Dermalogica • Anti-Bac Medicated Cleanser • Cleansers

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nicoleliz on 8/3/2012 10:08:00 AM more reviews by nicoleliz

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

First off I will tell you about my skin so you can even see if this post is worth you reading. My skin is combination with some acne and some congested pores so I do need something for my acne-I'm not one of those people walking around who get like 1 pimple every 6 months and over-exaggerate and tell you how horrible my skin is. No, I actually do have acne-all month long actually. I wish I would have listened to the reviews before I bought this product and subjected my poor skin to the harshness of this face wash. The first couple days it seemed to clean alright and that must have been the calm before the storm. My face broke out worse than I have ever seen-cysts, tiny bumps, tiny pimples, and redness covering my entire face. I thought I would wait it out because I have heard that if a product works then you will "purge" first, so I waited about a month and NOPE just got worse and dry for that matter-so my makeup wouldn't even stick to my face to cover it up. I thought I would use this wash because I do have some acne, and congested pores. Apparently this is for people who can handle the tea tree oil in it and I guess that person isn't me. I tried switching to the dermal clay cleanser and still too harsh-not as bad, but still leaving redness everywhere. So then, I thought my last hope would be the sensitive skin wash by dermalogica and I went up to Ulta to actually purchase it. I was looking at makeup first to maybe switch away from bare minerals (which I have used for years and love because of the great coverage) because I was looking for something with even more coverage because of how bad this stuff made my face look (yeah I know). When I was looking at makeup the sales associate asked if I needed anything and I decided to ask about the sensitive face wash I was about to purchase and I am glad I did! I told her my story and she actually suggested another product to me, which she currently used, and I looked at her face in envy because it was dewy and beautiful and mine wash dry and bumpy :( She told me that Dermalogica is actually a step-down product from topical prescriptions so it is really harsh. She actually recommended B.Right by Benefit and within a couple days my face actually looks like skin again and not like dried out red leather. Moral of the story-If you have acne and combination skin, but then also have the wild card of being sensitive this product may not be right for you. I would rather have a couple pimples compared to a hundred. I am just thankful I wised up and got away from this brand-quickly!

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Darlicia on 11/12/2010 3:05:00 PM more reviews by Darlicia

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Tan   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This product is VERY DRYING. In the first few days, you will see a dramatic difference if you have MINOR acne , which i had due to clogged pores. However, after prolonged use, i find it to be extremely drying and my face looks dull. Im taking a break from dermalogica. this stuff is VERY expensive, so why is it so drying? usually cheap drugstore products are extremely drying, not a 32 dollar bottle of soap. i get a sight feeling that dermalogica will do damage in the long run.

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chuichi on 11/6/2010 1:15:00 PM more reviews by chuichi

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I tried a sample sachet of this and used it over 2 applications. It has quite a strong methol scent, even though it said fragrance-free. I was expecting it not to have much of a scent at all, so was a bit disappointed at that. It is a clear gel cleanser and 2 applications wasn't enough for me to see what effects it had on me. It was nothing special though and didn't particularly stand out to me. I may buy it, but really does depend on the price...

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Preeti88 on 7/20/2010 5:16:00 PM more reviews by Preeti88

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

This is my HG cleanser for my oily and acne prone skin! I tried the starter kit for the acne skin type and this was a stand out product for me as I went on to purchase the full size. It is medicated and is very strong and has a strong fresh smell. I find if I use this twice a day it makes me dry so I only use it in the evenings and it leaves my skin feeling, clean, fresh and smooth. It has helped to control my oiliness, breakouts and shine. It has a hefty price tag but it is worth it as you only need a small amount. I find it works best if only used once a day as it will dry your skin out. I just hope my skin does not become immune to it as it has done with many other skin care products in the past!

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Spider90 on 6/14/2010 11:55:00 AM more reviews by Spider90

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brown, Kinky, Fine   Eyes: Black    

Meh. Got a facial, they reccomended this to me, almost $100 AUD later i got the pump thing for this. Got home, been using it religiously for a month and can't see a difference. I love how I can use a tiny bit and it lathers up really nicely, leaves my skin slightly moisturized, feels fresh, but other than that there are no real VISIBLE differences.
If you use this, i suggest using it with the rest of the medi-bac range. I have very few spots, and this did not control oil. Can't see any results, but I can feel the superior quality (and I love the size of the bottle, i never run out!) so it's probably a re-purchase for me.

