Traditional Face Wash and Gen Z Cleanser: What’s changed?

There are two types of gondola racks in modern skincare stores - one labelled to contain Facewash while the other being Cleanser. While most people use the names of these products interchangeably, others seem to assume that they are poles apart with differences in feature and expected outcome. 

However, the truth is something different, where logics clash and people get carried away by personal idiosyncrasies! Well, before that happens again, let’s find out whether they are really different or if ‘cleanser’ is a term coined by Gen Z to replace traditional facewash! 

Facewash was one of the most common skincare products that people had been using since decades, irrespective of their skin type. The main function of a facewash was to target the dirt, sweat and excess greasy oily feeling that sticks on to the face and remove these elements for clear and refreshed look (Shafaat et al., 2025). The goal was quite straightforward and these facewashes were mostly a gentler version of regular surfactant-based soaps. 

Traditionally, people cared less about skincare terminology and their main goal to remove that greasy feel from the face alongside any impurities and debris that accumulates through daily activities. These facewashes were available in different textures like creams, gels and foaming which again served the same purpose of cleansing the face gently (Agarwal and Jindal, 2023). 

With rising awareness about different skincare ingredients people started seeking for nourishing and skin-friendly solutions while picking a facewash instead of randomly picking one while walking down long supermarket isles. Different skincare ingredients like neem, aloe vera, turmeric and vitamin C entered the scene and people started choosing their facewash based on their personal preferences (Marathe et al., 2024). 

Even today most baby boomers still trust the term ‘Facewash’ while accepting it as a simple and trustworthy means of removing dirt and greasiness off their skin surface after a long day’s outdoor activity. 

The emergence of digitalization and social media trends connected people across borders while enabling the share of information and knowledge by industry professionals and skincare experts. This subtle change brought in insights about Korean skincare secrets, beauty influencers and dermatologist led skincare rituals which cleared the fog and introduced the term “cleanser”. 

Gen Z was the first to embrace the term, not because they were blown away by the Korean concept but because the term indicated a more personalised approach of skincare. According to Thangavel, Pathak and Chandra (2022), the Gen Z population mostly upvoted for products that could offer some personalised experience. So, Gen Z started searching for cleansers that were solely based on their skin type and the different concerns. In simple words, the Gen Z population mostly cared for targeted version of “Facewash” in the form of cleanser while addressing issues like dehydration, acne, pigmentation etc., not just ingredients. 

Additionally, the term Cleanser emerged as an overhyped element as it sounded broader than Facewash. People started believing that the traditional facewashes were basic and targets solely on removing oil and dirt from the face. On the contrary, these targeted cleansers were more versatile as they were meant to cleanse the face skin without stripping off the natural lipids from the skin surface (Mukhopadhyay, 2011). So, people made a turn to pick cleansers, judging by their respective skin types and the targeted cleansing care that the product offers. 

• Agarwal, N. and Jindal, A., 2023. Herbal components as an advantageous remedy for pimple and acne in face-wash: a systemic review. Current research in pharmaceutical sciences, pp.01-20. https://www.crpsonline.com/index.php/crps/article/view/336/238
• Marathe, A.S., Maru, A.D., Bagul, T.P., Chavan, N.A. and Thube, S.J., 2024. A Comprehensive Review on Facewash. Research Journal of Topical and Cosmetic Sciences, 15(1), pp.47-52. https://www.rjtcsonline.com/HTML_Papers/Research%20Journal%20of%20Topical%20and%20Cosmetic%20Sciences__PID__2024-15-1-9.html
• Mukhopadhyay, P., 2011. Cleansers and their role in various dermatological disorders. Indian journal of dermatology, 56(1), pp.2-6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3088928/
• Shafaat, K., Kumar, P., Kumar, A., Kumar, S., Kumar, A., Raj, R. and Kumar, L., 2025. A Comprehensive Insights into Face Wash: Formulation, Function, and Applications. Int Pharm Sci 2025; 18 (1): 135. doi: 10.31531/2231, 5896. https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/123595069/IPS_135-libre.pdf?1751598339=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DA_Comprehensive_Insights_into_Face_Wash.pdf&Expires=1783431613&Signature=HA~vVOSscugLuaS-kIBtt8eWv-sH5bxuEzswup4V7wpxqTFEk2V1MrlRy3u527TTLK5XiTY9D2Z9efowKHDrvH6gom7cZIPOampxk~di9U8R~138elNNi0zhlJxab4AkwUO7hi3ek3CjqG
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• Thangavel, P., Pathak, P. and Chandra, B., 2022. Consumer decision-making style of gen Z: A generational cohort analysis. Global business review, 23(3), pp.710-728. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Packiaraj-Thangavel-2/publication/337098852_Consumer_Decision-making_Style_of_Gen_Z_A_Generational_Cohort_Analysis/links/606d2ecca6fdccf289fd578f/Consumer-Decision-making-Style-of-Gen-Z-A-Generational-Cohort-Analysis.pdf