Foaming Face Wash

The Kylie Skin Foaming Face Wash launched in 2019 as part of the initial six-product lineup that Kylie Jenner used to extend her cosmetics empire into skincare. It arrived alongside the now-infamous Walnut Face Scrub — a product so universally criticized by dermatologists and skincare experts that it briefly made Kylie Skin a cautionary tale about celebrity skincare. The Foaming Face Wash dodged that particular controversy, mostly because there is not much to get excited or upset about. It is a basic cleanser that does basic cleanser things at a price that assumes you care about the name on the bottle.

The one genuinely good choice in this formula is the primary surfactant: Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, an amino acid-based cleanser derived from coconut and the amino acid glycine. This is a meaningfully gentler surfactant than the sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate that dominates cheap foaming cleansers. Amino acid surfactants have a lower critical micelle concentration and reduced ability to penetrate and disrupt the stratum corneum lipid matrix, which translates to less barrier damage and less post-wash tightness. This is a real formulation advantage, and credit where it is due — whoever formulated this cleanser chose well for the primary surfactant.

Cocamidopropyl Betaine, the secondary surfactant, is an amphoteric cleanser that adds foam and cleaning power while maintaining a mild profile. Potassium Cocoate — a coconut-derived soap — adds a bit more cleaning power but is somewhat harsher than the amino acid surfactant. The surfactant trio is fine: gentle enough for daily use on normal skin, effective enough to remove light oil and impurities.

Glycerin at the fifth position provides humectant activity during cleansing, which is standard and appropriate. The preservative system (Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol) is robust — perhaps more robust than necessary, but not problematic.

Now for the problems. The formula contains Parfum — fragrance. In a cleanser. This is a choice that is difficult to defend from a dermatological standpoint. Fragrance is the most common cause of allergic contact dermatitis in cosmetic products, and it provides zero functional benefit in a face wash. A cleanser's job is to clean your face and leave. Adding fragrance introduces sensitization risk for no reason other than the sensory experience, and even that is brief in a wash-off product. For a brand that markets itself as clean and skin-friendly, this is a notable miss.

The marketing ingredients — kiwi seed oil and sodium hyaluronate — are positioned at the very end of the INCI list, which means they are present at trace concentrations. In a wash-off product that sits on skin for thirty seconds, these ingredients deliver essentially nothing. The kiwi seed oil is not providing your skin with vitamins C and E in any meaningful amount. The hyaluronic acid is not hydrating your skin during the rinse cycle. These ingredients exist on the label for the same reason the name Kylie exists on the bottle: to create a perception of value that the formula itself does not support.

The Polyquaternium-39 is a conditioning polymer that helps the formula feel soft during application and can leave a slight conditioning film on the skin after rinsing. It is a fine addition that slightly elevates the post-wash feel.

At twenty-six dollars for 149 mL, this cleanser is priced well above its formulation merit. The amino acid surfactant is the only ingredient that distinguishes it from a basic drugstore foaming cleanser, and numerous cleansers in the twelve to sixteen dollar range use the same surfactant type with better supporting ingredients and without added fragrance. CeraVe's Foaming Facial Cleanser adds ceramides and niacinamide for fourteen dollars. The Krave Beauty Matcha Hemp Cleanser we reviewed earlier offers a more interesting formulation for ten dollars less.

The packaging — a pump bottle — is convenient and hygienic, which is a small but genuine positive. The foam dispensing is satisfying and helps control the amount used.

The honest assessment: the Kylie Skin Foaming Face Wash is not a bad cleanser. The surfactant system is genuinely gentle, the formula cleans effectively, and it will not damage most people's skin. But it is a cleanser that costs twice what it should, adds unnecessary fragrance, and decorates itself with marketing ingredients at trace concentrations. The name on the bottle is doing most of the heavy lifting.

Formula

The Science

The formulation's strength lies in its choice of primary surfactant. Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate is an acyl amino acid surfactant — a class of surfactants that have consistently demonstrated lower irritation potential compared to anionic sulfates in dermatological research. A study published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science demonstrated that amino acid-based surfactants produce significantly less transepidermal water loss (TEWL) increase and protein denaturation in the stratum corneum compared to sodium lauryl sulfate at equivalent cleansing concentrations. The amino acid moiety (glycine in this case) gives the surfactant molecule a structure that is less able to penetrate between corneocytes and disrupt the intercellular lipid lamellae.

Cocamidopropyl Betaine, the secondary surfactant, is an amphoteric molecule that carries both positive and negative charges at skin pH, further reducing its interaction with the negatively charged skin surface. However, Potassium Cocoate — the third surfactant — is a traditional soap (potassium salt of coconut fatty acids) with a higher pH and greater disruption potential, somewhat counteracting the gentleness of the amino acid surfactant.

The inclusion of fragrance introduces concern: the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) lists over 3,000 chemicals that may be included under the single term "Parfum," and fragrance compounds are the most frequently identified cause of allergic contact dermatitis in cosmetic products according to the European Society of Contact Dermatitis.

Dermatologist Perspective

Board-certified dermatologists would note the amino acid surfactant as a positive formulation choice but would flag the fragrance inclusion as an unnecessary risk in a face wash. Dermatologists routinely advise patients — particularly those with sensitive, eczema-prone, or rosacea-affected skin — to avoid fragranced facial products. For patients without fragrance sensitivity, this cleanser provides adequate gentle cleansing, though dermatologists would likely point to alternatives that offer the same gentle surfactant system without fragrance at a more accessible price point.

Guidance

One of the original products in Kylie Jenner's 2019 skincare launch, the Foaming Face Wash was marketed alongside the now-infamous Walnut Face Scrub (which was heavily criticized by skincare experts). The cleanser received less controversy but also less distinction — it is a competent but unremarkable foaming face wash in a market that already had many excellent options at lower prices.

About Kylie Skin New Brand (<2 years)

Kylie Skin launched in 2019 as a skincare extension of Kylie Jenner's cosmetics brand. The line is marketed as vegan and cruelty-free but lacks dermatologist development, clinical research, or independent scientific validation. Consumer testing cited on the brand's site was a 31-person study.

Brand founded: 2019 · Product launched: 2019

Myth vs. Reality

Myth

The kiwi seed oil in this cleanser provides significant vitamin C and E benefits.

Reality

Kiwi seed oil is second to last on the ingredient list, meaning it is present at trace levels. In a wash-off product with seconds of skin contact, any nutrient delivery from this concentration is negligible.

Myth

Foaming cleansers are always too harsh for the skin.

Reality

The harshness depends on the surfactant type, not the foam. This cleanser uses Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, an amino acid surfactant that is genuinely milder than sulfates. The foaming action itself is not the problem.

FAQ

Common Praise

"Creates a satisfying foam without feeling too stripping"

"Leaves skin feeling clean and fresh"

"Gentle enough for daily use on normal skin"

"Nice packaging and pump dispenser"

Common Complaints

"Overpriced for a basic foaming cleanser"

"Contains fragrance, which is unnecessary in a face wash"

"Not sufficiently hydrating — some users feel tightness after use"

"Kiwi seed oil and hyaluronic acid at negligible concentrations"

Appears In

best foaming cleanser

Related Conditions

oiliness

Related Ingredients

glycerin hyaluronic acid