My Mum seems to have a growing collection of Dermalogica products, all of which I do tend to try, her newest edition is their Special Cleansing Gel. There are three sizes available for this product, 50ml, 250ml and 500ml, my Mum opted for the smallest as she'd never tried it before and although she had tried couldn't seem to get a sample from anywhere. Although in most places it sells for £11, my Mum found it online for £8.45 with free delivery which is a bit of a saving (www.pure-beauty.co.uk).


The product comes in a cheap looking bottle if I'm honest, the same that is carried with the whole Dermalogica range. A simple white bottle has the Dermalogica logo up one side in black lettering, the product name is also in very small lettering. I think the packaging is quite harsh looking, some people might think of this as a sleek and stylish bottle but I don't think it works. The lid is black with a white top which clicks down to reveal a small hole which the cleanser is dispensed from.


The cleansing gel is soap and fragrance free; it's clear in colour too which makes this feel like a very natural and gentle product. To use I put a little of the cleanser onto the palms of my hands and work it into a lather before rubbing over my already damp face and neck. I rub hard on my t-zone which I often find to be a problem area for oily skin and finish by rinsing off the cleanser with warm water. Dermalogica recommend that you repeat the process for best results however I never feel the need to cleanse more than once with this.


I've found that if I'm wearing my usual light makeup this cleanser finds it very easy to remove, however if I'm wearing slightly heavier makeup it's near impossible and as I didn't really want to cleanse twice I ended up using my usual Clarins cleanser. I have to say though that I did give the cleanser a good try and it did reduce the oiliness of my t-zone, after about 10 days though my skin started to feel a little bit dry. I started to moisturise straight after cleansing and this combated the problem.


After my little trial period of Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel I've been quite impressed. It is a bit drying with continual use but this is easily solved and the cleanser does reduce oiliness. I don't think this cleanser is the best for heavy makeup users but for the light user it's a decent cleanser although obviously if you're going to use it long term the bigger bottles do get pricey!