Alpha Hydrox • Nourishing Cleanser with Microbeads • Cleansers

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*TOP REVIEWER* pocky on 8/12/2012 12:30:00 AM more reviews by pocky

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

This and the Alpha Hydrox original foaming cleanser are the only cleansers I can use. These cheap cleansers are the only cleansers I have ever used that actually remove makeup without drying out my skin. I have been using the original cleanser for 10 years and the Nourishing Cleanser for 2 years. I order a one year supply from the manufacturer's website during one of their sales (BOGOF or BOGO for $1.99). I try to always have a tube on hand because Alpha Hydrox is impossible to find in the stores. The Ultas near me used to carry a small selection of Alpha Hydrox but they seem to have stopped carrying the line.

I have rosacea and my skin changes with the seasons. I can use the Nourishing cleanser year round without any skin issues. I tried switching up my cleanser a few times but the results were horrible. Either my pores got clogged and I got blemishes or I broke out into a rash. The microbeads are kind of useless, in my opinion. They don't seem to do much, but they don't hurt either. Unlike the original foaming cleanser, Nourishing cleanser does not smell like Elmer's glue. It's completely fragrance free, which is great for those of us who don't like fragrance in our skincare.

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cjMadamFresa on 6/19/2012 1:00:00 PM more reviews by cjMadamFresa

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

i had cystic acne and very dry sensitive skin. i bought this cleanser out of curiosity because i was impressed with the alpha hydrox oil free moisturizer gel. i had been using ddf glycolic cleanser, scrub and toner. i ended up really liking this cleanser because it is not harsh on my skin (but i still require a moisturizer of course). the beads are supposed to pop when you rub your hands together before massaging it onto your skin. the cleanser is very thick and goopy but i like that because you don't have to use very much at all and my tube lasted me over 3 months using it 2x a day followed by the alpha hydrox toner. i rinse my face with water first, then massage a small amount of cleanser on my skin and use my olay pro-x brush. i find this works well for my skin needs.

my only criticism: i would like to see this in a pump bottle. i tried to decant it into a vacuum pump bottle but the beads clogged the pump and no cleanser came out- i totally should've seen that coming lol. i then decanted it into a small squeeze bottle for traveling and it worked well.

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melostrom on 2/17/2012 7:03:00 PM more reviews by melostrom

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

Bought this from ebay for a great price. Liked all the reviews I read on here, so I thought I'd give it a try. 1) Its a pretty small bottle. Won't last for a very long time. 2) All of the microbeads fell on one side of the tube during shipping and never "fell down" after being upright for over a week. I never got more than 4 microbeads in a quarter-sized amount (used it for about a week and a half). 3) Made my skin dingy & the texture was different. I attribute that to the texture of the cleanser itself...very strange. Liquid, but thick and almost goopy. Hard to spread around your face.

It wasn't terrible, it didn't make me break out, but I won't repurchase again. Still on the hunt for my HG cleanser!

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swtpeangray on 10/23/2011 11:05:00 AM more reviews by swtpeangray

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

This is pretty much the only cleanser I'll use on my skin. I had a hard time finding a cleanser that washed all my makeup off but didn't dry out my skin, which is surprisingly hard to find. This one takes all my makeup off, but doesn't leave my skin tight and dry. It comes out in almost a gel form, and the microbeads are sparse (I don't think they do much). I bought this for 7.99 at Ulta and it's lasted me since summer (I'm still not done with it!).

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kaytasha on 5/20/2011 12:32:00 PM more reviews by kaytasha

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

This review may be a bit premature as I have only used the wash once, but WOW! This face wash is already my HG!! For so long I have been unable to really clean my pores to the point that it looked like (and I thought) I had freckels, but after ONE WASH my pores were totally cleaned out. My skin feels very soft and smooth and I couldn't be happier!

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KerryAnne on 12/23/2010 2:45:00 PM more reviews by KerryAnne

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I just bought this from Ulta, which is the only store I can find Alpha Hydrox at. I love it! The beads are not meant to exfoliate, but to add hydration. I'm sure there are bad tubes out there where the microbeads are not effective, but I got a great tube! It leaves my skin soft and is helping to clear up my severe acne in conjunction with their 10% Glycolic AHA lotion! I've spent lots of money on products that don't work only to go to a product my mom used years ago!

