Skinfix just reformulated their cult Barrier+ Foaming Oil Cleanser. And I’m side-eyeing the bottle on my shelf.
The old one saved my moisture barrier after a retinol mistake. The new one? It’s like they swapped the gentle friend for a coworker who talks over you.
It’s a $34 foaming oil that claims to remove makeup without stripping. That’s the same line. The texture? Totally different.
Texture flip
Old formula was a thick, balmy oil. New one pours like thin mineral oil — runny, almost watery.
Foam factor
It still emulsifies white, but the foam collapses in 15 seconds. Less cushion, more slip.
Scent shift
Faint oatmeal scent is gone. Now it smells like unscented industrial soap. Not bad. Just… blank.
They cut the oat kernel oil (the healing hero) and bumped up glycerin. Also added niacinamide — which sounds good until your skin stings.
- Oat Kernel Oil (removed): was the soothing MVP
- Niacinamide (added): can irritate compromised skin
- Glycerin (increased): makes it slipperier, less absorbent
- Sodium PCA (added): humectant, but thin-feeling
Pumped out clear liquid. Massaged in — felt like I was rubbing salad oil on my face. Rinsed clean but left a slick film that took two extra splashes.
Week two: my cheeks got tight after double cleansing. That never happened with the old Skinfix formula. The niacinamide tingle is real — and not the good kind.
Makeup removed fine — even waterproof mascara. But my barrier felt less bouncy by day 5. Redness stayed the same. Pores didn’t change.
The reformulation made this a decent daily oil cleanser for normal skin. But it killed what made it special — the healing factor. I’m switching.