CLNS 1.4

Ok, so months ago I purchased RETIN, BENZ, and SALIC from Skin by Pom and really came to love their products (even though BENZ is a little too much for me and I manage to bleach everything I touch... so I won't get that one again; my skin seems to like salicylic acid the best). I was worried about trying CLNS based on some of the negative reviews, but I actually LOVE this cleanser and will continue to purchase it! Sometimes I like to make yogurt masks using Greek yogurt because they leave my skin really smooth and refreshed. Because this cleanser has lactic acid in it as well, I feel it has a similar effect. I was using LUSH Fresh Farmacy, which I still like in general because it is gentle, but it was not strong enough for me to get a deep clean or to remove traces of makeup. CLNS is strong enough to do just that (note: I wear minimal makeup) yet is gentle enough to not irritate my skin. I like the way it looks, the way it lathers, the way it smells. Most of all, I like that it makes my skin feel good, and although I think diet is #1 for achieving clear skin, I am definitely now a devotee of Skin by Pom products (and this is coming from someone who, for years, did not use any cleansers or other anti-acne products because of becoming disillusioned by the failures of dermatologist-prescribed topicals and pills).

I have been using CLNS for the last 3.5 weeks (the average skin-cell turnover time) and have found a great improvement to my skin's texture and tone. Having a combination oily/dry complexion, it's been difficult for me to balance the opposing requirements, but CLNS is the first product in years that leaves my face supple to the touch without over-drying and without too much moisturizing. It is a gentle exfoliator that does not sting or cause an allergic reaction to my very sensitive skin. It has not clogged my pores. The lactic acid ensures the correct PH environment for best effectiveness. (The majority of products are formulated with too high a PH which negates exfoliation.) Since I primarily work from home, I have been using it on bare skin 3x a day, 3 pumps of product each cleansing, very gently massaged into skin. It rinses clean and has an light herbal-medicinal fragrance.While I am hesitant to call any product a miracle (your results may vary) I have already purchased a second bottle. My skin hasn't enjoyed this overall clarity in a long time. I love it.

This cleanser works well and a little goes a long way. It does a good job removing makeup (and if I use a cleansing oil first, it does a great job at dissolving that last little bit of oiliness). The only thing I wish it had was a more pleasant scent. Not that it smells terrible - there is almost no scent, but I would say it is just a bit earthy. Luckily it is only on my face a short time so it's no big deal. All in all, it works well and even after burning my face with too much dermabrasion, it was gentle and did not sting or make matters worse.

I was already using the BNZL and RETIN products from this company and thought I would try the face wash too. It's mediocre and doesn't seem to add anything to my skin care regime. While it's fine for my sensitive skin, I don't find that it's any better at improving skin tone/moisture/cleanliness than other much cheaper face washes are. Also, the smell is off-putting - sweet and sickly, kind of like cough syrup.Overall, I'm a bit annoyed that I spent $20 on a mediocre product. That being said, the company's BNZL and RETIN products are awesome so I will keep using those but with a different face wash once this one has run out.

A little background first- I have battled acne since I was 14. I am now 54. I have oily acne-prone skin with pores that get congested with whiteheads and blackheads. I have tried so many cleansers over the years, most of them have just been variations on the same theme- salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. This cleanser is unlike any I have tried before. It is gentle with an earthy smell and contains lactic acid which my skin has really responded to. My oil is under control, my skin tone is even (not red and blotchy) and the blackheads and whiteheads are almost all gone. My skin is soft and healthy. At first I used the Benz product to get things under control, but now I have added the Night Retinol and sometimes alternate with the Salic. I have recently added a 10% niacinamide serum under the Night or the Salic and keep the Benz on hand in case I get a pimple which is so rare now I can’t believe it.

Pleasant smell, relatively clean ingredients (PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate being the glaring exception), and gentle, but it just didn't clean acne-prone skin as thoroughly before treatment as even a simple Neutrogena fragrance-free cleaning bar does. I got better results from the Neutrogena combined with treatments thereafter on my sensitive, acne-prone skin than I did with this cleanser. Wanted to like it because of its natural approach, but it just didn't work as well as hoped.

I have had a long journey with adult acne the past year and CLNS BENZD and RETIN have done amazing things for my skin. After only a few weeks I am almost completely clear. I will preface this by saying they are very similar to what the dermatologist prescribed me (which my insurance will no longer cover).. When I first started using the prescribed products it took a little over a month to see a difference so don't give up if these products don't work magic in only a few days, they will! These products are truly a life saver! After running out of the only products that had made me clear I started to break out and freak out. I again tried many products to no avail until I came across these gems. I will be buying these for life! I haven't had much irritation while using these but my skin is used to the ingredients from the derm products. This also can take some time and sometimes best to start out using every other day until you get used to it. I know this is the last thing one suffering from acne wants to hear but it's worth the wait!!