5 Best Face Cleansers

Cleansing is the first and importance step for any skincare regime. It is also essential for a clean and clear skin. Face cleansing should be done atleast two times a day, morning and at night. Cleansing before a makeup application and a cleansing face before going to bed, to get rid of dirts, oils, make up residues greatly helps skin from clogged pores, acne breakouts, blackheads, premature aging, and dullness.

The face skin differs from body skin with respect to its sensitivity, characteristic and exposure, and various other factors. And hence face cleansers are carefully formulated so that it satisfies and meets all the possible requirement of the face skin. Equally a face cleanser must not be too harsh so that the skin’s natural moisturize is left undisturbed or left intact.

What is a Cleansers?

A cleanser is anything in the form of gel, cream, lotion, spray, wash or powder that cleanses the skin and gets rid of grime, dirts, excess oil, make up application and other residues and impurities, unnecessary to the skin. There are varieties of cleansers available in the market, from the one that foams more to the one that foams less. But there is always a misconception that product that foams better remove dirts well, simultaneously the same can hurt the skin in the long run by removing the protective oil or moisturize of the skin.

A good cleanser removes face make-up, excess oil, dead skin cells and tiny dirt particles without disturbing the natural moisture balance and the skin’s nature.

Basic Purpose of Cleansers

Generally a face cleanser is used to free skin from dirts, excess oil and residues inhaled onto the skin during travel or exposure to unfriendly environment such as pollution, dusts and many more. A face cleanser is expected to deep clean the skin, remove residues, stubborn dirts and excess oil.

Benefits of Cleansers

  • Cleanses the skin from dirts, pollution, and other impurities.
  • Cleanses and unclogs the skin pores.
  • Removes make-up.
  • Eliminates excess oil from the skin.
  • It allows skin to feel fresh, free from dirts and clogged residues.
  • Some cleansers provide gentle exfoliation of the skin. 

Long Term Benefits

In general cleansers are used to remove dirts, residues instantly from the skin, and so long term benefits are minimal. The suggested use of a face cleanser can contribute to a clear skin in a long run. A skin that is devoid of clogged pores, acne and black heads.

How to Use Cleansers

Most cleansers are used twice a day, morning and at night. After massaging a small amount of the cleanser onto the damp face and rinse off immediately.

General Ingredients Used in the Cleansers

Every skincare product has its own formulation methods and there are few ingredients/substances that are must for a particular category of skincare product. The same applies when it comes to cleansers.

Selection and proportion of the surfactants with other ingredients used in the cleanser plays an important role in deciding the effectiveness of the face cleanser.

Surfactant is a substance that helps water to attract dirts and flushes it and examples of Surfactants include sodium lauryl sulfate, free fatty acid salts, Polygluconates. Most of the cleansers are a combination of acids, oils and preservatives. We may look for or prefer cleansers that also contain the following:

  • Organic/natural cleaning ingredients like extracts of Aloe Vera, coconut oil, raw milk, honey, oats
  • Glycerin is a sugar alcohol derivative and it is capable of retaining moisture in the skin and refreshes it.
  • Natural ingredient for fragrances and color
  • Alcohol and paraben free
  • Should be a vegan product
  • USDA Organic Seal or BIOGRO approved

How to Choose Cleansers for Your Skin Type

Knowledge about your skin helps you in deciding what’s best for your skin.

Types of Face Cleansers

Gel cleansers

This type of cleansers has transparent gel like appearance and suitable for deep cleansing of the skin. It is very easy to use and combines with water easily to perform mild cleansing without stripping off the natural moisture. It cleans and unblocks the skin pores, removes excess oil and provides required protection for the skin after cleansing. Gel cleansers are suitable for acne prone skin and oily skin.

Cream Cleansers

Cream cleansers has a thick cream like consistency and are mostly white in color, hence they are also called milk cleansers. This type of cleanser contains a moisturizing agent and also provides an effective cleansing of the skin. It contains ingredients that don’t disturb the natural moisture balance of the skin. Cream cleansers are suitable for dry and sensitive skin.

Foam Cleansers

Foam cleansers are the ones that form a strong lather when combined with water. This type of cleanser is light in weight and easily removes excess oil and also gently removes the dead skin cells. It is as effective as the Gel cleanser and suitable for oily and normal skin type.

Oil-based Cleansers

Oil cleansers are generally natural or organic without much of acids and chemicals. Oil based face cleansers effectively removes make up, dirts and excess oil and also conditions and hydrates the skin. It suits almost all the skin types.