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yenichii on 6/10/2010 12:23:00 PM more reviews by yenichii

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Warm   Hair: Black, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Bought this when I was a bit younger because I was desperately trying to control spots. I really thought it would help since it's expensive and seems to have such a great reputation!
My skin is quite oily but it dried me out so much! Especially around my mouth, the skin became flakey and discoloured. I tried all different things to help it out, I used only a tiny bit and only once a day but it was no help whatsoever.
I don't even know what the problem was, because I'm using another facewash now with 2% Salylic Acid and it works fine without drying, but this AntiBac stuff just made me so FLAKEY and ultimately more oily as a result. I guess it must be the combination of ingredients they use just do NOT suite me.
Had such high hopes and was really quite disappointed.

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surfinbabe on 5/8/2010 6:32:00 AM more reviews by surfinbabe

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Black    

With so many products I used before from dermalogica, I didn't know which one worked, and which didn't or whatever.

I just want to say I have used this, and recalling from my experiences when I was 14, it comes in this hygienic bottle (not upside down or whatever). I love the smell. And it felt cool?

It was probably a bit too concentrated on my face, which made it more sensitive :)

But that was from experiences, I'm eager to try it again if I've got dollars. :)

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jlmc8 on 4/5/2010 2:48:00 PM more reviews by jlmc8

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Olive   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I moved to the city and my skin had a major breakout!
I was so depressed about it. My skin felt sunburnt and my face was swollen. Terrible breakout of adult acne.
It was really difficult because i was always complemented for having great skin that i didn't need make up.
My friend bought me this cleanser and it was AMAZING. Now i'm just left with blemishes but its clearing up :)

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irinasilchuk on 3/9/2010 9:17:00 PM more reviews by irinasilchuk

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This product did nothing for my skin. Would not recommend it to anyone.

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*TOP REVIEWER* gommiebears on 1/26/2010 11:34:00 PM more reviews by gommiebears

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Dark, Cool   Hair: Black, Kinky, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

UPDATE (02/02/2010): Unfortunately this cleanser was just not suitable for my face. I suspect it is the tea tree oil in this cleanser that was making my skin act so spastic. I hope I can find the receipt to return it. But if you can tolerate tea tree oil, by all means purchase it.


This is a pretty good SLES/SLS free cleanser in my opinion. You only need a small amount to clean your face, I don't apply it on my neck because I don't break out on my neck, thank goodness. I can only use this once a day because it can be pretty harsh on my skin if I use it more than once a day. At the rate I am going, this 6 or 8 ounce bottle can easily last me a year. As of right now I doubt I would repurchase since I purchased a good size bottle and it will last me into 2011. I am so not loving the price.

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exceptional1 on 6/7/2009 10:16:00 PM more reviews by exceptional1

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Oily, Dark   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

It is hard to pinpoint because I use so many products, but I developed like 2 cystic type acne bumps on my cheeks. I REALLY don't think that this was the culprit...but the point is that it did NOTHING for my skin. I am the hugest product junkie, and I have so many things I have used that have not worked and I never muster enough energy to take it back. But especially at like $48, this went back with a quickness. I saw ABSOLUTELY NO benefit from it. And actually I am used to 2% salicylic acid, so I really don't think 0.5% will be enough for me. I am starting to learn, that pricey does not mean high quality.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Remykat on 4/22/2009 5:29:00 PM more reviews by Remykat

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Olive, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Black    

EDIT: Ok, it fought the spots bravely, but it eventually DID dry out my skin. Now I only use it 2xs a week and only on acne-prone areas. In addition, I make sure not to use it in conjunction with other Salicylic acid products.

***ORIGINAL REVIEW: This is the best acne-fighting cleanser I've tried so far: it doesn't dry out the skin. The scent is minty and refeshing. I'm a bit biased toward this brand, and I'll be adding this product to my arsenal. I've seen clearer skin in a week with this and other items from the MediBac line.***

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bewithme on 4/19/2009 2:20:00 AM more reviews by bewithme

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Other    

Even until now that I've stopped using this terrible cleaser, I still keep blaming myself why I had used this for so long.
My story is: I started to use Dermalogica products about 1 year ago with theie complete mediBac-clearing. Everything was great at first as they helped my oily, acneic skin. After about 1-2 weeks, my face began to dry and flaky as crazy. I thought it must be the Active moist wasn't moisturing enough. I changed my moisturizer to Smoothing cream and even Intensive moisture balance. Nothing worked. My skin was still flaky, tight, red, and very irritated after cleansing=> more acne. Then 1 week ago, I read Dermalogica Ultracalming cleanser's review and thought I might try changing the cleanser to see if it helps. Thank God I did. Just in only 3 days, my skin looks much much much better, less red, less irritated.
Turned out, it was the Clearing Skin Wash(which is designed for acneic skin) which caused my skin dry, dehydrated and more acne.I hate myself why i didn't stop using it sooner and use Ultracalming cleanser instead.

