Note: This review was updated on February 17, 2020.

Product:  Alpha Skin Care Gentle Cleansing Refreshing Face Wash.  Good skin begins with clean skin.  This cleanser delivers exactly what a cleanser should with none of the harsh side effects.

Overall Rating  = 5 Stars – Exceptional, Blew Me Away

Cost: $7.99 for 6 oz. ($1.33 per fluid ounce)  Price Category: Inexpensive

Sold By:  NeotericCosmetics (Parent Company); Wal-mart; Ulta

Container:  Plastic bottle with flip cap, outer carton.

Description:  Alpha Skin Care Gentle Cleansing Refreshing Face Wash was formerly known as Alpha Hydrox Foaming Face Wash.  The parent company, Neoteric Cosmetics, changed the name of this line from Alpha Hydrox to Alpha Skin Care a few years ago.  The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Scott’s Liquid Gold.  (Yes, the floor care products.)

Formula:   Alpha Skin Care Gentle Cleansing Face Wash contains citric alpha hydroxy acid derived from fruit.  The concentration is not listed.  I suspect the concentration is mild, as this is a gentle cleanser.  Alpha hydroxy acids aid the skin with exfoliation and cell turnover even in limited amounts.  The cleanser is pH balanced to avoid stripping the acid mantle of the skin or causing the irritation and dryness associated with most cleansers.

The cleanser is a slightly milky liquid.  It has a very light clean citrus scent.  This would be a good cleanser to use with a sonic facial brush or similar type of cleansing device.  It foams a little, but not so much as to make a mess with a mechanical cleanser.

Sensitivity:  This is a fragrance-free and dye-free product.  (Yeah!)  It is also free from soap, alcohol and parabens.

Animal Friendly:  The company’s products are cruelty-free and are never tested on animals.

Company Claims:

“What it is –

This gentle soap-free formula uses Citric Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) to whisk away make-up, dirt and excess oil from your skin’s surface and pores. It is also free of alcohol and parabens.

What it does –

• Gently cleanses without over-drying skin
• Restores ideal pH for effective use with Alpha Skin Care products
• Gently removes make-up & skin impurities
• Leaves skin feeling soft, smooth & fresh

Who it’s for – All Skin Types”

“How To Use: With warm water, gently massage onto your face and neck. Rinse thoroughly. Follow with your favorite Alpha® Skin Care products. Use morning and evening.”

Discussion:  Alpha Skin Care Gentle Cleansing Face Wash is intended to be used twice a day, morning and evening.  A good cleanser gently cleanses the skin without stripping the skin of its natural oils or upsetting the naturally acidic pH nature of the skin.  Clean skin is essential prior to the application of other skin care products or makeup.

This cleanser is pH balanced, which is important because drastic changes in pH affect enzyme activity and interfere with the skin’s normal shedding and cell turnover process (desquamation).

Daily Review:  Alpha Skin Care Gentle Cleansing Face Wash is a medium weight liquid cleanser.  It is not clear, nor opaque.  It has a slight milky or even pearly quality.  It has a very light citrus scent from the ingredients, not fragrance.  The scent is pleasant and clean smelling.  The cleanser feels silky and foams very slightly.  A small amount about the size of a dime is enough for an entire face.  After my first use, I thought I was imagining how soft my face felt.  I could not imagine that a cleanser that doesn’t possess any exfoliating or scrubbing ingredients would leave my face feeling like silk.

I then put on a full face of makeup, washed my face with the cleanser, and used a makeup wipe to see how much makeup was left on my skin.  There was almost no residue on the wipe, so it was not my imagination, and the cleanser really is effective.

I have always had a love/hate relationship with cleansers.  I know they are important, but they usually leave my sensitive skin irritated, stripped, or not feeling clean.  This cleanser left my face clean, soft and not irritated at all.

I checked with my other testers to see if their results were as impressive, and to my amazement, they agreed and gave this cleanser our highest rating. (It is almost impossible to get everyone to give a product 5 stars.)

Overall Review:  Alpha Skin Care Gentle Cleansing Refreshing Face Wash is an excellent product and is less expensive than comparable high-end cleansers.   This is not just for women and is an excellent product for men, too.

Alpha Skin Care Gentle Cleansing Refreshing Face Wash is suitable for the following skin types:

• All ethnicities;
• All ages;
• All sexes;
• All skin types.

Please see the Help page to determine your skin type.

RATINGS REPORT:

Daily Rating = 5 Stars;

Average from Other Testers = 5 Stars;

Value Rating  = 5 Stars;

Overall Rating  = 5 Stars – Blew Me Away.

(Please review the About 365 Cosmetic Reviews page for the rating info.)

Ingredients:  Water, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, PEG-3 Distearate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Citric Acid, Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Idopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Sodium Chloride.

Formulated Without:  Artificial Fragrance, Alcohol, Parabens, Artificial Colors.