I have struggled with SUPER oily skin, sensitive skin, and moderate acne (t-zone only) since my early teens. Basically, a trifecta of bad skin. I have tried everything from super chemical to super natural and everything in between. Currently, I am on my second try of Retin A Micro which has changed my skin drastically. I am much clearer and have almost no scarring, but I am often still very oily and have frequent bouts of dry, patchy flakes (side affect of Retin A).

EVERYTHING I have used to cleanse with the Retin A has left me too dry and dehydrated. I stumbled across Pond's Cold Cream Cleanser and decided to give it a try. After reading reviews and doing my ingredient research, I was a little afraid. There are a couple ingredients which are listed as comodegenic, but nothing too awful. Still, I wa intrigued.

I'm on day four of cleansing with just the Pond's and I use a little CeraVe to moisturize after. I massage the Pond's in and rinse with a damp, warm cloth. My skin has never looked better! I am shocked. My oil production has visibly gone down and I haven't had any dry patches either. So far, no breakouts. I am still on the oily side, but that's definitely just part of my genetics. I am IN LOVE with this stuff. I would suggest this to anyone with sensitive, oily skin and especially to anyone trying Retin A because, as good as this stuff is for acne, it makes skin dry as hell and often makes people quit before they start seeing the beautiful results.

Pond's Cold Cream Cleanser is a definit must try!!!

I have never reviewed a product in my life but I had to sign up to write about this one (yeah this will be a long review). I always read a thousand reviews before buying anything so I figured I better contribute to someone else's buying doubts.
Let me start by saying I have only been using this for 5 days. I was going to wait but I couldn't help it. I will also mention that while I do have dry skin, I have pretty bad skin as far as acne goes. Incredibly frustrating as I'm 25 years old and feel like this should be gone by now and all of my friends who do nothing to their skin are clear and to-die-for. And yes I've tried everything. When I was younger I did the medication from the derm. That didn't really work. I used proactiv and the pill for probably 3-4 years up until last year and I was pretty happy with my skin. So of course I went off both because my mom was freaking out about the pill being bad for you and I didn't want to use proactiv forever because it really is like drugs for your skin and didn't want to rely on that. Needless to say within about 3 months my skin went nuts. Breaking out all over the place and places I never used to. It was horrible. I immediately went back to proactiv and it did NOTHING for me. Made everything worse. So began the cycle of trying every freaking product/method/natural supplement in the universe. I've done it all. Nothing worked.

Which brings me to now. I have resisted going back to the dermatologist (only because I don't believe they properly diagnose individual cases and I don't want to treat it with drugs. I firmly believe that's only a temporary solution) and even when I've been reduced to tears over my skin I forged on. Thanks to a lot of research on different sites and the lovely fellow reviewers... I decided to try this Ponds Cold Cream. Yes I was scared that the ingredients were on the "no-no" list by every acne site in the world. But i was also really excited because a) if this worked (which alot of people claimed it has) it's dirt cheap and b) it's so lovely smelling and totally something gramma's do that it's actually a fun routine and I would LOVE washing my face.

Again, it's been 5 days. I've never seen results like this from any of the zillion products I've tried. My skin is clearing significantly (joy joy joy). It's no longer dry and itchy. It's really fun to wash my face (haha!). It's easy, fast, I don't have to shower everyday to feel clean, it smells wonderful (like roses and gramma's bathroom). I could go on forever but I only have 3500 characters left. Bottom line, I"m amazed and happy and everytime I text my mom "skin improving again today" i get a reply saying "GO PONDS!!"

