Kate Somerville ExfoliKate® Cleanser Daily Foaming Wash Review
BeautyBrief™
Brand
Kate Somerville
Product
ExfoliKate® Cleanser Daily Foaming Wash
Claims check
You get meaningful rinse-off exfoliation from AHAs and enzymes plus useful finished-product cleansing data, while essential oils and routine overlap make the formula a more selective fit if your skin is reactive or already active-heavy.
Shopper fit
- Normal
- Combination
- Oily
Formula flags
- Essential oils
- Exfoliating acids
- Silicones
- Added color
Shopper preferences
- Cruelty-Free
Key ingredients
| Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate | Provides much of the foaming cleansing action and helps remove daily oil and residue. |
|---|---|
| Glycerin | Adds established humectant support around the cleansing and exfoliating system. |
| Lactic Acid | Contributes rinse-off AHA exfoliation for surface smoothing. |
| Glycolic Acid | Adds further surface-exfoliating support within the wash step. |
| Bromelain | Adds enzyme-based exfoliation and helps distinguish the formula from a basic foaming cleanser. |
Price tier
$$$ Premium
Value check
At the Premium tier, you are paying for a multi-path exfoliating cleanser with AHAs, enzymes, humectant support, and finished-product testing; the value is strongest if exfoliation in the wash step is specifically what you want.
Where to buy
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Bottom line
If you want exfoliation built into your cleanser, this gives you a well-supported Premium option with AHAs, enzymes, and finished-product testing. If your routine already includes strong actives or your skin is reactive, choose a simpler cleanser.
If you want exfoliation built into your cleansing step, Kate Somerville ExfoliKate® Cleanser Daily Foaming Wash gives you a genuinely active Premium option. Sodium cocoyl glycinate and lauramidopropyl betaine handle cleansing, while lactic acid, glycolic acid, bromelain, papain, and pumpkin ferment add chemical and enzyme exfoliation.
The main fit question is routine overlap. If you already use retinoids, leave-on AHAs or BHAs, scrubs, or other exfoliating treatments, this wash may add more exfoliation than your routine needs.
What it claims
Kate Somerville positions ExfoliKate® Cleanser as a gentle daily exfoliating wash that dissolves dirt, oil, makeup, and daily buildup while helping smooth dull surface texture and refine the appearance of pores. The brand highlights glycolic acid, lactic acid, and papaya, pineapple, and pumpkin enzymes and recommends about 30 seconds of massage before rinsing.[1]
The brand also publishes an independent 34-person study. After one use, 94% reported thorough cleansing of dirt, oil, and makeup and 94% said skin felt soft and refreshed; after seven days, 94% said pores felt thoroughly clean and purified.[1]
Claims vs. formula
Sodium cocoyl glycinate and lauramidopropyl betaine give you the primary cleansing action, while glycerin, xylitylglucoside, anhydroxylitol, xylitol, and aloe add moisture support around the more active cleansing system.
Lactic acid and glycolic acid provide AHA exfoliation, while bromelain, papain, and pumpkin ferment add enzyme-based exfoliation. The short rinse-off contact time keeps treatment expectations below those of a leave-on acid product.
Bergamot oil, orange peel oil, and geranium oil are essential oils that shape the sensory profile rather than the exfoliating function. Dimethicone PEG-8 meadowfoamate supports the Silicones flag, and CI 75810 supports Added Color. These are fit considerations, not automatic performance negatives.
The 34-person study supports short-term cleansing, softness, and cleaner-feeling pores. It does not establish permanent pore-size change.
Ingredients that matter
Sodium cocoyl glycinate: Gives you much of the foaming cleansing action and helps remove daily oil and residue.
Glycerin: Adds humectant support around the cleansing and exfoliating system.
Lactic acid: Adds rinse-off AHA exfoliation for surface smoothing.
Glycolic acid: Adds another surface-exfoliating pathway within the wash step.
Bromelain: Adds enzyme-based exfoliation and helps distinguish this from a basic foaming cleanser.
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Sodium cocoyl glycinate is a cleansing surfactant used in rinse-off formulas. The full surfactant blend determines mildness.
Read the IngredientBrief
Glycerin
If your skin feels dry or tight, glycerin helps your skin hold moisture. You don't need a high percentage or a separate serum when your moisturizer already works well.
Read the IngredientBrief
Lactic Acid
If roughness or dullness bothers you, lactic acid is a proven exfoliant. Choose a formula with a pH and strength your skin tolerates; a higher percentage isn't automatically better.
Read the IngredientBrief
Glycolic Acid
If rough texture or dullness bothers you, glycolic acid has evidence for smoother-looking skin. Choose a formula your skin tolerates; concentration and pH matter more than a high percentage.
Read the IngredientBriefWhat to expect in the short term
You get a foaming cleanse with more smoothing activity than a plain daily wash. The AHA-and-enzyme system is designed to loosen dull surface buildup while the surfactants remove oil, makeup, and routine residue.
What to expect over time
If your skin tolerates the formula, regular use can help keep dull surface buildup in check and support smoother-looking skin. Persistent discoloration, acne, or deeper texture concerns still need a leave-on treatment when stronger correction is your goal.
Who it fits
This makes the most sense if your skin is normal, combination, or oily and you want mild ongoing exfoliation built into cleansing.
If your skin is very dry, highly reactive, already over-exfoliated, or sensitive to aromatic oils, choose a simpler cleanser instead.
Compare before you buy
Choose ExfoliKate® Cleanser when you specifically want AHAs, enzymes, humectant support, and finished-product testing combined in one wash step.
Choose a simpler cleanser when exfoliation is already handled elsewhere in your routine or when minimizing aromatic oils matters more than having multiple exfoliating pathways.
Final assessment
Kate Somerville ExfoliKate® Cleanser Daily Foaming Wash gives you a genuinely active Premium cleanser with multiple exfoliating pathways and useful finished-product testing. Its value is strongest if you specifically want exfoliation built into cleansing; essential oils, silicone, added color, and routine overlap make it less universal than the all-skin-types marketing suggests.
Where to buy
Choose a retailer to view current pricing and availability.
We may earn a commission through these links at no additional cost to you. This does not affect our BeautyBrief.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Sources
- Kate Somerville. ExfoliKate® Cleanser Daily Foaming Wash. Current official U.S. product page. Accessed October 2, 2026.
Source for current product identity, current $46 full-size price, all-skin-types positioning, daily-use directions, approximately 30-second contact time, AHA and enzyme positioning, and the independent 34-person finished-product results. Stored INCI was accepted as verified for this revision sequence.
- PETA. Kate Somerville. Current company listing. Accessed October 2, 2026.
Source for the controlled Cruelty-Free Shopper Preference.
