I personally love using treatment cleansers to boost my complexion. I’m going to wash my face anyway—why not spend an extra minute and really take it up a notch? Enter iS Clinical's Cleansing Complex, a lightweight gel product that contains BHAs to unclog pores and other botanicals to soothe and calm. I’m a big fan of iS Clinical already (you can read my love letter to the brand’s Active Serum here), so my hopes when testing this cleanser were high. In a nutshell, it exceeded every expectation, but of course, I detailed every single thought about it here.

My skin is mostly normal but prone to breakouts, dehydration, and uneven tone (fun). I’ve always been big on exfoliation to keep my skin clear and bright, specifically with beta-hydroxy acids to help clear out pores. I am also a fan of treatment cleansers—why wouldn’t you make the most of the time spent washing your face by incorporating some active ingredients? That’s why I love the iS Clinical Cleansing Complex—not only does it clean the skin but it also sloughs off surface cells and refines the texture. Washing your face seems simple enough—boring even. But the truth is, a proper cleansing routine is integral when it comes to skin health. Sure, you want to remove makeup, sebum, and sunscreen, but you always want to refine the skin’s texture and get it perfectly prepped for the remainder of your routine. The iS Clinical Cleansing Complex is a really light, gel cleanser that foams ever so slightly when emulsified with water. It contains the surfactant disodium laureth sulfosuccinate, so it dissolves sebum without stripping. There’s also white willow bark, a source of salicylic acid (and a known BHA) to mildly exfoliate and unclog pores; centella extract to soothe; sugarcane to refine skin surface texture, and chamomile to reduce redness.This formula also contains a wide range of active ingredients providing various skin benefits such as 0.5% Salix Alba (Willow) Bark extract, a source of Salicylic Acid, which heals and prevents blemishes whilst also reducing pore size. This daily use cleansing gel provides an innovative balance of bio nutrients, antioxidants and mild resurfacing ingredients that thoroughly cleanse without stripping essential natural oils. Skin is deeply cleansed, pore size is minimised and skin is gently resurfaced.

Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C) is non-irritating and more stable than pure vitamin C, which means it is well suited for extra sensitive skin. It’s also one of the few gel cleansers I’ve tried that doesn’t leave my skin feeling devoid of all moisture. Oily complexions will love it year-round, or you might prefer it during the summer months to combat excess sweat, shine, and sunscreen application. Suitable for all skin types, especially problematic, this innovative formula removes excess oils, impurities and makeup from the surface of the skin while managing to go deep within the pores to loosen debris and bacteria. is steep for a cleanser, so if your sole purpose is to simply remove makeup, I’d probably suggest you find yourself a cheaper drugstore option. But if you want to simultaneously refine and renew, it’s worth the extra cash. What stands out to me most about the iS Clinical Cleansing Complex is that it seems to clear out pores and reduce shine without stripping the skin in the slightest (a rarity when it comes to gel cleansers). I’ve been using it consistently for months now, and I’ve definitely noticed smaller pores on my nose and chin, and fewer bumps around my hairline. I still like using a dedicated BHA, but there’s no doubt the Cleansing Complex is a fantastic second cleanser.Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract, a source of Glycolic Acid, effectively removes the outermost layer of dead cells from the complexion, revealing brighter, fresher skin. Personally I like this as a second cleanse, because A) I wear a lot of sunscreen, so I always double-up, and B) it’s expensive, so I’d rather remove makeup with something cheaper (like Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water). But in terms of use, it’s really simple. I just work it into damp skin for a good minute, concentrating on my nose and chin, before rinsing. You can use it both morning and night, too. Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E) is an antioxidant that prevents damage to skin caused by free radicals from UV exposure. Given you use it properly—that is, massage it in for at least 30 seconds, ideally a minute—you’ll get a really gentle cleanse, clearer pores, and a more refined skin texture. It definitely doesn’t have the same impact as a dedicated chemical exfoliant or clarifying serum, but it’s a great option for rough, uneven or congested skin.