So as for my routine just for a quick run down: I've tried to use this as simply as possible. I don't want to use a wash after or a million other products. So I don't. At night, i smear it all over my face, let it sit while i warm up a washcloth, gently wipe it off, and done. The washcloth actually takes off most of the moisture too so I rarely even have to dry my face with a towel. I then put some lavender essential oil (straight up) onto my problem areas (mostly chin/jawline) and on any spots (no they aren't completely disappeared already but the improvement is out of this world). I let that dry, and since my face isn't drying up like a pruney raisin from my cleanser, I can let the lavender soak right in. Then I put some more Pond's on!! same stuff. a little less. But cover my face like a moisturizer. I personally love the oily look haha. And go to bed. I always wake up in awe that it looks better than the day before and not ONE NEW ZIT! In the morning, I smear it on either before the shower, or use a washcloth again. Then my lavender. Then I'm using "Yes to Carrots" rich moisture day cream during the day because it's alot better under makeup and soaks in fast. This stuff is also unREAL and I would recommend it to anyone. Smells so good too and now my dog smells like it because we cuddle so much and I love it. His head is like almond extract and baby powder. YUSSS!!!

If anything goes majorly wrong I will update but so far.... just try it. I could cry tears of joy from the improvement it's brought me. And DON'T think that the ingredients are bad for acne prone skin!!! it's all cosmetic grade ingredients so it won't break you out. trust me. I'm proof. and EVERYTHING breaks me out. worst. Anyway try it. Hope you like it as much as I do. Just think, how come no one in the olden days had acne? They all ate dairy (even though I'm lactose so I don't eat much of it but I don't think you should have to change your diet). No i don't think you should eat McDonalds or Burger King but cutting out basic foods I don't think is a sacrifice you need to make. I cut out dairy cold turkey and it didn't do much for me. And they had PONDS *musical interlude*. This stuff just rules.

My skin is horribly dry due to my accutane treatment and I needed a good makeup remover for cheap. This was on sale for 50% off so I thought, why not? And picked it up. Based on the ingredients, I wasn't so sure it would work out. It's pretty much just mineral oil plus thickeners and I knew this wasn't going to be water-soluble so I was afraid it would break me out. At first I just tried to use it like a regular cleanser (i.e. no wash cloth) and it was horrible. My face was super oily and I followed with a cleanser twice. I regretted buying it.


Next day I tried it with a wash cloth and it was actually amazing. All the makeup came off (eyeliner needed a separate remover) and left my skin feeling moisturized, clean, and not oily. Even so, I followed with Cerave's cleanser for dry skin and their cream moisturizer from the jar mixed with Theraplex from my dermatologist. Ever since using the cold cream, my pores aren't clogged and my skin has been soft and not as dry.


Honestly, this far exceeded my expectations. I actually like it more than an oil cleanser, especially since it's much cheaper. I didn't expect it to work any better than any makeup remover, but my skin has improved noticeably after a full week's use. Beautypedia has it at a mediocre rating, yet it worked out well for me. Perhaps this only works for very dry skin, like mine is currently. I'm not so sure I'd like it when my skin was extremely oily and broken out.

I've tried every cleanser on the market, usually gravitating toward acne-fighting products. Recently, however, my acne got so much worse than usual that I was at a loss. Out of the blue for a couple of days, I started only using moisturizer to remove my make-up: no salycilic acid, no benzoyl peroxide, no SOAP even. And within a day, I swear my pimples, redness, and even old acne marks began to heal. Then it dawned on me: I was over-treating a condition that, in adulthood, might be more due to lack of moisture than excess moisture. I read up on what an effective, moisture-based cleanser that was known to be good against acne and yet was emollient, safe, and time-trusted. I hit upon good old Ponds cold cream. It's been a week now, and my skin is clearer every single day. I haven't touched my BP cream or any acid-containing cleansers at all. My regime is as follows: in the morning, put a generous amount of Ponds on my dry skin. Take a shower. Once out, just wipe off with a clean, damp washcloth. Follow with Neutrogena Oil Free Moisturizer for Day with SPF. In the evening, repeat (but instead of leaving the Ponds on while I shower, leave it on while I brush my teeth), but for evening moisturizer use instead Boots Expert Sensitive Skin Moisturizer. Once these two are used up, I may get even more old school and try out some Olay Beauty Fluid as my night moisturizer.

Sometimes the old standbys are that way for a reason.

This is my HG cleanser! After a few trail and errors with drug store cleaners, I was almost set on giving them up (especially after 360 L'oreal deep cleanser infected oeyes, and dried out the top half of my whole face). My skin is on the dry to normal side.


This cleaner takes my make-up off without me having to put too much work into it. It's also ideal for dry skin. My skin has never felt so supple after using this cleanser continuously. Also, it doesn't contain alcohol or eye irritants. I have sensitive eyes so this is perfect for me. I suggest getting the smaller bottle because it doesn't take too much product for one use, and you want to avoid bacteria from forming inside the bottle.



People with dry to normal skin, try this out! Please.

I use this to get my eye makeup off and it comes off so easily. The only thing I don't like about it is how greasy it leaves your skin after you wipe it off. I'm super sensitive to makeup remover wipes so I have to use this. It's not as simple as using a makeup remover wipe and going to bed because it leaves a greasiness to the face you have to wash off. Sometimes I'm just too tired to want to do it all. Looking for something faster but this definitely does the trick.

I used to love this, but would always stray for some reason. The last 6 months of using this, my skin was itchy and dry. I kept getting an irritation/ rash on my cheeks and I never thought it could have been my beloved Ponds....until I stumbled upon the recent reviews. Yes, my last tub had dmdm hydantoin and the rash went away a day after I threw the tub in the trash. Bummer.

Alert: FORMULA CHANGE!

If you care about this product, call the company at 1-800-909-9493 or go to www.ponds.com. Please tell them to go back to the original formula.

This should have earned the highest ratings. This was a wonderful product used by my mother and now me for the last 30 years. I've used many high end products but this the one I've always gone back to after misguided notions and needless expenditures on more expensive but inferior products. I purchased a new jar and used it yesterday. Fifteen minutes after massaging into my skin, I felt a burning sensation. I had to wash it off. Also, the texture is different. It is thick and dull instead of rich and fluffy. It is beyond comprehension why a company would ruin one of the best products on the market.

I called the company and was told the formula was recently changed in March 2012. I got a very responsive person over the phone who said they took these comments seriously. She promised to send a postage paid envelope for me to send the jar to them. In the meantime, I got the Rite Aid brand with the same ingredients as the original formula. I don't like the smell and it's not exactly the same, but it didn't burn my skin. I will very sadly be looking for the next best thing.

Consumers really do have a lot of power. We just don't use it well enough. Take the time to call them if you care about this product. Good luck to all of us!

UPDATE: Use extra virgin olive oil to remove makeup. It's one of the best makeup removers. Also, massaging virgin unbleached coconut oil on your face is great (find at health food store). We are not powerless. Do not accept inferior products from companies who don't care what their loyal customers think.

UPDATE #2: Google "Cold Cream Recipes". I just made the Galen one (2000 years old!) using beeswax, almond oil, rosewater, and rose oil. I will not include a link because it's up to you to find what works best for you. This homemade cold cream is beyond amazing. If this was the original Ponds, its clear why it was called a miracle cream. A perfect example of how a disappointment can lead to something better than you had before.

Straight to the point : 1 lippie off because of the changed formula. Pond's Cold Cream is essentially crap now. I have one new jar, and one more unopened one in my freezer. I don't really know what I am going to do when I run out of them. Maybe I'll make my own cold cream? That's going to be fun. -sarcasm-


Please, please, submit a complaint to Ponds, on their website. Get them to bring the old formula back! I BEG you.


What the Unilever corporation does not realise is that their cold cream is not just a cosmetic product. It's not just a cleanser. Not to me at least. It's a vital part of history. I feel that the history of cosmetics is just as important as the history of ... I don't know ... clocks?! Cosmetics throughout the ages greatly reflect the society in which they were used, like how red lipsticks were worn in the 1940s to boost patriotism and such. I am deeply interested in vintage beauty, and Ponds changing the formula of such an important product is, not mincing words, basically taking a big, wet shit on the face of history.


