Neutrogena • Pore Refining Cleanser • Cleansers

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nycshopgirl on 6/16/2013 2:15:00 PM more reviews by nycshopgirl

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

It does work when you use it with a spin brush but the more I used the more it irritated my skin, my face started peeling (around my nose and mouth) and burning and my cheeks were left with red patches. I had to switch to my Pond's Deep Cleanser Cold Cream to get the moisture back to my skin.

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JamieBionic on 6/13/2013 6:10:00 PM more reviews by JamieBionic

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black   Eyes: Other    

I just switched back to this product after trying Avalon Organics cleansing gel and Neutrogena Naturals cleansing gel. My skin was looking tired and since I've hit my 30's I've got bags under my eyes that just won't go away.

My esti said to use this on your face dry after I switched back to this from expensive Jan Marini face cleanser. It contains glycolic acid in it that works better without being mixed with water. Glycolic acid is what's in a peel, so you're really getting as close as possible to a peel by using this and the toner together. You can't beat the price at under $9 tube whereas Jan Marini (containing sulphates) is $17 for the citrus cleanser. That's their cheapest one.

I'm hoping my face looks better after going back to this product. It's needs a pick me up. My face already feels softer. I'm hoping that it combats the recent blemishes that I've been having.

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HeidiML on 6/10/2013 9:35:00 AM more reviews by HeidiML

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

I wanted a new skin care routine, something to help with pore cleansing/reduction. I've been using this for about a month now along with the matching Toner and have had average to good results. It's not the most spectacular cleanser I've ever used, but it's not the most useless either. I do like the microbeads. Directions say to wet your face first before using and that does keep the beads from being a little too harsh. Other reviewers have mentioned that this stuff stings if it gets into the eyes and they are so right - ouch! It's hard to avoid the eye area when rinsing a cleanser off - if there was a single reason I wouldn't buy this product again it would have to be the eye irritation. A facial cleanser should NOT sting the eyes like this simply from the splash of washing it off.

I'm very routined about washing/toning my face morning and night - and honestly, with any decent cleanser and toner this 2x day routine should lend pretty good results - therefore I"m looking for some "great" results and while I like this product, I certainly won't panic if it's not on the shelf.

Because I bought the Toner and this wash at the same time and have been using them together, I can't honestly say if the decent results I'm seeing are from the Toner or the wash. Out of the two, I'd have to give the Toner higher marks.

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ngirl292 on 6/9/2013 3:01:00 PM more reviews by ngirl292

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I hated this product. Okay, I'll say the first week went pretty well, and it cleared up, what - one pimple? Then, my skin got irritated. I felt myself scratching at it often, and my skin was very dry after it. Oil built up everywhere and I just stopped using this product instantly. The microbeads hurt my skin and left scratches sometimes (my skin is not sensitive), and I found my face extremely oily and got more and more pimples. So, the second week I had only used hardly any of the product and I just got rid of it. It smelled bad, it worked horribly. The pricing wasn't so great either where I bought it but the packaging was good. I would not reccomend this product.

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MadameButterfly on 3/28/2013 7:26:00 AM more reviews by MadameButterfly

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I really like this. Not sure why the reviews are poor. I think it's important to buy a cleanser that is appropriate for your skin type. This one is appropriate for oily or perhaps combination skin types. My skin is normal/oily (far more oily in the summer), and I can use strong cleansers like these twice a day, even in the winter, with no dryness or irritation. This cleanser has an exfoliating effect & really cleans my skin thoroughly and takes off dead skin. My face feels so soft and smooth afterwards. It also brightens my skin and makes me look glowy. It does seem to clean pores well, I noticed my pores looking a little smaller after using this. I also don't break out anymore. I've used expensive cleansers before & I always go back to Neutrogena. They make the best skincare products for grownups with oily skin IMO.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* alina08 on 3/16/2013 1:42:00 AM more reviews by alina08

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I like this cleanser, although it does not really do what it claims to do. It is supposed to reduce the size and appearance of pores. Sadly, that is not the case. I saw no effect whatsoever in this regard. However, it does have a gentle scrub function that is non-irritating on my skin. I like to use it at times when I hesitate to use a very gentle cleanser, but I do not want to break out the heavy-duty exfoliators. The only real detractor is the smell- this cleanser has a strong chemical odor. The price is right for this purpose, so I would repurchase.

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autumnsylver on 7/2/2012 12:23:00 AM more reviews by autumnsylver

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Fair   Hair: Black, Straight, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

I bought this cleanser along with the toner and used it for about 2 weeks. I love the toner (it actually does what it says it does), but the cleanser just made my skin oilier and didn't refine my pores. I didn't have results with the toner until I started using it with St. Ives medicated apricot scrub.

I ended up putting it in a drawer and pulled it out every now and then to try it to see if I can make it work, but every time, it turns my face into an oil slick.

