# Dermalogica: UltraCalming vs Cleansing Gel

**Question answered:** Should I choose Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser or Special Cleansing Gel?

**Short answer:** Choose UltraCalming if you want the brand's non-foaming gel-cream format; choose Special Cleansing Gel if you want a foaming gel. UltraCalming lists botanical extracts, including lavender; Special Cleansing Gel lists lavender and several citrus or aromatic oils. Neither is a botanical-free choice.

By Nora Ellison. Published 2026-10-17, updated 2026-10-17. Data is taken from manufacturer labels; the products have not been tested.

## What this means for you

### Start with what you notice

Notice how your skin feels after washing: comfortable, tight, or still coated with makeup? Cleanser choice starts there, not with how much foam looks like a deep clean.

### The ingredient names, translated

Surfactants are the ingredients that lift oil and dirt so water can rinse them away. Gel-cream and foaming gel describe formats, not measured gentleness. Cetearyl alcohol helps give a creamy texture; it is not the same as alcohol denat. Botanical extracts and aromatic oils can matter if particular plants or scents bother you.

### How to decide

- Prefer little or no foam, especially if washing leaves you tight? UltraCalming is the brand's non-foaming gel-cream option, not a guarantee against reactions.
- Prefer foam and have normal, combination or oily skin? Special Cleansing Gel is positioned that way by the brand.
- Need to avoid lavender or certain botanicals? Read both lists; UltraCalming is not a botanical-free alternative.

### What to expect

A clean face should not need to feel stripped. Neither label proves gentleness, and neither cleanser needs a second wash unless your sunscreen or makeup requires it.

General guidance, not a test of these products: [AAD: gentle face-washing technique](https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/face-washing-101). Product-specific label sources appear below.

## Format is the clearest buying decision

[UltraCalming Cleanser](product:dermalogica-ultracalming-cleanser) is described by Dermalogica as a non-foaming gel-cream. Its recorded list begins with water, cetearyl alcohol and panthenol. The brand lists normal, dry and sensitive skin.

[Special Cleansing Gel](product:dermalogica-special-cleansing-gel) is described as a soap-free foaming gel. Its recorded list begins with water, sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate and sodium lauroyl sarcosinate. The brand lists normal, combination and oily skin.

Those are format and manufacturer-positioning differences, not proof that one cleanser is gentler or more effective. We have not tested either product.

## Check the aromatic ingredients separately

UltraCalming lists lavender, rosemary, lemon and other botanical extracts. Special Cleansing Gel lists lavender oil, lemon peel oil, bergamot fruit oil and citronella oil. A shopper avoiding those particular oils has a concrete reason to inspect the Special Cleansing Gel formula more closely.

No listed ethanol does not establish that a cleanser is non-drying. Compare the [reviewed cleanser exclusion list](/label-filters/cleansers-without-listed-ethanol/) and read our [double-cleansing guide](/articles/how-to-double-cleanse/) before assuming two washes are necessary.

## Manufacturer sources

- [Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser](https://www.dermalogica.com/products/ultracalming-cleanser)
- [Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel](https://www.dermalogica.com/products/special-cleansing-gel)

Sources and label-check dates are recorded on the product pages. This pair was selected for comparable cleansing use, not verified search volume.

| Product | Key ingredients | Skin types | Fragrance | Flagged ingredients | Size | Source | Buy |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Dermalogica Ultracalming Cleanser](https://dermalguide.com/products/dermalogica-ultracalming-cleanser/) | Panthenol, cucumber fruit extract, raspberry fruit extract | normal, dry, sensitive | No scent flags recorded in our glossary | No flags recorded; not a safety guarantee | Brand doesn't list it | [Manufacturer label](https://www.dermalogica.com/products/ultracalming-cleanser), checked 2026-10-11 | [Amazon (affiliate)](https://amzn.to/4ifHG4d) |
| [Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel](https://dermalguide.com/products/dermalogica-special-cleansing-gel/) | Quillaja saponaria, balm mint, and lavender | combination, normal, oily | Scent ingredients flagged | Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Cymbopogon Nardus (Citronella) Oil | Brand doesn't list it | [Manufacturer label](https://www.dermalogica.com/products/special-cleansing-gel), checked 2026-10-11 | [Amazon (affiliate)](https://amzn.to/4yIA7ZT) |

## Which to choose

Consider Dermalogica Ultracalming Cleanser when: You prefer a non-foaming wash, especially when foamy routines leave you feeling tight; You have checked its botanical extracts against your own avoidance needs.

Consider Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel when: You prefer a foaming gel rather than a creamy wash; Its lavender and aromatic oils fit your tolerance and avoidance needs.


## Questions

### Does UltraCalming contain lavender oil?

The recorded formula lists lavender flower/leaf/stem extract, not lavender oil. Special Cleansing Gel lists lavender oil. Extract and essential oil are not interchangeable.

### Does either cleanser list ethanol?

Neither reviewed recorded formula lists a name covered by our ethanol/alcohol-denat. rule. UltraCalming does list cetearyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol.