Superstar Skin Cleansers

Cleansing is the first step in your skin-care routine, so it’s important to find a cleanser that works for you in order to set the rest of your products up for success.

- Sherrie Strausfogel

A good scrub with a skin cleanser helps remove dirt, grime, sweat, excess oil, makeup, sunscreen, and dead skin cells. It refreshes your skin and lets it breathe. It also creates a clean foundation for you to apply serums, moisturizers, and makeup.

But squeaky clean skin can come with a price. Harsh sulfates, added fragrances, preservatives, and other ingredients formulated into many conventional face washes can damage the skin’s microflora and strip its natural oils, making skin feel tight or irritated. This stripping can also cause a pH imbalance, leading to breakouts.

Instead, choose natural cleansers that clean your face gently and have added benefits according to your skin type. For dry skin, look for a formula that balances a thorough clean with a healthy dose of hydration that locks in natural moisture. Hydrating ingredients include hyaluronic acid and ceramides.

Oily and acne-prone skin requires exfoliating ingredients, such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or alpha hydroxy acids. But don’t wash too aggressively or for too long to avoid red, irritated, angry-looking skin. Sensitive skin needs calming ingredients such as aloe, cucumber, or clay in milky or creamy textures.