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*TOP REVIEWER* ayngemac on 12/17/2010 6:23:00 PM more reviews by ayngemac

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

This worked fine, but didn't impress me. It's a non-foaming gel with little red beads. The beads aren't plentiful enough to exfoliate, so I'm not exactly sure why they're in there. The scent is neutral and the formula is mild. Probably best for people with sensitive skin.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Jinhee on 9/8/2010 11:15:00 PM more reviews by Jinhee

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Warm   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I liked the cleanser at first. Got my makeup off the first time, did not leave my face uncomfortable but very soft and nourished. Actually a good feeling since most cleansers leave me tight and stinging. The beads exfoliated and the color of the cleanser was cute too. After a week I noticed fleshy white bumps on chin that went away after I stopped using this cleanser. Not the beginning of cysts but clogged pores. Got to admit that I was disappointed.

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IntoTheDark_x3 on 8/21/2010 3:43:00 PM more reviews by IntoTheDark_x3

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Olive, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

The day of my 21st birthday, quite literally, my skin flipped out completely. I've been dealing with oily skin my whole life until that day. I broke out into tiny little bumps all over my face, and from then on my skin was dry - I had to wash my face with plain old water for days,

Soon after this inexplicable and abrupt change, I switched from Alpha Hydrox Foaming Face Wash (which up until then had been pretty good for me) to this product. The Nourishing Cleanser was much more compatible with my newly-dry skin. My skin has recently returned back to a more balanced state, a bit oily in these hot Texas summers, but I'm still using this stuff, and I think it's my HG.

The only thing I hate about it is the awkward packaging. Also, the microbeads never really seem to burst for me, and they all end up pooling in the last bit of the cleanser anyway. I also hate that it's nearly impossible to find (I usually get it at HEB), so you have to order online, but AH has specials, like 50% off this weekend or free shipping, fairly often. Otherwise, this product leaves my face feeling clean and refreshed without over-drying. Love it.

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HealthyFinish718 on 3/2/2010 2:55:00 PM more reviews by HealthyFinish718

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I really like this. It does not dry me out. I like that it's soap free, oil free. It's also fragrance free. It still has a scent. It reminds me of oats, it's not bad. Does not break me out. My skin feels refreshed. I don't feel greasy after washing with this. The microbeads do not exfoliate. They are filled with vitamin E and A. The beads burst and release the vitamins when rubbed into the skin. I will continue to use this :) It's sad that it's not available in drugstores.

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qishopgal on 12/29/2009 7:37:00 AM more reviews by qishopgal

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I never thought that a cleanser would make much difference, but I am on my 3rd one of these, and I would not be without it. I also use other Alpha Hydrox products, the souffle, and spot lightener. I use this in the shower and leave it on for a few extra minutes. This isn't drying, which can be a problem at 43 Yrs. old. I rarely break out with this.
I am REALLY impressed, but it is hard to find...

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dnagirl on 2/21/2009 10:03:00 AM more reviews by dnagirl

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

I had this product for a while and initally wasn't impressed (don't remember why) so I moved on to something else, but never threw it out. I got to a point where I didn't like what I was using, so I rummaged around and pulled this out again. Now I'm hooked. Love that it has cleared up the hard white bumps on my chin, w/o drying me out. It removes my makeup easily, as well. Don't like the smell - think its supposed to be unscented, but there is definitely a smell. Would rather have it mildly scented, but its effectiveness outweighs this point by a mile. I have yet to find ANY cleanser that doesn't make my after-shower face feel dry, but I moisturize immediately anyway. Have run out and will be buying/ordering TODAY!

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bkurant on 2/12/2009 12:42:00 AM more reviews by bkurant

Age: 36-43   Skin: Other   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

i have very sensitive, somewhat dry skin and this cleanser made it extremly tight. not in a good way, but very uncomfortably tight. i felt as if i even think of smiling, my skin would rip.
i found it at the local store at 50% off and feel bad, but have no choice - it is going back. hopefully, it can work for someone with more normal to oily skin.

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sdora on 1/16/2009 11:21:00 AM more reviews by sdora

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

My HG Cleanser. I'm on my 2nd tube and I'm loving it. After using this cleanser, I rarely break out. And if I get hormonal zits, it clears it faster.

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cmn2d on 4/7/2008 9:28:00 PM more reviews by cmn2d

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

Overall I thought this was a pretty good cleanser. I love Alpha Hydrox's product line, but I didn't think this was anything special. The beads don't really do anything, and I prefer the packaging of other brands (the squeeze tube is ok until you're almost done with it, and it's difficult to squeeze out the rest thus wasting product). It's very inexpensive though. I bought it from drugstore.com and have also bought it from the company's website where they frequently run great specials.

