Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash with Tea Tree Oil – Refill – 32 oz

I discovered this face wash back in 2006 and haven’t used anything else ever since. I absolutely love the clean feeling I have on my face after using it. It doesn’t dry my skin, but makes it feel 200 % clean. I can not imagine using anything else. Highly recommend!
Rating: 5 / 5

This stuff is amazing. I have used many different face washes, and have paid over $50/ea for some. None of them have worked as well as Desert Essence’s Thoroughly Clean Face Wash. It eradicates acne better than any face wash I’ve used. Yes, it will dry out your skin, and yes, it will sting – but the discomfort, in my experience, is purely temporary. Just make sure you rinse the soap off with cool water – that will reduce the irritation. The consistency is very watery, which I’m not too crazy about… it means it’s very runny, making it prone to trickling into your eyes or your mouth, which is one’s worst nightmare when using tea tree oil, so use with caution. Also, tea tree oil is an antiseptic, so if you have any cuts or scratches on your face, it will BURN, so take care to avoid broken skin.

It smells very… “earthy.” The scent dissipates after about half an hour, so if you’re afraid you’ll smell like tea tree oil before you go out, just make sure you get ready a little earlier so the scent fades before you have to interact with people. Personally, I only use this cleanser at night (more than once a day, and my skin starts getting too dry), so I don’t have this problem, but for those of you who want to use this in the morning, it’s something to keep in mind.

Out of curiosity, I talked to my dermatologist about tea tree oil, and she said that tea tree oil was great for acne, second only to benzoyl peroxide, and much better than salicylic acid. I think tea tree oil works better than benzoyl peroxide though, and with far less irritation. Because it’s natural, I was also able to use it with Retin-A without any adverse chemical interactions.

Lastly, the price. This is some of the most inexpensive face wash, ever. The bottle will last you months. This, paired with the Blemish Touch Stick 1 unit, is a highly affordable, potent acne-killing combo.
Rating: 5 / 5

This is the best facial wash there is. Not only does it clean my skin, but it also keeps blemishes at bay.
Rating: 5 / 5

It’s a decent product, and the smell is not as bad as with other tea tree products I’ve used. Unlike the other reviewers, though, I do find this soap to be a little over-drying. I don’t know if it’s because their skin is oily while mine is normal-to-dry (after the disastrous decision to use accutane in my youth), but I definitely have to use moisturizer after using this soap. I haven’t really seen a benefit to it over generic face soaps, but there is the good-feeling factor that you’re using a natural product, and the price is very good for the quantity. Still, the resulting dryness kills it for me.
Rating: 3 / 5

I have used this wash for years now after having tried dozens of products. This wash keeps the oil down without over-drying, which is essential. So many acne-prone washes strip your skin of all oil, leaving it red and flaky. After discovering tea-tree oil products, I now completely avoid benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid products all together because they don’t work and make your skin look worse (in my experience). Here is the regimen I have used for a number of years now which has successfully controlled my acne and greatly improved the appearance of my complexion. 1. Wash face with this cleanser consistently morning and night. 2. Plain witch hazel as an astringent. 3. Kiehl’s Lycopene Facial Moisturizing Lotion for normal/oily skin types. 4. Weekly face-steaming and clay mask to exfoliate and unclog pores.

Using harsh products which make your skin red and flaky looks just as bad as acne in my opinion, and this has been the routine for me which balances out my complexion. I know it is such a battle trying to find something that works, but hopefully my suggestions may work for you.
Rating: 5 / 5