Beauty Briefing Verdict 2026 09 21T110332.459

Clean & Clear Morning Burst Facial Cleanser Review

BeautyBrief™

Brand

Clean & Clear

Product

Morning Burst Facial Cleanser

Claims check

If you want foaming cleansing with BHA and a cooling feel, this formula offers those ingredients, but undisclosed acid levels do not establish OTC acne treatment.

Shopper fit

  • Normal
  • Combination
  • Oily

Formula flags

  • Fragrance
  • Exfoliating acids
  • Added color
  • Cooling agent: menthol; physical exfoliant: soft bursting-bead texture

Shopper preferences

  • None Found

Key ingredients

Sodium C14-16 Olefin SulfonateProvides foaming surface-oil removal in the cleanser's surfactant system.
Cocamidopropyl HydroxysultaineAdds cleansing and lather support.
Salicylic AcidListed rinse-off BHA ingredient with undisclosed concentration and pH.
Sodium Ascorbyl PhosphateVitamin C derivative within a rinse-off cleansing formula, not a proven dark-spot treatment.
CelluloseCreates the soft bursting-bead exfoliating texture.

Price tier

$ Budget

Value check

At the Budget tier, you get a scented, cooling foam with light exfoliating components, but the sensory additives reduce versatility for reactive skin.

Where to buy

Amazon

We may earn a commission through these links at no additional cost to you. This does not affect our BeautyBrief.

Bottom line

If your skin is normal-to-oily and you enjoy cooling foam, Morning Burst delivers surface cleansing with a BHA-containing ingredient list. Fragrance, menthol and polishing particles can be poor fits for reactive skin, and the undisclosed BHA level does not prove acne-treatment results. At the Budget tier, its value is sensory cleansing rather than correcting stubborn breakouts.

What is Shopper Fit?

Shopper Fit shows who The Beauty Briefing finds the product is reasonably suited for after reviewing the complete formula or product design, product format, expected performance, directions, tolerability, usability, and available evidence.

Depending on the product category, Shopper Fit may reflect factors such as skin type, hair or scalp characteristics, product needs, routine compatibility, sensitivity, experience level, or practical use considerations.

Shopper Fit is BB's editorial product-fit assessment, not a copy of the brand's marketing. It is not a diagnosis, a guarantee of results or tolerance, or a claim that the product is suitable for everyone.

What are Shopper Preferences?

Shopper Preferences are product attributes The Beauty Briefing has enough evidence to treat as established for the exact product. A brand statement, badge, or retailer claim alone is not enough.

Vegan
BB found sufficient documentation to verify the vegan claim within the documented product scope.
Cruelty-Free
BB found sufficient documentation to verify the cruelty-free claim within the scope of the evidence reviewed.
Non-Comedogenic
BB found sufficient product-specific evidence or documentation to support the non-comedogenic claim. A brand claim by itself does not qualify.
Dermatologist-Tested
BB verified documentation showing the exact product was tested with dermatologist involvement. This does not mean dermatologist-recommended.
Ophthalmologist-Tested
BB verified documentation showing the exact product was tested with ophthalmologist involvement.
Hypoallergenic
BB found sufficient product-specific evidence or documentation to support the hypoallergenic claim. It does not guarantee that no shopper will react.
None Found
BB did not find sufficient evidence to verify any of the controlled Shopper Preferences for the exact product.

Brand marketing tells BB what to investigate. BeautyBrief tells the shopper what BB has established.

What are Formula Flags?

Formula Flags identify characteristics of a product's formula that materially affect shopper fit, tolerability, routine compatibility, or use. A flag does not mean an ingredient is bad or that the product is unsafe. It highlights something worth knowing before you buy.

Fragrance
Added fragrance or parfum that materially affects shopper fit or tolerability.
Essential oils
Essential oils that are relevant to fragrance exposure, sensitivity, or use.
Drying alcohols
Volatile alcohols at a level that materially affects feel, dryness, or tolerability.
Retinoids
Retinoid actives that affect routine compatibility, tolerability, or use.
Exfoliating acids
Exfoliating acids such as AHAs, BHAs, or PHAs at a functionally relevant level.
Comedogenic concerns
Formula characteristics that warrant additional consideration for breakout-prone shoppers.
Sulfates
Sulfate cleansing agents that materially affect cleansing strength, skin or hair feel, or shopper fit.
Silicones
Silicones that materially affect texture, finish, or shopper fit.
Added color
Added colorants that materially affect the finished formula or shopper use.
Other
Another formula characteristic materially affects shopper fit or use.
None identified
No defined Formula Flags materially affect shopper fit or use.

Formula Flags are informational. They are not a list of ingredients everyone should avoid.

If your skin is balanced, combination, or oily and you like a foaming cleanser with a cooling, exfoliating feel, Clean & Clear Morning Burst Facial Cleanser gives you that experience at the Budget tier. The tradeoff is routine intensity: fragrance, menthol, added color, BHA, and a bead texture make this more stimulating than a simple daily cleanser.

