Review: Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Pore Perfecting Cleansing Gel
When it comes to cleansing, there are two rules, or perhaps philosophies, that I like to live by. The first is that you should always double cleanse, first with a balm or oil to remove make-up, SPF, and other surface grot, followed by a gel or something similar to cleanse more deeply. The second, which I have borrowed from legendary make-up artist Lisa Eldridge, is that cleansing “should be as natural and simple and as gentle as possible” but also “very, very thorough”. I believe that, as long as you keep these two things in mind, you can’t go too far wrong. And once this is taken care of, it is simply a case of choosing the right products for you.
I’ve been using the Alpha Beta Pore Perfecting Cleansing Gel from Dr Dennis Gross since late last year and, as I now have over six months’ worth of experience with it under my belt, I believe I can make a pretty good case for it as a second cleanser. (I currently use Chanel’s excellent L’Huile Anti-Pollution Cleansing Oil as my first cleanser, but more on that later.) As part of Dr Dennis Gross’s Alpha Beta range, which aims to “resurrect radiance, reduce wrinkles and refine pores”, this cleansing gel is recommended for all skin types, and it also happens to be soap and sulfate-free. And, in what will no doubt be great news for the more conscious consumers out there, it is also cruelty-free and vegan. Impressive, no?
I was prompted to try this product after using, and being profoundly disappointed by, Fresh’s über-popular Soy Face Cleanser. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure its great for more normal skin types, and perfectly deserving of all the admiration it receives, but it just didn’t do anything for me. The Alpha Beta Pore Perfecting Cleansing Gel, on the other hand, is a results-driven cleanser from a dermatologist-led brand, so I assumed that lack of efficacy wouldn’t be an issue. And fortunately, at least as far as my complexion is concerned, this assumption was on point: despite being gentle in its own way, this cleanser delivered results that were almost immediate.
Formulated with a powerful yet non-stripping combination of alpha and beta hydroxy acids, as well as willow bark, farnesol, and barosma betulina (a flowering plant native to South Africa) to remove impurities, Alpha Beta Pore Perfecting Cleansing Gel is a seriously clever cleanser with a lot of clout. Within a week of introducing it into my routine, I noticed a significant improvement in the texture of my skin, particularly in terms of the unsightly lumps and bumps that had sprung up around my hairline whilst using the Fresh cleanser. Again, this isn’t an indictment of the Fresh cleanser, and I’m fairly certain I had no adverse reaction to it — it just wasn’t working as hard as it could have, or as hard as I need a cleanser to, anyway. Whereas the Alpha Beta Pore Perfecting Cleansing Gel, with its clever cocktail of azelaic, glycolic and mandelic acids, and its lovely rich lather which somehow doesn’t dry the skin out, does everything I need it to and then some.
At this point, it probably goes without saying that Dr Dennis Gross’s Alpha Beta Pore Perfecting Cleansing Gel is now in the “god tier” of cleansers as far as I am concerned, and that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone in search of a really high-performing product. At £45 for a 225ml pump bottle, however, it certainly isn’t Cetaphil cheap, but it works. Also, given that you only need to use a minuscule amount each time — as in, less than a five pence piece — the 225ml size should last a while. Indeed, I’ve had mine since November or December last year, and yet I only seem to have used two fingers’ worth. (If this still seems like too big a commitment, the Alpha Beta Pore Perfecting Cleansing Gel is now available in a 60ml travel-size tube, too.)
This piece was originally published on Part Time Beauty in 2020.