I swapped to facial wash from plain soap when my skin started going red after washing and I have always tried to find a cheap but effective product. I have been using the Boots own range until recently. When my usual product ran out I needed a replacement and saw this Olay 'Gentle Cleansers' Refreshing Face Wash on offer in Morrisons supermarket for only £1.49, reduced from it's usual price of £2.99. Olay is a brand I'm familiar with having used their moisturisers in the past and so was a brand name I trusted.

The product comes in a squeezy tube which stand on it's lid. This is a flip style lid which has a large lip for easy opening and which clicks simply back into place, keeping the product inside the tube secure and preventing any leakage. The plastic of the tube is very soft and malleable so it's easy to exert pressure onto the tube and dispenser the facial wash.

The tube size is 150ml which is about average size and which was the same size as most other facial wash products I looked at on the shelves. The product has information printed on the back of the tube which tells me everything I need to know about using it.

Olay say this product will leave you with "simply clean, refreshed, beautiful skin". They state proudly that the face wash is dermatologically tested and is "non-comedogenic" (a science term that has gone right over my head). They also explain that this wash has extracts of aloe and cucumber which "lifts away dirt and make up". The tube is printed on front with the skin type this face wash is aimed at and I think Olay are hedging their bets as it says it's suitable for "normal, dry and combination skin"!

I always use facial wash at night before I go to bed to remove any dirt or make up from that day. I am used to using just a smidgen of facial wash and with this Olay face wash I can also get away with using a tiny amount - just a fingernail sized dollop of this stuff cleans my whole face and neck effectively.

The clear gel is very dense and thick and does not run when you squeeze it out. I find it necessary to rub it into my hands to get it to spread and to create a lather. This creates a fine smattering of bubbles which I then apply to my damp face.

The gel has a lovely fragrance which you can smell as you use the product. It's sweet, flowery and a little bit aquatic or ocean-inspired.

The gel feels soft and fluffy as I'm using it but as I massage it into my skin I can feel a kind of moisturising effect taking place. It's as if I'm applying some kind of balm to my skin which after I've rinsed away the gel I can feel has penetrated my skin. It's very easy to rinse off too and never stings my eyes at all. The gel leaves my skin feeling springy and smooth and I feel like I could get away with not using a night cream if I wanted to do so.

I know from having followed up using this face wash with a cleanser that the gel effectively removes all impurities and make-up, even in difficult areas like around the eye.

I have to say that in comparison with the Boots products I have been using this face wash is a much superior product and one that I'd like to keep using in the future.

You can find out more about the Olay range at their website:

www.olay.co.uk