Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash Review
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Oscar Wilde said “Looking good and dressing well is a necessity. Having a purpose in life is not”.
I don’t agree.
I love beautiful things and putting my best foot forward as much the next person. But, time is one thing I do not have more of and everything I do and spend money on must have a purpose.
And I’ve found Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash (available here) to be a fast, effective skin cleanser at a budget-friendly price.
Purpose Facial Cleanser Review
I was first introduced to Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash (available here) by my dermatologist more than a decade ago.
He believed that this is one of the best cleansers on the market because it was gentle, did an excellent job cleansing and was not expensive.
This doctor did not believe in spending a lot of money on cleansers because of the short time they stay on your skin.
(This was also before skincare was a profit center in the dermatologist’s office.)
The fact is that Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash is a “workhorse” in a bottle.
With just a pump or two of cleanser, it quickly and efficiently removes dirt, oil, makeup, and sunscreen from my face.
I’m also happy to say that it also lathers up well as I work the liquid into my pores with my fingertips.
While not nearly as sudsy, it also works well with my Clarisonic. Despite the fact it is so gentle, I was impressed that I did not get any breakouts.
Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash Pros & Cons
Pros:
• Gentle enough for all skin types even sensitive
• Affordable and Accessible
• The pump helps dispense product without waste
• Multi-purpose (cleansing, makeup removal and cleaning brushes)
• Helps control oil but is not drying
Cons:
• The specific scent that may not be for everyone (sort of like baby shampoo)
- Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash, 12-Ounce Pump Bottle
- Pack of 1
Has Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash become a part of your daily routine?
Disclosure: This review includes products that were provided by the manufacturer/PR firm for our consideration. It also contains an affiliate link, a link that gives us a small commission if you purchase the item. For more info, or any questions, please see our disclosure policy.
Considering that the third ingredient in the cleanser is Sodium Laureth Sulfate, which is one that people with sensitive skin often react badly to, and that this cleanser contains fragrance, something else that people with sensitive skin react badly to, I’m a little surprised they advertise it as good for sensitive skin.
Do you have sensitive skin Sarah? What cleanser do you like?
Thanks for your commnent!
Love how the beauty industry have us falling for sulphates- face body wash good, sulphates shampoo bad.
They are detergents. Yes we wash clothes , our cars, our home but that doesn’t make them bad. And it doesn’t make sulphate free shampoos good. It all depends on the formula. And yes some people MAY experience some irritation with ANY of those forumula’s.
Mineral oil suffered the same fate and parabens are on their way. The industry tells us they are bad and most abide. Remember how oil used to be a dirty word. Everything was oil free. Now we all now few things are more beneficial to skin. People are paying big bucks for face oils.
Fine by me. All it does it keep the cost low on older proven forumulas and products. All it takes is a little research.
Great point Denise! I think it does depend on not just the formula, but how the formula reacts with YOUR skin.
Thanks so much for your comment.
I really like this cleanser based on price, accessibility and performance.
I give it 4 stars.
I also tested Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash and found it to be a very, very gentle cleanser that leaves the skin feeling soft and conditioned. I like that you called it a “work horse,” @hao9703 . Purpose does exactly what it’s supposed to do, at a bargain price to boot. Even though my skin tends to be dry, I like a sudsy cleanser, so Purpose’s gentleness took a little getting used to. If you’re looking for a squeaky clean feeling after you wash your face, Purpose might not be for you. But if you want an extremely gentle (and not irritating in any way, I might add) cleanser, Purpose is perfect.
4 stars.
I have used this cleanser before. It’s pretty good! I am not using it currently (I like to switch it up sometimes) but it’s a simple cleanser that has never given me trouble!
Every body is different. There are ingredients that are absolutely bad for you, and then there are things that are potentially irritating. I wouldn’t consider my skin sensitive (I’d call it the opposite!), but it’s gotten irritated by products that are supposed to be safe for sensitive skin, but it hasn’t gotten irritated by sodium laureth sulfate. And certain ingredients can be irritating depending on how much of the ingredient there is, or what else it’s combined with.
I’m glad this cleanser works for you, Holly! You know me though, I want my skin squeaky clean. So I’m not sure this would work for me?
I was excited to try Purpose to add another gentle cleanser to my arsenal, since I prefer my after products to be the heavy duty ones. This is more of what I think of as a traditional cleanser; clear and it produces some suds (most gentle cleansers I’ve used are creamy and give you no suds). I like suds, so I’m happy to have them. They are minimal, and disappear with my Clarisonic, but they’re there.
But, with that being said, I felt like this left my skin a teeny bit tight feeling afterwards. So that minimal amount of suds…not just my suds-lovin’ head noticed it, my skin did too. Of course, as soon as I used my toner it was gone. But it was there, so I’m mentioning it.
I noticed very little scent. Seeing as this is made by Johnson & Johnson, I think @hao9703 is right on with the scent reference of baby shampoo.
This is def. one of the more gentle cleansers I’ve tried; low suds and a minimal scent. And I love the price and that you can find it in any drugstore. But I have used more gentle cleansers (from a drugstore too), so I’m only going 3 stars for this.
I really liked the Purpose cleanser. Left my skin feeling fresh and actually clean, which is always a plus with a cleanser! The scent is nice too–light but distinct. Will definitely use this to clean my makeup brushes too–great point, @hao9703!