Clean Moisture Deep Cleansing Cream

There is something almost admirable about Noxzema's approach to product iteration. When enough customers complained that the Original Deep Cleansing Cream left their skin feeling tight, the brand's solution was refreshingly literal: keep everything exactly the same, add glycerin, and call it the Moisturizing version. No reformulation committee, no trend-chasing, no clean beauty pivot. Just one proven humectant dropped into a formula that has barely changed since the Woodrow Wilson administration.

The result is a product that splits the difference between nostalgia and function in a way that will either charm you or exasperate you, depending on how much you know about modern skincare chemistry. On the charm side, the glycerin genuinely works. It is one of the most extensively studied humectants in dermatology, effective at drawing and retaining moisture in the upper layers of the skin even during a brief cleansing window. Users who found the Original too stripping consistently report that this variant leaves skin feeling softer, less tight, and more balanced after rinsing. The glycerin buffers the degreasing action of the stearic acid base just enough to make the cleansing experience more comfortable for combination and normal skin types.

On the exasperation side, the Moisturizing formula actually contains more controversial ingredients than the Original. While the Original's most recent reformulation around 2020 removed camphor, menthol, and phenol, the Moisturizing version retains both camphor and menthol in its current ingredient list. It also includes both methylparaben and propylparaben alongside DMDM Hydantoin — meaning you get a formaldehyde-releasing preservative and two parabens in the same formula. Add fragrance and eucalyptus oil to the mix, and you have a sensitization profile that would make most modern formulators uneasy.

The sensory experience is quintessentially Noxzema. That trifecta of camphor, menthol, and eucalyptus delivers the bracing, almost medicinal cool that has defined the brand for over a hundred years. The Moisturizing version dials it down slightly — the glycerin and somewhat adjusted ratios create a sensation that is still recognizably Noxzema but with the volume turned from eight to six. For loyalists, this is the sweet spot: the ritual without the punishment.

As a cleanser, it performs its basic duties competently. The cold-cream formula built on stearic acid, linseed oil, and soybean oil dissolves makeup, sunscreen, and accumulated sebum effectively. You massage the thick cream on, it breaks down what is sitting on your skin, and you tissue it off or rinse it away. The glycerin addition means your skin retains slightly more moisture through this process than it would with the Original, but we are talking about a marginal improvement in a wash-off product rather than a transformative reformulation.

The comedogenic concerns carry over from the Original. Soybean and linseed oils both have moderate to high comedogenic ratings, which, combined with the dense cream base, means acne-prone skin should approach with caution. The product contains no active acne-fighting ingredients, no exfoliating acids, and no barrier-repair technology. Sodium bicarbonate provides mild physical exfoliation, but this is a cleanser from an era before targeted treatment cleansers existed, and it shows.

For sensitive skin, the Moisturizing version is arguably a worse choice than the reformulated Original, despite the gentler-sounding name. The retention of camphor and menthol, combined with parabens and the same fragrance-plus-DMDM Hydantoin pairing, creates a formidable irritation profile. If your skin reacts to any of these ingredient categories, the added glycerin will not rescue you.

The value remains outstanding in raw dollar-per-ounce terms. At approximately five dollars for twelve ounces, this is one of the most affordable cream cleansers available at mass market. For the specific user who wants Noxzema's sensory signature with slightly less post-cleanse dryness, and whose skin has demonstrated tolerance for the ingredient list, this variant delivers exactly what it promises. It is not trying to be anything other than what it is: a slightly softer Noxzema.

The honest assessment is that this product exists primarily 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 formulation science would approach very differently. If you have no existing 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 the eucalyptus tingle are part of your skincare identity, and your skin handles it without complaint, the Moisturizing version is the more forgiving way to maintain the tradition.

Formula

The Science

The reformulation strategy behind Noxzema's Moisturizing variant centers on a single addition: glycerin. As a humectant, glycerin draws water from the deeper dermis and surrounding environment into the stratum corneum, and its efficacy is among the best-documented in dermatological literature. A landmark 2008 study in the British Journal of Dermatology confirmed that glycerin actively promotes skin barrier repair by regulating aquaporin-3, a water channel protein in keratinocytes.

