What are the best drugstore facial cleansers?
If there’s a product you can skimp on, this is it. Forget all the antioxidants and fancy anti-aging extracts brand sneak into their cleansers to supercharge them. They just get rinsed off down the drain together with dirt and grime.
What a waste! A cleanser has one job and one job only: to remove makeup and impurities from your skin. Anything that cleanses skin without drying it out and irritating it fits the bill. Why pay a small fortune for that? Get your cleanser at the drugstore and invest your money in the stuff that really keeps wrinkles off your face, like Vitamin C or retinol.
But not all drugstore cleansers are created equal. Here are the best drugstore facial cleansers that remove dirt and makeup without upsetting skin:
CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser ($14.99)
CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser is my go-to cleanser for dry skin. The creamy formula gently removes all traces of dirt, makeup, and grime – you can use it at night too in place of a separate makeup remover. The addition of ceramides and Hyaluronic Acid (the building blocks of your skin’s protective barrier) moisturises skin during the cleansing process, leaving it both clean and soft. Plus, the bottle is so big, it’ll last you for a long time.
Available at: Dermstore, Sephora, Look Fantastic, and Ulta
Active Ingredients: Behentrimonium Methosulfate and Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceramide 3, Ceramide 6-11, Ceramide 1.
Benefits: Gently removes impurities and makeup.
Cons: Too rich for dry skin.
Skin type: Dry.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Related: My Full Review Of CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
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CeraVe Foaming Cleanser ($14.99)
My fave cleanser for oily skin is from CeraVe as well. CeraVe Foaming Cleanser has a lightweight gel texture that lathers well, dissolving dirt, grime, and even makeup (just don’t use it on the eye area). Yet, after each wash, my skin doesn’t feel tight or dry – at all. Anyone with oily skin, including those dealing with sensitivities and acne, can use this. The bottle’s big and a little does go a looong way.
Available at: Sephora, Ulta and Walmart
Active Ingredients: Behentrimonium Methosulfate and Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceramide 3, Ceramide 6-II, Ceramide 1.
Benefits: Gently removes impurities, excess oil, and makeup.
Cons: Drying if your skin doesn’t produces excess oil.
Skin type: Oily and acne-prone.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Related: My Full Review Of CeraVe Foaming Cleanser
Best Drugstore Cleanser For Removing Makeup: The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser (£5.50)
The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser has a weird texture. It’s supposed to turn into an oil when you rub it between the palms of your hand. But it never does so. Instead, it stays a little thick and sticky, and you feel like you don’t have enough product on your hands to cover your entire face. If you can put up with that, this baby will remove every last trace of long-lasting and waterproof makeup from your face, leaving it clean and soft as a baby’s. Plus, it’s suitable for all skin types.
Available at: Beauty Bay, Cult Beauty and Feel Unique
Related: My Full Review Of The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser
