AliceintheRabbitHole has tested more than 80 cleansers. She approved well over half, gave a good share a mixed take, and skipped about one in eight. That 59% approval rate means she is not easy to please. What she always comes back to is simple: does a cleanser actually clean without leaving skin worse off?
What does AliceintheRabbitHole recommend in cleansers?
She rates cleansers that do their job without stripping. The Good Molecules Soothing Azelaic Acid Cleanser won her over completely. It uses a derivative of azelaic acid at 3%, and she loves that every concentration is printed right on the box. She says that is a real help for anyone with allergies or who just wants to know what they are putting on their face. She has named more than 10 winners. Those include the Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil, the Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Foam, the Tatcha Rice Wash Skin Softening Cleanser, and the Prequel Pre-Cleanse Cleansing Oil, which she says she both likes more and pays less for than the old oil it replaced. Price matters to her too. The Good Molecules cleanser costs twelve dollars, which she called amazing in this economy.
Alice in the Rabbit Hole's cleanser picks, in her words
"Prequel's Pre-Glance has completely replaced my old cleansing oil. It's fragrance free and it's also a way better price. I'm happy to replace an old favorite that cost me more money with a new favorite that I both like more and that's saving me money."
"I have been trying the Good Molecules Soothing Azelaic Acid Cleanser and I am blown away. [...] This cleanser uses that derivative of azelaic acid at 3%. One thing I absolutely love about Good Molecules is that they disclose all concentrations of every single ingredient right on the side of the box, which is so helpful for those of us with allergies or who want to understand our skincare better."
"This gel cleanser is very affordable, it gets the job done, and it's not stripping. The only thing I don't like about the packaging is that because it's so big, [...] it's hard to guess how much is left, [...] I was shocked the day I finished it. [...] I am absolutely every bit as happy with this cleanser as I am with some much more expensive cleansers, and I love it."
"The green tea cleanser is amazing as a gel and gentle cleanser."
"I'm using my Prequel Redness Reform Cleanser, you can use this as a mask but I'm just using it as a cleanser. Prequel came through so much for me, I feel like I was just looking for the perfect cleanser and they ended up having it."
"The yam root cleanser is an incredible cream cleanser."
How many cleansers has AliceintheRabbitHole reviewed?
AliceintheRabbitHole has reviewed 83 cleansers, for an approval rate of 59%. 49 approved, 23 mixed, and 11 skipped.
What has AliceintheRabbitHole skipped in cleansers?
The products she skipped tended to either strip her dry skin or fail at the basic job of cleansing. She gave the COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser a Nay because she found it way too stripping for dry skin. She also pointed out that the low pH it advertises is fairly standard these days anyway. The Numbuzin Glutathione Cica Facial Spa Cleanser got a Nay after three attempts. It would not emulsify properly, left a film, and made her skin feel dry. It also lists fragrance ingredients like lavender oil while calling itself fragrance free, which she called baffling. A micellar water she tried was fine in her words but mediocre. It needed a cotton pad to work and still missed eyeliner in the end.
"I bought the Numbuzin Glutathione C Facial Spa Cleanser Number Five because I saw somebody on Reddit rave about it. This is [...] my third time trying it and I am not feeling this. The first two times I used it I needed a second cleanser, and I felt like it left a film behind. [...] I am not a fan of the smell, [...] it is very herbal. I am also not a fan of them calling this a fragrance free product when they list fragrance ingredients like lavender oil right below that, it is baffling."
"The Proactiv Deep Cleansing Face Wash, I have never tried this, but in my personal opinion this is not an acne cleanser that I would recommend. It's using vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid, which isn't really the best treatment for acne, I would say salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, or some of the more gentle options in K beauty. That in combination with gentle exfoliating beads, I just think there's a lot of better options for a cleanser that might help with acne."
"I didn't buy the Ordinary's Glucoside Foaming Cleanser because I just don't think it sounds right for my skin type."
"The Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser is just not a good match for dry skin, it's way too stripping for my dry skin. It is a low pH cleanser, but most cleansers are low pH these days anyway. This could be nice for some skin types, but I wouldn't recommend it for really normal to dry skin."
What should you take from AliceintheRabbitHole's picks?
AliceintheRabbitHole has been through enough cleansers to know what she is looking for, and her record shows she will skip anything that over-strips or under-delivers. If your skin runs dry or sensitive, her approved list and her named winners are a solid place to start.
Watch AliceintheRabbitHole say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser with 4% Benzoyl PeroxideNamed a winnerWatch at 1:47
- PanOxyl 4% Benzoyl Peroxide Cleansing WashNamed a winnerWatch at 1:37
- Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing OilNamed a winnerWatch at 20:54
- DHC Deep Cleansing OilNamed a winnerWatch at 37:25
- Isntree Yam Root Vegan Milk CleanserNamed a winnerWatch at 13:22
- Prequel Pre-Cleanse Cleansing OilNamed a winnerWatch at 3:57
- Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing FoamNamed a winnerWatch at 13:18
- Tatcha Rice Wash Skin Softening CleanserNamed a winnerWatch at 7:11
- First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face CleanserNamed a winnerWatch at 3:24
- PanOxyl Acne Creamy Wash for Face and Body 4% Benzoyl PeroxideNamed a winnerWatch at 11:12
- Pacifica Vegan Ceramide Extra Gentle Face WashNamed a winnerWatch at 5:27
- Numbuzin Glutathione Cica Facial Spa CleanserSkipped itWatch at 1:57
- Proactiv Deep Cleansing Face WashSkipped itWatch at 14:37
- The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming CleanserSkipped itWatch at 6:24
- COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel CleanserSkipped itWatch at 28:51
- Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule FoamSkipped itWatch at 11:42
- Caudalie Vinoclean Micellar WaterSkipped itWatch at 4:23
- Indie Lee Brightening CleanserSkipped itWatch at 6:08
- Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Whipped Cream CleanserSkipped itWatch at 3:13
- Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Moisture Barrier CleanserSkipped itWatch at 17:11
- Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Gentle CleanserSkipped itWatch at 13:06
- Good Molecules Soothing Azelaic Acid CleanserRated itWatch at 8:01
- Bubble Fresh Start Gel CleanserRated itWatch at 5:33
- Isntree Green Tea Fresh CleanserRated itWatch at 13:16
About this expert
See everything AliceintheRabbitHole has reviewed
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This guide reflects what AliceintheRabbitHole said across her videos about 83 products in cleansers, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The approval rate is the share of these products she approved. It is general information, not medical advice.