I like my cleanser like I like my people, efficient and drama free!

The Gentle Gel is one of the most aptly names products I’ve ever used. What I LOVE most about the Gentle Gel Cleanser is that it epitomizes French pharmacy skincare.

It’s highly effective without being flashy or unreasonably priced. There isn’t a single thing I don’t like about this cleanser, but my pros column is very long.

 This was the first gel, non-foaming cleanser I’ve ever used.

Naturally I was hesitant of its cleansing ability, given that we’ve been trained to equate foam and lather with a proper cleanse.

The gel cleanser comes in a very simple bottle with a pump, calibrated to measure out the perfect amount of product.

The product itself is pretty perfect too. It’s a pale pink with a very mild, soapy clean scent. It can be used on a facial sponge, by hand, or on a Clarisonic. It can be used morning and night. It costs less than $20.00 (ranging between 14.00 to 18.00) and is becoming more and more readily available in the U.S. thanks to the surge in popularity of French pharmacy skincare products.

It’s intended for sensitive, combination skin. The lack of lather allows you to really massage the product into your face. I find most gel-based products to be either too tacky, or for lack of a better term “gloopy”.

The Gel Cleanser formula is very light, though not runny. Rinses off easily without leaving a residue or a film, which some soap/detergent heavy cleanser tend to do.

Of course, they list thermal spring water as the first/most prominent ingredient in the cleanser. The thermal spring water is Avene’s claim to fame and specialty. Technically, it’s meant to add hydration to the cleansing process. I don’t know that I would call this a hydrating cleanser, though I enjoy the Thermal Spring Water Mist on it’s own.

Well done, Avene! Unfortunately for me, this means that I’ve found yet another brand to obsess with (and by obsess I mean make bulk online purchases).