I found the Round Lab Dokdo Cleanser by doing the most basic thing : typing “best cleanser for skincare newbies” into a search bar and seeing what kept popping up. This one did, over and over, so I bought the tube and promised myself I’d give it a fair shot. I have dry skin that complains if a face wash goes even a little too hard, so I expected to bounce off it like I do with most foaming cleansers. Instead, I ended up liking it enough to finish the tube, and then miss it when I tried to replace it with something fancier

What sold me first was how straightforward it is. The gel squeezes out clear, not gloopy, and turns into a dense, cushiony foam the second it meets water. I don’t need a lot — a pea to blueberry size builds enough lather to cover my face and neck easily. It’s the kind of foam that feels plush without being slippery. It stays where you guide it, glides around the nose and hairline without tugging, and then loosens immediately under the tap. That big, cloud-like lather is a huge part of why I enjoy using it. You feel like you’re getting a proper wash, and yet the bubbles are fine enough that I never have to scrub to make them move. It’s also low pH, which my skin reads as calm down, we’re not stripping everything, and I’m convinced that’s the reason it behaves on my drier days.

The cleansing power is what kept me loyal. I wear sunscreen daily, and sometimes a little base, and the Dokdo cleanser cuts through the day without leaving that filmy “did I rinse well enough?” feeling. My face feels genuinely clean, not squeaky or tight, in that sweet spot where the canvas is reset but not raw. On nights when I skip oils and balms and go straight in with this, it still handles SPF and light makeup without making me work. If I’ve worn something waterproof, I’ll remove that separately (as I would with any face wash), but for normal days, this earns its keep all by itself.

About the scent : it’s minimal and fresh, the brief kind that shows up while you lather and clocks out when you rinse. I’ve had foaming cleansers that try to do a perfume moment, and this isn’t one of them. It’s there, it’s clean, and then it’s gone, which I prefer, especially at the sink, first thing in the morning or right before bed.

Now to the comment I see a lot online : “It’s too drying.” I get why people say that. It’s a foaming cleanser with excellent rinsability, and those can feel brisk if you stand under hot water forever or use too much product. Personally, even with dry skin, it hasn’t been an issue, because I always apply toner right after I towel off. For me, the problem has never been a well-executed cleanse. It’s not cleansing thoroughly enough and then watching my chin and jawline protest with breakouts a week later. With this wash, I step away from the sink, pat dry, and reach for a watery toner straight away. That one simple step means I get the clarity I want and the comfort I need. If your barrier is already feeling raw or overworked, I would still start slowly and keep this as a night-only step at first, just to see how your skin responds. If you’re the kind of person who likes to air-dry your face and wander around for ten minutes before your next step, you might feel tightness. If you’re happy to add a quick splash of hydration right after, the balance makes sense.

There are a few small habits that made this cleanser shine for me. I use lukewarm water (never hot), which keeps any foaming wash from tipping into harshness. I count to forty-five while I massage so I’m not under-washing or over-working my cheeks. I let the lather do the work rather than pushing hard with my fingertips. Then I rinse thoroughly, with two or three good handfuls, paying attention to the corners of my nose and along the jaw so there’s no residue to confuse me later. After that, toner on damp skin and I’m good. Nothing complicated, and that’s the point. This product doesn’t need a ritual; it just wants to wash your face well.

What I like most is how predictable it is. Some cleansers feel great on day one and then go sideways in a week. The Dokdo cleanser is the same every morning and every night : big friendly foam, clean rinse, no drama. On days when heaters are blasting or the air is weirdly dry, I still don’t get that papery pull across my cheeks. On sweaty afternoons, my T-zone doesn’t feel like I left something behind. It’s not a treatment cleanser trying to be seven things. It’s a solid wash that respects your skin if you respect it back.

Would I recommend it to someone who’s just starting skincare? Yes, that’s exactly how I found it. The checklist that made it show up in my searches is the same list that makes me keep it around :low pH, foam texture, plenty of lather, strong cleansing without a long learning curve. I understand why a subset of people label it drying, but I also think context matters. A cleanser’s job is to clean. Comfort comes from what you do right after. I’d rather rehydrate promptly than risk under-washing and dealing with congestion and surprise pimples down the line. On my skin, clean but not squeaky, then toner immediately is the winning combo, and this product makes that rhythm easy.

So, short version from a dry-skinned person who doesn’t want her face to feel like a chalkboard: Round Lab Dokdo Cleanser is the foaming face wash I keep coming back to. It gives me the thorough cleanse I was missing when I tried to be too gentle, and it stays on the comfortable side as long as I follow it with a quick drink of toner. If you’re a skincare beginner staring at a million options, this is one of the rare picks that’s popular for good reasons : simple, effective, and easy to live with once you learn its pace.