First Impressions: Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

I have been looking high and low for a low pH cleanser that doesn't dry out my skin. Lately I've been into the Su:m37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick (see my full review here) but I have been feeling iffy about the hygienic aspects of it since it's just a very large bar of soap in a plastic tube. I also noticed that after using it for a few months, it can leave my skin a little tight on some days. So on the days that I don't use the MRCS, I stray back to my Cerave Hydrating Cleanser, but it feels like putting lotion on my face and I suspect it's responsible for some clogged pores I get when I use it, and unfortunately foaming cleansers just dry me out completely. Alas, the search continues! Luckily, the lovely Cosrx sent me a sample of their Low pH Good Morning Cleanser and I have been using it for about four days, so I wanted to talk a little bit about it.  

Mr. Rx. Isn't he adorable? Yes, I know. I know he is. 

Cosrx has been growing steadily as a company for a while now, and they have become a permanent part of my routine in the form of their Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence and their BHA Blackhead Power Liquid. So I was super excited when I found out that they were developing a low pH cleanser! 

I'm a big fan of low pH cleansers because I find that my skin just fares better when I use them - I have really picky skin when it comes to second cleansers, and almost everything dries me out, but most of all, high pH cleansers really strip my skin. If you have more resilient skin than I do when it comes to cleansers, or if you find that your skin just simply likes higher pH cleansers, keep using them! As the saying goes, "Don't fix it if it ain't broke". Skincare is different for everyone, and every skin has different needs. But for others like myself, we need something a little less alkaline. 

However, there are a few studies that point to low pH cleansers being beneficial for everyone, as they can prevent a host of problems from bacterial acne and skin sensitivity to fine lines and wrinkles. Check out Snow White and the Asian Pear's blog post on the benefits of low pH cleansing, where you can find links to said studies such as this one and information on the subject in layman's terms. 

Cleansing with the Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Cleanser leaves my skin clean and fresh but surprisingly not stripped dry. It has a clear, gel-like consistency and smelled a bit strongly of tea tree, which isn't something that bothers me, but if you're sensitive to scents, you might feel a bit 'eh' about the smell. It's not strong, but it's noticeable. 

Yay, it does a pretty good job of foaming up! I prefer cleansers that have a least a little bit of foaming action (which sucks for me, since most foaming cleansers turn my face into the Sahara) since I feel like they more effectively get rid of all the yuckiness on mah face. It's probably psychological, I dunno. 

Since I'm no expert, I don't have super fancy pH testing equipment. However, according to my multiple attempts of pH testing this with my cheap-y testing strips from Amazon, it lands somewhere around 5-5.5. Which is perfectly acceptable as a cleanser for me (I try not to go above 7). 

So far, I'm really liking this cleanser! Only time will tell if my feelings change; hopefully, this doesn't dry my skin out in the long run. So far, it's smooth sailing - if all ends well, perhaps I'll be adding another Cosrx product to my routine. Fingers crossed!