What’s the most important step in your skin care routine?
Cleansing.
Yup, cleansing. What is the point of meticulously tapping in your essences and serums, pressing in your hydrating toners, wearing sheet masks, or massaging in oils if your skin still has leftover makeup and sunscreen from your day? It’s like not washing your hair, but layering on a ton of hair products to keep it healthy. It just doesn’t work.
But how do you know which face cleanser is right for you? Some of us have oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, or a combination thereof. Today, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite cleansers for each skin type.
What is the point of meticulously tapping in your serums, pressing in your hydrating toners, or massaging in oils if your skin still has leftover makeup from your day?
Oily Skin
Contrary to popular belief, oily skin needs oil. All of the “oil-free” or “sebum-reducing” face cleansers simply dry out your skin, which in turn makes it create more oil. Instead, you want to balance your skin. This means using a gentle gel cleanser without harsh ingredients and preferably a low(-ish) pH. My faves?
COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser
This cleanser might not be the most aesthetically pleasing, but what it lacks in packaging it makes up for in performance. It’s incredibly no frills, but that’s the best thing about it. Since it’s low pH, it balances your skin, protects your delicate acid mantle, and balances oil overproduction.
Farmacy Clean Bee Ultra-Gentle Facial Cleanser
I keep this face cleanser in the shower. It’s the perfect gentle cleanser for after a workout, before a workout, or anywhere in between. It does a really great job of cleansing the skin, while infusing it with honey and hyaluronic acid to hydrate your skin.
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Dry Skin
Dry skin needs both moisture and hydration. Skip the gel cleansers and opt for something creamy or milky instead. Some notable ingredients you want to look for in a face cleanser are hyaluronic acid, which infuses the skin with hydration, and ceramides that lock moisture in.
Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser
I used to use this face cleanser way back in my college days, and I still love it today. It’s an incredibly gentle cleanser with a nice milky texture that gets your skin clean without stripping away moisture. Plus, it smells great too!
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Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser
I LOVE this cleanser. I know some people are put off by the fact that it doesn’t foam, but that’s my favorite part. The jelly texture is so satisfying, and it actually removes makeup in a pinch if you need to wash your face before a quick workout.
Sensitive Skin
If you have sensitive skin, it’s an indication that your acid mantle (the thin barrier that protects your skin) is damaged. To repair sensitive skin, you should look for face cleansers that have lots of nourishing, acid mantle-friendly ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, honey, cica, and a low pH.
Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Foam
If I could marry a cleanser, I think this luxe cleanser would be the one. Everything about it is an excellent sensory experience: the gentle foam, the herbal scent, the way it rinses off of the skin without leaving a film … swoon. It’s formulated with a variety of Korean herbal ingredients that are designed to nourish and protect your skin.
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Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser
Fragrance-free skin care lovers, rejoice! This gentle yet incredibly effective cleanser is fragrance-free (perfect for sensitive skin) and has the perfect lather. I received some for free as a Sephora sample and immediately went out and bought the full size after I tried it. Trust me, it’s that good.
So, what’s your skin type and your favorite face cleanser? Let me know in the comments!