Beauty Briefing Verdict 2026 09 21T110332.459

What it claims

Clean & Clear says Morning Burst gently removes oil and pore-clogging impurities and highlights vitamin C, BHA, and MoodScentz technology. The current U.S. page positions it for balanced, combination, and oily skin and lists blackheads and pores, oily skin, and dull skin among the concerns it targets.[1]

Claims vs. formula

Sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate and cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine provide the strong foam and surface-oil removal. That matches the brand’s balanced-, combination-, and oily-skin positioning.

Salicylic acid is present, but Clean & Clear does not disclose the concentration and does not present this cleanser with an OTC acne Drug Facts panel.[1] You should treat the BHA as rinse-off exfoliating support for surface and pore-related buildup rather than assume this is a clearly dosed acne treatment.

Sodium ascorbyl phosphate supplies the vitamin C story. In a short-contact rinse-off cleanser, it is better understood as a supporting ingredient than as a treatment for persistent dullness or dark spots.

Cellulose creates the soft bursting-bead texture and adds physical exfoliation. Menthol, fragrance, and added color make the cleanser feel more sensory and cooling, but they do not improve the core cleansing or exfoliating function.

Ingredients that matter

Sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate and cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine form a foaming system that removes surface oil and daily residue. Sorbitol adds a humectant ingredient, while salicylic acid supplies a BHA component with no disclosed concentration or finished-product pH. This is not enough information to classify the cleanser as a dosed OTC acne treatment.

Sodium ascorbyl phosphate is a vitamin C derivative, and the cellulose texture supplies a sensory polishing effect. Added fragrance, menthol and iron oxides matter more to formula preferences than the idea that the vitamins deliver leave-on treatment benefits from a brief face wash.

Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate

Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate

Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a well-established cleansing and foaming surfactant used mainly in rinse-off formulas. Sulfate-free does not automatically mean mild; the complete cleanser determines strength and comfort.

Read the IngredientBrief
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine

Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine

Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a well-established cleansing and foam-supporting surfactant used mainly in rinse-off formulas. The complete surfactant system determines cleansing strength and tolerability.

Read the IngredientBrief
Clear liquid being poured from a glass bottle, skincare ingredient focus.

Salicylic Acid

If blackheads or mild breakouts are your concern, salicylic acid can help unclog pores. Choose one cleanser or leave-on treatment your skin tolerates; 2% isn't automatically better.

Read the IngredientBrief
Vitamin C skincare bottles and orange slices for healthy skin.

Vitamin C

If dullness or uneven tone is your concern, some topical vitamin C formulas can help. Look for stability and tolerability, not just a high percentage.

Read the IngredientBrief

Safety and regulatory context

Clean & Clear markets the cleanser for balanced, combination and oily skin. The ingredient list on record also includes menthol and fragrance as well as a colorant; none is proof of harm, but they narrow the fit if your skin is easily irritated or you avoid scented skincare.[1]

Because the brand does not disclose the concentration of its BHA or a medicated acne Drug Facts panel for this version, you should not treat the marketing language as evidence of 2% salicylic-acid acne treatment. If you already use exfoliating actives, avoid adding extra scrub pressure unnecessarily.

What to expect in the short term

You get noticeable foam, strong surface-oil removal, a cooling menthol sensation, and a lightly polished feel from the bead texture. If your skin is combination or oily and you enjoy an active-feeling cleanser, that experience may suit you.

If your skin is dry, very sensitive, fragrance-reactive, peeling, or treatment-stressed, the combination of foam, BHA, beads, menthol, and fragrance gives you more reasons to choose a simpler cleanser instead.

What to expect over time

The repeat-use value is straightforward cleansing with light chemical and physical exfoliation. The undisclosed BHA level and rinse-off format do not make this a treatment product for acne or pigmentation.

If your routine already includes retinoids, leave-on acids, benzoyl peroxide, or other exfoliating products, count this cleanser’s BHA and bead texture as additional routine intensity rather than treating the wash step as neutral.

At the Budget tier, the value makes the most sense if you specifically want a cooling foaming cleanser with built-in light exfoliation. If you want a simpler daily cleanser, the extra sensory ingredients add complexity without adding treatment-level benefit.

Who it fits

This makes the most sense if your skin is balanced, combination, or oily and you enjoy visible foam, cooling, and light exfoliation in the cleansing step.

If your skin is dry, very sensitive, fragrance-reactive, peeling, or heavily treated, a lower-sensory cleanser without physical exfoliation is easier to fit into your routine.

Compare before you buy

Final Assessment

If your skin is normal-to-oily and you enjoy cooling foam, Morning Burst combines a strong cleansing system with a light polishing texture and BHA-containing ingredient list. Menthol, fragrance and added color are practical tradeoffs, while the undisclosed salicylic-acid concentration does not establish acne-drug performance. At the Budget tier, choose it for a sensory cleansing experience rather than treatment-level brightening or pore correction.

Where to buy

Choose a retailer to view current pricing and availability.

Amazon

We may earn a commission through these links at no additional cost to you.

Last reviewed: October 2026

Sources

  1. Clean & Clear. Clean & Clear Morning Burst Facial Cleanser. Official U.S. product page, October 14, 2026; positioning, use format and official claims.

    Return to citation.

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