Clinique Liquid Facial Soap - Mild

I never really understood why anyone would ever purchase expensive facial cleansers...or why choosing "the right" cleanser mattered. I mean, why buy the department store brand when the drugstore brand both get the job done? Now, after using the Clinique Liquid Facial Soap in Mild, I cannot stress how misinformed I was!

The cleanser is the most basic step in taking care of your skin. First, a cleanser needs to remove all the dirt, grime, makeup, and oil from your face at the end of the day. Most cleansers should do this. (Emphasis on should, because only in a perfect world would all cleansers have the same cleansing power.) Second, the same cleanser needs to maintain its clarifying strength without stripping the skin of moisture. Everyone's skin type is different; some of us are oilier than others, others are dry. Obviously, this component is essential for drier skins. However, oily skin needs to maintain a moisture balance as well--a cleanser that cleanses too harshly will trigger even more oil and sebum production.

Thus, it is so hard to find a cleanser that removes everything without stripping the skin. But Clinique's Liquid Facial Soap absolutely fits the job.

The Liquid Soap comes in 3 different versions: Oily, Mild, and Very Mild. I have combination skin that tends to get flakey and congested, so I decided to try the Mild formula, which is especially formulated for dry combination skin.

The cleanser, true to its name, has a liquid soap consistency--in my fingers, it feels like dish washing liquid soap. However, there is no fragrance; if anything, it smells a little sterile or medicinal, like the rest of the Clinique products. I wet my face with warm water first, pumped the soap once onto my fingertips (this is plenty for your face!), rubbed my fingertips together briefly for a little bit of lather, and then massaged the soap all over my face--concentrating on the t-zone. I did this for about 60 seconds, then rinsed the cleanser all off. My skin felt refreshed and clean, but not tight or dry after use.

One thing I liked about this cleanser was that it seemed to be a "no tears" formula. While I was cleansing, I kept my eyes open, and though I massaged the product over my eyelids and lashes, my eyes did not sting or burn at all. Of course, I would not recommend you do this, especially if your eyes are sensitive, but I find it interesting that Clinique cleanser doesn't irritate my eyes, yet Johnson's No Tears baby wash does.

To test how effective the Clinique Liquid Facial Soap was at removing makeup, I toned my skin to see what would be leftover on the cotton pad. I wanted to compare the Clinique to my normal drugstore cleansers (L'Oreal Pure Zone Pore Unclogging Scrub Cleanser, Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Oil Free Acne Wash) on separate days, when I had worn a decent amount of makeup for roughly the same amount of time. After washing with Clinique, the cotton toning pad was still white, so there wasn't any leftover dirt or oil after cleansing. However, after cleansing with L'Oreal and Neutrogena, there was a bit of peach/brown color on the cotton, so the cleanser hadn't completely removed all the dirt and makeup. I wonder how many times I might have developed acne because I skipped toning after washing with these cleansers? A frightening prospect! So, I gather that with the Clinique soap, you could probably skip toning altogether, as long as you make sure you rinse the cleanser off completely (it does take a couple more splashes than with other brands).

The Clinique Liquid Facial Soap is actually part of the Clinique 3-step skincare system. They also tout their Clarifying Lotion (in 4 different formulas for 4 skin types), and their Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion/Gel as part of a complete skincare regimen. Since this review is only on the liquid facial soap, I won't discuss the others unless you have any specific questions, for which you may leave comments. A great way to try all 3 is through purchasing their 3-step sets, which come in smaller sizes. Currently, you can purchase a set for $15.00, which is a great deal. If you think about it, you probably spend $15.00 at the drugstore already on a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer.

Normally, the 6.7 fl oz version of the liquid soap retails for $14.50. This will last you a long time. Also, Macy's Clinique is having a Bonus Time right now (I'm such a whore for gifts with purchase!) if you purchase $21.50 or above. Check it out!!