Cetaphil

Daily Facial Cleanser for Combination to Oily, Sensitive Skin.

Q: Is Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser for Combination to Oily, Sensitive Skin worth it?

Mostly yes. 4 of the 5 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 79%.

Cleansers

About this product

A gel-to-foam facial cleanser designed for oily and combination skin, formulated with glycerin, panthenol, and niacinamide.

Full ingredients

Water, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Pantolactone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Masking Fragrance, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid

Guru Score

79%

Yay

5 experts · Moderate agreement

5Gurus

4Yay

1Mixed

0Nay

What they liked

Gel-to-foam texture that activates with water
Non-comedogenic and won't strip skin
Suitable for oily and combination skin

What they flagged

Niacinamide may sting sensitive skin
Scented version still contains masking fragrance

What the gurus are saying

This gel cleanser transforms into a light foam when you add water, and dermatologists praise it as a solid pick for oily and combination skin, especially in warmer months. The formula includes glycerin, panthenol, and niacinamide, which work together to cleanse without stripping. One thing to note: Cetaphil now offers both a fragrance-free version and the original scented formula, so if you have fragrance sensitivities, check the label to make sure you're grabbing the right one for your needs.

Synthesized from 5 expert reviews · most recent take January 2026

Best for

Oily skin Combination skin Sensitive skin

Type

CleansersLiquid

Key actives

Niacinamide

Formula notes

Contains fragranceNo drying alcohol

Where to buy

Amazon → Google → iHerb →

Opens a search for this product. We do not sell anything ourselves.

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

208SkinDoc

2.09M subs

✓Yay

"The cleanser I recommend is the Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser. It's a soap free, non-comedogenic cleanser, so it's not going to plug up your pores and cause acne. It will remove dirt, oil, and makeup without stripping your skin or causing irritation."

All 2 takes from 208SkinDoc

5 Products That Will Transform Your Skin in 2026 (Dermatologist's Simple Routine)

Outrageous Tween Skincare Routines! 😱 Derm Reacts

"I love this cleanser, this is totally appropriate for a tween to use. I think it's unnecessary to put it in a foaming or whip maker, it's fun and it's not going to harm anything, it doesn't really change the product, but it's totally fine to just use the Cetaphil cleanser with your hands."

Dr. Daniel Sugai

720k subs

✓Yay

"This is a gel cleanser that turns into a low lather when activated by water. It has the three essential ingredients glycerin, vitamin B5, and vitamin B3 or niacinamide, and it's just great for those with oily skin. I like to use this in the summertime. I just used this the other day to cleanse my face in the morning before shaving and you can end your day with this as well. They noted fragrance free. The original Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser had masking fragrance in it, so it wasn't truly fragrance-free, but they added fragrance to mask the scent. Some people like that smell. If you want to stay with the original regular Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser, from my understanding Galderma is not pulling that off the shelves. They're going to keep it going with the original fragrance scented version of this, but they'll also have the fragrance-free version for those who have a known sensitivity to fragrance or don't want the smell."

All 3 takes from Dr. Daniel Sugai

Dermatologist Reviews: Drugstore Acne Roundup

"Another nice option would be the daily facial cleanser which is good for oily sensitive skin by Cetaphil. This is a nice one where it becomes a gel to foam texture when you cleanse. It has glycerin, vitamin B5 or panthenol, and it also has niacinamide, so big thumbs up for the Cetaphil if you're feeling kind of dry in the morning because you are starting an acne regimen."

Which Cetaphil Cleanser Is Best For Your Skin? Dermatologist Breaks It Down!

Dermatologist Reviews: Target Skincare Routine for Teenagers

"Cetaphil is a great brand. The daily facial cleanser is more for combination oily skin and this is a gel to foaming cleanser. There's a new fragrance free version that just came out."

