You should know full well, cleansing is a non-negotiable part of your skin care regimen.
Dirt, oils, make-up, and pollution? Yuck! A build up of cosmetics and filth could be disastrous for your skin.
You should definitely be using a cleanser both morning and night.
Who wouldn’t want the satisfaction of a clean and refreshing face at the start of the day and just before hitting the sheets?
The COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser is surely a gentle cleanser worth giving a try!
Product Overview
The Good Morning Gel Cleanser is one of COSRX’s star products.
It is a gentle cleanser that effectively removes unwanted elements on skin, leaving it bright and clean.
This cleanser was actually formulated after crowdsourcing feedback from the brand’s customers.
If you’re fond of looking out for new skin care products, you know very well low pH range cleansers are uncommon in the market.
How great of COSRX to lead the way!
Although the name suggests usage in the morning, it’s not actually specifically made just for day use.
It was named “Good Morning Cleanser” simply because it’s not oil based which is often used at night during a double cleanse. It suggests it be more relevant as a morning cleanser.
Pros
- Gentle cleanser
- Removes residues and cleans quite deep into skin.
- Low pH range
- Great price value
Cons
- No exfoliation or moisturising properties
- Strong smell caused by tea tree fragrance.
Things to Consider
Hydrating
Have you ever experienced that tight feeling after a wash? Some think it is fine because it makes them feel squeaky clean.
But this actually results in leaving your skin dry. Unbalanced pH levels are the common culprit.
Make sure to check if the cleanser is not too harsh, or has added hydrating ingredients to compensate.
Acne Treating
Not all of us are born with blemish-free skin. If acne is a concern, there are a lot of great cleansers that specifically treat these.
Brightening
Is bright and white glowing skin your ultimate K-beauty goal? Some cleansers offer brightening for your skin. Keep an eye out for these cleansers!
Scent
Do you like nice smelling skin care?
Pleasant natural scented cleansers are a great way to keep your daily cleansing routine fun.
But if your skin is sensitive, opt for fragrance-free cleansers.
About COSRX
COSRX has been providing excellent skin care products to customers all over the world since 2015.
They focus on “clean beauty” that is only using natural and transparent ingredients in their formulations.
With minimalist packaging, COSRX is able to put its key ingredients in the spotlight.
Their mission is to create clean and excellent skin care products while maintaining an accessible price point.
COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser
The COSRX Good Morning Cleanser is an excellent gentle cleanser. As a cleanser, it does a great job at removing make-up, dirt, and grime.
Many enjoy this cleanser simply because it doesn’t leave your skin dry and tight after. You get bright and clear skin ready to take on the rest of your skin care products.
This cleanser also contains tea tree oil that helps control sebum production. Not everybody appreciates its rather strong fragrance though.
Contents of star BHA and salicylic acid help manage excess sebum and clogged pores too. This is a highly recommended cleanser especially for those who have dry and sensitive skin.
On its own, this gentle cleanser is a gem. However, there are a lot of people who prefer to rotate between more exfoliating and extra soothing cleansers.
We rate the Good Morning gel cleanser 3.5 stars.
Key Features
Low pH Level of 4.5
Slightly acidic optimal pH level helps maintain healthy skin by restoring the skin’s natural and optimal pH level.
It also protects the skin barrier from irritation.
Refreshing
It’s mild and effectively cleanses the skin without the stripping feeling. It leaves skin refreshed, clean and glowing.
Basic Cleansing
This COSRX gentle cleanser is not the kind that promises to remove blackheads or cures acne.
The brand does not claim it to be either. It is designed to be a good basic everyday cleanser.
Since it does a pretty good job at removing impurities from everyday life, we suggest you use it as the second step to your daily Korean double cleansing routine.
If you have very oily skin, you won’t feel like this removes all impurities though.
You’ll need to double cleanse for that, but for most skin types, this cleanser will do what is expected.
Key Ingredients
Evening Primrose Flower Extract
This ingredient improves the strength of your skin’s natural barrier. It also soothes minimal irritations.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea Tree has great antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. It can soothe and treat skin breakouts.
Betaine Salicylate
This is a good natural exfoliant that keeps your pores in check, free from dead skin cells in your pores.
Ultimately, it is anti-acne and reduces hyper-pigmentation. It removes the uppermost layer of the skin to improve hyper pigmentation.
It prevents skin clogging and accelerates cell turnover.
Saccharomyces Ferment
This is fermented yeast. It is partly responsible for the bright, hydrated glow we all desire to have.
Other Botanic Extracts
These are great antioxidants that keep skin looking bright and healthy.
It contains Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Cryptomeria Japonica Leaf Extract, and Pueraria Lobata Root Extract.
Other ingredients include Styrax Japonicus Branch Fruit Leaf Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract, and Ulmus Davidinia Root Extract
Packaging
This cleanser comes in 150ml, and is packaged in a white rubberized tube for ease in squeezing out product.