Micellar Water

Micellar water is portable, easy to use and available in various forms. It is a multipurpose skincare product that does an effective and deep skin cleansing. It also hydrates and conditions skin thus making it smooth and soft. It calms the skin and gets rid of makeup, excess oil, dirts and other impurities instantly.

Micellar water also acts as a mild toner, cleaning and shrinking skin pores. It suits almost all the skin type especially dry and sensitive skin.

Clay Cleansers

A Clay cleanser has “clay” as its main and active ingredient and they are best known for pore cleansing. It is really important to clean the skin pores to avoid future acne and blackheads. They are good at removing all sorts of impurities from the skin by absorbing them and get removed when rinsed with water. Clay cleansers are suitable for dry skin, normal or oily skin.

Side Effects of Using Cleansers

Excessive use of face cleansers might strip off oil natural oil of the skin and cause skin dryness, which in turn causes premature aging of the skin.

Best Face Cleansers

Reviews and Buying Guide for Face Cleansers

1. Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser 8 fl oz

Every day is a fight for the survival and this fight brings along a lot of dirt and bacteria. This dirt enters your facial pores and lead extra to oily skin. Does not matter if your skin is oily, or normal or a combination one, wash your face with cetaphil facial cleanser and you will get the best results that is oil free and cleansed skin.

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Benefits Of The Product

  • Gives you a feel of fresh and clean skin
  • Leaves natural moisture of skin untouched
  • Removes surface oils, dirt and makeup

Product Usage Details

  1. Massage a small amount onto wet skin and rinse. Use it twice a day, morning and at night on every day basis.

Suitable Skin Type

For all skin types

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2. Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser 16 Ounces

This line of products is no philosophy, but sole truth. There are no serious chemicals added as this is a nature inspired product. The natural oils contained by the product help conditioning your skin. There is no chance of any reaction or inflammation.

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Benefits Of The Product

  • Deep cleans pores
  • Gently removes artificial makeup
  • Moisturises and enriches skin tone

Product Usage Details

  1. Massage for 30-60 second a small quantity of the cleanser on moist face. Rinse your face and follow with appropriate treatment and moisturizer, if necessary. Use morning and in the evening.

Suitable Skin Type

Safe for all skin types

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3. Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Cottonseed "Normal/Combination Skin"

Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser is made for both normal and combination skin types. It is a gentle foam cleanser. It gives a highly refreshing lather that can be rinsed off quite easily and it is the perfect product for removing impurities and excess oils.

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Benefits Of The Product

  • Cleanses the pores
  • Removes make-up
  • Eliminates excess oil
  • Have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties

Product Usage Details

  1. Massage over the slightly wet face with light circular motions and rinse with cool water.

Suitable Skin Type

For normal or combination skin type.

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4. EltaMD Foaming Facial Cleanser, 7.0 oz

EltaMD Foaming Facial Cleanser contains protease enzymes and amino acid blend that help in fighting against any kind of inflammations. It gently unbinds make up from face, removes other impurities in the pores thus making it look smooth and fresh.

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Benefits Of The Product

  • Best suited for all skin types
  • Protease enzymes help reduce inflammation of the skin
  • Removes makeup, and cleanses other impurities

Product Usage Details

  1. Take a few quantity of the cleanser and massage-in gently and evenly to moistened face and neck. It takes nearly 30 seconds to lather. Once the lather is formed rinse off well with lukewarm water. Safe for daily use, morning and at night.

Suitable Skin Type

Safe for all skin types

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5. Ursa Major Fantastic Face Wash - Natural Brightening Gel Cleanser for an Invigorating and Non-Drying Cleanse with Cedar, Spearmint and Lime

It is the best product in the entire universe when it comes to face cleansing. The natural and healthy ingredients enhance the quality of your skin. Nobody can miss out the fragrance part. It smells absolutely stunning. It is concentrated gel based foaming cleanser that will pamper your skin with a thorough and deep cleanse. This all in one cream containing 99.5% naturally-derived and contains 51% organic ingredients soothes and hydrates skin, exfoliates and brightens, antioxidants to help promote healthy skin. This product contains no paraben, glycols, sulphates, synthetic fragrance, and colour. It is a natural product for men as well as women and can be used post workout, AM and PM to stay fresh.

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Benefits Of The Product

  • Deep cleanses without disturbing the natural moisture of the skin
  • Removes excess oil
  • Exfoliates dead surface skin (AHA/BHA complex)
  • Brightens, soothes and hydrates skin
  • Best suited for skin affected by acne problem

Product Usage Details

  1. Take quarter-size dose into palm and massage thoroughly over moisturised face, neck and around ears. Hold on for 30-60 seconds for an exfoliation to complete and rinse well.

Suitable Skin Type

Safe for all skin types

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