You know when your skin’s dry but also somehow fussy, and you just want a cleanser that doesn’t make things worse? That’s the zone I was in when I tried the Skin + Me Jelly Cleanser for Normal to Dry Skin. Skin + Me is better known for their personalised tretinoin formulas, but this cleanser? It’s part of their simple, barrier-friendly lineup designed to pair well with active treatments. So… does it do the job? Let’s break it down.
Key Ingredients In Skin + Me Jelly Cleanser (Dry to Normal Skin): What Makes It Work?
ISOAMYL LAURATE + GLYCERYL STEARATE
This doesn’t foam. It doesn’t tingle. And honestly? That’s the whole point. This cleanser is for people who’ve had their skin barrier pushed to the edge and do not need one more product coming in hot. Instead of your usual harsh surfactants, it uses Isoamyl Laurate and Glyceryl Stearate, two ingredients that clean your face without pissing off your skin.
Isoamyl Laurate is what breaks down all the gunk: SPF, oil, light makeup, the day’s grime. It’s not some fancy surfactant. It’s more like a moisturising oil that also happens to clean. Super gentle. No drama. If you’re wearing full-face foundation, it won’t cut it. But if you’ve just got skincare and sunscreen on? This’ll get it off, no problem.
Then Glyceryl Stearate comes in and helps everything rinse off without leaving your skin feeling like cardboard. It’s the thing that keeps the cleanser from just sliding around uselessly. No foam, no suds: just a creamy wash that actually lifts stuff off your skin and washes it away.
So no, this isn’t some luxe spa moment. It’s basic in the best way. It cleans. It doesn’t strip. And it leaves your face feeling like skin-not sandpaper.
GLYCERIN
This is the ingredient doing the behind-the-scenes work while the cleanser is rinsing away your day. Glycerin is one of the most effective humectants out there. It pulls water into your skin and holds it there like a magnet. And in this formula, it’s not just thrown in for show. It’s doing the work.
While the cleansing agents lift away dirt and oils, glycerin keeps your skin hydrated in the process. That means your skin doesn’t feel parched or tight the second you towel off. If you’ve ever used a cleanser that made your skin feel clean but also kind of… punished? This isn’t that. The glycerin here makes the whole experience feel like a gentle reset rather than a scrubbing session.
Bonus: because it stays behind a bit even after rinsing, it gives your skin a head start on hydration before you even put on your serum or moisturiser.
The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients
NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products.
- Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin.
- Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet).
- Red: What is this doing here?!
- Aqua (Water): The base of pretty much every skincare product ever. It’s just the watery part that everything else is mixed into. Not exciting, but necessary.
- Cetearyl Alcohol: This isn’t the bad kind of alcohol that dries you out. It’s a fatty alcohol, which means it’s actually moisturising. It gives the cleanser that creamy texture and helps soften your skin while you wash. Think of it like the thing that makes this feel like skincare, not soap.
- Phenoxyethanol: A preservative. Boring but important. It stops bacteria from growing in the bottle so you’re not rubbing a science experiment on your face. Works well in small amounts and is way less irritating than the old-school preservatives.
- Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract: If your skin’s feeling angry, oat calms it the hell down. This is the stuff that soothes irritation, reduces redness, and makes your skin chill. Great if you’re using strong actives or your barrier is feeling a bit fragile.
- Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer: Total mouthful, but all it does is thicken the formula so it’s not runny or watery. Helps the cleanser feel like a proper lotion, not something that drips between your fingers.
- Benzoic Acid: Another preservative to keep the product from going bad. Helps control pH too. Nothing fancy, just does its job in the background.
- Bisabolol: Comes from chamomile and does what chamomile always does: calms things down. Helps soothe redness, sensitivity, and irritation. A quiet MVP if your skin acts up easily.
- Disodium EDTA: Not a skincare star, but it keeps the formula stable. It binds to minerals in your tap water so they don’t mess with the product’s texture or effectiveness. Kind of like background support to make sure everything works properly.
- Dehydroacetic Acid: A mild preservative that helps the formula stay fresh without being harsh on your skin. Works best in combination with others like phenoxyethanol.
- Citric Acid: Used to tweak the pH so the cleanser isn’t too harsh. Skin loves a slightly acidic pH, and this helps get it there.
- Sodium Hydroxide: Sounds intense (because it is if used alone), but in tiny amounts it just balances pH. Works with citric acid to make sure the cleanser doesn’t sting or irritate your skin.
