This Gel Cleanser Helps Makeup Last Longer on Oily Skin

As someone who has combination skin, I need a few different cleansers in my rotation. In the summer, I lean a little more oily, and a gel cleanser is always within reach. Tatcha’s The Matcha Cleanse ($40) is one I’ve been testing recently, as I’m a big fan of the brand’s Rice Wash and wanted to try this formula as well. Cleanser is the cornerstone of a good skin-care regimen, as it sets the stage for all the important actives you apply afterward. Here’s my honest review of this gentle gel cleanser.

The Benefits of This Gel Cleanser

Though the brand says this clarifying cleanser is good for all skin types, I personally think it’s best for oily skin types. Inspired by Japanese skin remedies, it contains antioxidant-rich Japanese kyo-matcha, and the brand says “a matcha a day keeps the oil away.” It deeply cleanses skin with a super foamy lather (I love the feeling of all the bubbles on my skin), removing all that excess oil. When I used it on an oilier skin day, my skin felt clean and balanced. However, when I used it on a drier skin day, I felt a bit tight afterward. It’s that squeaky-clean feeling that isn’t ideal for your skin, though the formula is soap-free. Nonetheless, every time I used it, no matter how my skin was behaving that day, my pores looked smaller. Of course I loved that!

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Other key ingredients include coix seed and willow bark, which help clear out clogged pores, as well as skin barrier–supporting Japanese mugwort. I love that the cleanser is fragrance-free as well. In a bio-instrumentation study, 100 percent of panelists showed a reduction in oil, and in a clinical study, 90 percent showed a visible reduction in pores. Another interesting stat from the clinical study was that the cleanser was proven to improve makeup wear for eight hours. Not all brands test for this, but makeup durability can be frustrating for those with oily skin, and typically mattifying primers are necessary to prevent slippage and shine. If you’re a double-cleanser, this would be the second step (the first being an oil-based formula for breaking down makeup and sunscreen).

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The Bottom Line

I recommend this gel cleanser for oily skin types and love that it helps increase the durability of makeup. Think of it like a cleanser with built-in primer benefits.