Garnier Pure Active Charcoal Gel Wash Reviews

I was pleasantly surprised with this product, I didn't think i'd like it as much as I did.

Frustratingly i've continued to get blackhead and an oily T spot as i've got older...grrrrrr I thought it was for teens only! More expensive cleansers never seem to do the trick.

This product comes in a sleek black bottle which I loved and a PUMP!! Which is a must for a cleanser in my book. It has a strongish menthol fragrance to it which was very fresh and I really loved it.

The product itself comes out as a black liquid about the consistency of hand wash. Obviously as it's charcoal based the colour didn't come as a surprise.

I really liked it. It left my skin feeling fresh and not tight and I can see a reduction in my blackheads on my nose.

It would possibly be too drying on non oily parts but I think if you get oily patches like me or you have a teen going through 'that stage' it would be perfect. I'm going to get my daughter to try it.

Garnier Pure Active Charcoal Anti-Blackhead Intensive Gel Wash promises to visibly reduce the appearance of blackheads. The cleanser is enriched with charcoal, known for its adsorbing properties (attracts dirt and impurities, causing them to stick to the charcoal before being rinsed away), blueberry extract and salicylic acid, which help to visibly reduce blackheads and help protect agains their reappearance.

The dark grey coloured gel wash is packaged in a pump bottle, and one pump of cleanser is sufficient to wash my face and neck. When a little water is added and my palms are rubbed together, the gel converts into a fairly thick white foam (they call it a mousse, but it's nowhere near as thick as a mousse), which is then massaged onto the skin before being rinsed off.

I have very oily skin, so my T-zone (nose, chin and forehead) have quite a number of blackheads, and after using this gel wash for two weeks, my blackheads are less noticeable. They're still there, they're just not as dark or as prominent. My skin does feel clean after using this gel wash, but I really don't like the mentholated forumla. I'm not a fan of menthol or eucalyptus in my face or body products, and if I had known that this product contained menthol, I would never have accepted the trial team invitation.

The amount of menthol in this gel wash is quite strong; its strong enough for me to want to get the cleanser off my face as soon as I start massaging the foam onto my skin as it makes my skin tingle and burn. It's really not a pleasant feeling at all. Personally, I feel that menthol or eucalyptus should be reserved for hair products and should not be added to face or body products at all, but that's just my personal preference.

I'd only consider using this product again if the formula is changed and the menthol is omitted, or they bring out a menthol-free version of this gel wash.

I am one of hose people that forever has blackheads on the nose no matter what I do or try so I was looking forward to trying this. I have combination skin with a mainly oily T zone and chin which is where I get my blackheads so I used this product only on those zones. After a few days I did notice a slight change in how noticeable the blackheads on my nose were so was pleased with that. However I am now almost 2 weeks down the track and I had to stop using this a few days ago, my nose is completely dry and almost cracked around the edges! This has dried my skin out so badly and it looks absolutely awful! I won't be using this again - while it does reduce the appearance of blackheads slightly, the damage it has done to my skin is not worth it. in my opinion

I really love the Garnier 3 in 1 charcoal mask, it does wonders for my skin. So I was intrigued by this when I saw it at the supermarket. So in my trolley it went.

I love that it has a pump, it is a gel consistency and a little bit definitely goes a long way. It has quite a manly fragrance but I don't mind it.  I started using this every morning as I find it is quite messy so the best place to use is in the shower.

It gives me a tingly sensation, its not bad and you get used to it. I have sensitive skin and I get no irritation, however this seems to dry out my face so badly. Even when I follow up with a great moisturiser. Such a shame! It makes my skin look clear and fresh but around my mouth, nose and eye area is super dry.

I can now only use this once or twice a week which is ok, I just rotate my cleansers. If you have dry skin then I suggest alternating this. It has lasted me ages because of this.

I’ve been using this since I got it which has been about a week now and I can say it a great wash to use, it left my face feeling clean and fresh, it had a minty fresh (cool) feel to my skin after and it smells nice too. The results aren’t immediate and I haven’t seen any improvement to the blackheads them self but the redness around them has reduced, it’s also helping eliminate the excess oils on my face. I did have a small break out but I am due for that time of the month but I’ve had no other irritation from it during other times I’ve washed my face with it. I also have really sensitive skin so I think it’s a pretty good wash for me since I can’t use much, that being said I can’t speak on behalf of all people with sensitive skin as everyone’s skin types are different. Overall I will keep using this however I will not be buying it as garnier tests on animals

I have used charcoal washes before. I was skeptical to try this because in the past I feel like they leave my face feeling stiff and dry. It was certainly the opposite with this product. The gel was light and runny yet still foamed up a lot so you dont have to use too much of it. Unfortunately my bottle broke in transit so the pump didnt work, unlikely this will be the case with yours if buying from a shop. I love the fresh smell and you can still smell it on your skin long after you use it. This makes me feel fresh and clean. As I have only used it for a week I am unsure on how much it helped with blackheads but I havent had one all week! My skin felt clean yet hydrated. I highly recommend this cleanser as an affordable option compared to some high end expensive charcoal scrubs on the market.

I have never used Garnier cleansers, other than their excellent micellar water. I have combination skin but one of my major skin concerns has always been the blackheads clogging my nose, centre of my forehead, and around my mouth.

The sleek black pump bottle was surprisingly cool to see when I opened the BR package. The black colour is appropriate because it clearly denotes the charcoal ingredient, and the targeted black head removal action.

What I didn't really like was seeing the jet-black colour of the gel wash itself. It did lather into a white foam, but something about the black colour made me unwilling to put it on my skin. Maybe this is just me being weird though.

I love a good lather, but this gel wash only had minimal foamy goodness. This is understandable considering it is actually a gel formula. I couldn't help but this it would be easier to just choose: is it a gel or a foaming face wash? Why is there a need for it to be both?

The immediate tingling sensation when it hit my face was very unsettling. I have never - NEVER - had a bad reaction to face wash before, so I was seriously surprised and alarmed to feel the prickly tingly-ness. It didn't leave me with any visible damage, so maybe it's meant to feel like this? I know with charcoal and mud masques I often get the same feeling, but only after the masque has been applied for a few minutes - not immediately!

Ultimately I wanted to do justice to this product review, so I continued using it despite my dismay. And after a week of use every evening, I can confirm that my blackheads have been cleansed out of my skin. My nose was the area I felt most self-conscious of, so I felt really good knowing this had been cleared up.

But would I use it again? Based on the weird black gel/foam formula and the feeling against my skin, no. A once-a-week charcoal or mud masque which is only applied on my problem areas will suffice for my personal beauty regime.

SO FAR this seems to be a winner! Realistically, I’ve only used it 3-4 times since receiving it... BUT It foams reeaaaaal good and has a peppermint cold feel to it which I’m guessing is the salicylic acid? It’s like brushing your teeth on your face= Clean clean clean! If you have dry skin, this will probably make it worse. If you have oily skin? This is your new husband. Super good size, and has a pump top which explains itself. But the actual product? It says it gets rid of black heads...but not sure if this is true. Can anything actually get rid of black heads other than proper treatment? It probably decreases sebum production which would result in fewer blackheads. I don’t know. All in all, it’s a good face wash and I rate it.

This product comes in a sleek back bottle with a pump. Which is good because I love me a pump.

The colour takes a bit of getting used to as it is a grey/black but then again it's charcoal so you know.

It comes out like a thin gel. It's great when you apply it as it makes your face feel really fresh as it has a hint of mint in it so it is great to use in the shower.

It cleaned my face really well and my breakouts and blackheads since i've started using it have definitely reduced.