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honeyyummy on 8/31/2011 12:49:00 PM more reviews by honeyyummy

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I do not know what is with this cleanser but it was way too harsh on my skin! I have never had any problems with any other cleanser but this one seriously dried out my skin. It was very patchy, flakey, and hurt really bad. I just threw it away! I would test it on a small patch of skin if you can.

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mypham on 8/20/2011 5:08:00 AM more reviews by mypham

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

This cleanser was an HG product for me. I've repurchased several times for 4 years and hoarded it when I realized it was getting harder and harder to find. I used it as a daily mask/cleanser and it really worked well with my skin. Sadly I am unable to find it anywhere and believe it's discontinued. If any of you are able to find it anywhere, or have found a replacement, please PM me!

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*TOP REVIEWER* kissjacksparrow on 4/13/2011 6:43:00 PM more reviews by kissjacksparrow

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I was looking for a gentle scrub, and purchased this by recommendation on beautypedia.com, which I am a subscriber of.

I like that this is a scrub that has round, gentle ex-foliating plastic beads, as apposed to some scrubs where are too rough. However, I just wished there was a higher ratio of the beads. This scrub is gentle enough that I could use it daily, although I usually don't. So, if you are looking for gentle ex-foliation for daily use, this is a good option.

This product contains AHA & BHAs - chemical exfoliants - as well. This wounds like a good idea, but I have read that using them in cleansers doesn't do much, since it doesn't have time to penetrate the skin. For this reason, I try to leave this on my skin for as long as I can stand, gently massaging in a circular motion. I try for 3 minuets if I can stand it. I don't know it that makes much of a difference, but that's just what I do.

Because of the ingredients, this is something you need to keep away form the eyes or it will sting and burn. So, DO NOT USE THIS FOR MAKEUP REMOVAL! Be sure to remove all make up before using this. It does not foam, so it isn't good at that anyways. Remove all make up and wash your face first. For me the easiest way to do this is to remove my make up at night and cleanse with a foaming cleanser, then use this in the AM in the shower. It makes my skin soft and ready for make up application. It does not foam, so if you have stuff on your face already, it won't do much to cleanse. Sometimes I mix a pea sized amount of my regular cleaner too add some foaminess to it.

I like that this does not have extra stuff you don't need, like dyes or fragrance. I really appreciate Neutrogena for that.

Price: $8 or so, so it's a little pricey, not outrageous, but I think I could find something that works just as well for less.

Packaging: No fuss simple tube. It dispenses easily and does not collect water in the shower. It's not that pretty, but it works. Neutrogena is a very practical lines, so I have come to expect good quality/simple packaging from them.

Claims: I say it does exactly what it said it would - provides gentle exfoliation and improves the appearance of the skin. I think the added AHA & BHA is unnecessary, but it doesn't hurt. I just think it drives up the price more then it needs to be.

I said I wouldn't buy it again, however, because I am looking for something that does more scrubbing. And at this price, I would really like it to do more for me. However, I would still recommend to anyone in the market for a gentle scrub.

Update: I just tried the St Ives Green Tea Scrub, and I am loving it much more then this! It has the same small granules but they are much more dense and for me it is much more effective.

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wellhellmichelle on 3/27/2011 12:56:00 PM more reviews by wellhellmichelle

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I really liked this cleanser. It well on my combination skin -- dialed down the oily parts without overdrying the normal parts. I'm sad to see that Neutrogena is no longer making this product :(

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ceriseangel2 on 2/18/2011 10:44:00 PM more reviews by ceriseangel2

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Had a brightening effect after using this cleanser. However, even the littlest amount of get into my eyes stings my eyes.

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mtnsunshine on 12/30/2010 11:31:00 PM more reviews by mtnsunshine

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Tan, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I've been using this for about three weeks now, in conjuction with the matching toner. I have to say, I like the toner more than the cleanser. My face tends to feel a little dry, or stripped, even in the shower, after I rinse this off. I usually leave my cleanser on for a few seconds to let the ingredients penetrate, but this one makes my face burn if I leave it on too long. I do like the texture of it, almost sticky or tacky, but I think that's the extent of the pros for me.

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SaraCee07 on 11/28/2010 7:57:00 PM more reviews by SaraCee07

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Grey    

I was using this before I switched to the oil-free acne stress control cleanser and I loved it, made my skin feel smooth and clean and got the make-up off pretty well. Lasted AGES as well because you only need a small amount each use. I may switch back to this after my current cleanser runs out, just because the stress control one doesn't remove my make-up as much as I'd like, therefore not making my face feel fully clean.

