This Is the Most Hydrating Face Wash I’ve Ever Used. And It’s Just $18.
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Once I like aface wash, I don’t switch. It’s the foundation of my routine, so I need it to be reliable. That means it can’t break me out, works even when the seasons change (my skin goes from normal to dry as it gets cold), is fragrance-free, and readily available. I also like my cleansers cheap and accessible, something I can find whether I’m in Brooklyn or in a pinch at the airport. Because my skin can be finicky, I have to keep things consistent, so it’s not exactly ideal if I leave my cleanser at home and it costs more than 20 bucks or so to replace. That pretty much limits my scope to the drugstore and for a while I thought my Goldilocks cleanser was Cerave Cream-to-Foam. It ticked all the boxes and was a littlemoisturizingtoo. My skin loved it. But six months ago, I started using Prequel Gleanser, and I haven’t looked back.
I’d first encountered Prequel when I tried the brand’ssunscreen, Solar Shade, which quickly eclipsed my longtime go-to Black Girl Sunscreen. I was impressed with its light texture and that it gave me a little glow without me becoming a reflective surface, so when the brand sent over the Gleanser, I was compelled. I was impressed by that first cleanse. After washing my face, my skin felt like I’d applied a very light moisturizer. It was only then that I’d notice I had been drying my skin out and compensating withserumsand creams. After that first wash, I kept using it to see if that had been a fluke. It continued to work and after a few weeks, I noticed that I wouldn’t reach for anything else. It saw me through hormonal-acneflareups, dermaplaning accidents, and trying out a series of actives that probably did more harm than good. Over time I noticed my skin was generally happier. The little bumps underneath my skin were smoothed out and I didn’t have that tight, dry feeling anymore. When I stripped back my routine to just three steps — cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen — there were zero breakouts to report. What sealed it was a trip to Washington, D.C., over the summer when I left it at home — it’s a big bottle and doesn’t have a mechanism that locks the pump — I missed it the entire time.
I suspect part of why I love it is the inclusion of glycerin. Five years ago, our beauty columnist Rio said thatglycerin needs hyaluronic acid’s publicist, and I agree. It’s a humectant that draws water into the skin and also keeps skin moisturized, hence the non-stripping feel. It also gives the cleanser a luxurious texture — bouncy and a little viscous, but easily removed. Even though it’s hydrating, it does a good job of getting my skin clean. While I wouldn’t use it alone to remove a full face of makeup (I don’t trust any oil-free cleanser to do that), it’s great for breaking down my daily SPF and getting my skin clean after a sweaty gym session.
Another thing I’m impressed with is how much you get for the price. Each bottle is almost 14 ounces, which is massive by face-wash standards. Most drugstore cleansers are around eight and the prestige ones are even tinier and much more expensive. The Gleanser is just $18, and for sub-$20, I can’t think of a better value for the price. I use this stuff every day andam still on my first bottle. I almost feel like I’m getting away with something, like when I’d buy a Korean sheet mask ten years ago for a couple dollars and wake up with a post-facial glow. The one drawback is that it’s not as readily available as I’d like. The only “drugstore” you can purchase it at is Target or you can shop it directly from the brand site. While normally this would disqualify it, it’s such an excellent cleanser, it’s well worth the extra effort.
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Prequel Gleanser
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