Clean Moisture Deep Cleansing Cream

Noxzema’s approach to product iteration is almost admirable. When customers complained that the Original Deep Cleansing Cream left skin feeling tight, Noxzema kept the formula the same and added glycerin to create the Moisturizing version. There was no reformulation committee, no trend-chasing, and no clean beauty pivot. They simply added one proven humectant to a formula that has barely changed since the Woodrow Wilson administration.

The result splits the difference between nostalgia and function. Depending on your knowledge of modern skincare chemistry, this will either charm or exasperate you. The glycerin works. It is one of the most studied humectants in dermatology and draws moisture into the upper layers of the skin during cleansing. Users who found the Original too stripping report that this variant leaves skin feeling softer, less tight, and more balanced after rinsing. The glycerin buffers the degreasing stearic acid base enough to make cleansing more comfortable for combination and normal skin types.

The Moisturizing formula contains more controversial ingredients than the Original. While the Original’s 2020 reformulation removed camphor, menthol, and phenol, the Moisturizing version retains both camphor and menthol. It also includes methylparaben and propylparaben alongside DMDM Hydantoin, meaning the formula contains a formaldehyde-releasing preservative and two parabens. Combined with fragrance and eucalyptus oil, the sensitization profile would make most modern formulators uneasy.

The sensory experience is quintessentially Noxzema. The camphor, menthol, and eucalyptus trifecta delivers the medicinal cool that has defined the brand for over a hundred years. The Moisturizing version dials this down slightly; the glycerin and adjusted ratios create a sensation that is still recognizably Noxzema but at a lower intensity. For loyalists, this is the sweet spot: the ritual without the punishment.

As a cleanser, it performs basic duties competently. The cold-cream formula uses stearic acid, linseed oil, and soybean oil to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and sebum. You massage the thick cream on, it breaks down surface debris, and you tissue it off or rinse it away. The glycerin helps skin retain slightly more moisture than the Original, but this is a marginal improvement for a wash-off product, not a transformative reformulation.

Comedogenic concerns carry over from the Original. Soybean and linseed oils have moderate to high comedogenic ratings. Combined with the dense cream base, acne-prone skin should use this with caution. The product lacks active acne-fighting ingredients, exfoliating acids, or barrier-repair technology. Sodium bicarbonate provides mild physical exfoliation, but this is a cleanser from an era before targeted treatment cleansers, and it shows.

The Moisturizing version is arguably a worse choice for sensitive skin than the reformulated Original. The camphor, menthol, parabens, and the fragrance-plus-DMDM Hydantoin pairing create a high irritation profile. If your skin reacts to these ingredient categories, the glycerin will not help.

The value is outstanding in dollar-per-ounce terms. At approximately five dollars for twelve ounces, this is one of the most affordable cream cleansers at mass market. For users who want the Noxzema sensory signature with less post-cleanse dryness, and whose skin tolerates the ingredient list, this variant delivers. It is simply a slightly softer Noxzema.

This product exists for brand loyalty rather than formulation merit. The glycerin is a genuine improvement, but it is a single humectant added to a formula that modern science would approach differently. If you have no attachment to the Noxzema experience, there is little reason to choose this over a gentler, more thoughtfully formulated cream cleanser. But if the blue jar and eucalyptus tingle are part of your skincare identity and your skin handles it, the Moisturizing version is a more forgiving way to maintain the tradition.