Skin Cleansing 101: The Best Cleanser for Your Skin Type

Overview

It’s the most basic beauty advice out there: wash your face! And it’s true, regular skin cleansing is vital to ensuring the health of our skin. Throughout the day our skin faces external aggressors such as bacteria, pollutants and dirt, so daily cleansing is essential to prevent build-up.

 

The key to cleansing well is using formulas that seek to protect the skin barrier with nourishing ingredients and a pH similar to that of our skin. A good cleanser should not disrupt the skin barrier, and having clean skin does not mean that our skin needs to feel ‘squeaky clean’, tight or dry afterwards. The CeraVe Range has 8 cleansers for different skin types and needs.

 

Understanding Your Skin Type

Finding the right facial cleanser begins with understanding your skin type. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recognises five primary types of skin: normal, oily, dry, sensitive, and combination. Each skin type has its own set of unique characteristics, which are largely influenced by how much sebum (natural oils) your skin produces. Your skin type can change over time as you age or due to hormone fluctuations, stress, and your environment.

If you’re not sure what type of skin you have, keep reading for a brief explanation of each type:

• Normal skin: This skin type is usually well-balanced and doesn’t experience excess dryness or oiliness. Normal skin is also generally free of skin concerns like visible pores, acne, and sensitivity.
  
  Browse Facial Cleansers for Normal Skin

 

• Dry skin: Because it lacks moisture, dry skin can feel tight, itchy, and uncomfortable. Those with dry skin may also experience rough texture, visible fine lines and wrinkles, and dullness.
  
  Browse Facial Cleansers for Dry Skin

 

• Oily skin: If you have oily skin, your skin overproduces sebum. This abundance of natural oils can leave oily skin susceptible to acne breakouts, enlarged pores, blackheads, and unwanted shine.
  
  Browse Facial Cleansers for Oily Skin

 

• Combination skin: This skin type is dry in some places but oily in others. People with combination skin often experience oiliness around their T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) and dry patches on their cheeks.
  
  Browse Facial Cleansers for Combination Skin

 

• Sensitive skin: If you tend to experience stinging, burning, and redness after applying skincare products, you probably have sensitive skin. This skin type is measured by how reactive your skin is to the environment. Although it's classified as a skin type on its own, any of the above skin types can also experience sensitivity.
  
  Browse Facial Cleansers for Sensitive Skin

 

Best CeraVe Cleanser for Your Skin Type

Best Cleanser for Dry Skin: Hydrating Cleanser

Ideal for: Normal to dry skin on the face, body and hands. This soap-free, non-foaming lotion gently cleanses the skin while increasing its hydration.

 

Star ingredients:

- 3 Essential Ceramides to protect the skin barrier

- Hyaluronic Acid to retain skin’s moisture

 

Use with:

- Face:  CeraVe AM Facial Moisturising Lotion with SPF 50 to protect against harmful UV rays

- Body: CeraVe Moisturising Cream to nourish your Dry Skin

- Hands: CeraVe Reparative Hand Cream to replenish your hands after washing them

 

Best Cleanser for Oily Skin: Foaming Cleanser

Ideal for: Normal to oily skin and can be used on the face, body and hands. This refreshing, foaming gel gently removes dirt and oil without irritating or stripping the skin of hydration.

 

Star ingredients:

- 3 Essential Ceramides to protect the skin barrier

- Niacinamide to calm the skin

 

Use with:

- Face: CeraVe AM Facial Moisturising Lotion with SPF 50 to protect against harmful UV rays

- Body: CeraVe Moisturising Lotion to lightly nourish the skin

- Hands: CeraVe Reparative Hand Cream to replenish your hands after washing them

 

Best Cleanser for Blemish-Prone Skin: Blemish Control Cleanser

Ideal for: Oily skin. Refreshing gel-to-foam facial cleanser for blemish-prone skin that helps to reduce the appearance of blemishes and blackheads. Removes excess oil while leaving the skin feeling soft and smooth.

