Benefit Honey Snap Out of It Scrub

For me, all things almond are awesome: snacking on almonds, slathering on almond-scented lotion and don't even get me started on Marzipan--yummmm.

Benefit Honey Snap Out of It Scrub is an almond-scented cleanser/scrub/mask that has a clay texture with tiny granules.

This product is marketed for morning use, and it definitely seems best suited for times when only a mild cleansing is desired. It doesn't lather but it does gently exfoliate. Afterwards, skin feels smooth but it does leave a strange feeling behind, like the clay hasn't completely rinsed off.

It doubles as a mask, which is pretty nifty. Although it doesn't deep clean skin, it does leave skin smooth, tight and soothed.

While this product might be worth checking out for almond affectionados, it seems like more of a novelty item than serious skincare.

La Mer The Cleansing Foam

Believe the hype--La Mer The Cleansing Foam really is that good. Every wash is like enveloping your face in a silky cloud, leaving skin immaculately clean and conditioned.

Skin goes from stressed to its best with this miracle potion. Key ingredients sea algae fibers, magnetized tourmaline, deconstructed waters and pearl powder work in synergy to provide the most thorough yet gentle cleansing.

After just one wash, my pores were deep-cleaned and appeared less obvious. The after-glow was notable, and continued use has balanced and nourished my skin.

A nickel-sized amount is all it takes to lather your face into oblivion (the foam is so incredibly rich it's like a foam party for your face!), so this cleanser goes the distance.

Neutrogena Illuminating Foamy Cream Cleanser

When I saw the ad for Neutrogena Illuminating Foamy Cream Cleanser, I trekked to three different CVS's before I found it in stock. "Illuminating," "foamy" and "cream" have got to be three of my favorite words, and it sounded like cleanser heaven.

Fortified with minerals like Zinc, Copper and Magnesium and extracts from Sugar, Lemon and Orange, this oil-free cleanser softens and brightens the skin. A low concentration of microbeads work to gently polish the skin.

While I wouldn't go so far as to say my face looks illuminated after a wash, it is soft, clean and smooth. The luxurious white cleanser looks just like melted marshmallows and lathers richly to gently dissolve makeup and oil.

Be Fine Gentle Cleanser

I'd been curious about the Be Fine products for a while now, but had yet to act because they seemed overpriced. When a $10 coupon good for any Be Fine product popped up on my CVS Extra Care Card Coupons, the offer became too good to pass up. I picked up the Be Fine Gentle Cleanser, and let's just say if I'd paid full price ($15.99 for a mere 3.4 fl. oz.) I would have been sorely disapointed.

The packaging is a disaster---each pump only yields the tinest amount of product, so it takes a ridiculous amount of pumps before there's enough cleanser dispensed to actually clean the face. The actual product itself is only mediocre. It barely lathers and doesn't feel like it really did anything. Peppermint Oil and Peppermint leaf extract give a nice mintiness, but it could be kicked up a notch. Sugar cane extract is added to moisturize, but if anything, my face felt somewhat tight after cleansing.

This cleanser also contains Oat Bran Extract to soothe skin, Rice Bran Proteins to protect collagen and Rice Bran Oil to nourish the skin.

Clinique Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser

What do I look for in a cleanser? Something that will lift away every last trace of foundation but won't strip the skin. Clinique Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser does just that.

A tiny amount of this fragrance-free cleanser froths up into an ample amount to cover your face in whipped goodness. The creamy, silky texture feels terrific and dissolves my Double Wear in no time flat. Even though this product is not recommended for use around the eyes, I have gently massaged it over my eye area (keeping them shut of course!), with not the slightest bit of irritation. While it doesn't completely get rid of my eye makeup, it does a decent job, and I dare say if you wore light eye makeup, this cleanser could handle it.

Clinique recommends this cleanser for those with combination or oily skin. My skin is pretty much combination, and this leaves my skin feeling neither greasy nor dry--just healthy and clean.

While this cleanser isn't revolutionary, it is a great basic cleanser that does its job and is enjoyable to use. This would be a nice pick for those who like to keep their skincare simple or those with allergies.

Dove Cool Moisture Foaming Facial Cleanser

Dove Cool Moisture Foaming Facial Cleanser is like a little piece of heaven. Designed for normal to combination skin, it has a creamy consistency that feels luxurious, without the luxury price tag.

Silky and hydrating, this cleanser melts away makeup and leaves skin feeling fresh. It contains Dove's signature 1/4 moisturizing lotion, so it conditions as well as cleanses the skin. The light green tea and cucumber scent adds to the refreshing sensation.

It's so nice to find a creamy cleanser tailored to oily skin because, hey oily girls need lather too!

M.D. Forte Facial Cleanser II

Wow! I’m crazy in love with this cleanser right now. The M.D. Forte Facial Cleanser II packaging may be no-frills, but this cleanser means business. Turbo-charged with glycolic acid, this soap-free, oil-free cleanser blasted away dull skin cells and evened my skin tone after just a few uses. Now, my face looks brighter, fresher and feels baby-soft.

This glycolic cleanser comes in 3 strengths, and the company recommends that you begin with the weakest formula (I), and wait until your skin adjusts before moving onto II. I just dived right into II because hey, I'm not scared, and I felt I needed a more aggressive cleanser. Happily, I did not suffer any adverse affects, although my skin is not especially sensitive. Unlike other potent cleansers, this doesn’t leave skin tight or dryed-out.

This formula is low-lathering, but I make certain to massage it into my skin for at least 60 seconds before rinsing it off so that the glycolic acid has a chance to do its thing. And remember, you need to be extra vigilant about wearing sunscreen when using products that contain AHAs, because they make skin more sensitive to the sun.

I haven't been this impressed by a product in a long time, and I'm looking forward to trying other items from this line.

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

For as long as I can remember, Cetaphil has always been touted as the best facial cleanser. Non-alkaline, non-comedogenic and fragrance-free, this cleanser is super mild and won't disturb the pH balance of skin. Heck, it's so gentle it can even be used on the skin of babies.

With all this hype, I wanted to get in on the action. But honestly, this cleanser is too mild for my skin. I need deep cleansing to blast away the day's makeup, oil, and did I say makeup? After washing with this cleanser, there were still traceable amounts of makeup on my face, as evidenced by my follow-up toning. The white cotton pad had turned a distinct shade of medium beige--my foundation shade!

But the mild cleansing properties of Cetaphil do make it an excellent cleanser for when I need to wash my face during the day. Often times on the weekend, I wash my makeup off from the day and redo it for the evening out. Rather than use my normal deep cleanser, (which I use a.m. and p.m.) I reach for my Cetaphil. This prevents my skin from getting excessively dry, which can cause oily skin to produce even more oil. Cetaphil leaves my skin noticeably soft and ready for my next look.