__My review__


I love this. I love cold cream. I love the words 'cold' and 'cream', and I love them even better when they are put together. I love the texture of cream. (see my review of Nivea Creme, I'm practically kowtowing to it there)


Packaging: Ponds Cold Cream comes in a rounded-diamond shaped frosted plastic jar, with a light mint green coloured cap. Mine is the unchanged formula version, so it says "The Cool Classic" on the front. "Cool". Haha, I like the pun. Very punny. Also, some people have problems with the packaging, they say it's unsanitary and whatnot. Tough shit, use a spoon. I, on the other hand, like the packaging a lot. Very classy, for the price.


Product: The cold cream is ... SURPRISE, a cream. Okay, a white cream, kind of a whipped texture, like Nivea Soft. Very, very luxurious. AND THE SMELL. How people can not like this smell? I don't know. It's VERY rosy, powder-y, i smell the tiniest hint of jasmine. It smells so ... classic. It smells like the dressing room of a starlet in the 30s, the mingling of her face powder and hairspray, and the subtle, spicy-oriental perfume that she uses to seduce the dapper men of that period. Needless to say, I love it.


Application: Whether I am wearing makeup or not, I always do a double cleanse, just incase. I really, really, look forward to coming home after school and cleansing my face. It's really relaxing for me. And, as a bonus, relaxation = less stress = less breakouts! Anyway, I scoop out a dollop of cream, about the size of a marble. Spread it all over, wipe off with a tissue. This removes ALL makeup. Take another marble of cream, spread it all over again. Massage deeply and slowly. At this point, I can spend up to an hour massaging my face just because it feels so damn good. I usually follow the Eve Lom weekly massage ritual thing, but sometimes I improvise. At this point,the cold cream has become kind of a liquid-y, oily mess. I LIKE IT. Other people don't, for exactly this reason. Well, all I do is laugh at them, because this oiliness is what provides the creamy, glowing complexion the the beautiful ladies of yore possessed. THEN, I wipe off the excess with a warm washcloth. I don't scrub. Just wipe off the excess. There's a film left, but it's not really a biggie. I treat the film like it's a serum or something. Then, I moisturize with Nivea Creme.


THEN: I think one of the things I like the most about Ponds Cold Cream is that it PULLS OUT ALL MY FREAKING BLACKHEADS AND CLOGGED PORES, seriously, it is FANTASTIC for doing that. People are like "omfg ponds cold cream is so oily i'm going to break out from that and it will give me blackheads", well, it doesn't for me! Okay, like, I think that the key to the cold cream pulling out your clogged pores and whatever is MASSAGING. Combined with the almost magnetic power of the mineral oil, this is basically the Oil-Cleansing-Method. Massage slowly, from the bottom of the face upwards (NEVER DOWNWARDS OR YOU WILL GET WRINKLES AND SAGS) putting pressure on your face. The cream (or oil, whatever) will act as a superb lubricant so you won't be tugging at your skin, and it will just VACUUM all the clogs out. Seriously, you will FEEL the clogs in your fingers. They feel like little beads, and it is so gross and awesome at the same time.


Look at me gushing about an old ladies' product. It's pretty heartbreaking how the changed the formula. so you guys might experience irritation and breakouts from the DMDM Hydantoin and Cetyl Alcohol (I think they have something like that in the new formula). It pains me to know that the generations to come may never experience the beauty and wonder of cold cream, and even if they do, they'll think it's absolute crap because the leader, the NAME BRAND, in cold cream, now has an absolutely dreadful new formula. We can do something about this. People who are reading this, I plead with you to email Ponds. That is all. Thank you for reading this.

Ahhh nothing like good old fashioned skin care! I used to use this in high school along with witch hazel and I never had a single pimple. But, this ended up to be one of those things that you just kinda forget about... I recently picked this up and was so pleased at how my skin looked instantly dewy and felt so soft. It feels great being massaged into your face and it takes off makeup in a snap. In the morning, my skin actually looks nice enough to not feel like wearing foundation!
I never have a problem with my skin being oily after, but what I do is use a dry facecloth to remove the excess creme, then wet it down with warm water and wash the rest of my face. And wash well!!

Also I noticed some people on here commenting how the formula has changed... The tub I picked up still had the original ingredients. I'm in Canada, so maybe try ordering a Canadian version of it?