Unlisted Brand • Spectro Jel for Blemish-Prone Skin (Fragrance Free version) • Cleansers

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dancergirl68 on 5/19/2013 11:20:00 AM more reviews by dancergirl68

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

I think people don't understand what this cleanser is supposed to do. It's not supposed to take off makeup because if you have a cleanser that does that it is far too harsh for your skin. It's not supposed to clear up acne hence how it has no acne fighting ingredients in it. What it is supposed to do is gently clean the skin and give it a good base for acne products so that your skin is not further irritated. Anyways I am a spectro gel lover. Been faithful to it for 3 years. I have sensitive acne prone skin and other cleansers always irritate me. When I went to the dentist I saw that they had bottles of spectro gel everywhere to wash hands and face. Thought that was a good sign that the medical industry is using it. So buy! Definitely good basic cleanser. If only their moisturizer was upto snuff!!

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prettygirl22 on 4/18/2013 8:13:00 PM more reviews by prettygirl22

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

I used to use this product and felt that it did nothing for me.. Now I realized it was because I wasn't massaging in the product for 30 seconds!

After reading reviews on MakeupAlley about spectrogel, I went out and purchased the acne prone bottle (purple label) for sensitive skin. Boy, am I ever glad I did!

Although spectrogel does not get ride of current acne, it helps minimize it and stops further acne from developing! It made my skin softer and has really cleared up some of the redness I was experiencing.

However, this product does NOT take off existing makeup therefore you must use another product before you use spectrogel. It is very gentle on my sensitive skin. I took the advice of another MakeupAlley contributer and I first rub the gel in circular motions on my DRY face. After doing this for a couple of seconds I wet my fingers and continue the circular motion for about 30 seconds. Than I wash off with water.

I purchased the bottle without the pump, therefore I feel that the packaging is a little awkward and comes out quickly. I have really noticed a difference and it is super cheap! Will buy again:)

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bazzo on 4/6/2013 1:42:00 PM more reviews by bazzo

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

Spectro Jel does not get the attention it deserves. My doctor recommended me to use this brand 8 years ago to treat my acne-prone skin during junior high school, and I have never turned to another cleanser since.


In truth, I usually use the Combination-Skin version, but Costco only had the Blemish-Prone one on sale, so I bought 2 of them in fairly large containers. It took a while to get used to the different smell, but just as I expected, it worked just as wonderfully. The gel is a smooth, no-nonsense cleanser that gets you CLEAN. No foaming and bubbles to irritate any sores or other problems on the skin - it is incredibly gentle. Though I've used this cleanser as part of a rigorous routine, it is the foundation of what I do twice everyday, and is gentle enough for whenever I feel oily. Make sure to massage it well into your skin for about a minute to feel really refreshed - the gel-based cleanser makes it so it's not such a chore :)


Fairly-priced and gentle for nearly any skin type. DEFINITELY will repurchase again. It's a staple cleanser that should be a part of any daily routine.

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*TOP REVIEWER* FaceofMaleah on 3/18/2013 10:26:00 PM more reviews by FaceofMaleah

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Very Dry, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Red, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I love Spectro and I feel like these gels do not get enough attention- I hardly hear anyone talk about them. I have this cleanser currently in the acne prone skin version but I have owned the sensitive skin version before and both I feel preform equally well. I really like that since I have acne prone skin I can use the cleanser that is mean for acne prone skin because the cleanser is so gentle. I'm not really sure whether or not this helps with acne but for sure it does not break me out which is of course excellent. I also love that the cleanser comes in a huge bottle for around $10 that lasts you forever. The only thing I'm not crazy about is the scent of the cleanser. It is fragrance free but the smell of the ingredients is not particularly pleasant but it doesn't smell bad. My bottle is a bit old but SLS is not listed in the ingredients which is amazing and so hard to find. I'm sure I will continue to purchase this forever.

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gunzarelli on 3/17/2013 1:06:00 AM more reviews by gunzarelli

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

HG. Forever and ever. I have used this for the past 15 years, and every time I stray, I regret it. My skin is sensitive, acne-prone, easily clogged, dehydrated and oily, and over the years I've tried countless products- most of which address only one of these concerns, at the expense of the others. Not Spectro.

