Thursday, April 9, 2020
When it comes to caring for oily skin types, facial cleanser matters. Whether you've always had oily skin or a recent change in stress, diet, or even the weather has led your skin to produce excess oil, the right face wash should leave your skin feeling soft and shine-free, yet still moisturized (and definitely not dry or tight).
The good news is there are dozens of foaming, purifying, and hydrating facial cleansers out there created specifically for oily skin, so you’re guaranteed to find at least one to add to your skincare routine. The following face washes for oily skin remove everything from foundation to blackheads, and, when layered with an oily-skin specific moisturizer and toner, will have your skin shine-free in no time.
So, what're you waiting for? Continue reading below for our picks for the 11 best face washes for oily skin.
1. Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay
This cult product is made of 100 percent calcium bentonite clay (which you mix with apple-cider vinegar or water to create a mask) — and a much cheaper alternative to the Dermalogica clay cleanser. Makeup artist Melissa Bedi swears by it: ‘I love Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay mask to draw out impurities and tighten pores.’
2. Epicuren Discovery Microderm Ultra-Refining Scrub
To exfoliate, Bedi uses this scrub every two to three weeks to slough away dead skin. The physical exfoliant has crystals that, according to Bedi, ‘are perfectly round and roll on the skin, and so will not microscopically tear pores and enlarge them.’
3. Boscia Detoxifying Black Charcoal Cleanser
‘Charcoal is another commonly used ingredient for oily skin because it is highly absorbent and attaches to and removes oil from the skin,’ says Zeichner. He recommends this warming gel cleanser from Boscia that contains both activated charcoal and vitamin C to help remove oil and refine skin texture.
4. Naissance Distilled Witch Hazel
Bedi chooses to forgo face washes (which she says ‘are filled with chemicals and are drying to the skin’) altogether, instead using this witch-hazel facial toner to cleanse her face. She likes that it’s ‘gentle and hydrating’ and uses it on cotton pads to clean her face, even when she’s wearing makeup. (She takes off her eye makeup with a separate eye-makeup remover first.)
5. La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel
Here’s another foaming recommendation from Park, and it contains ceramides, which maintain the skin barrier, as well as niacinamide, which can lower sebum-excretion rates.
6. SkinCeuticals Blemish and Age Cleanser
Dr. Jennifer MacGregor of Union Square Laser Dermatology recommends trying light peeling agents like glycolic acid and salicylic acid to help with oil production. ‘For those with oily skin that tend to get blocked pores, I love gentle glycolic cleansers,’ she says. She recommends ‘using it in the morning before applying a light oil-free sunscreen moisturizer.’
7. Dermalogica Dermal Clay Cleanser
For a more ‘clean beauty’ alternative to a face wash, Frieling recommends this clay cleanser from Dermalogica. It contains kaolin, bentonite, and green clays, which she says ‘banish excess oil and impurities to deep-cleanse the skin.’ To balance out these ingredients, it’s infused with menthol, sage, cucumber, and milk proteins, which Frieling says help calm the skin.
8. Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel
If you find a foaming cleanser too drying, makeup artist Shara Strand recommends trying a cleansing gel, like this one from Mario Badescu. ‘Any gel is great for oily skin, as gel is really cooling, and it has moisturizing elements to balance out oily skin,’ she explains. This particular cleanser includes fruit enzymes and alpha-hydroxy acids that gently exfoliate impurities from the skin. Strand suggests starting with micellar water on a cotton pad to remove makeup, then washing with the gel, then following up with a lightweight moisturizer. According to Strand, ‘The less product you use on your face, the less oily your skin will be.’
9. Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash
According to Park, having an excess of sebum can lead to clogged pores from dead skin cells sticking to the sebum, which results in acne. If you are prone to breakouts, she recommends looking for a face wash that can gently exfoliate the skin to get rid of impurities, dirt, and oil. ‘Products that contain low amounts of benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid will achieve this without being too harsh,’ says Park. Dr. Tara Rao of Schweiger Dermatology Group agrees that those two ingredients can help reduce some of the oil buildup that occurs on the skin throughout the day. Park recommends Neutrogena’s Oil-Free Acne Wash — whose active ingredient is salicylic acid — as a reliable option for a face wash that’s gentle yet effective.
10. Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser
Zeichner recommends a foaming face wash for his patients who have oily skin, saying that they ‘more effectively remove oil as compared to cleansing lotions or balms.’ He recommends this gentle daily foaming cleanser from Neutrogena because it contains ‘hydrophobically modified polymers,’ which he says ‘effectively cleanse and remove dirt and oil without disrupting the outer skin layer.’
11. CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser for Normal to Oily Skin
When choosing a face wash, Park says to look for something ‘gentle and foaming, so it can gently remove oil and impurities.’ She adds that it should also be oil-free and noncomedogenic (i.e., won’t clog pores). She and Frieling both recommend CeraVe’s Foaming Facial Cleanser, which Park says is safe for all skin types, including oily skin. ‘I love this product because the formula has three essential ceramides to cleanse the skin without stripping it in the process,’ says Frieling. Ceramides, she adds, help skin rebuild and repair the protective barrier to make it more resilient against future damage and signs of aging. It also contains hyaluronic acid, which provides moisture, and niacinamide, which soothes and calms the skin, while sodium lauroyl lactylates give the cleanser its foaming consistency, which helps loosen skin impurities.
Park notes that because foaming washes get deeper into your pores than creamier solutions to remove dirt, oil, and makeup, they have the potential to leave the skin feeling dry. If you find a foaming cleanser too drying, experiment with different ones to find one that works for your skin, she advises. ‘And it’s important to remember to continue to moisturize the face,’ she adds.