Is Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser good for oily skin?

Why use a cleanser made for dry skin on oily skin?

Vanicream describes this cleanser as ideal for dry, sensitive and delicate skin, but oily skin also benefits from gentle cleansing. Sensitivity and oiliness can exist together. Choose it when you want a mild daily wash rather than a cleanser containing acne treatment ingredients.123

Gentle Facial Cleanser is Vanicream's mildest cleanser, with two cleansing agents and a creamy, pearlescent appearance. It is soap free and formulated without fragrance, masking fragrance or dyes. Those features make it a sensible option to consider for sensitive skin. This is the facial cleanser, not Vanicream Liquid Cleanser or Gentle Body Wash.4

How should you use it for oily skin?

1. 1Wet your face with warm water, not hot water.
2. 2Apply a generous amount of cleanser, as Vanicream directs, and gently lather without scrubbing.
3. 3Rinse away the cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
4. 4Follow with your other skincare products. During the day, apply broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher after skincare and before makeup.

For oily skin, wash morning and night, and after sweating. Vanicream describes the cleanser as suitable for twice daily use. There is no standard requirement to massage a cleanser for a full minute. Repeated washing removes natural oils as well as grime and can leave skin drier, so extra washes are not a substitute for acne treatment.156

Will it control oil or clear acne?

Its role is to wash away excess surface oil, not treat the blocked pores that cause acne. The listed formula contains neither salicylic acid nor benzoyl peroxide. A cleanser can remove excess oil without being promoted to the entire acne treatment department. There is no established timetable here for lasting oil control or acne clearance with this cleanser.17

If blackheads or spots are your main concern, salicylic acid can help unclog pores, and a pharmacist can advise on acne treatments such as salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. If a salicylic acid cleanser dries or irritates your skin, alternating it with a mild cleanser is an option: mild cleanser in the morning, salicylic acid cleanser at night. Many people need more than salicylic acid to control acne.27

Do you need to double cleanse?

Vanicream says the cleanser removes makeup, though waterproof makeup can require a second cleanse. For makeup removal, another option is a cleansing balm, cleansing oil or micellar water followed by the gentle cleanser. Double cleansing is an option for makeup removal, not a membership requirement for owning a face. If you do not wear makeup, double cleansing can add unnecessary dryness.16

Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser for dry acne prone skin

It is also a reasonable cleansing option for dry acne prone skin because it combines a mild formula with a noncomedogenic label. For dry or sensitive skin, consider water alone in the morning and cleanser at night. Moisturize regularly; a moisturizer with humectants, ingredients that draw moisture into skin, is useful for dryness. Acne still needs its own treatment plan.36

When should you stop or get help?

Stop using the cleanser if it irritates your skin. Seek medical help for acne that is not improving with self treatment, deep or painful spots, scarring, or acne affecting your mental health. Hot, swollen skin with redness is another reason to seek help; redness can be harder to see on brown and black skin.57