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Vanicream

Gentle Facial Cleanser.

Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser
Cleansers

About this product

A fragrance-free, low-irritant daily facial cleanser from Vanicream formulated for sensitive skin, designed to cleanse gently without disrupting the barrier.

Best for

Sensitive skin
Cleansers

The Guru Index verdict

86%

Approved

Approved · 86%
Guru Certified
Broad expert consensus
10Reviewers
10Approved
0Mixed
0Skip
#2 in Best Cleansers

What the gurus are saying

Gurus consistently praise this cleanser for its stripped-down ingredient list and non-irritating formula, making it reliable for sensitive skin and dermatologist-approved. The recurring drawback is weak makeup and sunscreen removal, requiring a separate makeup remover first. The foaming action divides users slightly, and a few report mild eye irritation, but overall it's viewed as an affordable, trustworthy daily cleanser for gentle care.
Synthesized from 10 expert reviews

Key actives & flags

SPFFragrance-freeAlcohol-free

Full ingredients

Purified Water, Glycerin, Coco Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Acrylates Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Mica, Sodium Chloride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium Edta

Every take, in full

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 Approved only Skip only Mixed only Hide sponsored
Approved
"Starting with a gentle cleanser, wash your face every single night. Especially if you live in the city, you want to get all that crud and buildup off of your face because this stuff is going to cause your collagen to break down faster. And if your face feels squeaky clean and tight afterwards, it's too stripping. So, change your face wash. Vanicream will do, too."
All 5 takes from Dr. Shereene Idriss
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"Starting with a gentle cleanser, wash your face every single night. Especially if you live in the city, you want to get all that crud and buildup off of your face because this stuff is going to cause your collagen to break down faster. And if your face feels squeaky clean and tight afterwards, it's too stripping. So, change your face wash. Vanicream will do, too."
Anti-Aging Skincare for 50s+, Mature Skin, & Menopause | Dr. Shereene Idriss
"Something very gentle like Vanicream is fine, as you can tell it's really shitty at taking off makeup. I tried with this one when I had a full face of professional makeup done and it did not work."
Hormones & Your Skin: 20s, IVF, Pregnancy, Postpartum & Menopause
"When it comes to a cleanser, you want something that is non-stripping, that is not going to be like a harsh scrub. Vanicream is great."
Budget-Friendly Drugstore Skincare Favorites from a Dermatologist! | Dr. Shereene Idriss
"Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser is a great one for people with very sensitive skin. It is basically free of everything, so you're not going to get irritated by this cleanser. The negatives are it's not the best at removing makeup, so you're going to need something else to remove the makeup first. It can be a little bit irritating around the eyes. I have very very sensitive eyes and I do not attempt to play peek-a-boo with this cleanser while I'm washing my face because my eyes get burnt in the process. But it's an easy one, it's a great one for everyday use, and it is basically one that is not going to irritate your skin if you have a lot of allergies."
Fall Nighttime Skincare Routine: Face & Body! | Dr. Shereene Idriss
"Vanicream, as much as I love it, doesn't get all that makeup off nor the sunscreen off. Even though you can't see it, because it doesn't get the makeup off, it makes me think it's not getting the sunscreen off."
Approved
"I actually like Vanicream quite a bit. So big fan of Vanicream. And you got some good deals right now on Vanicream. So this is time to stock up."
All 3 takes from Doctorly
2025 BEST BLACK FRIDAY CYBER MONDAY SKINCARE AND DEVICE DEALS LIVE
"I actually like Vanicream quite a bit. So big fan of Vanicream. And you got some good deals right now on Vanicream. So this is time to stock up."
The ULTIMATE Budget Friendly Anti-Aging Skincare Routine
"Vanicream has a very simple ingredient list that's not going to have common allergens in it. You can really trust Vanicream to be there when it comes to a very simple ingredient list. Overall, very reliable brand when it comes to sensitive skin. Vanicream probably going to be a recurring recommendation for me."
Skin QnA
"If you have very sensitive skin or eczema skin and you're looking for a cleanser, I highly recommend Vanicream. It's one of the most stringent ingredient lists out there, it's very inexpensive, and it'll take you far."
