Side-by-side
Dermalogica: UltraCalming vs Cleansing Gel
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.
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. Product-specific label sources appear below.
| Product | Key ingredients | Skin type (brand) | Fragrance | Worth knowing | Size | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthenol, cucumber fruit extract, raspberry fruit extract | normal, dry, sensitive skin | No scent flags recorded in our glossary | No flags recorded; not a safety guarantee | Brand doesn't list it | Brand's page Checked | |
| Quillaja saponaria, balm mint, and lavender | combination, normal, oily skin | 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 | Brand's page Checked |
Format is the clearest buying decision
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 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 and read our double-cleansing guide before assuming two washes are necessary.
Manufacturer sources
Sources and label-check dates are recorded on the product pages. This pair was selected for comparable cleansing use, not verified search volume.
Which to choose
Dermalogica Ultracalming Cleanser
Consider this 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
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel
Consider this when
- You prefer a foaming gel rather than a creamy wash
- Its lavender and aromatic oils fit your tolerance and avoidance needs
Worth knowing
- Scent ingredients on the label: Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil and 1 more
Common 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.