My Winter Face Wash

It's windy out there! Protect your skin!

In my last post I mentioned that in the morning, I don’t wash my face with soap. The reason for this is because in the winter, I find that soap—even some of the gentlest soap—is too harsh if I use it right before bed and then again when I get ready in the morning. My skin dries out and generally feels too tight if I wash it more than once a day (excluding post-workout washes– more on this in the future).

I use a creamy face wash because once upon a time, I read in a magazine that I should. Whatever magazine it was said that creamy face wash will protect your skin against the dry winter air, and it seemed to make sense so I went for it.

Right now I’m using CVS‘ Oil Free Deep Action Cream Cleanser. It’s supposed to be comparable to Neutrogena’s Oil Free Deep Cleaning Cream Cleanser, and I can confirm that it is. Another product that is exactly like it is Clean & Clear’s Deep Action Cream Cleanser. Ever winter, I get a tube of one of these and am usually pretty happy with the results.

Why I like it:
-It’s gentle. When I first start using it for the season, it makes my skin tingle (which feels nice, but always puts me on alert for hypersensitivity),  but it quickly goes away.
-It controls acne. Sure, I still get hairline and problem-stop zits, but my skin stays pretty clear.
-It makes my skin feel so soft all day.

I wish:
-That it lathered better. But that’s mostly a personal preference for when I want to feel like I’m in a commercial.
-That it had fewer, more natural ingredients (see below).

What’s in it (some of the ingredients and what they really are):
Cetyl Alcohol. It helps the cleanser be a cream and not a liqud. It used to be made from whale oil which is a big no-no, but is now usually produced from vegetable oils. So I guess it’s not entirely oil-free, eh? Can be irritating to the skin or eyes.
Salicylic Acid. Comes from the bark of willow trees and is used as an anti-acne agent. Has a concentration limit for use in cosmetics.
Steareth-21. Cleansing agent; not safe for use on damaged skin. So! Don’t rub it into a popped pimple or wind rash!
Fragrance. I wish they would break down the list of ingredients for the fragrance alone, but alas, they do not. I usually steer clear of any cleansers with added fragrance because they tend to cause irritation, but I’ve been lucky with this one.

Now go grab your face wash and start looking up the ingredients. Or, you know, don’t. Because I’m kind of wishing I hadn’t.

FYI: All product reviews and links are unsolicited.