NC25 Chinese, acne prone, combo skin.


I could of seen a place for this cleanser when my skin was very oily in the years past, but now it's much too drying for my combo skin (liking the Skin Balancing Cleanser currently). Reminds me of the Alpha Hydrox cleanser, along those lines.

I love this cleanser! I was using the Skin Balancing cleanser, which I liked, but I was still breaking out. I had gotten to the point of taking daily oral medication for breakouts, which is bizarre because I never had this problem as a teenager. I'm in my 40's--this isn't supposed to happen now!
I tried a few samples of this first (sensitive skin) and although my skin wasn't as soft afterwards, my face is breaking out much much less! I have fewer blackheads, my skin is smoother, and I'm not taking prescription acne medication anymore. Love this!

This was the first Paula's Choice product I ever tried, and it got me started trying the rest of the line, too! This is my HG morning cleanser... I always keep a bottle in the shower and a backup bottle under the sink. Brief overview of my skin: combination (normal cheeks and jawline, VERY oily t-zone), acne scarring (potholes in my skin, dark marks), prone to slight redness. Some hyperpigmentation (freckles, but they don't bug me); occasional monthly jawline active blemishes.

It's a fantastic gel cleanser, and it's not a thick gel like Origins' Zero Oil is... it's a much thinner, more watery consistency. Doesn't get frothy, only lightly foamy (the perfect amount for my skin type!). No fragrance. It gets my skin clean-feeling and balanced, without feeling stripped.

As this was the first PC product I tried, and everything else in my routine stayed the same at the time, I can say with certainty that this product did two things for me: 1) it truly began my skin's journey towards staying more balanced between normal and oily areas, and 2) it began my skin's journey towards fewer breakouts and more general clarity.

This is a fine cleanser to use with a Clarisonic, though I usually find myself reaching for Purity when I want to use it (don't actually know why... just a thing). Since I typically solely use a cleansing oil at night (currently Origins' Clean Energy), I do admit that I only use this cleanser in the mornings. Nevertheless, I genuinely think it has made a difference in my skin. If my skin sounds anything like yours, I totally recommend this cleanser wholeheartedly!

A note - make sure you use plenty of water with it. Even though it's a thinner gel consistency, I find that I typically feel cleanest and most balanced when I use about a dime-sized amount of this cleanser with about 3x the amount of water added to it in my hand. I have the best results when my face is really wet on its own before starting to massage the cleanser into my face.

A great cleanser.

Its been awhile since I haven't used an exfoliating cleanser. I switched to this cleanser and a BHA exfoliator (Paulas choice) and my skin has never been better.

My skin feels very clean and even though its a gel, it doens't leave my skin either dry or oily or moisturised. It really does normalize and leave your skin ready for an exfoliator and a good moisturiser.

The large lid annoys me. It has a very small hinge and I just know one day it will snap if I drop it in the shower. A smaller lid would be much more appropriate for a product you don't use much of.

I bought this, along with the rest of the three step system in the regular strength formulations. This cleanser is a clear gel that lightly...very lightly foams. I think that it is doing its job in keeping my skin clear and not being irritating or drying, but I have to say that I feel I have to use so much just to get my face clean. Overall though, I would buy again, because it seems to be working for me. I also notice that this seems to last a long time, even though I feel I have to use more than a quarter sized amount to get a good clean feeling.

I bought this product because I thought it might do a better job of preventing clogged pores and acne from my sunscreen than my previous Aveeno cleanser. It definitely performs.

The only downside is that it can sting my eyes a bit, and I have to rub it around more to make sure it takes off my mascara. If I wear eyeliner, I use a makeup remover. I use this in conjunction with PC 2% salicylic acid and barrier repair moisturizer at night. In the morning, I apply Elta MD UV Clear in the morning (I do not wash my face in the morning). I have had a perfectly clear face for around 2 months now.

At first my cheeks were a big dry, but now they seem to have adapted and my skin looks great. I will definitely repurchase -- just waiting for the right coupon code, but I would buy at full-price, and will also buy some samples for travel.

BEST CLEANSER EVER!!! I've been using this in conjunction with the rest of the Extra Strength Clear system for about two years, and I'm never going back to anything else. Clears up the oily spots and moisturizes the dry areas. It truly is a "normalizing" cleanser.

This makes my 40+ skin tight but it works very well in conjuction with the clear toner for my teenage daughter who has effectively got a new face since using these two products. I think the toner has the major effect, but when she ran out of cleanser the spots did start to pop back up, so I do think they work well in tandem.

Good grief, this stuff killed my face. Used it in place of my acne.org cleanser one day, thinking it might be better. What a mistake. My face burned and was slightly red, and peeled for several days after. I changed nothing else in my routine so I know this was the culprit. My skin isn't even that sensitive - I have never had such a reaction. Will never use again. On a positive note, I love the PC toner!

This is a fantastic cleanser! I have had skin problems most of my life and I've always found cleansers for acne prone skin to be way too drying and tightening. This cleanser is exactly the opposite. I use it at the end of the day and it removes all my makeup, even my mascara. I use the skin balancing cleanser in the morning in the shower. I have had extra pimples since being pregnant and I saw an immediate improvement immediately after starting the regimen. Even now that my daughter is almost a month old, I have yet to have a pimple and that is a first ever for me! I've finally found a product that I can rely on and I can be faithful to. I don't know how much money I've wasted over the years on trying the latest new cleansers and "breakthrough products" that have been cheap to outrageously expensive. Thanks Paula!!!