This is a non-foaming gel cleanser, which a lot of people have a hard time getting used to, but I personally find very nice. I wet my skin with warm water, and massage about a quarter-sized dollop into my skin. As the instructions say, give your face a good 30 second (I tend to go longer) massage with your finger tips. I remove with a warm washcloth, then splash with cooler water. Never leaves me tight or dry, never aggravates breakouts, and doesn't leave any weird film on my skin. Occasionally I do need a dab of moisturizer at night (I generally don't wear night cream) but that is only in the deepest, darkest of winter, and no cleanser can ward that level of evil off! I can't, however, speak for whether this removes make-up, as I don't wear anything on my face. If I am wearing heavier sunscreen in the summer, I tend to do a quick double wash.

I don't expect miracles from cleansers, and overly complicated ones are usually just that. Spectro IS basic, but consistently dependable and effective. I do use the "Lightly Scented" version, whose scent is really negligible, and have found little difference between that one and the fragrance-free version. I generally just buy which ever one is in stock. The large pump size easy to keep in the tub or on the counter, and convenient for filling travel containers.

Loyal for life. Please don't ever change the formulation!

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northerngal100 on 3/6/2013 10:38:00 PM more reviews by northerngal100

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I have very sensitive dry skin. Unfortunately, I have had an increasing tendency for breakouts. I am so glad I reached for this last time I was at the pharmacy. It is exactly what my dry irritated skin needed. It doesn't strip you skin or contain parabens, SLS or other irritating ingredients. It gives you a clean feeling (unlike cetaphil) without the tight dry feeling. It's perfect! My breakouts/skin coloured bumps have calmed considerably when I started using this and my skin is looking better and better. All of this and it is CHEAP! I paid under 7$CAN. I really couldn't tell the difference between the breakout prone version or the sensitive version, but I went with breakout prone just in case.

Two downsides which I am willing to overlook:
1. Because it is unscented, people will say it smells bad. Which is true. But I'll take that over potentially irritating fragrances any day.
2. The packaging is pretty ugly to be honest. But, hey, it's just sitting on your shower shelf or medicine cabinet. A small price to pay for happy skin.

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*TOP REVIEWER* amanda23 on 2/24/2013 8:12:00 PM more reviews by amanda23

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I truly truly love this product. It is very different from most other cleansers in that it uses a glycerine base to cleanse your skin very gently and to not upset your skins' PH which I've learned is hugely important.
Your skin has it's own natural acid mantle that protects against bad bacteria. Most harsh cleansers strip your skin of this acid mantle, allowing bacteria to invade your pores and wreak havoc on your skin. Most people that are aggressively washing their faces are actually worsening their skin problems. Since I have started using Spectro Jel, my skin has been smooth, healthy, clear, and my overly oily skin now acts "normal". I cannot see myself straying from this cleanser anytime soon and before this I was very loyal to my Bioderma Sebium. If I do get a breakout, they are very small and superficial and are gone in a day tops. This will remove your makeup if you wipe this off with a wet washcloth. I wear foundation, bronzer and blush daily and have no problems with removing my makeup. You must follow this instructions and rub it in for 30 seconds tops.

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pinkcandii on 1/19/2013 6:56:00 PM more reviews by pinkcandii

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Black    

As someone with very dry scare prone acne skin, this non-foaming, SLS-free, and fragrance-free cleanser is a life saver. It has literally been my HG cleanser for 6 years!

When I properly use this cleanser and moisturize my face, I am relatively acne free except for the one or two due to my monthly cycle. This cleanser has a thick gel consistency that isn't runny like a serum, but rather has a thick hold so you don't have to worry about it running and streaking down your neck.

I find this cleanser is most effective when you apply it to a dry face, massage it like you would any other cleanser, wet your hands a bit, massage some more, and continue this cycle for two three more times until most of the product has already been rinsed away. Then just rinse your face and finish up your routine as usual. With this method I find that most the icky stuff comes out without leaving my face dried and tight.

Word of caution: this product is not meant to remove makeup or mascara. When wearing makeup, I always wash once with Shu Uemura cleansing oil first then follow up with this gel cleanser.

