Top 7 Face Cleansers for Every Skin Type
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Good morning everyone ! In today’s article, Today, we’re diving into the world of cleansers! I know, not the most exciting topic, but trust me, it’s important. So, let’s jump right in and explore my top 7 picks for cleansers that work for all skin types!
If you don’t have time to read this post right now, why not save it for later?
Top 7 Face Cleansers for Every Skin Type
why cleanse? (why not!)
Yeah, cleansers get a lot of hype these days. Some are crazy expensive, which makes me cringe. It bugs me when they promise miracles in a bottle, too. Let’s be real, that’s not happening.
But here’s the thing: cleansers are actually pretty underrated. Most folks don’t realize how much good they can do for your skin. When you figure out what your skin needs and find the right cleanser, it can totally change your skincare game and make you feel better overall.
Think about it like this: back in the 1840s, people learned that washing their hands helps stop the spread of disease. Well, the same goes for your face, just not with diseases. Throughout the day, our skin picks up all sorts of gunk like pollution, makeup, and other stuff that speeds up aging.
Washing your face at the end of the day helps your skin renew itself better and fight off aging. So, using a good cleanser isn’t just about keeping your face clean; it’s about giving your skin a fighting chance to stay healthy and young for longer.
how do Face cleansers work?
Cleansers work via one word which has gone in kind of a bad rep, but we’re going to talk about it fully in this article: surfactants.
Picture this: S-P-E-R-M. Strange analogy, I know, but bear with me. Surfactants are like that, with a head that loves water and a tail that loves oil. Essentially, these little agents, regardless of their gender, roam around your face, tackling all the dirt and grime. The tails latch onto the gunk, while the water-loving heads facilitate its removal. It’s a neat process of encapsulating and whisking away all the daily debris from your skin.
Understanding the science behind it all is pretty mind-blowing. However, there are a couple of hiccups with cleansers. We’ve somehow grown fond of that sensation of being stripped bare and squeaky clean. Remember when JLo praised her cleanser for giving her that squeaky clean feel? Yeah, cringe-worthy. That squeaky clean vibe might seem appealing, but it’s actually a sign of a compromised skin barrier, which is far from ideal.
We’ve been conditioned to think that squeaky clean is the way to go, but it’s not. Cleansers with their water-loving heads and oil-hating tails can indeed remove all the junk, but they can also strip away your skin’s natural oils in the process. So, what we really need is a cleanser that strikes a delicate balance between effective cleansing and preserving your skin’s natural moisture.
My second problem with cleansers is how they affect your skin’s pH balance. Our skin naturally has a slightly acidic pH, around 5.5. But many soaps have a higher, more basic pH, which can mess with your skin’s natural balance. This disruption can weaken your skin’s protective barrier and make you more prone to irritation, especially if you already have sensitive skin.
If you’re like me and generally have pretty healthy skin without many issues, you might not need to worry too much about pH levels in your cleanser. But if you have conditions like eczema, psoriasis, or acne, or if your skin is easily irritated or sensitive, it’s something to pay attention to.
Unfortunately, most brands don’t advertise the pH of their cleansers, so it can be hard to find one that’s just right. Ideally, you want a cleanser with a pH around 5.5 to 6, not too acidic but not too basic either.
My third issue with cleansers is more personal: I wear eyeliner that’s stubborn to remove. I haven’t found a cleanser that can completely get rid of it without stripping my skin or requiring multiple steps, so I resort to double cleansing.
why double cleanse
I don’t start with an oil-based cleanser when I do my double cleanse. Instead, I use Micellar water by Bioderma first to get rid of makeup and any visible stuff on my skin. Then, I use a gentle cleanser. I’ve been doing this for years because I haven’t found a cleanser that does both jobs well.
(If you have a favorite cleanser that you think does a good job of double cleansing, please share it in the comments below. I’d love to hear your recommendations!)
My Top 7 Face Cleansers for Every Skin Type
best Face Cleansers for Oily Skin:
If your skin gets really oily, like you wake up and your face feels greasy, or if by the afternoon you feel like you need to wash your face again because of all the oil, you should use gel-based cleansers. But don’t go for ones that make your skin feel super dry. If you wash your face too much or with harsh products, it can actually make your skin produce even more oil.
So, try not to wash your face too often. Maybe start by just washing it at the end of the day for a few days and see how your skin reacts. If that’s too hard, you can wash it at night and in the morning instead.
One gel cleanser I like is made by Jordan Samuel. He’s a friend of my partner, and I got to know about his cleanser when I met him at tis Gala. It’s a bit expensive, around $28, but it’s totally worth it.