April Basi

71k subs

✓Yay

"I follow the cleansing balm up with an amazing cleanser, the Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser. It has a short ingredient list, just like I like it. This product is hydrating as well as reducing oil, it has niacinamide in it for that, plus a fragrance that won't strip your skin, and it's also got glycerin to keep the skin hydrated. So I really really love this product."

Cassandra Bankson

2.46M subs

✓Mixed

"I use Cetaphil daily facial cleanser, it's a pretty basic drugstore brand and I love it because if it's not broken don't fix it. I'm really happy to see a celebrity using something that is affordable and accessible for people. The problem is Cetaphil is not cruelty free, and I really care about cruelty free skincare. While it is great and very basic, there are other products that are just as great and very basic that don't leave any sticky film on the skin and are cruelty free and don't harm animals."

Dr Dray

2.68M subs

✓Yay

"Wa look Cetaphil got a new look what do you guys think of their new packaging on their daily facial cleanser I kind of like this font it's easier to read"

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All 10 takes from Dr Dray

*NEW* Skincare NOT TO MISS At Target

"Wa look Cetaphil got a new look what do you guys think of their new packaging on their daily facial cleanser I kind of like this font it's easier to read"

SHOP WITH ME FOR SKIN CARE & OTHER DEALS AT BIG LOTS 🛍

"I really like this cleanser though and the lotion quite good"

What Happens When You Stop Washing Your Face

"Cetaphil has a daily facial cleanser that is formulated more for people on the oily side of things."

*Vlog* WASTING MONEY ON SKINCARE @DrDrayzday

"I finished the Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser. I've used Cetaphil cleansers for years and years and they reformulated them, they now have a fragrance free version of the daily facial cleanser and I have really been enjoying this, it's what I've been using as the second step in my double cleanse. I really like it, but they added panthenol and niacinamide to it, which I know a lot of you hate because it burns and stings, so if you don't get along with that ingredient, this is a change you won't care for."

NEW WINTER SKINCARE AT TARGET 🛍 Dermatologist @DrDrayzday

"I recently finished this up, the daily facial cleanser for combination to oily sensitive skin. I happen to think this is also good if you have dry skin too, it's a very mild facial cleanser and helpful, cleansing is an important part of the skincare routine to remove dirt, oil, sebum and particulates off the skin surface."

2022 SKIN CARE EMPTIES 🗑 PRODUCTS I USED UP! @DrDrayzday

"Cetaphil reformulated their Daily Facial Cleanser, the one that has fragrance, and it now has panthenol and niacinamide. I actually really like the change, I think the texture is a little bit different and I prefer it now."

NEW COSTCO SKINCARE 🛍 TRYING THE SOL DE JANIERO DUPE @DrDrayzday

"Their Daily Facial Cleanser has always had masking fragrance in it, even in the new formulation, but they've come out with a fragrance free version of that, so that is exciting for me, though other people could care less."

EMPTIES 😍 / SKIN CARE I USED UP @DrDrayzday

"I finished the Daily Facial Cleanser from Cetaphil. This took me back to the 90s, the last of their old formula. This one does have fragrance. The new reformulation still has fragrance. They're gentle cleanser or the creamy one does not have fragrance, but the daily facial cleanser does, and I actually have always loved the scent of this. I've always loved the scent of this product. It's just nostalgic to me."

Cetaphil NEW CLEANSERS & REFORMULATIONS: What changed| Dr Dray

"I personally really love the new formulation and I do think it is an improvement from the older formulation. They added glycerin to make it less likely to cause irritation, removed harsh surfactants and added gentler ones, and added B vitamins and niacinamide which are helpful for the moisture barrier. The new formulation is better for those sensitive to the old preservatives. It does a good job removing sunscreen, but I think you will have better results if you do a double cleanse with an oil cleanser first."

My 90s SKIN CARE ROUTINE | THE GOOD & THE BAD | Dr Dray

"This was my facial cleanser of choice in the 90s and I still use it. It does have a signature fragrance and something about the scent brings back a lot of memories for me. I've always enjoyed this cleanser."