I’m always on the hunt for a gentle, non-stripping cleanser that removes my sunscreen or makeup. Is this gel cleanser the one? Here’s my Good Molecule Cleansing Gel review.
The Brand
Good Molecules is online retailer Beautylish’s answer to The Ordinary. Therefore, it has all the trimmings of a trendy skincare brand: research-based formulas, single active-based products, low pricing. It’s made in South Korea.
- More: Ranking all the Good Molecules products I’ve tried.
- More: Since then, I’ve also tried their eye patches, with middling results, and their cleansing balm, with disastrous results.
Description
Meet your new daily cleanser for comfortably clean skin. Infused with antioxidant-rich rosewater, this pH-balanced gel face wash soothes and balances all skin types. Good Molecules Hydrating Facial Cleansing Gel gently purifies skin of dirt, oil, and makeup without disrupting its natural moisture balance.
Good Molecules
pH: 5.5
Cruelty-free
Vegan
Fragrance-free
What it is
It’s a gentle foaming gel-cleanser that was formerly known as Rosewater Daily Cleansing Gel.
My regular cleansing routine
For absolute ages, I’ve been using heavy-duty waterproof mascara that only a good cleansing balm will dissolve. I use Beauty of Joseon’s, then a cleansing oil for my whole face, remove the residue from my skin with micellar water and rinse. If I use a foaming cleansing gel, I usually use (yes, indeed) an intimate cleansing gel that I find the most gentle, yet thorough that I mostly use in the shower.
- Have a look at my Cleanser 101 post to find the one that’s best-suited for you!
Ingredients
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Coco-Betaine, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Citric Acid, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Caprylyl Glyceryl Ether, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract
Good Molecules
Noteworthy ingredients
Ananas Fruit Extract is supposed to be moisturizing and soothing, while Rose Flower Water can be viewed as an antioxidant. If your skin is super sensitive when fragrance is concerned I would skip this.
Sustainability
Still absolutely nothing mentioned on their website.
Application
I squeeze a hazelnut-sized blob into my palms and apply that to my damp face, massage it in for about 30 seconds and wash it off with warm water. The directions on their website also mention how to use the cleanser as a second cleanse after an oil or balm, something that always makes me suspicious – doesn’t that implicitly implies that it doesn’t cleanse properly on its own?!
Texture
The clear gel cleanser doesn’t really foam when you work it into your skin. It forms some kind of a thin lather. You won’t have heaps of silky bubbly foam, but more of a milky emulsion.
Performance
While this is a gel cleanser that is truly gentle and non-stripping, it suffers from the same malady as many other gentle non-foaming cleansers I tested during the last two years – it doesn’t cleanse properly. You can see that from my picture. I was actually really surprised how bad it performed with relatively easy to remove products like concealer or cream blush, and it absolutely balked at waterproof liner and mascara.
Comparison
It performs similarly to The Inkey List’s Hyaluronic Acid Cleanser: again, a gentle and non-stripping cleanser that doesn’t remove makeup properly. If you want a gel cleanser for that refreshing feel for your morning cleanse, you can’t go wrong with either of these. Unfortunately, it’s not usable for me as a cleanser in my PM routine. I’m afraid it won’t remove sunscreen properly, and on non-makeup days, I don’t double-cleanse. (And my double-cleanse looks different to most people’s idea of a double-cleanse, anyways – see link above.)
Rating
It’ll live in my shower where I’ll use it for a quick cleanse when I’m showering. I won’t buy it again, though.
Availability & Price
$12 for 200 ml / 6.7 fl oz. If you’re outside of the US, you can buy Good Molecules at Beautylish.
Please note that this post is not sponsored in any way! Twindly is an independent blog, and our reviews reflect that. Sometimes we’ll use affiliate links that will be clearly marked. Affiliate links mean that if you choose to buy a product through this link, I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost for you. If you decide to do that, thank you for helping to keep the blog afloat! (No matter if the link is affiliate or not, the reviews will always truthfully reflect how any product performed when I tested it.)