This cleanser is gentle on the skin and doesn’t make it feel dry. It doesn’t have hyaluronic acid, but it still keeps the skin hydrated because it’s glycerin-based. The texture is smooth and nice, and it even helps with removing makeup. Though, you’ll still need a makeup remover like micellar water before using it.
best Face Cleansers for dry Skin:
If your skin is dry, you should use a cleansing lotion or oil, preferably oil-based ones. They might sound intimidating, but they’re good for very dry skin. Unlike regular oils like olive oil, oil-based cleansers are better at removing makeup because they can mix with it well. Regular oils leave some makeup behind because they don’t mix with water.
Let me tell you about “Then I Met You” cleansing balm. It costs $38, which is quite pricey, but it’s effective at removing makeup. You might still need to use Bioderma before using it if you wear heavy makeup. It’s hard to find a cleanser that’s great at both makeup removal and cleansing, but this one is good if you have dry skin.
best Face Cleansers for Sensitive Skin:
Let’s talk about skin that’s easily bothered—yeah, I’m talking about you, sensitive skin! I’ve got a couple of favorites for you. First up is this one from Aveeno. It’s called the “Common Restore” oat cleanser. It’s kind of like the gel moisturizer from the same line that I really like.
This cleanser has a gel-like texture too, and it’s great for dry and sensitive skin because oats are really good at soothing and hydrating. It’s made with glycerin which is nice, but I have a small issue with it. They’ve added sodium hyaluronate at the end of the ingredients list, and I’m not sure why. It’s probably in a tiny amount, but it bugs me a bit.
Still, it’s a good choice for dry skin. And for sensitive skin, it’s awesome because it’s fragrance-free, which is a big plus. It’s not perfect for removing makeup all by itself though, you’ll need water for that. But overall, not bad at all, especially for the price of $9.
Finally, I really like Vanicream. I’ve talked about it a lot. (It’s crazy they haven’t contacted me yet!) But I like their stuff because it’s cheap, simple, and it works. It’s like a magic product – no dyes, fragrances, or other unnecessary stuff. It doesn’t have bad stuff like parabens or formaldehyde either.
Plus, it’s approved by the National Eczema Association, which is great if you have eczema. It’s not the best at removing makeup, so I use micellar water after. It gets creamy when you use it, but there’s always a bit left behind. That’s the Vanicream gentle facial cleanser, $9. So, these are the cleansers I recommend for sensitive skin.
best Face Cleansers for acne prone skin:
If you’re grappling with acne breakouts and have oily skin, you might want to consider opting for a gel or foaming cleanser. Personally, I tend to steer clear of foaming cleansers because they can sometimes strip away too much oil.
Take, for example, CeraVe’s version, which contains 4% benzoyl peroxide and sells for $15. Another option is PanOxyl, priced at $9, also featuring benzoyl peroxide. However, the pH level of CeraVe’s cleanser and its gentleness on the skin remain uncertain; perhaps we’ll conduct a pH test in the future.
La Roche-Posay provides an alternative with their purifying foaming cleanser, designed for acne-prone skin. What makes this one stand out is the inclusion of ceramides, which help to maintain hydration despite it being a foaming cleanser. Unlike CeraVe’s product, it doesn’t contain benzoyl peroxide, making it a better choice for those concerned about drying out their skin too much.
Face Cleansers that’s not worth your money :
7And now, onto the things that really grind my gears: Augustine Bader. I mean, seriously? $72 for a jar of what essentially amounts to heavy gel cream? Give me a break.
And don’t even get me started on clé de peau beauté, charging $75 for a cleansing foam. Look, if you’ve got the cash to burn, go ahead, but let’s be real here—you don’t need to drop that kind of money on a cleanser.
Cleansers should be the one skincare step where you can save a few bucks and splurge elsewhere.
Finally active ingredients and cleansers. I’m not sold on the idea, unless we’re talking about tackling acne. And even then, the only way I’ll endorse it is if you let it sit on your skin for a few minutes before rinsing. Otherwise, what’s the point? You’re just washing away all those supposed benefits down the drain.
So , Augustine bader can rave all they want about their proprietary TTF whatever, but if it’s getting washed off before it can work its magic, it’s not worth the price tag.
The bottom line
I hope you guys picked up a thing or two about face cleansers. Drop me a line—I’m curious to hear which cleanser you swear by for efficiently removing makeup while cleansing your skin.
My readers’ feedback matters to me. If you have any questions or thoughts, please leave a comment below.