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Texture
It feels like a lightweight moisturiser pretending to be a cleanser. No foam, no bubbles, no gel. Just this smooth, creamy lotion that glides over your skin like it’s doing nothing… until you rinse and realise your face actually feels clean and soft. It doesn’t drag or pill, and it doesn’t leave any weird film behind either. If you’re used to that tight, squeaky feeling after washing, this is the total opposite. It’s the kind of texture that makes you double-check the bottle like, “wait, was that a cleanser or did I just use moisturiser by accident?”
Fragrance
None. No perfume, no essential oils, not even that weird plastic-y scent some fragrance-free products have. If you’re sensitive to smell (or just prefer your skincare scent-free), this is a win.
How To Use It
Slap it on a wet face, rub it in for like 20-30 seconds, rinse it off. That’s it. No fancy technique. Just don’t expect foam or bubbles. This goes on like a moisturiser and comes off clean. You can use it morning, night, whenever. It plays nice with actives too, so if you’re on tret or exfoliating stuff, this won’t mess with your skin.
Packaging
It’s a yellow squeezy tube. That’s it. No pump, no glass, no fancy nonsense. You flip the cap, squeeze some out, and get on with your life. Doesn’t leak, doesn’t make a mess, and you can chuck it in a bag without thinking about it. Not cute, but who cares. It works.
Performance & Personal Opinion
This isn’t the kind of cleanser that’s going to wow you on the first use. There’s no lather, no scent, no satisfying “oh wow my skin feels tight and clean” moment – which is exactly why it works.
I’ve used this after a full week of tretinoin, barrier damage, and random flaking around my nose, and it didn’t sting. Didn’t dry me out. Didn’t make anything worse. It just gently cleaned my face without being annoying. If you’re used to foamy cleansers or something that leaves your face feeling squeaky, this is going to feel underwhelming at first. But keep using it, and you’ll realise your skin’s not freaking out anymore. No tightness after rinsing. No flakes. No weird dry patches showing up an hour later.
It doesn’t take off a full face of makeup (to be fair, it doesn’t even pretend to), but it works perfectly as a second cleanse if you wear SPF or do a proper oil cleanse first. What it does really well is slot into a skincare routine where you’re already using strong stuff (like acids, retinoids, or exfoliants) and you need something that doesn’t add more problems.
Also? You know those cleansers that leave some weird layer behind so you’re not sure if your skin is clean or just coated in something? This doesn’t do that. It rinses off clean, but still leaves your skin feeling soft, like you maybe already put on moisturiser. Which is the whole point of a “rich” cleanser, right?
What I Like About the Skin + Me Jelly Cleanser (Dry to Normal Skin)
- It’s gentle as hell – you could be falling apart from tret and this still wouldn’t burn.
- No fragrance, no essential oils, no crap that makes your skin throw a tantrum.
- Leaves your face feeling soft, not tight or weirdly squeaky.
- Doesn’t fight with your actives. You can be on tret, acids, whatever, this won’t make things worse.
- The ingredient list is short and to the point. No fluff, no “powered by glacier water” nonsense.
What I DON’T Like About Skin + Me Jelly Cleanser (Dry to Normal Skin)
- Won’t remove waterproof sunscreen or makeup (you’ll need a separate oil cleanser for that)
- If you love a luxurious, sensory experience, this won’t deliver that
Who Should Use This?
- You’re on tretinoin or other actives and need a non-irritating cleanser
- You’ve got dry, sensitive, or easily irritated skin
- You want a no-fuss, fragrance-free formula that just works
- You’re already using Skin + Me prescriptions and want a simple routine
Does Skin + Me Jelly Cleanser Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| Say goodbye to tight, dry skin with this nourishing Cleanser – formulated to nourish and protect your delicate skin barrier. | True. |
| Gently melt away makeup, sunscreen and pollutants, leaving clean, fresh skin that’s ready for actives. | Partly true. It doesn’t really remove makeup well, especially if you’re wearing a full face or waterproof products. |
Price & Availability
£6.75 at Boots, John Lewis, and Skin and Me
The Verdict: Should You Buy It?
Yeah, if you want something that just quietly does its job without pissing off your skin. It doesn’t foam, it doesn’t smell nice, it doesn’t feel fancy. But it works. If your skin’s dry, sensitive, or just over all the overhyped crap, this is a safe bet.
It won’t take off makeup. It won’t make you feel like you’ve had a facial. But if you’re using tret or your barrier’s on the edge, this is the cleanser you’ll be glad to have around. Not exciting, but reliable. And sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
Aqua, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Isoamyl Laurate, Phenoxyethanol, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Benzoic Acid, Bisabolol, Disodium EDTA, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
