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Monday, July 9, 2012

Review: New Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser

To date, I have only spotted this new cleanser from Neutrogena at the bottom of a new-product end-cap at one Rite Aid in my area. I've looked for it at Target, CVS and Walgreens but have yet to locate it, so if you don't see it in your area right now, give it a few weeks and hopefully it will start to pop up soon. If you're looking to buy it online, I've only seen it on Amazon as of the time of this post.

I'm always in the market for new facial cleansers, especially ones that claim to be gentle and non-drying yet can still remover oil, grime and of course makeup. In the past, I've had good luck (Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Cleanser) and bad luck with Neutrogena cleansers (Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser dried out my skin), so I was very interested to see how this new formula would work for me. I've been putting this one to the test for a few weeks now and I'm finally ready to give you my verdict!

 New Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser
(retail: $8.99, 12 oz)


I purchased this product at Rite Aid for $8.99. You get 12 whopping ounces here, compared to the usual 6-8 oz that you tend to get from other drugstore cleansers. So you're basically getting twice the amount for roughly the same price as many other drugstore facial cleansers.


I love the ingredients list. No parabens, no sulfates, and glycerin is the second ingredient (helps to lock moisture into the skin, and it's something my skin in particular seems to love).  I also love that, unlike MANY drugstore facial cleansers on the market, this one does not contain menthol (skincare products with menthol break me out). In fact, looking for new skincare products to test and review on this blog, you have no idea how difficult it is to find cleansers and moisturizers that do not contain parabens OR menthol. So many drugstore cleansers contain either one or the other (or both), so again, I'm very happy that this one contains neither.

I suspect that this cleanser is replacing Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser, which contains two forms of parabens, so if you're on paraben-watch, this should make you happy.


Texture and consistency: As you can see, this is a clear cleanser, but I want to note here that it's not thin or watery. It's on the thick side, and it feels rich and luxurious on the skin. When I apply it to damp skin, it takes a minute or two to get a lather going, but once I do, it's a thick, rich lather and I really feel like this cleanser works well to cover my entire face, penetrating every little nook and cranny. Sometimes with a thinner, more watery cleanser, it feels like you're not really able to spread it effectively onto your face, but that's not the case with this one. To me, this feels like a higher-end cleanser in that it's thicker, more subtantial, and just feels luxurious on the skin.

Efficacy and performance: This cleanser does exactly what it claims to do. I've been using it every night and morning for the past few weeks, and I could not be happier with its ability to thoroughly cleanse my skin without ever leaving it feeling dry or tight. I have very oily skin and, combined with the hot weather, it's no small feat to make my skin feel clean, yet not over-stripped. THIS product does just that. It removes every trace of my primer, foundation, concealer and eye makeup (no problems with washable mascara, but you'll need to use a separate eye makeup remover if you use waterproof mascara). Let me explain how I can personally tell that this product is not over-stripping my skin. My little test that seems to be a great indicator (for me personally) is that, when I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is touch my nose and my T-zone. If that area of my face feels super greasy or oily, then I know that the cleanser I used the night before stripped my skin of its natural oils to the point where my skin then felt the need to over-compensate and produce even MORE oil. When I touch my t-zone in the morning after using this cleanser the night before, my face just feels...clean. Normal. Not excessively oily. And the same thing happens during the daytime when I use this cleanser in the morning. My T-zone isn't ridiculously oily--I just see the normal amount of oil that's usually there. I wouldn't call this product an oil-CONTROL product, but it's not ADDING to the oils on my face either, which is a good thing. Also, I have not experienced any breakouts or irritation since using this product.

Fragrance: There is added fragrance to this product, which is the only thing that I would warn you of in case you're sensitive to fragrance in your skincare products. The fragrance might be considered strong by some, but I find it moderate (although I've never been one to be irritated by fragrance, so your opinion may differ). To me, it smells like a light floral fragrance, combined with the scent of baby shampoo. Not offensive or strange, but not something that makes me say, "Oooh, YUMMY!" every time I use it. It's a pretty standard fragrance.

FINAL VERDICT:  Neutrogena knocked it out of the park with this one. This new cleanser is a home-run for me, and I haven't been reaching for any of my other cleansers since the day I first started using this one. The value (around $8.99) and size (did I mention that this bottle is huge?), combined with the fact that it's paraben- and sulfate-free make this a product that looks good on paper, but the results I've been able to achieve also make this a good product in reality. It effectively and gently cleanses my skin, it doesn't strip my skin of its natural oils, and it leaves my face feeling clean and lightly hydrated without feeling sticky or greasy (please note though that I have very oily skin, so I cannot vouch for how this product will work for normal or dry skin--I'm HOPING you will have similar results even if your skin is very dry, but again it's difficult for me to gauge that). I haven't had any breakouts since I've been using this product and it removes my makeup quite well. You'll need a separate eye makeup remover if you use waterproof mascara, but I haven't had any issues with removing washable mascaras. I also think this cleanser would work well for Clarisonic users. For me, this one's a win-win. Hopefully it becomes more widely available SOON so you can give it a try for yourself. The only people I wouldn't recommend this to are those who are extra sensitive to fragrance--this definitely has added fragrance that might be considered strong by some, but for me it's moderate.

Have you spotted the new Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser in your area yet? Do you think this might be a good fit for your particular skincare needs?
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35 comments

  1. I'm nearly finished with my Neutrogena Naturals Purifying cleanser so I will def check this out G.! Do you use it to remove all your makeup? I usually start with oil to remove it all and follow with a cleanser. Do you think this could break the oil down alright? :) Great review! x

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    1. I've used it after my DHC cleansing oil (used to remove waterproof mascara) and it worked just fine, but then again, the DHC rinses very clean to being with. I'm sorry that's probably not much help, but it DOES remove my foundation and primer, like I mentioned above. :)

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  2. I'm so glad to hear that there's a gentle cleanser that works on oily skin. I'll definitely have to give this a try, as my oily pregnancy skin is breaking out sooo badly!

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    1. Congrats on the bundle of joy on the way! :)

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  3. Ooh, this sounds like a nice face wash! I have had good luck with Neutrogena products in the past. Right now, I use their face wipes to remove my makeup at the end of the day because I am lazy, but I feel like that is probably not cleansing my skin as thoroughly as it should be cleansed.

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    1. I'd love to know what you think if you try it!

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  4. I was ready to buy this based on your review, but then I read the bit about the fragrance. Darn.

    Have you used Olay face products before? They have a fragrance as well, which I despise...it makes me a little sick to my stomach in the morning. If you've tried Olay, how does this fragrance compare in strength of scent?

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    1. I'd say it's pretty comparable to the fragrance level of the olay cleansers I've used in the past!

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  5. Hmm... Based on your review and the ingredients list, this cleanser sounds a lot like the one from Acne.org! I wonder if Neutrogena copied it? If it works just as well that would be great for me since the Acne.org cleanser is significantly more expensive and can only be bought online with high shipping costs.

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    1. I'm not familiar with that product, but I really hope it ends up being a more affordable alternative for you!

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    2. I have tried the acne.org cleanser and it was pretty runny in consistency, but a good gentle cleanser nonetheless. I think the thick consistency of this neutrogena one will be really nice, plus like you said it's much cheaper!

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  6. I hope I can find this. I love the short ingredient list. I got the Naturals cleanser, too, and I love it! I'm almost out, so maybe I'll get this one to replace it. Sounds like a holy grail item :) Thanks for the review!

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    1. You're so welcome. I love the short ingredient list too! :)

      I hope you love it as much as I do if you try it!

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  7. I'll let you know how this fairs with my dry skin! it sounds like something I'd love. I hope I can find it!

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  8. This cleanser looks great! Although I hate that there is a fragrance (some fragrances bother me and others don't, so I have to be careful)... at least it's paraben free!

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    1. Hopefully this one won't bother you! *fingers crossed*

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  9. I have some Loreal 360 cleanser to use up first and then I'm going to pick this up as soon as that other stuff is gone! Great review!! :)

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    1. Thanks! I love the 360 for sensitive skin...it's my holy grail cleanser! Which one do you use?

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  10. If you don't mind parabens, CeraVe foaming cleanser is awesome. I have such a problem with any fragrance on me anywhere (can't even wear perfume anymore) that I'm willing to make a compromise.

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    1. I have the SAME problem. Does the CeraVe Foaming Cleanser remove ALL your makeup though? It's hard to find samples for it and I don't want to buy a huge bottle only to waste a whole bunch of product if it doesn't work for me.

      Thank you for the review, G! I'm going to pick this up to try even with the fragrance. Neutrogena has been churning out some great cleansers lately and I will give this a shot along with the Visibly Bright.

      Btw, Neutrogena Fresh Cleansing + Makeup Remover and the Neutrogena One Step Gentle Cleanser both do well in removing makeup for me. Unfortunately, I have combination dry sensitive skin and these were just a tad too stripping for me--but throwing it out there if anyone wants a drugstore cleanser that ACTUALLY helps wash away the makeup.

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    2. Thanks for all the great tips!!

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  11. I saw this at Target yesterday (upstate NY). I was surprised to see the large bottle. I have used Neutrogena products on my face for decades. I also have oily t-zone skin.Now that I have read your glowing review of this Neutrogena face wash, I can't wait to try it!

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    1. So glad you spotted it at target. The bottle IS huge, huh?

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  12. I really need to pick this up! I haven't seen it in my area yet, though!

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  13. Thanks for the review! This product sounds great.

    I'm glad that there are no sulfates or menthol in this cleanser.
    I really want to try it now.

    My skin has been too dry. ):

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  14. Excited to see a review up for this, I spotted it in Target yesterday and was immediately intrigued...I have dry combo sensitive skin and really love the idea of a thick gentle cleanser (that foams!). I will be picking this up and trying it with my Clarisonic!

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  15. So, I've been using this for about two weeks now, and here are my thoughts:

    I bought it at a CVS in NY state for $9.99 ($10.80 with tax). I love almost everything about it. It's gentle, cleans thoroughly without stripping, balances my skin nicely, and even improves the tone and texture of my skin a little bit.

    However, if you are even the least bit sensitive to fragrances, then stay away from this cleanser, seriously. It has a VERY strong, fake, flowery perfume smell. To be honest it gives me a small headache every time that I use it, but it's cheap and works so well that I am hoping that I will become acclimated to it with continued regular use. Except for this one issue, it is am HG worthy product for me.

    That's my experience! I hope that this is helpful to someone else.

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  16. This is part of the rite aid sale going on now right? Cant wait to pick up two! =)

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  17. Im getting this now that its on sale! Cant wait to try it! I trust u so much im grabbing 2!

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  18. Does this help with acne with boys??

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  19. How does this one compare to cetaphil? I want to try a new cleanser..and those two are the ones I'm wanting to buy

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    1. you simply HAVE to try this new neutrogena cleanser. i was hesitant at first, because i have sensitive combination skin. but this product knocks it out of the park! i wash my face with warm water and this cleanser and the end result is a squeaky clean face, every time :D my new holy grail product.

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  20. I LOVE this new cleanser! it thoroughly cleans your face from the pore level!!! thanks for your review G. i've been using cetaphil for about 2 years now, but i always felt it wasn't cleaning my pores as much as i'd like. now i'm hooked on this neutrogena cleanser, and really don't intend on switching to anything else cleanser-wise. thanks again!!!

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