 

Star ingredients:

- Salicylic acid

- Niacinamide

- 3 essential ceramides

 

Use with:

- Blemish Control Gel: A facial moisturiser for blemish-prone skin and blackheads, helping skin look noticeably clearer. The formula penetrates pores to eliminate the cause of blemishes, while protecting the skin’s natural barrier.

- Resurfacing Retinol Serum with Ceramides & Niacinamide: Designed to reduce the appearance of post-acne marks by exfoliating & brightening the skin, while protecting the skin’s natural barrier.

 

Best Cleanser for Rough & Bumpy Skin: SA Smoothing Cleanser

Ideal for: Dry, rough & bumpy skin. The lightly foaming gel formula gently cleanses and exfoliates the skin without disrupting the skin barrier. It is also suitable for skin with Keratosis Pilaris.

 

Star ingredients:

- 3 Essential Ceramides to protect the skin barrier

- Salicylic Acid to gently exfoliate and smooth the skin

 

Use with:

- Face: CeraVe AM Facial Moisturising Lotion with SPF 50 to protect against harmful UV rays

- Body: NEW SA Smoothing Cream with 10% Urea and LHA to smooth the skin in just 3 days*

- Hands: CeraVe Reparative Hand Cream to replenish your hands after washing them

 

Best Cleanser for Very Dry Skin: Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser

Ideal for: Normal to very dry skin. A foaming oil formula that gently cleanses while providing a nourishing comfort to leave skin on the face and body looking healthy and feeling refreshed.

 

Star ingredients:

- 3 essential ceramides

- Triglyceride

- Squalane

 

Use with:

- Advanced Repair Ointment: A lightweight, multi-purpose ointment that helps to restore the skin barrier, locking in moisture for lasting hydration and instant relief on very dry, chapped and cracked skin.

- Moisturising Cream: Includes three essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid to effectively hydrate the skin and protect the skin’s protective barrier.

 

Best Cleanser for Removing Makeup: Micellar Cleansing Water

Ideal for: All skin types. Works to remove dirt, excess oils and makeup without leaving the skin feeling stripped.

 

Star ingredients:

- 3 essential ceramides

- Niacinamide

 

Use with:

- AM Facial Moisturising Lotion SPF 50: A daily lightweight facial moisturiser, with SPF 50+ UVB/UVA protection, hyaluronic acid and 3 essential ceramides, helping to protect the skin’s natural barrier and leave skin feeling soothed and hydrated for up to 24 hours.

- PM Facial Moisturising Lotion: A lightweight facial moisturiser, formulated with niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and 3 essential ceramides, helping to protect the skin’s natural barrier and provide a continuous release of hydration for up to 24 hours, locking in moisture all night long.

 

Best Cleanser for Combination Skin: Balancing Air Foam Cleanser

Ideal for: Normal to combination skin. This foaming facial cleanser helps control oil for up to 8 hours* while hydrating the skin for up to 24 hours** for a healthier-looking skin barrier. 

 

Star ingredients:

- 3 essential ceramides

- Glycolysine Cleansing Technology for gentle and effective cleansing that helps improve the skin barrier function

 

Use with:

-AM Facial Moisturising Lotion SPF 50: A lightweight facial day-time moisturiser, with SPF 50+ UVB/UVA protection, helping to protect the skin’s natural barrier and leave skin feeling soothed and hydrated for up to 24 hours.

-Oil Control Moisturising Gel-Cream for Oily Skin: Use at night to help absorb excess oil while maintaining a healthy skin barrier for all day hydration, without the shine. 

 

Types of Face Cleanser

Now that you’re all caught up on the basics, it’s time to learn how to choose a face cleanser based on your skin type. Keep reading for a deep dive into the types of face cleansers you can consider adding to your routine.

No matter which formula you choose, all of CeraVe’s facial cleansers are fragrance-free, gentle on your skin, and feature three essential ceramides to ensure effective cleansing without disrupting the skin’s protective barrier.