Approved
"If you are in doubt, use a gentle facial cleanser as a body wash. You can use Vanicream's facial cleanser. All great options for the body and the folds. If you don't want to irritate your skin, that's a great option."
All 4 takes from Dr. Daniel Sugai
Dermatologist Reviews: Affordable Drugstore Skincare Essentials
"The foam is really nice in picking up excess oil. If you have kids and you want them to use a cleanser to wash their face after sports, I like Vanicream. Vanicream is just a great line for those with sensitive skin. I've used this from my kids when they were babies and I had to bathe them in the bathtub and the little bath insert, I would use Vanicream's facial cleanser as the body wash. This is just such a great brand if you have sensitivities to different ingredients, say fragrance or lanolin. I don't like to demonize those ingredients, but avoid it if you have a true sensitivity or an allergy to those ingredients."
Dermatologist Reviews: Essentials in your Winter Skincare Routine!
"I like Vanicream's cleanser, very gentle."
Five Ways You Are Destroying Your Skin Barrier!
"Basic things like Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser once a day just to wash your face."
Dermatologist’s Top 5 Tips for Dry Skin | How to Fix Dry, Flaky Skin Fast
"If you are in doubt, use a gentle facial cleanser as a body wash. You can use Vanicream's facial cleanser. All great options for the body and the folds. If you don't want to irritate your skin, that's a great option."
Approved
"Vanicream has a limited but meaningful product list. The ones they do have are thoughtful, well formulated. Their facial cleanser is just a gentle face cleanser with 10 ingredients in it, so very friendly for those with sensitive skin. It tends to work well on the face or body if you prefer to use it as a body cleanser too. And it's like eight bucks, so you can't beat that."
Top Pick: gentle facial cleanser
All 3 takes from No BS Beauty
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"It's a great second step cleanser, it's great for sensitive skin types and it does a really nice job, gives you a nice lather. Short ingredient list, not a lot of ingredients to mess around with. I think it's probably got 15 ingredients. It works well for a lot of people. At 13 bucks, it's worth trying to see if it works for you."
Best Gentle Calming Cleansers for Winter Weather & Dry Sensitive Skin Types
"This is another one I've repurchased. It's very gentle, the ingredients are probably 11, 12 ingredients in here so it's a very short ingredient list. It's very foamy, it does foam up a lot. Some people like foam, some people don't as much, but it's very nice, very gentle. Sometimes when the weather is really dry, I use it on my body as well. Very gentle on the rest of my body, so this one's really nice."
5 Affordable Skincare Brands Better Than CeraVe & Cetaphil
"Vanicream has a limited but meaningful product list. The ones they do have are thoughtful, well formulated. Their facial cleanser is just a gentle face cleanser with 10 ingredients in it, so very friendly for those with sensitive skin. It tends to work well on the face or body if you prefer to use it as a body cleanser too. And it's like eight bucks, so you can't beat that."
Approved
"Vanicream is a drugstore product that is very beloved by dermatologists because it really tries to minimize ingredients to make sure that it does not cause irritation to people. We love it for people with sensitive skin. We feel very confident recommending it to people who can't tolerate other products. I love their facial cleanser."
All 2 takes from Dr. Mamina
Dermatologist Ranks Popular Skincare Brands (Some Might Shock You!) | part 1
"Vanicream is a drugstore product that is very beloved by dermatologists because it really tries to minimize ingredients to make sure that it does not cause irritation to people. We love it for people with sensitive skin. We feel very confident recommending it to people who can't tolerate other products. I love their facial cleanser."
Finding the Right pH Balance in Skin Care
"For cleansers, some options I like are Vanicream Gentle Cleanser. These gentle cleansers will effectively clean your skin without stripping away its natural moisture."
Approved
"Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser is a great one if you have sensitive skin, if you have dry skin, rosacea prone skin, or just to use in general because it gives a really nice cleanse. It does not lather nicely, but again will not make you feel like you're stripping your skin after using it."
All 3 takes from Dr. Jenny Liu
