-scented lotion, you should consider moving on to a fragrance-free alternative such as Cetaphil’s Moisturizing Cream. It does a better job at moisturizing without making you smell like an air freshener.
Until recently, I never really thought about the difference between a bar of soap and a liquid face or body wash. They both serve the same function, but one has to be superior to the other. I decided to educate myself by reading a few online forum threads on the topic and found some advantages and disadvantages of each.
Bar Soap Advantages:
Convenient – good for when you’re on the go. Can be easily used without a sponge or washcloth.
Generally provides more lather when used without a washcloth.
Disadvantages:
Bar soaps are usually made with harsher ingredients which can strip your skin of oil. This often makes the skin over-produce oil to compensate for the dryness, which can ultimately lead blemishes or breakouts.
Bar soaps are less hygienic than liquid face or body washes. They are constantly exposed to moisture, which makes their surfaces ideal breeding grounds for bacterial growth. Imagine yourself sharing a bar of soap with a roommate who doesn’t have the best body hygiene habits. Just consider the places on the body a bar of soap is rubbed against.
Face or Body Wash Advantages:
Liquid Face and body washes are gentler on your skin compared to bar soaps as they don’t contain as many harsh ingredients. Liquid washes won’t strip your skin of vital oils as much as bar soaps can.
More hygienic to use than bar soaps.
Disadvantages:
Liquid washes are usually more expensive than bar soaps.
Require a washcloth or sponge for maximum lather.
Final verdict
Go with a liquid wash whenever possible. The extra money spent on liquid washes is well worth it when you consider the toll many bar soaps can take on your skin.
And remember to always moisturize after every wash!
Note: The skin on the face is thin compared to other parts of the body – which makes it more sensitive. I don’t suggest using the same soap for your face that you use for your body. If you’re going to use the same liquid cleanser for both areas, try using one that is natural and not heavily scented. Cleansers with synthetic fragrances can cause facial breakouts. For an all-in-one type of liquid cleanser, I recommend using an all-natural castille soap such as Dr. Bronner’s.
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