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Cetaphil Cleanser User Reviews & Ratings

Cetaphil Cleanser has an average rating of 1.4 out of 10 from a total of 30 reviews on Drugs.com. 4% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 96% reported a negative experience.

Condition Avg. Rating Reviews Compare
Dry Skin  
1.4
30 reviews for Dry Skin 520 medications
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Reviews for Cetaphil Cleanser

  • Ccbloom
  • April 9, 2021

For Dry Skin "Started using cetaphil face cleanser in January 2021 & till this time never snapped that the cleanser was giving me red, swollen, itchy very dry eyes and some pain. Lips also chapped & swollen. Went to see a specialist & he asked what have I been using new to my face. Felt like an idiot when I snapped it’s the freaking cetaphil. Came home & threw the product in the trash & now taking meds to recover"

1 / 10
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24 Report
  • Razor
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • April 5, 2021

For Dry Skin "Applied to my face daily as prescribed by physician for now one week and within this week my face has been having a burning sensation and rash all over my face and neck. After carefully washing it off the burning sensation hurts even worse. I’m finish with this product. I was prescribed this cleanser and lotion due to the mask breaking my face out on my cheeks and chin area."

1 / 10
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19 Report
  • carol
  • February 1, 2021

For Dry Skin "I bought this thinking it would be mild. I have used another variation of it in the past without issues. I think I have used this for about a week and noticed my top eyelids are red, and now dry patches and itchy and swollen. I am assuming it has to be the cleanser. I hope it goes away without having to go to the dr. My eyelids actually hurt. Never again will I use this product."

1 / 10
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12 Report
  • Jazz
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • December 8, 2020

For Dry Skin "I always had hormonal pimples, but my skin wasn't dry or oily. Since using Cetaphil, my forehead is extremely oily and broken out in small pimples. My face BURNS when I use the cleanser, but I have never had sensitive skin so I am unsure what is happening."

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12 Report
  • sue
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • February 2, 2019

For Dry Skin "I bought this product because it was on my dermatologists lists of non-comedogenic cleansers she approved of. I used it and I felt this weird burning sensation and afterwards my skin itched. I thought it was just because I was using a new cleanser. Everyday I would notice my skin texture was getting rougher than before. I thought it was my prescribed medicine. On the fifth day, my face broke out in hives and redness and it itches so bad and it began to peel of at my chin. I then knew it was the cleanser because my medicine I'd been using a month prior never had side effects on my skin like this. Luckily I caught it in less than a week, and not months."

1 / 10
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13 Report

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  • Mini
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 30, 2019

For Dry Skin "I’ve been using this for about 6-7 days and it was fine at first my skin felt clean and out of nowhere my acne has gotten worse a pimple a day and then multiple ones and then my face started drying out and itching and my acne seems to look more like a rash now above my lips is started to peel and my face feels hot and swollen I also had a severe swollen throat which I’ve never experienced and a hoarse cough and pain in my throat every time I would swallow the moisturizer made my skin feel oily and over hydrated and my lips are red all around and it just sucks walking around looking like a clown."

1 / 10
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9 Report
  • Kim
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • December 20, 2020

For Dry Skin "My eye is swollen with little red bumps. I used Cetaphil Cleanser on my face and eyes it is good stuff to use but my eyes started burning, my face was ok the next day but my eyes are really bad which isn't cool. It feels like somebody has punch me in the eye."

1 / 10
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7 Report
  • Hhdd
  • January 24, 2017

For Dry Skin "I had severe swelling of the nasal passages, skin at edge of nostril cracking and eventually bleeding and severe sinus issues. It took me almost 8 months to determine what was causing my severe nasal issues, and I eventually discovered it was caused by cetaphil cleanser. Within 4 days of non use all of my condition began to clear up. I will never use it again."

1 / 10
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11 Report
  • DarkSun
  • August 15, 2018

For Dry Skin "I just used this product for the first time and my whole right side of my face swelled up and I couldn't see out of my right eye. I also had a reaction on my hands the rest of my face and neck. I will be staying far away from this product."

1 / 10
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9 Report
  • Patches
  • March 10, 2020

For Dry Skin "Horrible experience I applied it on my face and neck. I had one pimple, I woke up to inflamed, red itchy skin. I got hives and my face was so swollen. Two days later and I'm still dealing with it. Will never use again. I only used one time."

1 / 10
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5 Report
  • DocMo...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • October 7, 2022

For Dry Skin "My teen daughters have used Cetaphil products for quite a few years on recommendation of our dermatologist. It's always worked very well. I just bought more of the daily cleanser for them, and the bottles say "new and improved." Soon after using it, their skin began to burn and turn red and bumpy. I applied cortisone cream, which helped a bit, but it is still red and sore this morning. Imagine a 13 year old going to school with her skin looking like that -- how humiliating. I see in these comments that this is happening to lots of people using the new version. Why did they change a perfect product? I don't know which ingredient is the culprit, but we'll be searching for another brand."

1 / 10
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2 Report
  • Arid...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • September 7, 2022

For Dry Skin "I bought the gentle skin cleanser for ageing dry skin and have finally realized that this is the reason my face and eyelids burn after using this product. It is anything but gentle! I would NOT recommend this cleanser at all. It has left my eyelids with a bumpy rash! Do not waste your money!"

