Updated June 29, 2012.

Clean and Clear Continuous Control Acne Cleanser:

This is an over-the-counter acne cleanser that contains benzoyl peroxide. The thick cream lightly foams when you emulsify between your hands. Lather up, massage over a damp face for about 30 seconds (according to directions on the tube) and rinse well.

Active Ingredient:

Benzoyl peroxide 10%

Inactive Ingredients:

Acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, C12-15 alkyl benzoate, carbomer, fragrance, glycerin, menthol, mineral oil, petroleum, potassium polyphosphate, sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate, sodium cocoyl isethionate, titanium dioxide, water, zinc lactate


Price:

About $6.00 for a 5 oz. tube

Where You Can Buy:

You can find this one at your local drugstore, some grocery stores, or at places like Target and Wal-Mart.

Pros:

• This cleanser contains the strongest percentage of benzoyl peroxide available over the counter.
• It leaves a cool, clean, and refreshing feeling on the skin.
• The price is right, and it's easily found at any of your local drug stores.

Cons:

• The fragrance is a bit overwhelming.
• It may be too drying for some skin types.

Clean and Clear Continuous Control Acne Cleanser Guide Review:

Clean and Clear makes a ton of over-the-counter acne treatment products – from astringents to scrubs to breakout busting body washes. Clean and Clear Continuous Control Acne Cleanser is a foaming facial cleanser that contains benzoyl peroxide.

I pulled it off the store shelf for two reasons: it contains a high percentage of benzoyl peroxide, and it's super inexpensive. At just about $6, you can afford to give it a try for your mild acne.

Clean and Clear products are definitely marketed to the teen/young adult set.

But there's no reason why adults with acne couldn't use this cleanser too.

The cleanser itself is thick, with almost a toothpaste-like consistency. Mix it with a bit of water, and it quickly smoothes down to super creamy lather. The lather isn't quite as thick as you would expect, but it doesn't affect the cleanser by any means. Just don't expect loads of bubbly lather; it's more like tiny bits of foam.

One thing I really liked about the cleanser was how it left my skin feeling so clean and refreshed. As I massaged it across my face, there was a cooling sensation that was really unexpected (and actually very nice).

I wasn't too fond of the fragrance, though. It's strong… real strong. A bit floral, a bit minty, the scent itself wasn't a turn off for me. It was just the intensity of it. This may not be a big deal, if you like the scent. But if you don't like strong fragrances, this one could be a bit overpowering for you.

For the record, the girls tended to like the scent more than the guys did. Although some guys liked it, others thought it smelled too feminine.

The packaging, too, got mixed reviews. The tube is either blue or purple, depending on who you ask. The purple-y color was a bit of a turn-off to some teen boys. Others, though, didn't get what the fuss was all about. They didn't think the packaging was "girly" at all.

This cleanser is going to be better for oily skin types, because it can be a touch drying. But, surprisingly, it isn't as trying as you would anticipate considering the high amount of benzoyl peroxide it contains. Those with normal to oily skin types will probably be able to use this cleanser with no problems. Be careful if your skin is more dry or sensitive, though.

Clean and Clear Continuous Control Acne Cleanser is either going to be a hit or a miss depending on your personal preference (and how your skin is able to handle the benzoyl peroxide). If your skin tends to be on the oily side, and you have a partiality to fragranced skin care products, you will probably really like it. But if you favor lightly scented or fragrance-free options, this cleanser is definitely not one for you.