6 years ago, I was on a journey to find skincare that was gentle enough for my dehydrated skin? I found Curel Foaming Wash and have recently repurchased this again as my skin was going thought another bout of dryness and flaking.
Made in Japan, this pump-foaming wash is specially formulated for those with dry and sensitive skin. What made me purchased this not-too-cheap drugstore cleanser back then was its claim to help skin retain moisture. See the “Intensive Moisture Care” print at the front of the box? That’s very assuring indeed.
What you’ll be reading next is a review of Curél Foaming Facial Wash, updated with my thoughts six years later. Is it moisturising enough for dry and/or mature skin? Does it leave a slippery residue? Has my opinion changed after all this time? Let’s find out.
Curel Foaming Wash and what it does
Curél is a brand that originates in Japan and comes under the Kao family. It differs from its sister brands such as Biore by targeting those with dry and sensitive skin.
Based on their research, dry and sensitive skin is caused by a lack of ceramide. Therefore, Curel’s skincare centred on Ceramide, which is an ingredient that helps skin retain moisture and protects it against external irritants.
Does Curel Foaming Wash contain Ceramide?
Based on its ingredient list, I believe Curel Foaming Wash does not contain added Ceramide. Instead, this facial cleanser has conditioning ingredients that can help skin protects its own ceramide.
Here’s the full ingredient list:
Curel Foaming Wash Ingredients: Water/Aqua, Glycerin, Maltitol, Propylene Glycol, PEG-150, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Lauroyl Aspartate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Polysorbate 60, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben
Why use Curel Foaming Wash?
Based on its marketing descriptions, Curel Foaming Facial Wash offers the following benefits:
- Cleanses without stripping hydration
- Protects ceramide levels
- Thoroughly cleanses impurities
- Leaves a dewy and comfortable feeling after wash
- Protects skin from dryness
Sounds like a really good moisturising face wash, doesn’t it? Let’s see if all these five benefits were met based on my experience. As usual, I’ll run through the good stuff first!
6 things I love about Curel Foaming Wash
1. Effortless application
Curel was the first pump-bottle facial cleanser I’ve used. I used to think that such bottle offers more diluted content than a tube cleanser and would not last as long. This may still hold true, but I’ve realised that a pump bottle has enough benefits to sway my future purchase decision.
I love how getting the foam on my face is a one-step and single-hand action. Just depress the pump and the foam would be ready for use. A tube cleanser, on the contrary, would require me to lift the cap, squeeze the tube and massage the product to generate foam.
So yeah! I would be open to buying pump cleansers in future. No doubts about it.
2. Curel Foaming Wash cleanses well
Unlike some moisturising cleansers that can leave a film on the face (think Cetaphil), Curel Foaming Wash doesn’t. You’ll know instinctively when the cleansing process is over because the skin will be free of any slippery residue.
> RELATED: Why I would use Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser only in the morning
Curel is effective as a second-step cleanser as it is able to remove my oily makeup cleanser leaving my face pimple-free. Hence, I tend to use it at night. For the mornings, I would use creamy cleanser since my face is already clean.
3. No dry skin patches
After using this Japan face wash for a few months, my skin returned to a balanced state, free of dry patches or flaky skin.
This wasn’t the case when I tried to rescue my skin using other “gentle” skincare product. Hence, I think it’s safe to conclude that this foaming face wash certainly isn’t drying to the skin.
> RELATED: Why Clinique Liquid Facial Soap (Mild) is my everyday face wash
4. Free of unnecessary ingredients
Curel Foaming Wash is free of fragrance, colorant and alcohol. It has also been allergy-tested and patch-tested on sensitive skin sufferers.
Based on online reviews that I’ve read, many with sensitive skin were happy using this cleanser.
5. Good quantity to last many months
The bottle comes with 150g of liquid, which is about 50% more than a tube cleanser. This may be to compensate for the more diluted content.
With the generous quantity, I’m happy that Curel Foaming Wash lasts longer than what I thought it would. Using it once daily, I was about 80% through the bottle after 4 months of usage.
6. Sturdy bottle with classic & modern design
I love the sturdy bottle that seems to be made of good material. Even though it’s plastic, the bottle is thick enough to retain its form even if you squeeze it hard. Not that you would need to, but the feel is very solid.
This bottle will definitely lasts for years. So, you can just purchase the refill packs to save the earth and your money.
Other than the quality bottle, I also love its minimalist design – white base with turquoise accent which exudes a pure, classic and modern aesthetic that I would likely not get sick of.
How to pack foam cleanser for travel? I had wanted to buy a travel pump bottle, but the smallest size I found (100ml) was too large for my liking.
Here’s a tip – a spray bottle would work just fine. While it wouldn’t produce foam, it’s good enough for short-term usage. Just spray onto your palm and start applying on your face.
Why you may not like Curel Foaming Wash
1. Wish it could be more moisturising
While Curel Foaming Wash isn’t drying, I couldn’t categorise it as moisturising either. You’ll definitely need to apply moisturiser immediately after a wash. Otherwise, you may experience skin tightness which is similar to the after-effect of most foaming cleansers.
I think it’s timely at this juncture to revisit Curel’s claimed benefits. Based on my experience, only the first three hold true.
- Cleanses without stripping hydration (YES)
- Protects ceramide levels (YES)
- Thoroughly cleanses impurities (YES)
- Leaves a dewy and comfortable feeling after wash (NO)
- Protects skin from dryness (NO)
2. Price ain’t cheap for a drugstore cleanser
S$20 for a drugstore cleanser seems a little steep especially when you can easily get one at half the price or a quarter (see latest price).
I was willing to pay for it because of its claim to “cleanse without stripping hydration.” I still would consider repurchasing it because I like how my skin was free of dry patches.
Recommendation: Should you buy Curel Foaming Wash?
I like how Curel Foaming Wash doesn’t strip the skin of its moisture even though it is a foaming face wash. I also like how it cleanses well as a second step cleanser. However, I was hoping that it would feel more moisturising and had mistakenly though it contained added Ceramide when making the purchase.
That being said, it’s very easy to moisturise our skin using a dedicated skincare such as a moisturiser or a serum. Therefore, I think Curel Foaming Wash is still worth a purchase especially if you are combating dry, dehydrated, mature and/or sensitive skin.
That’s why I repurchased this 6 years later – and it did help improve the state of my skin even when I was travelling and experiencing cold and dry climate for two weeks. Those with dry skin and who prefer a foaming face wash over creamy formula can consider giving Curel Foaming Wash a try. Rating: 4/5.
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(Updated in Jun 2026 | First published in Jul 2020)
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