Cetaphil Review + Giveaway

I have an ongoing battle with my skin, particularly my face. It started in my teenage years with lots of acne and oil slicks and, much to my dismay, continued into adulthood. During my pregnancy, I was blessed with a balanced, blemish-free complexion. I used nothing but a bar of soap, in fact. And that blessing continued for several months postpartum.

Now I'm dealing with issues again, but they are different than before. A difficult combination of sensitive, dry, oily, and -- again -- acne-prone skin is frustrating to me. I've tried to keep my routine simple and relatively product-free, but it's just not working any more. I was happy when BlogHer offered up an opportunity to review Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser and Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream.

This isn't my first experience with Cetaphil brand. Several winters ago, my dermatologist suggested I give the cleanser a try when my skin was particularly acting up (dry and chapped from bitter, cold weather). So, I'm not surprised to learn that Cetaphil products are recommended by more dermatologists than any other brand.

The Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser can be used in either one of two ways. On a dry face, I can simply rub some on my skin and then wipe it off with a cloth. (I use it this way when I want to remove makeup.) However, since I don't wear makeup terribly often, I usually opt to use the wet application in the shower. I rub the product onto my wet face -- like I do with most cleaners -- and then rinse with more water.

What I notice with Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser is that it doesn't necessarily feel totally rinsed off my face. Of course, this make sense, as the product is designed to not strip the skin of natural protective oils or emollients. In some ways I like this feature -- if I'm having a particularly dry day, for example. It's like an extra layer of protection. But when my skin feels oily, which is half the time, I'd rather it feel totally free of residue.

Combination skin is hard to please, unfortunately.


The cleanser leaves my skin feeling soft and not irritated, though. (I've used many, many different face washes, so I have quite a bit of experience with irritation.) I wouldn't necessarily use it if I am trying to combat zits, but for everyday, basic cleaning -- especially in winter when my face is drier -- it's definitely a good defense.

As far as the Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream goes. I first tried it on my face, but it was far too quenching for the oily parts on my nose and forehead. I have extremely dry elbows, though. The instant I put some cream on them, they felt much less like elephant skin. The same goes for my knees.

Overall, I would say that as we head into winter, the season when my skin is by far the most temperamental and dry, Cetaphil products will work well. In the summer months, I need more drying agents and help with blemishes. Yeah. The battle never ends -- but it's good to find ways to fight on all fronts.

Cetaphil brand is offering readers a $3 coupon so you can try it for yourself. Click here to save up to $3.

Also, you can win a $100 Visa Giftcard. Enter by telling me: What’s your winter skin care strategy?

Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post.
b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion, including exactly the
following unique term in your tweet message: #SweepstakesEntry and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post.
c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post.
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to respond, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 12/11/12 - 1/7/13. Be sure to visit the Cetaphil brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!