1 / 10
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2 Report
  • Anonymous
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • April 20, 2022

For Dry Skin "Recently, after months of having no problems with the cetaphil GENTLE SENSITIVE SKIN cleanser, my T-zone has suddenly become red and irritated. This happened two days ago. It stings slightly and feels warm for awhile, but the entire redness and the sensation goes away like it never happened, though I suspect that getting off of accutane has something to do with it. I threw it away just now though and I’m never using this again because I don’t want to find out what happens when it gets worse. I don’t think something meant for sensitive skin is supposed to make the skin even more sensitive."

1 / 10
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2 Report
  • Sam
  • March 14, 2022

For Dry Skin "So I’m at the store for my daughter because she asked for a face cleanser, and I’m in the isle…I’m not quite sure what’s good or not. For help, I ask this woman who’s with her two daughters which one is suitable for dry skin. She explains how her daughter has been using “Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”, while she hands me a bottle. “It’s the best”, or so she said. So I pay and I show my daughter as soon as I get home, and she is just so excited to try it out. After her shower, her cheeks and forehead are red, under her eyes are slightly swollen. Apparently she had an allergic reaction to the cleanser. ‘Hypoallergenic’ NOT."

1 / 10
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2 Report
  • JAM
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • December 1, 2021

For Dry Skin "I used this every night for 14 days. The first week I felt some small pains on my chin that felt like emerging pimples, but I didn’t see anything. By day 12, two papules had emerged on my chin, which is extremely rare for me (like hasn’t happened in a decade rare). I kept using it for two more days, but for each of those days two MORE papules emerged. I stopped using the wash at that point, but the damage was apparently done. It’s been two weeks since I stopped and a new, painful pimple has emerged every day. They seem to cluster around my upper lip and the side of my chin. It is horrifying. Be careful with this product."

1 / 10
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2 Report
  • Saman...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • September 21, 2021

For Dry Skin "I have been dealing with bumpy, itchy, burning patches on my face for some time. Saw a dermatologist. Have spent months eliminating various foods from diet thinking that was the issue. Went on vacation…not using the Cetaphil cleanser for over a week. My face has not felt this good for a long time. I never thought a soap for sensitive skin would be the issue. Now I’m reading lots of stories about people with same experiences. I’m not crazy; it’s the soap. Never using it again!"

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2 Report
  • HLawson
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • April 22, 2020

For Dry Skin "I started to use the cetaphil cleanser around Christmas. Since then, my eyes and neck have swollen up in hives. I've been to an allergist and had to be on a massive dose of Prednisone. It went away finally after 4 months of the worst burning, itching feeling I've ever had."

1 / 10
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2 Report
  • Nicole
  • December 10, 2021

For Dry Skin "I was trying to figure out why I woke up with a swollen eyelid.. I thought it was my acne medication but I used this again and woke up to 2 swollen eyes and now under my eye there’s a patch of dryness and my cheek is starting to swell. Thought this stuff would be great for my skin as everywhere else feels smooth. Bummed out to say the least"

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1 Report
  • Barb
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • February 26, 2019

"After visits to 2 different dermatologists to treat burning, red and swollen face, I was put on prednisone and told to use only Vaseline on my face. After 3 weeks, with no symptoms, I used a Cetaphil cleansing cloth 2 nights in a row....and the burning and redness returned"

1 / 10
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2 Report
  • Buffe...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • October 6, 2022

For Dry Skin "I have used the Cetaphil cleanser before but I have never used the foam cleanser. My face became dry, red, irritated, very very itchy and flakes of dry skin. It was on my cheeks, neck around my eyes, nose, and forehead."

1 / 10
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0 Report
  • Ms Dee
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • March 5, 2023

For Dry Skin "This cleanser left my skin feeling unclean and gunky. I cleansed the night before and I woke up with a feeling as if I slapped lotion all over my face and forgot to rub it in. I used the original product for 15 years and I began using a different cleanser after the reformulation, but I thought after a year I would give it a try. This is just awful. I am returning it today and I will never go back to any Cetaphil product again unless they bring back the original cleanser."

1 / 10
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0 Report
  • Cherry
  • September 8, 2021

For Dry Skin "Was looking for a gentle cleanser. Bought cetaphil combination oily face wash.. After using a dime size to wash my face. Face felt dry and tight. Followed up with the combo moisturizer..felt weird. Gave it another go . Next day wash face with less than a dime size and sure enough same thing. This time skin became dry and itchy even after a glob of their moisturizer . Now my skin looks dehydrated and bland . This face wash and moisturizer is going right back to walmart ! I was using cereve with ok results was looking for something better but this was not it . Cereve is wayyyy better compared to moisture and hydration . Why o why cetaphil did you mess my face up. You are suppose to be extra gentle. Good for some but definitely not for me. Cereve in my opinion never dried my face as this did."

1 / 10
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0 Report
  • Ava
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • March 3, 2021

For Dry Skin "My skin has never burned and been more irritated ever before in my life thanks to cetaphil. I do NOT recommend at all!"

2 / 10
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5 Report
  • Joe
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • September 7, 2021

For Dry Skin "I wish I’d read these reviews first. I used it for the first time six hours ago. My face is red, swollen, burning, like after the worst sunburn you ever had. How is this still on the market?"

1 / 10
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4 Report
  • Tiki
  • April 20, 2021

For Dry Skin "I just bought Cetaphil daily facial cleanser and after 2 days noticed my skin looked funny like my pores looked larger and my skin had a funny dry odd look ."

1 / 10
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3 Report

Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.

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