Unfortunately, I’m losing the battle with my acne problem. However, even though it’s not getting any better, it’s definitely not getting any worse. I honestly haven’t had this much of a problem with my acne...ever. Not even as a teen. One of the products I’ve been using to keep my acne from exploding all over my face is Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash. But then I found something better. Much better!

The Product:
Now read carefully. The product is Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Foam. Did you catch that? It’s the same, but it’s different than the Oil-Free Acne Wash. The original Oil-Free Acne Wash is a soap with a pump, and the Oil-Free Acne Wash Foam is well...a foam.

It’s the same color as many of the Neutrogena product. That “antibiotic soap” amber-orange color. It comes in a 5.1-oz clear plastic container with a foaming pump on the top. The liquid inside is very thin, just like water. Where as the original Oil-Free Acne Wash is very thick like a pump soap. When you pump the bottle a thick foam ball forms in the palm of your hand and then you just massage it onto your face and rinse.

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Foam Cleanser is “an effective yet gentle acne-fighting cleaner. A maximum strength acne-fighting ingredient penetrates deep into pores to treat the acne you have now and help prevent future breakouts. The light, airy foam lifts off oil and impurities that may cause breakouts. Gentle enough to use every day.”

I wanted to include the actual information on the bottle because I feel it’s extremely important to the product. This is not a product that strictly cleans your face. That’s not what this Acne Wash is all about. It’s to get deep down into your pores and treat the oils that “could” and “will” cause you to have pimples. But it also dries up the ones you actually have on your face already.

The important ingredient that helps with those pores is Salicylic Acid, as it’s the active ingredient in this face wash. You can use this product up to two times a day, but be careful because it can cause redness and even peeling if you use it too often. It can even cause those side effects if you use it once a day. If it does, cut back to once every other day. You also have to be careful not to get this foam in your eyes or swallow it. Typical common-sense cautions.

You can purchase Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Foam at any discount department store such as Wal-Mart or Target. I got mine for under $4. My husband has also started using it for his acne too. The bottle has last us well over three months. And I use it every day!

My Experience:
As I mentioned, I have an acne problem. Probably due to female hormones and stress, but regardless to why, I still have to figure out a way to control it. My solution is a combination of Clinique 3-Step Cleansing routine and Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Foam. I stopped using the Neutrogena for a time, and shortly realized that was a big no-no. My acne got worse and my pores clogged within just a few days.

So after my “what was I thinking?” moment, I returned to my daily cleansing ritual. I use my Clinique Eye Makeup Remover, followed by my Mild Soap in a Dish and then I use my Neutrogena. After I’m done rinsing I use a cottonball with my Clinique Toner followed by the Dramatically Different Moisturizer. I’ve found this combination of skin cleansing routine on a daily basis holds my acne at bay. It’s not totally gone, but it’s “maintained” through this process. I find if I slack in any way, a pimple on my face is a given.

However, I’ve come to realize that my Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Foam is essential in fighting the battle. I see a good 50% decrease in clogged pores as well as a decrease in oil. The number of pimples that appear on my face is less also. Granted I still get them, but it’s far less than if I didn’t use my Oil-Free Acne Wash Foam. The reason I like the Foam Cleanser better than I do the Original Pump Cleanser is I use less. I pump once, maybe twice and get a good amount of foam on my hands. I would only pump once or twice with the original also, but more came out. I would go through a bottle in less than two months. And as I mentioned before, I’ve had this foam bottle for well over three months, and that’s with my husband pumping also.

I also like it because the concentration seems slightly lighter. It never burns my face like the Original Pump Cleanser did. With the Original Pump the user is in control over how concentrated they make the cleanser with the amount of water they use to suds up the soap. With the Foam Cleanser the pump is in control and you get the same strength of soap each time you pump.

I’ve never had peeling or redness on my skin when using the Foam Cleanser, and I often did with the Original Pump Cleanser. I also like the fact that I don’t have to suds up the Foam Cleanser. This Acne Wash is drying, and not only on your face. When you have to suds up the soap with your hands, it dries them out too. There’s much less "sudsing" going on with the foam than with the Original Pump Cleanser, so therefore your hands don’t dry out as much. Yeah, I know, that’s such a minor thing, but trust me. When you’re using this stuff every day, you notice the mess it’s making of your cuticles and hands. It’s quite drying.

Whether you follow the same routine I do when cleaning your face or you develop your own, do yourself a favor and definitely follow your cleaning regime with a moisturizer. This is a cleanser and it does take the oil off of your face. But it also takes every drop of moisture out of it too. You’ll get fewer side effects if you’ll follow up with a good moisturizer.

I like the Oil-Free Acne Wash Foam Cleanser so much, I won’t be going back to the Original Pump Cleanser. I have no beef with the older product; it’s basically the same. I just like the option of the foam now.

If you’re experiencing minor breakout and feel like you need a little help getting rid of them you really should give Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Foam Cleanser a try. I’d fathom to guess you’ll see a difference in less than a week. And for $4...what the heck?


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