 

Gel facial cleansers

Gel cleansers effectively remove light makeup, dirt, and excess oil. These lightweight formulas generally produce a lather and leave your skin feeling refreshed, deeply cleansed, and comfortable. CeraVe’s gel cleansers also feature additional ingredients to support hydrated, healthy-looking skin – such as hyaluronic acid and niacinamide – and exfoliating ingredients like salicylic acid.

• Ideal For: Normal, Oily, and Combination Skin
• Try: CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, our gentle exfoliating cleanser with salicylic acid that smooths and softens your skin without disrupting its protective barrier.

 

Cream & lotion facial cleansers

Lotion and cream-based cleansers often feature a rich, silky texture and tend to feel moisturising and soothing on the skin. These face cleansers may create a lather, but this will depend on each specific product. CeraVe’s lotion and cream cleansers are excellent options for gently cleansing dry skin but also include targeted options for specific skin concerns – including a benzoyl peroxide formula for acne-prone skin.

• Ideal For: Normal, Dry, and Sensitive Skin
• Try: CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser, a gentle cream cleanser with hyaluronic acid and ceramides that cleanses and refreshes your skin without over-stripping it.

 

Foaming face washes

Foaming face washes can deliver different levels of lather, from mild bubbling to a full-on foaming texture. These cleansers begin as a gel or cream and transition into a foam when applied to the skin with water. They typically make good options for those with oily skin and a lot of pore congestion, as well as anyone who wants a deep clean feel when they wash their face.

• Ideal For: Normal, Oily, Combination, and Acne-Prone Skin
• Try: CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser, our non-drying gel-to-foam cleanser formula for normal to oily skin that deeply cleanses, removes excess oil, and refreshes your skin. If you have combination skin, try CeraVe Balancing Air Foam Cleanser, to clean and hydrate skin, whilst controlling excess oil and shine.

 

Oil-based cleansers

 As the name suggests, oil-based face cleansers use moisturising oils (such as jojoba oil) as their primary ingredients. They are usually formulated as cleansing oils or balms and leave skin with a nourishing, deeply hydrated feel, making them ideal for dry skin. Oil-based cleansers are also commonly used for makeup removal and as the first step in a double cleansing routine.

• Ideal For: Normal, Dry, and Sensitive Skin
• Try: CeraVe Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser, a unique foaming oil formula gently cleanses while providing a nourishing comfort that leaves skin on the face & body looking healthy and feeling refreshed.

 

Micellar water

Micellar waters are liquid cleansing formulas that can help remove excess oil, dirt, and makeup without leaving the skin feeling stripped or disrupting the skin barrier. These no-rinse cleansers feature molecules called micelles that act like magnets to gently lift impurities off your skin’s surface. They make excellent options for cleansing on the go and can be used as the first step in a double cleansing routine.

• Ideal For: Most Skin Types
• Try: CeraVe Hydrating Micellar Water, an ultra-gentle, 3-in-1 cleansing water with ceramides and niacinamide that removes makeup, cleanses, and hydrates your skin.

For help choosing the right products for your specific skin type and concerns, use our Find My Skincare Routine tool.

 

Find the best CeraVe cleanser for you

Choosing the right cleanser starts with knowing your skin type – normal, dry, oily, combination, or sensitive. CeraVe offers a dermatologist-developed range of gentle, fragrance-free cleansers for every skin type. From hydrating and foaming formulas to oil cleansers and micellar water, there’s a CeraVe option for every skin need.

Ready to upgrade your skincare routine? Explore the full CeraVe cleanser range and find your perfect match today.

Revitalise Your Skin Today: Find Your Perfect Moisturiser for Dry Skin!

When you have dry skin, a hydrated, radiant complexion can feel impossible to achieve. But, by upgrading your everyday moisturiser to one suitable for your needs, you can start to strengthen your skin barrier and address chronic dryness. Find your perfect match today at cerave.co.uk