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If you want a gentler face wash, read the ingredient list, take words like non-comedogenic as hints, and compare by price per ounce and by how much you actually pump.
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At a glance
Reading a face wash label
Fragrance-free: no fragrance ingredients were added.
Gel, cream, foam or micellar
Gel and foam cleansers tend to feel light and rinse off quickly.
Our angle: price per ounce versus price per wash
The sticker price and even the price per ounce can mislead, because pumps, foams and tubes dispense different amounts.
Quick picks
Fragrance-free face wash
Read the ingredient list, then compare the price per fluid ounce.
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Reading a face wash label
Fragrance-free: no fragrance ingredients were added. Fragrance is a common trigger for some people, so many sensitive-skin lines leave it out.
Unscented: not the same thing. It can mean a masking ingredient was used, so check the list for the words fragrance or parfum.
Non-comedogenic: a term for products formulated not to clog pores. It has no single legal definition, so use it as a hint rather than a promise.
Oil-free, soap-free, pH-balanced: descriptions of the formula. They do not guarantee how a product will feel on your skin.
Hypoallergenic and dermatologist-tested: hints, not guarantees.
Gel, cream, foam or micellar
Gel and foam cleansers tend to feel light and rinse off quickly. Cream and lotion cleansers tend to feel richer. Micellar water is used with a cotton pad and is often left on rather than rinsed, which changes how you count the cost, since pads add to it. None of these types is better for everyone. Your own skin and your preference decide.
Our angle: price per ounce versus price per wash
The sticker price and even the price per ounce can mislead, because pumps, foams and tubes dispense different amounts. A foaming pump may be mostly air and water, so a bottle can look cheap while a pea-sized dab from a tube lasts longer. A fair check is to watch how many washes one bottle gives you, then divide the price by that number. Track it once, and you will know your real cost per wash.
Find the fluid ounces on the label and divide the price by it for the price per ounce.
Use the product for a few weeks and note when the bottle runs out.
Divide the price by the number of weeks or washes to get your own cost.
Buying tips
Buy a small size first. Sensitive skin differs from person to person.
Check the age of the product on the label, and use it within the period shown.
Large bottles help only if you will finish them in a reasonable time.
Compare a multipack with the single-bottle price per ounce.
It is a term for products formulated not to clog pores. It has no single legal definition, and it does not promise that a product will not bother your skin.
What should I look for in a face wash for sensitive skin?
Many people start with fragrance-free and dye-free formulas and read the ingredient list. Skin differs from person to person, so try a small size first.
How do I compare face wash prices?
Divide the price by the fluid ounces, and also track how many washes a bottle gives you. Foams and pumps can use more product than a small dab from a tube.
When should I see a doctor about my skin?
If your skin is painful, very red, cracked or getting worse, or a product seems to bother it, stop using the product and ask a dermatologist or doctor.