In a rinse-off formulation, glycerin's benefits are time-limited but still measurable. Research published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science (2014) demonstrated that even brief contact with glycerin-containing cleansers resulted in measurably higher post-wash skin hydration compared to glycerin-free controls. The approximately 30-60 second contact time during a typical Noxzema cleanse is sufficient for glycerin to deposit a thin moisture-binding film on the skin surface.

Camphor and menthol, retained in this formula, activate the TRPM8 cold-sensing receptor in the skin, producing the characteristic cooling sensation. While both have documented antimicrobial properties in vitro, their primary role here is sensorial. A review in the International Journal of Dermatology (2014) noted that camphor and menthol can both increase transepidermal water loss (TEWL) when applied topically, which creates a paradox in a product marketed for its moisturizing properties — the glycerin works to retain moisture while the camphor and menthol work to deplete it.

The preservative system combines phenoxyethanol, DMDM Hydantoin, methylparaben, and propylparaben. DMDM Hydantoin releases formaldehyde to prevent microbial growth, and a 2019 analysis in Contact Dermatitis identified formaldehyde releasers as among the most common causes of preservative-related contact allergy. Parabens, while extensively studied and considered safe at typical cosmetic concentrations by regulatory bodies including the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, remain a consumer concern.

References

1. Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions — British Journal of Dermatology (2008)
2. Effect of glycerin-based cleansers on skin hydration — International Journal of Cosmetic Science (2014)

Dermatologist Perspective

Dermatologists view the Noxzema Moisturizing variant as a marginal improvement over the Original for patients who insist on using a Noxzema product. Board-certified dermatologists note that while the glycerin addition is sensible, retaining camphor, menthol, fragrance, and multiple preservative systems undermines the moisturizing positioning. For patients with oily or normal skin who enjoy the product without adverse reactions, dermatologists generally see no clinical reason to intervene. However, dermatologists routinely advise patients with any degree of sensitivity, eczema, rosacea, or barrier compromise to discontinue all Noxzema products in favor of fragrance-free, minimal-ingredient alternatives. The product is not recommended as a therapeutic cleanser for any skin condition.

Guidance

Developed as a companion to the Original Deep Cleansing Cream for users who loved the Noxzema ritual but found the Original too stripping. The Moisturizing variant adds glycerin — the most well-studied humectant in skincare — to the classic stearic acid and plant oil base, creating a hybrid that aims to deep clean without compromising skin hydration.

About Noxzema Legacy Brand (20+ years)

Noxzema was created in 1914 by Baltimore pharmacist Dr. George Bunting as a sunburn and eczema remedy. Now owned by Unilever, the brand has over a century of market presence and remains one of the most recognized drugstore skincare names in the United States.

Brand founded: 1914

Myth vs. Reality

Myth

The moisturizing version is completely gentle because it has glycerin.

Reality

While glycerin does add hydration, this formula still contains camphor, menthol, eucalyptus oil, fragrance, and DMDM Hydantoin — the same sensitizers present in many Noxzema products. Glycerin softens the drying effect but doesn't neutralize the irritation potential of these other ingredients.

Myth

Noxzema's camphor tingle means it's sanitizing your skin.

Reality

Camphor produces a cooling sensation by activating cold-sensitive nerve receptors (TRPM8), not by killing bacteria. While camphor has mild antimicrobial properties at higher concentrations, the amount in this formula is primarily sensorial rather than therapeutic.

FAQ

Common Praise

"Cleansing feels gentler and less drying than the Original version"

"Added glycerin helps skin feel hydrated rather than stripped after use"

"Same iconic Noxzema tingle and cooling eucalyptus sensation"

"Extremely affordable for a generous 12 oz jar"

"Effectively removes makeup and daily grime without harsh surfactants"

"Multi-generational product that many families have used for decades"

Common Complaints

"Contains camphor and menthol which can irritate sensitive or compromised skin"

"DMDM Hydantoin is a controversial formaldehyde-releasing preservative"

"Both methylparaben and propylparaben may concern those avoiding parabens"

"Dense cream texture requires thorough rinsing to remove completely"

"Still contains fragrance and eucalyptus oil despite moisturizing positioning"

Appears In

best moisturizing cleanser for combination skin best drugstore cold cream best cleanser for makeup removal best budget cream cleanser

Related Conditions

oiliness dullness dryness

Related Ingredients

glycerin eucalyptus camphor linseed oil