Face cleansers are probably the least interesting skin product out there, but in reality, they’re one of the most important parts of your skincare routine.
If you’re not properly cleansing your face, especially at night to wash away the dirt, oil, grime, sunscreen and makeup that’s built up throughout the day, your skin is seriously going to suffer.
A face cleanser should be part of a double cleanse routine – one where you’re using a cleansing balm or oil first and then following up with a cleanser that is designed to work with your skin type. Because using the wrong one can really wreak havoc on your skin health.
HOW WE CHOOSE PRODUCTS
With hundreds of cleaners available, it’s impossible to test every product out there. To help you find the best face cleanser, we tested a few well-known brands at different price points. In addition, our shopping team read hundreds of customer reviews and looked at test results and ratings from product review sites to find the best cleanser for your skin.
In this article
OUR TOP PICKS
EDITOR’S PICKS: BEST OVERALL FACE CLEANSERS
Go-To Juicy Gel Cleanser, $39 at Go-To Skincare
Tried and Tested by Marina Tatas, Shopping Writer
Go-To Skincare has just dropped a brand new cleanser to join their extensive product line-up and I got the chance to test it out before launch, so it’s been a staple part of my skincare routine for the last few weeks.
And let me tell you, I’ve got quite a few cleansers on rotation at the moment and I can’t stop reaching for this one.
The new Juicy Gel Cleanser features all my favourite things in one. I’ve been using it morning and night and I love how the soap-free gel consistency transforms into a light lather as you rub it into wet skin.
It’s formulated with cucumber extract to hydrate and plump the skin, while lotus root water focuses on soothing the skin. Aloe vera is also incorporated to help restore the skin’s natural barrier, so all in all, you’ve got a bunch of calming and soothing ingredients to ensure your skin never feels dry or tight. And it seriously works.
After use, my skin feels cleans, soft and healthy. The formula is so gentle and hydrating and I think it’s going to be a favourite for all skin types. I’ve been using it as the second step in my double cleanse routine and I’ve been absolutely loving it so far. It’s also got a light cucumber and aloe vera fragrance that is super pleasant and not overpowering at all.
CeraVe Hydrating Cream To Foam Cleanser, $23.99 at Chemist Warehouse
Tried and Tested by Marina Tatas, Shopping Writer
If I had to pick one cleanser to use for the rest of my life, it’s got to be this one – I simply can’t live without it.
The Hydrating Cream to Foam Cleanser is made to be your answer to a double cleanse routine – the kind of product that does it all. While I still use a cleansing balm or oil beforehand, I can sleep easy knowing that this cleanser is getting everything off my skin.
And it does that by leaving my skin feeling soft, supple and hydrated – all thanks to the addition of hyaluronic acid, amino acids and ceramides.
I’ve tried pretty much every cleanser from the CeraVe range but this is by far my favourite.
It comes out in this gorgeous cream texture but once you add water, it transform into this foam, so you can easily lather it into the skin.
The best part? You can pick it up for just $24, and if you shop at the right time at Chemist Warehouse, you’ll find it for even cheaper. Score!
Benefit Cosmetics The Porefessional Good Cleanup Pore Purifying Foaming Cleanser, $49 at Sephora
Tried and Tested by Marina Tatas, Shopping Writer
This is my second bottle of the The Porefessional Cleanser from Benefit Cosmetics and I find that it does a fantastic job at properly cleansing my skin, getting all the gunk out, without leaving it feel tight or dry. In fact, my pores look tighter and smoother after using this cleanser consistently.
When you first pump the product, it comes out like a gel consistency but as you add water, it turns into a foam.
It’s formulated with lemon extract and yuzu extract for the pores, and different ceramides to preserve the skin’s moisture barrier.
Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash, $60 at Kiehl’s
What You Need To Know
The Kiehl’s Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash helps to balance all skin types – from normal to oily to dry – by gently removing dirt and impurities, and leaving you with soft, supple skin.
Calendula is one of the brand’s powerhouse ingredients, with it being featured in many of their skincare products. It works hard at controlling redness and calming sensitive skin types.
It’s racked up an average rating of 4.7 out of five on the Kiehl’s website, with happy customers calling it their “daily staple” and “perfect for sensitive skin”.
BEST FACE CLEANSERS FOR DRY SKIN
Properly Clean Facial Cleanser, $33 at Go-To Skincare
What You Need To Know
Zoe Foster-Blake’s skincare brand, Go-To, has loads of popular products – but on the face cleanser side of things, we love the gentle foaming wash that is Properly Clean. Throw out what you think you know about foaming cleansers – this product is gentle, doesn’t leave that tight-skin feeling when you rinse off, and is cruelty-free, vegan and pregnancy safe.
