Skinvill Hot Cleansing Gel review

What is it

A moisturizing cleansing gel that removes makeup, oil, and dirt without stripping your skin. It contains 99.7% beauty essence with 20+ different conditioning ingredients and warms up as you massage it into your skin.

How I use it

Either as a first or second PM cleanser. Also works great as an in-shower mask – just apply it beforehand, let the steam help your skin open your pores and absorb the ingredients, and then wash off after a few minutes.

Best suited for

All skin types

Key ingredients

20 different plant extracts (including aloe vera, centella asiatica, cactus, licorice root, rosemary, green tea, witch hazel, and chamomile), ceramide, hyaluronic acid, royal jelly, honey, and hydroxyapatite – full ingredients on CosDNA

Irritants

Inclusion of citrus juices (lime, lemon, and orange) may increase skin’s photosensitivity, so make sure to wear SPF. Otherwise this is free of parabens, phenoxyethanol, synthetic fragrances, ultraviolet absorber, silicones, alcohol, mineral oil, and coal-tar dyes

Packaging

A large orange tube, which isn’t ideal because the gel can leak into the cap (see picture below).

Scent

A light orange scent, yum!

Texture

A rather thick gel which is difficult to spread at first, so make sure you use enough (about a quarter size). As you massage it liquifies a bit and becomes thinner.

Finish

Leaves my skin feeling clean with minimal dryness

pH level

6, which isn’t horrible. Our skin is naturally around 4.5-5.

What I love

Holla at the 99.7% beauty essence! I generally don’t care for skin conditioning ingredients in cleansers, but the fact that you’re supposed to massage this for 1 minute and that you can use it as an in-shower mask justifies the use of those ingredients. When used as a first cleanser it does a solid job of removing a full face of makeup.

What I dislike

This definitely doesn’t heat up, so that was disappointing. I’m also not a fan of the initially thick texture, I always feel like I’m tugging at my skin.

Size & Price

$25-$35 for 200g/7.05oz

Where to buy

Amazon or eBay (both with free shipping directly from Japan)

Pin

One of my many Japan drugstore hauls, I was immediately drawn by the 99.7% beauty essence claim, plus one of the Taiwanese beauty bloggers I follow raved about this. So yes, this contains a ridiculous amount of awesome ingredients with hydrating + soothing + brightening properties. It also contains mineral particles, which I assume is hydroxyapatite, that helps absorb pollutants and and dirt from our skin.

Pin

Surprisingly, there is only 1 surfactant in this cleansing gel, yet from my experience, it’s done as solid of a job as any other cleansers I’ve tried, provided you still double cleanse. But that’s nothing against the Skinvill Hot Cleansing Gel, it’s just a good habit to have if you wear makeup and/or SPF (WHICH SHOULD BE EVERYONE).

Pin

This would’ve been an incredible cleanser had it actually warmed up. Seriously they should rename this Skinvill Room Temperature Cleansing Gel™ instead as that would’ve been more accurate. I was hoping the heat would help expand my pores allowing the cleanser (and beneficial ingredients) to go deeper, but nope, I can’t have nice things *pouts*. Luckily I’ve circumvented that by using this in the shower instead, relying on the steam to provide the missing heat.

Jenny Wu

Passionate about science-based skincare. Tested hundreds if not thousands of products since my 20's. Working regularly with brands like iHerb, Ulta, CurrentBody, and MedStar Health to share my knowledge and experience in all things beauty. Learn more.

Skin profile: 35+, dry/combination, focused on well-aging, hydration, and a healthy glow ✨