The Absolute Best Face Wash for Your Personal Skin Type
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Not everyone’s skin has the same characteristics, therefore you should search for the best cleanser for your own personal concerns to see the best results. The best face wash for your skin type is one that balances oil, hydrates, controls excess or whatever else your skin is currently craving. Those with dry, combination, oily, sensitive or acne-prone skin need to look for a cleanser that contains the matching ingredients your skin needs. Not sure of your skin type? Well, there’s a pretty easy way to find out.
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Wash your skin and pat it dry. Don’t apply any moisturizers or serums for an hour. How does it feel? If it’s tight, it’s probably dry. Excess oil popping up? You just might be oily. Or, you could be a combination of them both. Unfortunately, if your skin is acne-prone or sensitive, you probably already know from seeing active breakouts or irritation regularly. Everything from hormonal and cystic acne to blackheads and whiteheads can benefit from an acne-fighting face wash. And those with sensitive skin should be wary of alcohols, excess fragrances and other harsh ingredients that can leave skin red and irritated.
As always, the best way to learn about your skin is by consulting with a dermatologist. But if you already seemingly know your skin type, now’s the time to start implementing a beneficial routine that can keep any issues under control.
Below, find a handful of our favorite cleansers for all skin types at every price point—because you don’t need to spend a million dollars to have great skin.
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Dry Skin
CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
TikTok skinfluencers are right—CeraVe has some of the best face wash around at an affordable price. This one contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid to hydrate and repair a damaged skin barrier. It’s great for normal or dry skin and won’t leave either feeling stripped after cleansing.
First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser
This gentle, fragrance-free cleanser removes dirt and makeup but leaves skin feeling soft and supple. It contains aloe and allantoin to soothe and calm skin, as well as glycerin to hydrate. It’s one of the best face washes for dry and dehydrated skin.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Cleansing Gel
Though the Hydro Boost moisturizer gets all the buzz, don’t dismiss this hyaluronic acid-infused cleanser from the same collection. The soap-free, oil-free, paraben-free and hypoallergenic formula deeply cleanses and helps repair dry skin at the same time.
Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Cleanser
Looking for the best face wash for ultra-dry skin? It’s this creamy cleanser. The lipid-enriched formula ensures that while you’re cleaning away dirt and excess oils, you’re not damaging your already dry skin. Your face will feel smooth after washing—never tight and uncomfortable.
Pai Skincare Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser + Cloth
Those with dry skin swear Pai’s gentle cleanser is one of the best face washes for dehydrated skin. The detergent- and alcohol-free formula contains omega 3 and vitamins A, B, C and E to nourish while it removes even stubborn sunscreen.
Oily Skin
Renée Rouleau Purifying Face Wash
One of the most important things to look for when you’re choosing the best face wash for oily skin is a formula that will remove excess oils without leaving skin feeling dry and tight. This one does just that with pore-purifying geranium oil, calming Sea Whip extract and redness-reducing chamomile extract.
Dermalogica Active Clay Cleanser
Mineral-rich clay, prebiotics and charocal unite to rid the skin of excess oil with this face wash. It gently lifts away dirt and sweat without stripping the skin dry.
Youth To The People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser
Cold-pressed antioxidants work to both remove makeup and prevent buildup in pores, making them appear smaller. The sulfate- and alcohol-free cleanser removes oil without drying so skin has the perfect pH balance.
Tatcha The Deep Cleanse
This luxe gel cleanser contains natural fruit exfoliant that removes impurities and unclogs pores without irritating oily skin that’s on the more sensitive side. Ground fibers from the fruit provide gentle physical exfoliation to help turn over dead skin cells and help tighten pores.
Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser
This mild cleanser contains coconut-based surfactants that are rich in fatty acids. If your idea of the best face wash is one with a good lather, well, this is the one for you. It helps remove excess oils and pollution deep in pores.
Combination Skin
Then I Met You Soothing Tea Cleansing Gel
The best face wash for combination skin is one that hydrates your dry parts and balances your oily ones without causing more issues. This sulfate-free gel cleanser contains fermented rice water to rid skin of dirt and sweat, as well as licorice root extract to brighten and green tea to calm skin.
Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser
This gentle face wash is a best-seller for a good reason. The non-comedogenic, foaming formula removes excess oils but won’t dry out the areas you’re a bit dehydrated.
CosRx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser
This gentle cleanser has mildly acidic pH levels to remove excess sebum without drying out your skin. It also has a BHA to lightly exfoliate to support cell turnover.
Farmacy Clean Bee Gentle Facial Cleanser
A blend of coconut, sugar and amino acids remove excess oil and hydrate dry spots. Plus, Echinacea GreenEnvy Honey provides antioxidant power to protect the natural skin barrier.
Elemis Superfood Facial Wash
If you’re not eating enough greens, at least you can apply them on your face. Vitamin-enriched organic pumpkin seed oil and black seed oil protects the skin’s lipid barrier, while protein-rich nettle extract acts as an anti-inflammatory.
Acne-Prone
Kate Somerville EradiKate Daily Foaming Cleanser
With 3 percent sulfur for powerful acne-fighting, this is one of the best face washes for acne-prone skin. It keeps pores clear and your skin’s oil production in check.
Murad Clarifying Cleanser
This gel face wash helps control breakouts with time-released salicylic acid that works long after you’ve finished cleansing.
Derma-E Acne Deep Pore Cleansing Wash
Fans of Derma-E’s blemish-busting cleanser love the way salicylic acid, tea tree oil and chamomile work together to clarify skin without leaving it red and irritated.
CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser
Let this cream-to-foam formula banish pimples, whiteheads and blackheads with 4 percent benzoyl peroxide. The addition of hyaluronic acid and niacinamide ensures it won’t dry out your skin.
SkinCeuticals LHA Cleanser Gel
A combination of LHA, glycolic and salicylic acid deeply purifies pores and refines skin’s texture. Expect clearer skin with way less breakouts.
Sensitive
Avène Gentle Milk Cleanser
The best face wash for sensitive skin is one that removes impurities without stripping the skin barrier. This soap-free, hydrating formula does just that.
Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser
This soap-free formula removes dirt, oil and even makeup without drying the skin.
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser
Looking for the best face wash for sensitive skin that’s unscented? This formula hydrates and cleanses with prebiotic thermal water, ceramide-3, niacinamide and glycerin.
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser
This pH-balanced gel cleanser removes even the most stubborn mascara without stripping skin. It contains amino acid-rich soy proteins to give suppleness to sensitive skin.
Honest Calm On Foaming Cream Cleanser
For a totally fragrance-free face wash for sensitive skin, this thick formula is a must-try. It contains micro hyaluronic acid to draw in moisture and amino acids to support a healthy skin barrier.
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