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agapeteam on 3/23/2008 12:40:00 AM more reviews by agapeteam

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

Unfortunately, I broke out in a rash using this product.

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LeahLuvd on 1/24/2008 11:37:00 AM more reviews by LeahLuvd

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Olive   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

**I've always had combo skin, but after having my son, my skin is now more normal/dry. We also have hard water at our house.

So I went to Ulta to purchase this product based on the good reviews. I was previously using Philosophy's Purity Made Simple, and while it did a good job of removing make up, my skin started to always feel really tight and dry afterwards. I would apply my jojoba oil and/or moisturizer, but it never really felt like it was penetrating well enough to combat the dryness.

This cleanser does contain Glycolic Acid, (duh!), so more sensitive skintypes will want to consider this. I only use this cleanser a night, and only about a pea-sized amount. The smell of this product is not great- to me it smells like plastic? I used this in the shower and within the first couple days my skin was a little red and started flaking. But I'm used to this happening (using Obagi 2 years ago) and decided to deal with it for a while to see if it would give good results in the end (like Obagi).

I started peeling for about a week on my chin and jawline and for some odd reason between my eyebrows(!). At that point I started to use a very soft, wet washcloth to exfoliate the flaking. I also reduced the amount I was using to 1/2 a pea-sized drop or skipping a day altogether.

I've been using this product for 18 days now and my skin looks amazingly better! Even my husband noticed. I'm SO surprised at how soft my face feels, even with makeup on.

Looking in the mirror right now and my skin is smoother, firmer and, dare I say, RADIANT!! The normal bumps (not really pimples, but could be clogged pores I guess) that I usually have on my forehead and chin are GONE! My pores, which are usually large and noticable, have shrunk dramatically and look clean. There are a couple little flakes here and there, but nothing too noticable. I put a couple drops of jojoba oil immediately after washing and I don't get that dry/tight feeling anymore.

Overall, I am more than pleased with the end results. I think my skin looks younger and healthier than it has in a long time. I think you have to listen to your skin when you use this product, I think it's possible to over do it. I know that if I hadn't reduced the application and/or skipped some days my skin would be really dry and peeling like crazy (it is an acid!). Oily skin probably wouldn't flake as much as I did.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Jaynne on 1/8/2008 1:16:00 AM more reviews by Jaynne

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I love this cleanser! It cleans beautifully and completely, removes my make up completely and ‘dissolves’ with water. I like the little pink balls in it too – it makes the experience a complete delight! I'm back to loving my time at the sink! My skin is softer and firmer than it’s been in a long time. I have looked for a mid-price cleanser that truly is an all-in-one cleanser – I also like Vichy’s foam cleanser but it’s over $20. The Alpha Hydrox is only $10. It came with a free mask, which I’ve also reviewed. I’ve been using Neo-Strata products which I love, but I bought their all in one gel cleanser and began using that for about 3 months – and my skin eventually was always rough and bumpy and I had to exfoliate every day. And it never took off all my eye makeup so I’d have to use toner and make up remover. As soon as I tried the Alpha Hydrox cleanser I realized what I was missing in a cleanser. I’m going to go to Wal-Mart and buy several more so I don’t run out for the near foreseeable future! However, note to all manufacturers – I loath when there is a loud cracking noise when I open a flip top on a product! Ugh!!

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mspatuta on 12/28/2007 1:53:00 AM more reviews by mspatuta

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

I found this stuff in HEB, 7.99ea and got a $5.00 mail-in refund. I have tried many cleansers. Every time I just feel not so good or so bad, I don't know if that's coz I don't have so many skin problems. Anyway I like this cleanser and will buy it again.
Btw, Alpha Hydrox has another cleanser, "face wash", in the line of white basic skin care, it is the most terrible thing in the world I've ever met. I am never allergic to anything but this cleanser. My cheeks peeled, my lids peeled, my nose peeled-_-|||

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mrsmolly on 12/13/2007 1:54:00 PM more reviews by mrsmolly

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

After reading all these reviews I am really surprised that no one had a break out issue. I have not changed anything in my routine with the exception of this cleanser and about a week or so later my chin totally broke out. This is pretty rare for me! =( I love the souffle and never have a problem, but something here did not make my skin happy.

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