Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it important to cleanse your face?
Washing your face is the foundation of an effective skin-care regimen—and not just on days when you’re wearing a full face of makeup. “Even if you don’t wear makeup, the skin on your face comes into contact with residue from other skin-care products as well as pollutants, microbes, dirt, and other debris, not to mention oils, sweat, and dead skin cells,” Sejal Shah, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, previously told Allure. Only after you sweep away all the breakout-causing dirt, makeup, and excess oil on your face can your skin absorb and benefit from other products.
How should I choose a facial cleanser?
Different face washes address different skin concerns, so keep your skin type in mind when picking out a new cleanser. If you have sensitive skin, reach for a moisturizer that won’t irritate your skin barrier. “You want to use gentle, hydrating cleansers that remove impurities without stripping the skin barrier of all its natural moisturizing factors,” explains Washington, D.C.-based dermatologist Adam Friedman, MD. He also suggests looking for humectants like hyaluronic acid and ceramides, as they “help keep water in the skin,” which is essential, especially for people with sensitive skin.
According to NYC-based board-certified dermatologist Brandith Irwin, MD, people with sensitive skin should seek out “products free of artificial fragrances, parabens, and phthalates.”
If you deal with acne, choose a cleanser with active ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid to tackle blemishes (like whiteheads and blackheads). Claire Chang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, always recommends gentle cleansers over harsh soaps with physical exfoliants to clear dirt and excess oil. She also backs soothing, acne-fighting, and inflammation-reducing tea tree oil and green tea.
Meanwhile, oily skin needs—you guessed it—oil-fighting ingredients. Cosmetic chemist Ginger King suggests looking for oil-absorbing cellulose and niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3 that can help reduce the look of pores.
What should I know about double cleansing?
There’s more to double-cleansing than just washing your face twice. “I define double-cleansing as using two separate types of cleansers to wash your face,” board-certified dermatologist Rita V. Linkner, MD, told Allure.
We have an entire dermatologist-approved guide to double-cleansing if you want to perfect the art, but here’s the gist: Start your cleansing routine with an oil-based cleanser or micellar water to break down and remove makeup and sunscreen. The type of your second cleanser is up to you, as long as it’s gentle and washes away pollutants and acne-causing bacteria.
Meet the experts
- Claire Chang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City
- Adam Friedman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Washington, DC
- Michelle Henry, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
- Brandith Irwin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
- Rita V. Linkner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
- Ginger King, a cosmetic chemist
- Morgan Rabach, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
- Sejal Shah, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
How we test and review products
We always enlist a range of testers for any review, but skin-care products are another story. While some can be used across different skin types, tones, textures, and concerns, many are created with specific consumers and their needs in mind. We guarantee that these factors are considered when determining whether a skin-care product is worthy of a recommendation.
For our review of the best face washes, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and experts we’ve interviewed for the piece—who all have different complexion concerns and types, desired outcomes (e.g. diminished appearance of blackheads), and whether one product was tested across multiple skin types. Testers considered performance across the following primary categories: efficacy, texture, ingredients, and value. For more on what’s involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
