Meet My Holy Grail Facial Cleansers: CosRx Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser & SkinScience Gly/Sal 5-2 Exfoliating Cleanser!

I always say skincare is a marathon, not a 100m dash and there is a reason why. I didn't know the slightest thing about skincare for the longest time. When I decided I was going to create a skincare routine and take care of my skin, I was already in my mid-thirties, thankfully, it wasn't too late.

Taking one of the first things I learnt about skincare into consideration, plus the recommendation from my aesthetician of choice - Skin & Beyond; facial cleanser is the first step in skincare. 

I had my notions about the facial washes and cleansers I'd like to have used but when she recommended one face cleanser for morning and another for night, I didn't understand why but figured I'd find out the reason sooner than later. Alas, I only just realised what the reason was and that's why I'm finally able to do a proper review of the CosRx Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser & SkinScience Gly/Sal 5-2 Exfoliating Cleanser. 

First of all, it would be nice for you to know why 2 different cleansers with varying properties is better for morning and night cleanse - 

In the course of going through the day, it is expected that the face would have encountered dust, dirt, pollution and UV radiation (which your sunscreen should have protected you from in the course of the day), thus, the cleanser used in the night is expected to be able to thoroughly rid the facial skin of all these. In the morning, the cleanser should be mild enough to not strip the face of all the healing and replenishment it has gone through over the night. 

SkinScience Gly/Sal 5-2 Exfoliating Cleanser

The SkinScience Gly/Sal 5-2 Exfolaiting Cleanser was all the rage in 2021 and 2022 when it first came out. Everywhere I turned, it was either one person or the other talking about how great it is and how it has helped improve their skincare. 

At that time, I wasn't big on skincare + I hadn't been active as a beauty creator and reviewer, so I ignored it. Come the end of 2022 when I decided to officially begin my skincare journey, I asked my aesthetician if she would recommend the SkinScience Gly/Sal Cleanser and she said yes I could use it but only at night. I didn't ask why.

This is a good time to write this review as 4 tubes and 2 years later, I have a lot to say, lol.

My Thoughts

Amongst the hundreds of opinions and supposed reviews about the product, none of them mentioned a key aspect of the product which almost made me discard it (I know a couple of people who have also complained about it as well). 

But first, what exactly is the SkinScience Gly/Sal 5-2 Exfoliating Cleanser. This is what the website has to say about it:

Our Gly/Sal 5-2 is packed with 5% Glycol Acid and 2% Salycilic Acid that helps diminish sebum and acne causing bacteria in the skin. If you have been dealing with texture, acne, pimples, whiteheads or blackheads, this is the perfect cleanser for you. Great for all skin types but especially great for acne-prone and oily skin type.

This product was created by PharmaSolutions (a speciality pharmaceutical company), for SkinScience (now, Beauty Hut), specifically as a skincare product to target acne prone skin. 

The first time I tried this product, 2 things stood out for me

1. It was watery, almost clear infact and I thought I had bought a fake one. But it was from the brand itself so I tried shaking it and immediately saw a difference in the colour and texture of the product
2. It doesn't lather. I'm Nigerian and we love it when soap lathers. When this didn't lather, ony the faith I had in the recommendation to use it kept me going.

the brand took feedback and put a sticker with 'Shake Well Before Using' so new users will not experience the watery effect I first encountered

After washing my face and moving on to toner, I discovered one thing immediately - my skin was clean, very clean. The cotton pad I used for the toner is quite clean and there was no residue on my skin from the day I had. I especially notice this on days I wear makeup and have done an oil cleanse to take off makeup. It still thoroughly cleans my skin.

Also, it doesn't strip the skin dry and is quite gentle although thorough in it's cleansing properties. I don't have sensitive skin so can't say how someone with sensitive skin would react to this. 

CosRx Salicylic Acid Gentle Cleanser

This is the perfect morning after facial cleanser to complement the SkinScience Gly/Sal cleanser. 

It is gentle, has a moisturing and rich texture, a little tiny goes a long way and I've shared about this product on Instagram before here. 

When I used this cleanser for the first time I applied a dime size amount in my palm and it took me almost 5 minutes to rinse off all the suds it created. After that time, I literally use a drop of it. It literally quadruples when it is emulsified with water.

My Thoughts

First, what does CosRx say about this product... it doesn't! Apparently, this product is being discontinued from the official CosRx website. However, it is available at retailers and other sellers (I'm going to buy a year's worth of it now I know it is discontinued).

But what do retail websites say about it?

Style Korean: A Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser helps to reduce breakouts and promotes clear skin.

Ideal for all skin types including sensitive. It gently removes impurities and excess sebum while fighting pimples and blemishes, leaving skin soft and smooth without the stripping feeling.

Beauty Hut: Double combination of salicylic acid and tea tree oil ups the cleansing and exfoliating power of this facial wash to combat blemishes, remove excess oil and gently buff away dead skin cells, blackheads, whiteheads and other impurities. Gentle formula soothes troubled skin to give it relief and a fresh, renewed look.

The CosRx Salicylic Acid Gentle Cleanser, as the first thing to be applied to the skin right after the products used the night before is a good start to the day literally. I noticed that after my morning exercise, my face feels rough after the sweat and all, but when I wash my face using the 60 secs rule with the CosRx cleanser, my skin feels better and is smooth again. 

Because the CosRx lasts sooooooo long (twice as long as the Gly/Sal Cleanser), I sometimes use it in the night. When I do this, I observed that my face from the day isn't quite as thoroughly clean as with the Gly/Sal. The cotton pad used for applying the toner still has a lot of work to do and comes out with a lof of dirt from my face. On makeu days, there is still makeup residue as it doesn't take off every stitch of my makeup.

In my opinion, it is super gentle because it is also targeted at people with sensitive skin. That's why doesn't clean as thoroughly as the Gly/Sal cleanser.