It doesn’t come in a box but is neatly wrapped with plastic instead. It’s light and easy to travel with. It’s very hygienic too.
Consistency
This is a cleanser gel that doubles up as a foaming cleanser. It lathers up quite nicely after a few gentle circular cleansing motions on the face.
It’s thick but quite runny for a gel and can easily slip down fingers.
Scent
At first whiff, it smells a lot like tea tree oil, and almost a bit medicinal. It’s a matter of personal preference. But what’s good is the scent doesn’t linger for a long time.
Ingredients
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Polysorbate 20, Styrax Japonicus Branch/Fruit/Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Saccharomyces Ferment, Cryptomeria Japonica Leaf Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Allantoin, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Betaine Salicylate, Citric Acid, Ethyl Hexanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA.
Keep in mind that this is a cleanser. All the ingredients will only sit on your skin during your wash.
Prolonged cleansing is also not advisable. It is not good for your natural skin barrier.
Skin Feel
It’s a cleanser so it feels nice and gentle. It does have a gentle bubble to it if you really lather it well.
The natural hydration of your skin is maintained with this low pH cleanser, compared to the more alkaline ones that leave skin tight and dry.
Application
- Squeeze out a pea size amount of product on your palm.
- Gently massage the cleanser all over your damp skin, avoiding the eye and mouth area. This will remove the irritants that have built up. It will remove sebum and dead skin cells too.
- Rinse off with lukewarm water.
User Reviews
Overall, the COSRX Good Morning Cleanser is a great everyday cleanser. It’s the go-to cleanser for basic facial cleansing.
This cleanser is also mild enough to manage just any type of skin.
Testimonials
A user and her roommate, both with different skin types, use the same cleanser. COSRX does what it claims:
“The pH balance is phenomenal. I have very dry and sensitive skin. This is not irritating in the slightest. My roommate is hooked on it as well, and she has oily-combination skin, so it really does meet the claims it makes.”
A user shares how satisfied she is with this cleanser. So much value for money in this one!
“It's great for a simple, effective cleanser that doesn't strip your skin of moisture. It's also great because it's quite cheap for 150 ml which can last you a few months to a year.”
Alternatives
If you’re not quite set on this product, check out the most popular Korean face washes as alternatives!
Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam
Do you like the squeaky clean after wash feel? If so, you’ll definitely love this high alkaline cleanser.
The product comes with tiny orange micro beads that act as a mild scrub. It cleans out dirt and sebum from your pores.
Although this product does not directly treat acne, it’s high 9.5 pH tends to prevent acne from recurring. It dries out existing blemishes too.
It is extremely cleansing and a little bit of product goes a long way.
If you have dry skin though, we suggest a lower skin pH cleanser to prevent over skin dehydration.
TONYMOLY Banana Cream Foam Cleanser
This cleanser smells like banana popsicles and all things wonderfully banana flavoured!
It even has a really cute bright yellow packaging. It has a texture of gel and creamy lotion, which creates a beautiful lather on your skin with just a small amount.
Although it doesn’t contain any specific blemish-fighting chemicals, its 8.5 skin pH eradicates any existing acne. It leaves your skin looking clear and healthy.
It’s a fun cleanser. We find the smell and packaging really adorable. It does a good job at cleansing too.
It generally is made with organic Korean beauty ingredients like banana and honey, although it does contain some chemicals.
It has strong cleansing & exfoliating properties and can even be overwhelming on the skin for some, so it’s highly recommended for oily skin types.
For dry skin types, using this would require you to use a moisturizer after to balance the dryness and flakiness.
Nature Republic Aloe Vera Soothing Foam Cleanser
With the soothing powers of aloe vera, this foam cleanser is your best bet at having a refreshingly clean sensation after every wash.
Another thing we love about aloe vera products is its smell. It has a light, soft and subtle smell that enhances your daily routine.
It wakes you up refreshed in the morning, and keeps you well rested at night.
The product has a thick creamy texture. You can use just a small amount to clean off any impurities on your face. With a 7.5 pH, this cleanser is reasonable enough for every skin type.
This is especially suited for dry skin types and provides strong exfoliation without stripping any natural oils on your face.
It’s also not too harsh on your skin and moisturizes your skin even.
Conclusion - Should I Buy the Low pH Good Morning Cleanser?
For the COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser, there is definitely some hype around it.
It’s probably from the fact that it is one of the first low pH cleansers released in the market. It is indeed a very important indicator for a good cleanser.
All in all, it’s a wonderful product. It’s super affordable too. It’s your basic no nonsense cleanser that gets the job done.
It does enough to keep pores unclogged, and remove undesired impurities from a long day.
It’s got good and clean ingredients too. So it’s safe to say you can definitely use this for a long time.
We recommend you give the COSRX Good Morning Cleanser a try!
CHANGELOG:
September 2, 2021 – Updated article formatting and content
July 21, 2021 – Reviewed and updated article links