The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser, $34.90 at THE ICONIC
What You Need To Know
One of the most affordable and most loved face cleansers in this list, The Ordinary’s Squalane Cleanser is perfect for anyone with dry skin. Squalane is known for its anti-inflammatory and hydrating qualities, and is close to our skin’s pH which is why it’s so great in products for dry skin. This cleanser won’t leave you feeling dry or tight, trust me.
BEST FACE CLEANSERS FOR OILY SKIN
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Foaming Gel, $28.95 at Chemist Warehouse
What You Need To Know
La Roche-Posay is loved by many for its Effaclar range, which is designed for oily skin types. This cleanser is a hero product in the line. “I am up to my second bottle of this cleanser and I absolutely love it. It does a really great job at tackling breakouts and preventing them. I also have oily skin and it helps to control the oil. It leaves my skin feeling clean but not stripped,” one reviewer wrote on Adore Beauty.
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, $109 at Oz Hair & Beauty
What You Need To Know
One of Dermalogica’s most iconic products is the Special Cleansing Gel. It’s a soap-free formulation that slightly foams up to deeply cleanse the skin without damaging your moisture barrier – so you’re left with clean and soft skin.
Calming balm mint and lavender extracts help to soothe the skin, while natural quillaja saponaria works hard to remove oil, dirt and grime from the skin.
BEST FACE CLEANSERS FOR SENSITIVE SKIN
Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser, $18.68 at iHerb
Tried and Tested by Philippa Tonkin, eCommerce Content Coordinator
I first heard of this cleanser from one of my favourite skinfluencers @shitskinchat. Sakura had raved about the cleanser for her acne-prone skin and so I was keen to give it a go too. This gentle cleanser is designed to maintain the skin’s optimal pH level while also calming it too. As Sakura notes it features tea tree oil and betaine salicylate (which is a gentle form of BHA) so if your skin is super dry this might be one to stay away from. Overall, I appreciated the simplicity of this cleanser. It doesn’t try too hard but it works well and gets the job done.
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Caring Wash Cleanser, $29.95 at Chemist Warehouse
Tried and Tested by Hannah Paine, Editor
In my job I’m constantly trialling different products but this cleanser from La Roche-Posay is a favourite I always go back to. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve repurchased this and it does a better job than cleansers that are quadruple the price. Not only does it effectively remove makeup, sunscreen and dirt with just one wash. It leaves my skin feeling calm and plump afterwards and never tight. If you’ve got sensitive or dry skin that is easily stripped by cleansers then this is the one for you.
Skinstitut Gentle Cleanser, $49 at Oz Hair & Beauty
Tried and Tested by Philippa Tonkin, eCommerce Content Coordinator
I first started using this gentle cleanser when on acne medication that dried out my skin and this cleanser was seriously a godsend. I had previously always used cleansers that had some sort of actives in the ingredients to fight my oily skin and so when my skin started to dry up I was at a loss for what skincare products to use. I fell in love with how gentle and calming this cleanser was. It’s fairly simple but honestly, in my opinion, that’s all a cleanser needs to be. This is definitely an underrated beauty buy that I would 100 per cent recommend.
Asap Gentle Cleansing Gel, $43.80 (down from $55) at Oz Hair and Beauty
What You Need To Know
A light, soap-free gel cleanser, this product promises to cleanse away makeup, dirt and oil effectively, without needing heaps of scrubbing. It also promises not to strip skin of natural oils. “I’ve repurchased this as I thought it was a great cleanser. The bottle is huge and lasted forever – great value for money,” one reviewer said.
BEST FACE CLEANSERS FOR ACNE-PRONE SKIN
Skinstitut Glycolic Cleanser 12%, $35.40 (down from $52) at Oz Hair and Beauty
What You Need To Know
Another top seller from Skinstitut, this cleanser is ultra exfoliating to clear out pores and prevent breakouts. Tea Tree oil is also included to help fight bacteria, one of the causes of acne breakouts. “I have struggled with acne for years, while being quite strong this face wash has made my skin so much better and prevents breakouts so well! I have been using this for years and will use it forever,” one reviewer said.
