Clarins Men Active Face Wash

I feel like I'd neglected Japanese skincare brands this past year having purchased a lot of Clarins, Origins, and Jurlique. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess. It used to be that I'd peruse the drugstore shelves and the department store counters in Tokyo and pick out an item I'm curious about. Ha. Those were the days.

Anyway, I'm not just buying for myself but for hubby too. During one sale, I picked up a Clarins Men Age-Control Collection because it had a gel moisturizer in a pump bottle, and hubby is partial to gels and gel-creams. He hasn't gotten to the gel yet, but we're both using the 30mL/1.06oz. tube of the Active Face Wash right now and really like it.

First, a quick rant. Skip if you don't care to read.

I dislike the division between "skincare" and "men's skincare." I don't like it that skincare that are packaged in red and pink and gold and are super perfumy are marketed towards women, and likewise, those packaged in black and gray and navy and are heavily scented with cologne are marketed towards men. As if some men don't already use their female partner's skincare and vice versa, as in the case of myself and my hubby :P Why not just make good skincare for different skin types, rather than different genders?

End rant.

This Active Face Wash is a blue gel-cream that foams a bit but not much. It smells like Irish Spring with a lemon twist, pretty nice. It washes well and isn't harsh at all, doesn't leave my skin taut or feeling stripped. That said, if my face is extra oily, or if I use a cream cleanser that doesn't rinse quite well like Rosette Horse Oil Makeup Removing Cream (will review next), I'd have to use more of this Active Face Wash to feel clean. Like Estee Lauder Nutritious Radiant Vitality 2-in-1 Foam Cleanser, hubby and I are going through this little tube much faster than we'd like.