UPDATE: Jan 2013, i think Spectro had a bad batch or changed the formula as my bottle was super runny and smelled different from the old batch. I'll repurchase again in a month or two's time to see if it is really a new formula. If so, I will discontinue purchasing as this new runny formula has done NOTHING for my skin :(

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jennadev74 on 1/4/2013 1:24:00 PM more reviews by jennadev74

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I got this for dry skin, amazing!!!! does not bother eyes,excellent for removing all makeup, no scent, calming and skin very clear now, non drying and priced very well at I think $6.99

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*TOP REVIEWER* secondadonna on 1/2/2013 8:09:00 AM more reviews by secondadonna

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

Holy-grail cleanser. I see little difference between the various Spectro Jel formulas, so I use the problem-prone one just in case, but once or twice I've bought the other formulas and don't see much difference. I like that this one is completely fragrance-free, though.

This is INFINITELY better than Cetaphil. Cetaphil leaves me with ever-increasing clogged pores. Spectro just leaves me with clean skin -- no residue, no extra dryness. Just skin.

It does NOT totally remove a ton of makeup or anything waterproof. You'll need eye makeup remover if you wear waterproof mascara, and you'll need a washcloth or maybe a brush if you're trying to use this to remove heavy foundation. Instead, I use this to remove any traces of residue from oil, and to "reset" my skin in the morning in the shower. Wouldn't go without it!

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zombie_candy on 12/18/2012 1:29:00 PM more reviews by zombie_candy

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Olive, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

My skin condition summary:
Oily T-zone
Acne-prone (clogged pores, whiteheads, cystic hormonal, PCOS)
Hyperpigmentation from past acne on cheeks and chin
Darker forehead and around mouth with slightly lighter cheeks
--------------------------------------------
I wish there was a "maybe" option under the "would you buy this product again". Anyway, I've been using this cleanser on and off for years but mostly back when I still believed that dermatologists had the answers for curing acne (they don't). It's a very gentle cleanser, which was a plus, considering that all the other products I used (toner, treatments, exfoliating) were harsh enough. So to balance the equation, it was good to have something gentle. I never relied on this to take off makeup---I precleanse with a cleansing oil first and then used Spectro Jel. It doesn't take care of acne at all, much less the giant cystic ones I get around my chin and mouth at the time of the month. You have to use stronger, more potent things for your acne. But I like that it doesn't dry my skin out. However, after I finish a bottle, I usually move on to other things to find better. I may come back to it or I may not.

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winniewyli21 on 12/10/2012 6:12:00 PM more reviews by winniewyli21

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

My sister said she had great results after using this on her skin because it was really gentle... but I did not gain the same results. We both have troubled skin and I really did not like using this product.

My face did not feel clean after I washed it and I broke out even more cause I kept on touching my face - it felt dirty and itchy. Because this product is a gel, it doesn't foam and the package claims that you can lather the product on and just wipe it off without water. DO NOT DO THIS! It clogged up all my pores and got my face all congested! I will stick to salicylic acid foaming cleansers for now and stay away from gels.

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moogagirl on 11/24/2012 7:13:00 PM more reviews by moogagirl

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I'm surprised this gets such great reviews. My skin is extremely dry and sensitive to winter conditions. Since using this (about a week now), I have noticed a few blackheads, which doesn't ever happen. My face has been flakey, which is nothing new in the winter, it's just that this hasn't helped whatsoever. Also, I find the smell terrible and toxic - like there is alcohol in it, which should never be in a dry skin product.

Will not be buying again.

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lauralovesmakeupxo on 11/6/2012 12:12:00 PM more reviews by lauralovesmakeupxo

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Best Cleanser i've tryed, i used it last night and i can already see some improvement. Its the best! Try it :)

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Mikirulez on 11/4/2012 2:46:00 PM more reviews by Mikirulez

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Blond, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

THIS CHANGED MY LIFE!

I am a young teenager who has struggled with acne since grade 4. It isn't full out cystic acne, but lots of whiteheads and a few groups of little zits. I tried everything, begging my parents to spend their money on proactiv, blue light treatments, antibiotics... you name it, I've done it! I stripped my face of its oil and was left on the curb with dry flaky skin AND acne AND hyperpigmentation scars left from old zits.

