This is an effective cleanser. I usually use lactic acid as my exfoliant and this cleanser left my skin looking as smooth as lactic acid does, so I was impressed with the results as I haven't found cleansers to be as effective as directly applying acids.
The scent reminds me of the Neutrogena and Clean and Clear products that I used as a teenager and the formula seems similar too. I don't mind the scent, but I find that CeraVe's products have a stronger chemical smell than other fragrance free products with similar ingredients.
I found it had a slightly more water-y consistency than I like my cleansers to have, but aside from that the texture was fine. I did feel slight irritation after initial use but this is probably because of the salicylic acid and it subsided quickly.
Overall this left my skin looking smooth and I would recommend it to people looking for a simple, effective cleanser.
I have been using this cleanser along with the CeraVe SA smoothing cream for the last week. I have been such an improvement in my skin, my breakouts are almost gone, my skin feels fresh, hydrated and is starting to glow again. I find the cleanser doesn’t make my face feel dry / tight after using which is really nice.