Examining the ingredients and performance of Oxy Clinical Advanced Face Wash using a free sample I received.
What Oxy Clinical Claims
This product is said to perform as well as prescription products: "Clinical results without a prescription." On the front of the product, the following information is revealed:
* 25 times more acne medication remains on the skin after rinsing
* Patented AcneShield salicylic acid unclogs pores
* Gentle enough to use every day.
The Oxy Clinical products come in a white, silver and red bottle. The free sample of the Advanced Face wash came in a foil packet of 0.32 fluid ounces (9.5 mL) and the free samples of clearing treatment and hydrating therapy came in similar foil packages of about the same size.
My Experience
The product is a thin but creamy whitish liquid that you rub all over a wet face and massage gently into your skin. It feels slightly tingly and has a medicated odor to it, almost like a menthol aroma. Then the product gets rinsed off. It is designed to be used twice daily.
I didn't see anything special with this product, however I only occasionally suffer from breakouts. Acne is not something I struggle to control. Perhaps this is why this product worked as well as everything else I've tried.
The clearing treatment, which is part of the Oxy Clinical line of products, was supposed to be like a spot treatment and eliminate "99% of bacteria in 8 hours" without white residue, but I did notice a small amount of dry white residue was left behind after using this product. The blemish I tried this product on (following the directions on the product) remained as long as it would have if I had used my normal regimen rather than the Oxy Clinical products.
Ingredients and What They Really Are
The active ingredient in the Oxy Clinical Advanced Face Wash is salicylic acid 2%. According to Drugs.com, "Salicylic acid is a keratolytic (peeling agent). Salicylic acid causes shedding of the outer layer of skin. Salicylic acid topical is used in the treatment of acne, dandruff, corns, and warts." This ingredient should be kept away from "the eyes, mouth, lips, inside the nose, genitals, and anal areas." Drugs.com also recommends discussing with your physician before using if you have diabetes, poor circulation, kidney or liver disease, are pregnant, nursing, or will become pregnant, or will be treating a child.
The top three inactive ingredients are acrylates copolymer (a film former), anhydrous citric acid (chemical name citric acid, has the appearance of an odorless, colorless, white powder; toxic to plants. Anhydrous means that the substance has no water and is in a dry, granulated form), and astragalus membranaceus root extract (seems to be some type of immune system enhancer or something to help use oxygen).
There are many other ingredients. Most of them look like chemical names of sorts to me. The other inactive ingredients also include fragrance and a few other types of acids.