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*TOP REVIEWER* NYC22 on 11/27/2010 9:56:00 PM more reviews by NYC22

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

I've held off on writing a review of this product for a long time. The reason is that I'm a little mixed on this cleanser and wanted to wait until I had made up my mind. However, I don't think that will happen, so I've decided to report my "borderline" results (sorry for the clinical language, but it can be fun to use terms I learned in grad school in real life!).


The good: When I used this at night (in conjunction with Neutrogena's Fresh Foaming Scrub in the shower), I found that my pores did "appear" smaller. I use the term "appear" because no product can change the size of pores; it's just that when pores are clogged them appear larger and, hence, de-clogging them can make them appear smaller. Another bonus: my skin felt so smooth and soft after using this (no doubt due to the combination of AHA, BHA and microbeads).


The bad: It took a lot of trial and error to learn how to use this properly. The best way I found was to wet my face, then apply a pea-sized amount in circular motions. Rub in circular motions until the cleanser starts to feel tacky. Rinse. If you are rinsing and rinsing because you feel that the product is still slippery on your skin, then you are using too much or not rubbing it in properly. Another point of contention: the bottle did not list the concentration of AHA or BHA. I kept wondering if this met the minimum recommendations of content and if there was something "better" out there.


The ugly: I used this with the Fresh Foaming Scrub religiously for about four weeks. After a week or so I marveled at how great my skin looked: decreased problems with blackheads, glowing skin, etc. Then, my face broke out after the third week or so. After that healed, by face broke out again and I discontinued use of this and the Fresh Foaming Scrub. The breakouts weren't horrific, but they were the worst I'd gotten in years and rivaled some of the worst I'd had in high school. I can only attribute the problem to the change in my cleansing routine. Since I stopped with this regimen, I haven't had a breakout problem - although I still have a couple of minor blemishes that I believe may be lingering from the initial two breakouts. Now that I'm back to my usual routine (read: Neutrogena bars or Dove), I don't have that soft, translucent skin that I got with the scrubs - but I don't have breakouts either. My plan now is to use the scrubs more sparingly, and to consult a dermatologist for future treatment.

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ToxicMegacolon on 10/27/2010 5:41:00 PM more reviews by ToxicMegacolon

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

This is a must-have HG for me. Combo skin with little white bumps that occur if I breath on my skin wrong. I have strayed from this cleanser many times, and each time, I come crawling back to it. It does make my skin a bit tight afterwards, but I make sure I moisturize well. Nothing else I've tried works to clear my skin the way this does. I don't think it refines pores very much, but for me, it takes away bumps, it clears my skin, it controls oil very well.

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Ntuitive1 on 10/19/2010 4:57:00 AM more reviews by Ntuitive1

Age: 44-55   Skin: Oily, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I love this stuff with some qualifications - It does burn the eyes so I only use it sparingly in the shower once a day followed by a pump of the Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser to make sure I remove it all. The results are worth the effort, though. For me it does something that no other cleanser and scrub combination seems to do, and what that is I really can't tell you other than my skin feels smoother, tighter, and definitely younger! I think this stuff works best on mature, oily skin to help smooth it out and make pores seem smaller. Recently I couldn't find this stuff anywhere and the company told me it was on "back order". I was afraid they were discontinuing it, but recently I have found it again in a couple of Walmarts near me. So I am happy once again. I didn't realize how much I would miss it once I couldn't use it for a while. I am just happy it's back!

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lilyzee on 9/13/2010 1:54:00 PM more reviews by lilyzee

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

So this doesn't come in fancy packaging, nor does it smell great, but the AHA and BHA in it sure is effective! I've tried many cleansers. From high end ones like Biotherm to clean and clear and cetaphil. This has been the best by far and I keep coming back to it. It really does refine pores and it makes my skin glowy!

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jris777 on 9/10/2010 12:37:00 AM more reviews by jris777

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

for people saying this broke you out-that could be the product working and drawing the oil out of your pores, which yes, will break you out at first. however over time you will see results, give it at least a week or two. this is true of many effective skin care regimens-just like how many people break out after a facial, it's from all the sebum being drawn out. i think this is a fabulous product, i personally have never broken out, but then i've never broken out in my life, im lucky to have good skin. i do have friends though with skin issues that have seen good results with this product. i use it once or twice weekly in the shower as a mild exfoliator.

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*TOP REVIEWER* celevia on 8/28/2010 1:44:00 PM more reviews by celevia

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Black    

I remember this product back in high school, i bought this hoping it would do something for my humongous pores in my T-zone,,but ugh IT BROKE ME OUT BADLY!!! and this is not a one time accident, i tried it several times and every time, on the second or third day i would have a big and painful cystic acne landed on my chin. other than that, it did nothing in terms of pore refining, maybe i didn't use it long enough to see a difference but just the cystic acne part is enough to stop me from using it. I give it 2 lippies because the exfoliating aspect is pretty impressive, it wasn't abrasive and cleansed me face well.

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