Skincare routine for sensitive and rosacea-prone skin by Dermatology | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I'm going to go with one of my all-time favorites I recommend to patients, which is the Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser. This is a soap free, oil free, fragrance-free formula. Vanicream itself, that whole line is just great for dry, eczema prone, sensitive skin. This is really great for, you know, if you even want to remove some of the basic makeup. I think it lathers really nicely. Comes off fairly easily unless it's waterproof. I even use this cleanser in the winter time from my hand to wash my hand because it lathers nicely, but it does not strip your skin. It doesn't over dry. It's approved by the National Eczema Association. It doesn't clog pores. So it's suitable for dry, eczema prone skin, sensitive skin to use once a day or twice a day."
Your Skin After 40: A Derm’s Guide to Menopause & Perimenopause Skincare | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser is a great one if you have sensitive skin, if you have dry skin, rosacea prone skin, or just to use in general because it gives a really nice cleanse. It does not lather nicely, but again will not make you feel like you're stripping your skin after using it."
Dermatologist eczema and dry skincare tips for winter | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Vanicream's gentle facial cleanser is a really nice one if you're looking for something that foams readily but again contains gentle surfactant so your skin doesn't feel stripped afterwards. Vanicream is a great line because they formulate products for individuals that have eczema prone skin and those that have a higher risk of developing contact dermatitis to cosmetic and skincare products."
Approved
"The one I recommend is by Vanicream. It's the Gentle Facial Cleanser. This is perfect for retinoid skincare routines because it's a very simple formula. It's great for all skin types, especially sensitive skin, which your skin can be sensitive once you are starting a retinoid."
All 2 takes from The Budget Dermatologist
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"Vanicream makes a gentle facial cleanser that's under $10. It's very simple but very effective and it is not likely to irritate the skin."
Apply Your Skincare In This Order! | Retinoid Skincare Routine
"The one I recommend is by Vanicream. It's the Gentle Facial Cleanser. This is perfect for retinoid skincare routines because it's a very simple formula. It's great for all skin types, especially sensitive skin, which your skin can be sensitive once you are starting a retinoid."
Approved
"I finished the Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser. I also like using this as a hand wash. It gets the job done. It's very gentle, it's free of common allergens and irritants, it has a nice gentle foam to it, it's great for oily, dry, or combination skin."
All 4 takes from Dr Dray
Affordable Skincare For Acne Prone Skin
"A cleanser that I find very effective for acne prone skin in terms of its ability to remove oil but not be overly drying and is also affordable is the Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser. It is $12.99 for 8 oz, which I happen to think is a pretty good price. Very basic ingredient list, no active ingredients, no niacinamide, no fragrance. Vanicream as a side note is a wonderful brand. I really like this cleanser, especially it's an especially good option if you have skin problems, acne, rosacea, or eczema. It's free of common allergens and irritants. It does a job."
Morning Skincare Routine After A WILD WEEK
"washing my face with Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser"
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"I'm back on the Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser. It's excellent for pretty much any skin type. I love it as a facial cleanser, it's really effective. It generates a really nice lather."
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"I finished the Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser. I also like using this as a hand wash. It gets the job done. It's very gentle, it's free of common allergens and irritants, it has a nice gentle foam to it, it's great for oily, dry, or combination skin."
Approved
"I grab a very gentle sensitive skin cleanser, the Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser. It's definitely geared towards sensitive skin. Top ingredients are water, glycerin, and oat, so very soothing to the skin, not drying at all."
Approved
"Plain old unsexy but does the job, 8 ounces for nine dollars. Vanicream, I have now been able to find it almost globally in a couple places I haven't looked, but it's fantastic. It does it, it does it really really well."
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