BEST FACIAL CLEANSING DEVICES
FOREO LUNA 4 Go Facial Cleansing & Firming Device, $219 at THE ICONIC
Tried and Tested by Hannah Paine, Editor
After using the FOREO LUNA 4 Go, I have seen a noticeable difference — it gives my skin an instant glow after using. My skin feels plumper and firmer after use, and I find it forces me to really take the time to cleanse properly.
The LUNA 4 Go is also incredibly relaxing to use as it massages while it cleanses and also really gets your face wash into your pores without having to manually scrub with your fingers or a washcloth.
I also like the fact the LUNA 4 Go is so compact and can easily be thrown into my toiletry bag when I go on holidays.
You can read our dedicated review of all the other FOREO devices here.
Face Halo Pro Makeup Remover Pack Of 3, $30 at Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
Founded by busy mum Lizzy Pike in 2017, Face Halo was inspired by the effort it can take to remove makeup at the end of a long day. Pike had a 15-year background in fibre technology, and she incorporated this into her products, creating a reusable pad that can replace 500 makeup wipes.
You literally use Face Halo wipes with water – no need for cleansers that remove makeup. When you add water to the pad, the HaloTech fibre strands (which are 100 times finer than a human hair) loosen, helping remove and trap makeup for an invigorating clean. You will need to use a second cleanser after removing makeup if you want to cleanse away bacteria and oil.
BEST FACE SCRUB
Fenty Skin Cherry Dub Superfine Face Scrub, $41, Sephora
Tried and Tested by Hannah Paine, Editor
I’m always a bit wary of using scrubs on my face because I went a little too crazy with them as a teenager with acne and they did more harm than good. But this was a completely different experience. Not only does the Cherry Dub Superfine Face Scrub smell great, but it gently buffs my skin to leave it exfoliated but not irritated afterwards. Containing skin-loving natural ingredients like caffeine, superfine sugar, Barbados cherry and fruit enzymes, this is a scrub I’ll be adding to my weekly skincare roster.
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF USING A FACE CLEANSER IN A SKINCARE ROUTINE?
Cleansing your face does not replace any other steps in your skincare routine. It is the first (and arguably most important) step of your regimen as it ensures you are cleansing your skin of oil, dirt, grime and any makeup or sunscreen you’ve worn throughout the day.
“The purpose of cleansing the face is to remove sweat, sebum, environmental dirt and cosmetics from the face,” Adelaide dermatologist Dr Corinne Maiolo told news.com.au.
“Cleansing is important for skin hygiene.”
Using a face cleanser isn’t as necessary in the morning – many people, including myself, will just splash their face with water and move on with the rest of their routine. However cleansing – especially double cleansing – is most important at the end of the day.
WHAT TYPE OF FACE CLEANSER IS BEST FOR EACH SKIN TYPE?
No matter your skin type, you need to be using a face cleanser. Luckily nowadays you can find ones that are more targeted to oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, etc, taking the guesswork out.
“There are lots of different types of cleansers, which include soaps, creams, milks, oils and micellar water,” Dr Maiolo said.
If you deal with oily or acne-prone skin, looking for a cleanser with ingredients like salicylic acid is going to help control oil production and treat acne.
Struggle with dry, flaky skin? Opt for a cleanser that’s super gentle and hydrating, something that’s more of a creamy consistency.
And if you’ve got sensitive skin, we recommended looking for a cleanser that is specifically made for you – La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane range is a great example.
WHAT IS DOUBLE CLEANSING?
Double cleansing isn’t just washing your face twice. Usually, people who double cleanse have two separate cleansers – the first to remove makeup, the second to wash skin. The first cleanse is usually a cleansing balm or cleansing oil, it may also be a micellar water or makeup removing gel applied to a cotton pad.
This is to remove all traces of makeup, so the second cleanse can get deep into pores and treat the skin, not simply rid it of makeup. Double cleansing is a good idea if you wear a full face of makeup daily, or work in an environment that leaves a lot of dust, dirt or pollution on your skin.
CAN FACE CLEANSERS HELP WITH REDUCING PORE SIZE?
“Pores can be more obvious when facial skin has built up sebum, environmental dirt or poorly-removed cosmetics,” Dr Maiolo explains.
“Cleansing the skin appropriately and regularly can help make pores less obvious.”
More Coverage
Dr Corinne Maiolo
Dr Maiolo is a qualified dermatologist experienced in the medical and surgical treatment of skin, hair and nail conditions. She also has an interest in cosmetic dermatology. She is passionate about patient education and supporting her patients through their treatment journey.
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Originally published as Best face cleansers & scrubs to buy in 2023
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