Purifying Mousse

The gentle base

Decyl glucoside and cocamidopropyl betaine, two of the mildest surfactant classes, do the actual washing, whipped into a mousse that lifts oil without scouring the barrier.

The clarifying pair

Lactic and salicylic acids ride along at rinse-off levels: lactic loosens surface cell bonds while oil-soluble salicylic follows the sebum into the pore itself. In a cleanser their job is to keep the surface clear, not to peel, leave-on exfoliants do the heavier lifting.

The antimicrobial

Chlorhexidine digluconate, the antiseptic used in clinical scrubs, tilts the surface against blemish bacteria while urea, a lactobacillus postbiotic and a marine ferment (alteromonas) keep water and the friendly residents in place, an acne wash that thinks about what it leaves behind.

The finish

Menthol and menthyl lactate leave the cool, clean-feeling end note oily skin tends to love, and reactive skin sometimes doesn’t; see below.

Oily, congested and breakout-prone skin wanting a daily wash that clarifies without the tight, squeaky aftermath, including as the morning-and-evening staple alongside a leave-on congestion routine.

Worth knowing

Chlorhexidine allergy, though rare, is well documented, avoid this product if you have reacted to chlorhexidine antiseptics in a medical setting. The menthol cooling can read as stinging on very reactive or freshly exfoliated skin. Persistent or cystic breakouts deserve a clinician’s eye rather than a stronger wash.

Morning and evening: massage a pump or two of mousse over damp skin, then rinse thoroughly. Keep it out of the eyes, menthol makes its presence known.

Evenings when wearing sunscreen or makeup, an oil cleanser first (Purity Solution or the Nourishing Cleansing Oil) makes it the second step of a double cleanse.

Use alongside

The natural opener for a congestion routine, Clarity or Simply Brilliant after it, Skin Thirst to finish. It plays the same role as Deep Clean or Purity Clean on the other shelves: pick the one cleanser your skin likes best rather than rotating several acid washes.