Article Overview
- Facial cleansers are an essential skincare category that helps remove dirt, oil, and impurities from the skin.
- Simply Clean is a recommended facial cleanser that is suitable for normal to oily skin types. It effectively removes excess oil and impurities, leaving the skin feeling clean and refreshed.
- Gentle Cleanser is a mild and gentle facial cleanser suitable for sensitive or dry skin. It cleanses the skin without stripping away essential moisture, leaving it soft and hydrated.
- LHA Cleanser is a targeted facial cleanser that is ideal for acne-prone or congested skin. It exfoliates and unclogs pores, helping to reduce breakouts and improve skin clarity.
- Choosing the right facial cleanser for your specific skin type is crucial in maintaining a healthy and balanced complexion.
As the first step in any skincare regimen, cleansing sets the stage for products that follow. Although face wash is primarily designed to remove dirt, makeup, and other impurities, selecting the proper formulation for your skin type and unique concerns can provide an additional way to achieve your skincare goals.
How to get the best face wash results
Cleansing is far from complicated, but there are a few ways to make the most of this essential skincare step and get your routine off to an effective start.
- Remember, makeup wipes only remove makeup and it is important to cleanse with face wash twice a day. Although a single cleanse is generally sufficient in the morning, a double-cleanse is recommended in the evening. When you double cleanse, the first step helps wash away makeup and surface debris, while the second pass effectively cleanses the skin itself.
- Be gentle when washing your face. Using too much pressure can stimulate blood flow that can interfere with getting a deeper cleanse, and can also stimulate oil production, which those with oily or blemish-prone skin will want to avoid. Excess pressure can aggravate sensitive skin as well.
- Consider different cleansers for the morning and evening. Using a lighter foaming cleanser can leave skin feeling fresh and ready to face the day, while a more emollient cleanser with the power to dissolve sunscreen and makeup may be more beneficial at night.
- Keep in mind that premium cleansers can be more concentrated and require more water to optimize their surfactant capabilities. (A bottle or tube of any SkinCeuticals cleanser should last approximately three months.)
Selecting the Best Face Wash for Your Skin
The first step when selecting a facial cleanser is choosing a formula that is designed for your skin type. Whether dry, oily, combination, sensitive, or acne-prone, cleansing provides an extra opportunity to address the challenges associated with your unique skin.
What’s the Best Face Wash for Dry Skin?
Dry skin does not produce enough oil to adequately hydrate the skin, which can result in flaking, itching, and a sensation of tightness. External factors like seasonal changes, air conditioning, artificial heat, and harsh skincare products can make signs of dry skin worse. A face wash for dry skin is generally formulated with hydrating ingredients, and may have a richer, creamier texture.
SkinCeuticals cleansers to try: Featuring an emollient-rich surfactant and a 3% concentration of allantoin, glycerin, and orange oil, Gentle Cleanser is a mild, creamy, non-foaming face wash that effectively removes impurities and long-wear makeup as it leaves skin feeling soft and moisturized. For those with mature skin, Replenishing Cleanser features an amino acid-based surfactant system and a 15% concentration of ceramides, panthenol, glycerin, and essential oils. Its rich lather thoroughly removes impurities and long-wear makeup while maintaining the moisture balance of dry skin.
What’s the Best Face Wash for Oily Skin?
Oily skin produces excess sebum that can make the skin appear shiny and contribute to clogged pores that may lead to breakouts. Although oily skin is primarily genetic, hormonal fluctuations can play a role as well. A face wash for oily skin is designed to reduce excess oil while decongesting the pores and minimizing their appearance.
SkinCeuticals cleanser to try: Formulated with a skin-conditioning surfactant along with a 12% concentration of lipo-hydroxy acid, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, glycerin, and sorbitol, LHA Cleanser effectively removes excess oil and makeup as it helps decongest pores and brighten the skin. This foaming gel face wash is ideal for aging, blemish-prone skin as well.
What’s the Best Face Wash for Combination Skin?
