How to Choose the Right Cleanser for Your Skin Type

How often should you wash your face?

A good skincare routine is only as good as the face wash you start with. Your cleanser wipes away all the sweat, makeup, and oil that builds up throughout the day in order to let your serums, treatments, and moisturizer treat the skin. And those with dry, oily, sensitive, and acne-prone skin types will need different ingredients in their cleansers to prevent breakouts or stripped skin, while creating a clean base for the rest of your formulas.

So, to get the first step of your regimen in tip-top shape, I spoke to board-certified dermatologist Kiran Mian, MD and NYC-based esthetician Madalaina Conti for all their tips when choosing a face wash. “You should be cleansing the face at least twice per day, but of course this will vary with lifestyle.” says Conti. “This gives a clean slate for your products to work effectively without interference.”

Below, our experts break down what to look for in a face wash based on your skin type, plus tips on getting the most out of your cleanser.

“You’ll want to cleanse in the morning to remove last night’s product residue as well as sweat, oils or build up from hair products,” says Conti. “At night, you should start with a micellar water or cleansing oil to remove any makeup or sweat, then follow with your main cleanser.”

Dr. Mian adds “Those with acne-prone skin may want to cleanse right after a workout as well, to wash away sweat and bacteria.” And finish off by using a disposable towel to prevent bacteria and residue from transferring back onto your freshly cleansed skin.

Cleansers for Oily Skin

“Those with oily skin will benefit from lightweight cleansers that remove excess oil without making the skin feel stripped,” says Dr. Mian. “I really like salicylic acid for oily skin.” Hypothesis’ gentle formula helps balance the skin barrier and reduce oil production with salicylic acid.

“I like cucumber extract to soothe and willow bark to gently help manage sebum and congestion,” explains Conti, and she recommends iS Clinical’s Cleansing Complex.

iS Clinical Cleansing Complex$49 at DermstoreCredit: dermstore

Hypothesis Daily Acne Cleanser$30 at Ulta Beauty

Cleansers for Dry Skin

“You should look for creamier, hydrating formulas with glycerin, ceramides, and hyluronic acid.” says Dr. Mian. “My favorite cream formula is CeraVe's Hydrating cleanser.” Conti also loves manuka honey and glycerin for dry skin to help hydrate and nourish, which are the two hero ingredients in her go-to face wash from Aunu.

Aunu Beauty Mānuka Cleanser$58 at Aunu Beauty Credit: AUNU

CeraVe Hydrating Facial CleanserNow 23% Off$16 $12 at Amazon

Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin

“Acne-prone skin can benefit from benzoyl peroxide’s antibacterial properties,” says Dr. Mian. “Also look for a fragrance-free cleanser with hydrating glycerin and oil-controlling ingredients like salicylic acid.” PanOxyl is a cult-classic benzoyl peroxide wash, and Reale Active’s Pore Power has salicylic plus soothing ingredients like centella, glycerin, and aloe.

Reale Actives Pore Power$28 at realeactives.com

PanOxyl PanOxyl Acne Creamy Wash$9 at Amazon

Cleansers for Sensitive Skin

“Those with sensitive or eczema-prone skin should opt for something mild with no fragrances or other possible irritants,” explains Dr. Mian. She loves Vanicream’s no-frills cleanser. Sofie Pavitt’s face wash also provides a nice lather without leaving the skin stripped, thanks to soothing panthenol and hydrating glycerin.

Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser$10 at Amazon

Sofie Pavitt Face Clean Clean Gentle Gel Foaming Cleanser$34 at SephoraCredit: Sofie Pavitt

Meet the Experts

Madalaina Conti is an NYC-based esthetician and the founder of Synergistic Skincare.

Dr. Kiran Mian is an NYC-based dermatologist at Hudson Dermatology

Why Trust Cosmopolitan?

Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmo who covers all things skincare—from trying the buzziest new facial devices to researching all things hormonal acne. For this story she consulted skincare experts for their insights on choosing the right cleanser for your skin type.

Jasmine Hyman

Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.