Fresh just rewrote the formula on its iconic Soy Face Cleanser — and the ingredient list tells a very different story. The old version was a milky, no-foam, cry-into-the-sink gentle staple. This one? It actually lathers.
The biggest red flag: sodium cocoyl isethionate (a surfactant) is now in the top five ingredients. That’s a hard pass if your skin barrier is compromised.
It’s still $42 for 5.1 oz. Still smells like crisp cucumber and dew. But the texture has gone from “runny lotion” to “light gel.” The brand claims it now removes makeup better and rinses cleaner.
New Lather Factor
You get actual bubbles now — not much, but more than before.
Makeup Removal
It wipes off light foundation in one pass. Mascara? Still needs a separate remover.
Rinse Time
Rinses in 8 seconds flat. No more that weird slippery film.
Photo: Kalos Skincare / Unsplash
They swapped out the old coconut oil base for a mix of glycerin and synthetic surfactants. The hero ingredients — soy proteins and aloe — are still there, but they’ve been pushed further down the list. The pH also dropped from ~6.0 to ~5.5. Closer to skin’s natural pH? Sure. But also more stripping for dry types.
- Soy Amino Acids: Mild conditioning, but diluted now
- Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice: Still soothing, not enough to save you
- PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate: New surfactant that can be drying
- Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate: The foaming agent that may sting sensitive eyes
Photo: pmv chamara / Unsplash
First pump felt thinner — almost watery. It spread like a lightweight gel, then foamed into tiny, tight bubbles. My face felt *squeaky* clean after rinsing. Too squeaky.
After three weeks, my T-zone is less oily by noon. But my cheeks feel tight if I don’t moisturize immediately. Unexpected win: it actually helps my sunscreen rinse off fully — no white cast residue.
Photo: kevin laminto / Unsplash
Pores look smaller. Texture feels smoother. But my redness stayed exactly the same — no change there. The old version was better for reactive skin.
Photo: Content Pixie / Unsplash
It’s a good cleanser for normal-to-oily skin. But it’s not the gentle, barrier-loving icon it used to be. If you loved the old Soy Cleanser, mourn it — then move on.