ELLE Exclusive: The Ordinary Expands Its Cleanser Category With The Launch Of Glucoside Foaming Cleanser

I started my skincare journey towards acids and single-ingredient potent solutions with The Ordinary. Not trying to boast but if I have to credit one product for transforming my skin and making my fear of chemical peels go away, it has to be The Ordinary’s AHA BHA Peeling Solution. While it’s a tricky product to use, it’s efficient at work. 

Obviously, when the brand drops its new launch, its second-ever cleanser besides Squalane Cleanser, it’s big. The Ordinary’s new Glucoside Foaming Cleanser is a gentle, foaming cleanser that effectively cleanses the skin while maintaining the skin’s moisture barrier. Especially formulated for the oily skin type, it uses a combination of Glucoside and Amino Acids to deeply cleanse and purify the skin and is an effective launch for a tropical country like ours. 

Ahead of the launch, we spoke to Prudvi Mohan Kaka, Chief Scientific Officer at DECEIM, to know more about the formula, the significance of the launch for the Indian market, and the brand’s strategy to stand out among the competition in an already saturated category.

ELLE: What are some of the myths you’d like to address attached to foaming cleansers?

Prudvi Mohan Kaka: The misconceptions we really wanted to address with this cleanser launch are related to the myth that all foaming cleansers strip the skin of its natural oils and are drying. This is not true, foaming cleansers can be formulated to be gentle for all skin types. 

We kept the formula minimalistic with only eight ingredients, and only selected cleansing agents from one class of surfactants, Glucosides. Glucosides are naturally derived non-ionic mild surfactants that are commonly used in products to offer gentleness, including baby care and sensitive skin care products. The two glucoside surfactants included in our Glucoside Foaming Cleanser are decyl-and coco-glucoside which function as the cleansing components to effectively remove surface-level impurities while also maintaining the skin’s moisture barrier.

ELLE: As The Ordinary’s products are launched to target a specific concern, what is it that the brand is focused on with this launch?

PMK: This new launch allows us to expand our product offerings of cleansers from The Ordinary. When formulating this cleanser, we wanted to make sure that our prep step products were as versatile as possible. We wanted to ensure this cleanser is compatible with all our serums and treatments, while still offering a new cleansing experience. The Glucoside Foaming Cleanser is great for those looking for a product that offers a light foam or lather when cleansing.   

ELLE: As it’s targeted for oily skin, is it not suitable for other skin types?

PMK: The Glucoside Foaming Cleanser is suitable for all skin types, including oily. It was formulated and clinically proven to be suitable for babies, ensuring that it respects the barrier of even the most delicate skin.  

ELLE: From other cleansers that are available in the market in the same category, how is this product different and stands out?

PMK: When formulating our cleansers, we try to avoid including concern-led ingredients, to avoid product conflicts with our treat step products. We focused on the efficacy of its main function, cleansing. This gel-like foaming cleanser effectively helps remove dirt and environmental impurities from the skin. This formulation helps maintain the skin’s moisture barrier, while also improving the look of skin clarity, skin texture, skin radiance, and suppleness with continued use.

ELLE: Lastly, why is this launch important for the Indian market?

PMK: Again, this launch allows us to expand our range of cleansers within The Ordinary to offer a new cleansing experience. Our new cleanser can be easily incorporated into any skin care regimen or can be used as part of a double cleanse alongside the Squalane Cleanser. We want to ensure our audience can select from a variety of products to build their very own personalized skin care regimens.