Combination skin is characterized by oiliness in some areas (often the T-zone) and dry skin in others. These differing levels of oil-gland activity can be due to genetics, hormones, and environmental factors. A face wash for combination skin addresses excess oil and prevents clogged pores without stripping the skin of its natural moisture.
SkinCeuticals cleanser to try: Simply Clean is formulated to remove excess oil, long-wear makeup, and other impurities while gently exfoliating dead cells to reveal smoother, softer skin. This foaming gel face wash features an amino acid-based surfactant system and a 6% concentration of sulfonic acid (HEPES), glycerin, chamomile and aloe extracts, orange oil, and citric acid to smooth the feel of rough or uneven skin.
What’s the Best Face Wash for Sensitive Skin?
Sensitive skin can be caused by a variety of factors, including genetics, dry skin, or underlying skin conditions. Harsh skincare ingredients, fragrance, and external factors like extreme heat or cold and stress can aggravate sensitive skin as well. A face wash for sensitive skin is generally formulated with ingredients that calm and soothe sensitive skin.
SkinCeuticals cleanser to try: With a rich amelite surfactant and a 22% concentration of sorbitol, glycerin, orchid extract, and cucumber extract, Soothing Cleanser is a mild, soap-free face wash that calms sensitive, compromised, or post-procedure skin. Effective for removing long-wear makeup without heightening sensitivity, its dense foam transforms into a comforting emulsion upon contact with the skin.
What’s the Best Face Wash for Acne-Prone Skin?
Acne develops when pores become clogged with C. acnes bacteria, excess oil, and dead skin cells—and genetics, hormones, and stress can contribute to breakouts as well. The ideal face wash for acne-prone skin helps exfoliate dead cells and dissolve oil to prevent pores from becoming clogged.
SkinCeuticals cleanser to try: Offering the dual benefits of an effective cream-based face wash and exfoliating cleanser in one, Clarifying Exfoliating Cleanser purifies the skin and removes the buildup of dead cells. Featuring physical exfoliation with pumice beads and chemical exfoliation with a 7% combination of salicylic, glycolic, and lactic acids, it helps refine skin texture and brighten the complexion.
What’s the Best Face Wash for Aging Skin?
Visible signs of skin aging include fine lines and wrinkles, dullness, rough texture, and more—and one cause of these changes is a slowdown of the skin’s natural cell turnover. A face wash that provides gentle exfoliation with glycolic acid can help keep fresh, healthy cells on the skin’s surface.
SkinCeuticals cleanser to try: Formulated with a free-acid value of 8% glycolic acid plus a 1% concentration of phytic acid, aloe leaf juice, and glycerin, Glycolic Renewal Cleanser is a soft-foaming gel face wash that promotes bright, radiant skin. Suitable for twice-daily use, it effectively exfoliates while removing dirt, oil, impurities, and long-wear makeup without stripping or over-drying the skin.
To discover the best face wash for your skin type and unique concerns, use our online Regimen Finder, visit one of our SkinCeuticals SkinLab locations, or schedule an appointment with a SkinCeuticals Skincare Professional for a one-on-one consultation.
Next: Your Guide to Exfoliating Cleansers
Shop Featured Products
Gentle Cleanser
Mild face cleanser for sensitive skin
Replenishing Cleanser
Face wash for combination skin
LHA Cleansing Gel
LHA/AHA/BHA face cleanser for acne-prone skin
Simply Clean: Our Best Cleanser for Oily Skin
Gel cleanser for oily skin
Soothing Cleanser
Gentle foaming facial cleanser
Glycolic Renewal Cleanser
Glycolic acid exfoliating face wash
About Gretchen Wobensmith
Gretchen Wobensmith is a licensed aesthetician with 27 years of experience. She has been training professionally for large global brands for the last 20 years. Gretchen brings her skill set of having a deep understanding of skin histology and ingredient technology to the SkinCeuticals Global Education Team as their Product Lead. Gretchen shares her passion for mentoring skin care professionals, to elevate their knowledge and skill set in the medical skin care industry.
