Obagi Medical - Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser travel size (60 ml)

60 ml travel size: handy for discovering if it suits your skin, or for taking on your travels.

A mild cleanser for skin that easily feels tight after washing.

Why it works

Most cleansers strip away too much. They work with surfactants that dissolve not only dirt and makeup, but also the lipid barrier that holds your skin together, which is what causes that tight feeling afterwards. This cleanser uses amino acids from oats: mild surfactants that bind moisture instead of drawing it away. Aloe, panthenol, and apricot kernel oil soothe and keep the skin supple; sage and borage calm it down.

The gel lathers slightly and rinses away completely. Your skin feels clean afterwards, but not tight or squeaky.

For whom

For normal to dry or combination skin, and for skin that reacts easily. Also nice in winter, when your usual cleanser suddenly feels too harsh, or during a period when you are using acids or retinol and your skin is a bit more sensitive.

If you have oily skin or wear a lot of makeup, the C-Cleansing Gel cleanses a bit more thoroughly.

How to use it

Morning and evening. Wet your face, take a small amount on damp fingertips, and massage over your face and neck for half a minute. Rinse with lukewarm water. Pat dry instead of rubbing.

If you wear heavy or waterproof makeup, use an oil cleanser first and then this gel. One mild cleanse is better than two rounds of vigorous scrubbing.

Something I'd like to share

There is a lot of noise around cleansers, but this is the step where you can lose the most and gain the least. A good cleanser doesn't do anything spectacular; it just cleans without causing damage. That sounds modest, but a large portion of the sensitive, easily reddened skin I see in the clinic didn't become sensitive by nature. It became that way through years of cleansing too harshly.

Two practical tips. Use water at body temperature, no warmer, because heat damages your lipid barrier. And apply your next step within a minute of drying off, while your skin is still damp. It really makes a difference.

Not sure which cleanser suits your skin? Feel free to send me a message and we'll check it together.