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dani1987 on 4/14/2009 10:16:00 PM more reviews by dani1987

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

Pretty pricey but not a bad product at all..worked quite well at clearing my mild acne and getting rid of the blackheads. A good day-to-day cleanser although i wont be repurchasing as i like to experiment with different products and therefore am always keen on trying something new:)

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halfdusthalfdeity on 4/10/2009 9:48:00 PM more reviews by halfdusthalfdeity

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

OMG this stuff is TERRRIBLE. The Anti-Bac cleanser is no longer available, as others have said it is now the Medibac cleanser. I bought it off of eBay but it was still much pricer than my usual cleanser.

I really should have read the MUA reviews before buying and regret that I didn't. This stuff really dried out my combo skin and then I broke out terribly around my mouth and chin - the worst breakout that I'd had in years. It's been 10 days since I stopped usage and my skin has still not fully recovered - I have 2 huge zits that will not go away.

This one went straight into the trash bin. Very disappointed.

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smeegal9 on 1/27/2009 10:38:00 PM more reviews by smeegal9

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Dark   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

This review is for the Purifying Wipes-there was no place to add it.
So this is just a preliminary review.I just got the pack today.Will follow up after 10 days. So this is a pack of pre moistened towlettes. You get 20 for 17 bucks. Not a great deal if these don't work for my cheek acne. Main ingradient is Salicylic acid 2 percent. The pieces are pretty small and not very saturated. I was tempted to cut them in half to make it last longer, but that doesn't seem possible. No stinging or itching on application. No tightness either. I did use makeup remover and a mild face wash( L'Occitane mild milk bar) first.
We shall see how it goes!

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Nyr on 12/8/2008 1:12:00 PM more reviews by Nyr

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

Worked fine at first but after a few days it made me break out pretty badly. It's also very drying on it's own, so combined with hot water you get a face that feels taught. I wouldn't recommend this for anyone with less then very oily and acné heavy skin. You'll still need a pretty good moisturizer afterwards!

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filmoyster on 11/6/2008 7:49:00 PM more reviews by filmoyster

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I used this product for a year to no avail. It was a good basic wash for my acne. I did not change cleansers during this time as I was undergoing levulan/laser treatments. I wanted to stick with the same product that my skin was used to to avoid reactions to new products. The best thing dermalogica has to offer long term cystic acne sufferers is their in-salon facials and their sulfur based clay mask. If this cleanser is just not clearing you up it may be too weak and not taking enough of your dead skin cells off. Thick sebum + dead skin cells = bacteria and acne. Glycolics are good for this and that is what I have switched too.

Good luck!

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abdollmohammadi on 11/1/2008 1:15:00 AM more reviews by abdollmohammadi

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

have been using this for thee weeks now. I like it and I had the 16.9 ounce pump bottle and paid only $45. I only needed to use like half of a pump. I used it with my clarisonic brush. It helped clear up some of my mild acne/plugged pores, but did not do anything for my cystic acne (but then again that is not the product's fault). I will continue using it because it does clean my face and make it feel really nice afterwards, but I will not repurchase (in like a year because that is how long it will take for me to finish it). Good for mild acne and blackheads.

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vic2007 on 10/16/2008 1:51:00 AM more reviews by vic2007

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Olive   Hair: Black, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

My review is for Anti Bac Skin wash.I think it's the same, but they renamed it and reformulated it to be the new Medibac clearing wash-which I haven't used, and probably won't after reading the reviews of others users who keep saying Anti bac is way much better-
Anyway, I bought this Anti Bac recently after finding a salon which had the old formulation- thanks again Muaers for the warning- because I read the great reviews about it.
I do not have have acne problems,or combination skin or even problematic skin, so why did I buy it?
I'm 35, and have fantastic skin if I may say so myself, I do not look over 21, so people keep telling me when I state my age, and I take really good care of my skin.
Ii only get a pimple once every 2 or 3 months- during that time of the month- so I decided to buy this as a preventative measure to avoid the odd pimple alltogether.
This will not be my daily cleanser- which is a concoction mix of Annayake,Fancl powder, and Dermalogica microfoliant,and I am only planning to use it maybe 5 times over the course of a month, BUT it is a great cleanser.I have dry skin, and I used it twice in the past 2 days- we are at that time of the month, and no pimple has emerged- the cleanser doesn 't dry out my skin at all. I damped my skin and used a pearl on my shiseido face brush, massaged my face and neck for a minute with the brush, a good leather was produced,and rinced. The skin was cleaned, pores were fine,and no itchy or pulling feeling at all.I then applied my regular payot serum and my regular day cream and the skin is flawless, soft,and looks dewy.
I have to say- since I have all the dermalogica cleansers, in terms of texture, this is one of my favorites, if not the favorite one for texture, even beats the special cleansing gel. For effect it is a tie with SCG and UCC.
So I do recommend it.

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