After a face mask gone wrong, I knew I had to use something more gentle and let my face heal, so I bought some SJ. Since my skin wasn't feeling tight after washing my face, I didn't think it was working, but it was actually cleaning while keeping its moisture! Within two days my acne was clearing and my flakey skin was gone!!! All I did was gently rub for 30 secs and rinse in the morning, and used my old proactiv scrubbing brush at night for some exfoliation. After, I'd put some benzoyl peroxide lotion and moisterizer on and I've never been happier! I seriously reccomend it!

*note it doesn't get rid of acne scars, but that's not my concern

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catty7 on 9/9/2012 11:32:00 PM more reviews by catty7

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I bought this on sale at Shoppers for the first time together with Spectro Derm for sensitive skin. I prefer this one as I feel I get a better clean. I love that it's gentle and has no SLS, lanolin or parabens, or dyes or added fragrance. However, this is only of use to me in the morning when my face is already clean, just in need of a quick light cleansing. This is not formulated to remove makeup, so my bottle will last me a very long time. By the time I finish both bottles, I am sure they will reformulate them, hence I said no to repurchasing. This beats stinky Cetaphil's Oily Skin Cleanser (possibly discontinued?) any day!!

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Twiga on 7/22/2012 12:35:00 PM more reviews by Twiga

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

This is my go-to cleanser. It's super gentle and leaves my skin feeling soft. I've been using it for years! It's the most gentle cleanser I've ever tried, including cetaphil. It was recommended to me by my dermatologist when I was struggling with acne, and I've never turned back.

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angief44 on 5/1/2012 12:07:00 AM more reviews by angief44

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

I have suffered from all kinds of acne since I was in my early teens. I have tons of scars + blemishes all over my face, that were probably made worse throughout the years by over scrubbing, exfoliating, and using a ton of different cleansers. I used to basically use plain bar soap to wash my face as that was the only thing that wouldn't irritate it.
I saw this on sale at the grocery store so thought I'd give it a try. Sure glad I did! Have only been using it for two weeks and definitely see an improvement. Greatly reduced my acne and redness. Overall skin looks brighter, and I've noticed pores are reducing too.
As many have said, doesn't remove makeup well. I wear a ton of foundation so I've become used to removing my makeup prior to cleansing my skin before bed... So this isn't an inconvenience for me. I'm not at all bothered by the smell; but then again I'm not overly sensitive to smells, and also use BP so I guess the medicinal smell is something I'm used to.
Gel consistency took a few days of getting used to, but I like the way it feels now. My face feels so clean after.
Packaging is quite ugly to be honest; but pump is super convenient. I could care less how it looks though, as long as it gets the job done.It seems expensive right off the bat but the bottle is gigantic, so fairly inexpensive for the amount you're getting.
Would recommend to others with similar issues as mine.

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tko68 on 4/8/2012 1:40:00 AM more reviews by tko68

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Effective gentle cleanser, doesn't dry my skin or make me break out. Only gripe is that it has a strange smell to it but it hasn't deterred me from repurchasing!

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prettynpink4 on 3/6/2012 5:14:00 PM more reviews by prettynpink4

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I bought this product when I was 11 (4 years ago) and I've been using it on and off. I do like this cleanser and it makes my face feel very clean and moisturized. It's a very basic cleanser with a cheap price. I doubt it would give anyone severe reactions since none of the ingredients are problematic, so give it a try! It's got a nice gel consistency and the smell is tolerable. They say there is no fragrance but I smell a faint alcohol. The only thing is, it's so basic a cleanser! If you've got skin that you love, or skin that you want to stay the exact same, buy this cleanser! It cleanses your skin fantastically and it won't make you break out or have allergic reactions. But it didn't improve my skin so I gave it a 4. To get the most out of this cleanser, wet your face first. Use 1-2 pumps, spread it out on your hands. Then, gently, massage your whole face focusing on areas where you usually get oilier or where you have breakouts or blackheads. Massage for 30 mississippis. Then rinse off. Make sure you rinse throughly or you might leave a film. Overall though, this cleanser isn't bad and definitely a drugstore buy if you've got a tight budget. I prefer the Bioderma Purifying Foaming Gel Cleanser, so that can also be an option, though if you have sensitive skin, this Spectro jel is better. Give it a try if you want something basic and effective :)

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