Best Overall

Honest Beauty Gel Cleanser

$17

$17 at Amazon$15 at TargetView on Honest.com

Key Ingredients: Chamomile and calendula extracts | Skin Type: All | Size: 1.5, 5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

The light, foamy simplicity of Honest Beauty’s Gentle Cleanser had us hooked from the first wash. Our tester, David, loved how gentle this face wash was—even on just-shaved skin. The smooth, cooling gel formula is enriched with a cocktail of botanicals, including chamomile and calendula extracts to calm and refresh, and gluconolactone, a polyhydroxy acid (PHA), to exfoliate the skin super-gently while also moisturizing and boosting the skin barrier.

It froths up nicely and leaves our complexion feeling clean and residue-free after rinsing. Although it’s a gel formula and not marketed as ultra-moisturizing, it never left his skin feeling stripped or dry—probably thanks to glycerin and hydrolyzed quinoa, which provide a dose of light hydration. Above all else, this face wash left his skin feeling delightfully refreshed; exactly how a good cleanser should feel.

David, tester with balanced skin: “The cleanser was outstanding to use. It was very gentle and did not feel like it stripped my face of natural oils. I was able to use this both morning and night on a daily basis.”

Best Budget

Just The Goods Face Wash

View on Justthegoods.net

Key Ingredients: Kaolin clay, palmarosa essential oil | Skin Type: All | Size: 4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Right off the bat, we appreciated that this budget-friendly face wash has a minimal ingredient list. Not only that, those with sensitive skin can pare down the formula further by omitting essential oils or exfoliating jojoba beads, if they wish—the brand offers four versions of the cleanser. 

A base of organic castile soap gives the wash a milky, slightly foaming consistency that our tester, Trevor, found easy to spread over his face. It’s packed with kaolin clay to absorb impurities and palmarosa essential oil to control sebum, leaving the skin clear and fresh but never dry. A single cleanse with this wash was enough to get the job done; he never felt the need to double up. That being said, he did find it a little irritating on the eyes, so have a contingency plan if you wear eye makeup regularly.

Trevor, tester with dry skin: “I liked the minimal and clean ingredients used in this face wash. I also liked the effectiveness of the face wash. I always felt clean and refreshed after using it!”

Best Chemical Exfoliator

Cocokind AHA Jelly Cleanser

$18

$17 at AmazonView on Cocokind.comView on Doordash.com

Key Ingredients: Hibiscus flower acids, fermented grape extract, betaine, hyaluronic acid, glycerin  | Skin Type: All/acne-prone | Size: 2.9 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Chemical exfoliants are actually plant-derived acids. They’re a derm-approved way to remove dead and dull skin cells, refreshing your complexion, evening skin texture, and banishing blackheads. They can even stimulate collagen production in some cases. 

This jelly cleanser from Cocokind contains a cocktail of 4% AHA (alpha-hydroxy acids) from hibiscus flower and fermented grape, which targets clogged pores and helps remove product build-up so skin stays clear and fresh. The texture of this cleanser is very liquid-y, which makes it a little tricky to apply without making a mess, but once it was on, it did a really good job of removing our makeup—even stubborn waterproof mascara. 

Thanks to the addition of betaine, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin, the formula didn’t make our tester, Katie’s, dry skin more parched. It was super gentle; a great first step in our skincare routine. Her one complaint is that she didn’t love the scent, which reminded her of wine—but not the good stuff.

Katie, tester with dry skin: “This product is a nice, gentle cleanser that removed my makeup and left my skin feeling clean without feeling dry, tight, or stripped. It’s definitely gentle enough for daily use.”

Best Powder

Humanrace Rice Powder Cleanser

View on Humanrace.com

Key Ingredients: Rice extract, AHAs, snow mushroom extract | Skin Type: Normal | Size: 1.4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Never used a powder cleanser like this one? Here’s how it works: You shake a dime-sized amount into your wet palm and rub your hands together until it dissolves, creating a light, pillowy-soft foam. 

It buffs away dead skin with rice powder (which gives it a slightly grainy texture) and doubles down on exfoliation with a blend of AHAs that left our tester, Ava’s, skin smooth and glowy. The cleanser did a great job of wiping away makeup and excess sebum without being stripping, and hydrating snow mushroom extract kept her complexion moisturized and supple—even during freezing winter temps.

Ava, tester with normal skin: “The thing I like most about this product is how soft and clean it makes my skin. My face felt glowy after using it.”

Best Skin-Softening

Indie Lee Face Wash

$29

$25 at Amazon

$38

$11 at DermstoreView on Indielee.com

Key Ingredients: Lemon and lavender extracts, rose damascena, jasmine | Skin Type: Oily/acne-prone | Size: 1.01, 4.22 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Indie Lee’s Purifying Face Wash is loved for its detoxifying abilities (it contains lemon and lavender extracts to help dissolve excess oils without stripping skin), but our tester, Tatiana, found it to be a super effective skin softener, too. The lightweight gel is formulated with rose damascena and jasmine, which left her complexion moisturized and supple after every wash.

The cleanser lathers to a nice foamy consistency and removes makeup easily (although waterproof mascara required some extra work). It made her skin feel squeaky clean and refreshed without needing to double cleanse, and she even noticed a boost in radiance, which is always a plus. The one downside? It smelled overly sweet for her taste. 

Tatiana, tester with combination skin: “I felt refreshed and my skin looked more radiant. I believe it made my skin softer, too.”

Best Deep Cleanse

Kiehl’s Foaming Face Cleanser

$39

$30 at Amazon$67 at Sephora$67 at Ulta

Key Ingredients: Calendula extract, glycerin | Skin Type: Combination and oily | Size: 7.7, 16.9 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

This face wash comes out of the bottle in the form of a lightweight gel but lathers into a creamy foam, making it easy to spread. Every time our tester, Merrell, used it, she felt like her pores were purged of excess oil and product buildup. The formula contains calming calendula extract and hydrating glycerin, a combination that gently moisturizes her dry skin and makes it feel more balanced.

It removed makeup pretty efficiently, but stung her eyes a little when she tried to remove mascara, so she would recommend using a gentler solution for that delicate area. While she didn’t notice any dramatic changes to the appearance of her complexion, she appreciates that this cleanser delivers a deep clean while still remaining gentle.

Merrell, tester with dry skin: “I loved how thick and creamy it lathers up to be, resulting in my face feeling extremely clean afterward.”

Best for Every Day

Klur Gentle Matter

$53 at AmazonView on Klur.co

Key Ingredients: Green and white tea, aloe, rosemary extract, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, evening primrose oil | Skin Type: All types | Size: 3.4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This gentle gel cleanser from Klur is a true all-rounder, making it a good choice for everyday use. It’s packed with a laundry list of organic botanical extracts that work in harmony to soothe, protect, and gently resurface the skin, including antioxidant green and white tea, antimicrobial rosemary extract, and a plethora of moisturizing plant oils, including jojoba, sweet almond, and evening primrose.

The lightweight gel foams up just enough to feel like your pores are getting a good clean, and it removed our tester, Rebecca’s, makeup effortlessly (although she didn’t wear waterproof mascara, so can’t speak to its effectiveness on that). Her skin wasn’t dry afterward—in fact, it felt soothed and hydrated, and her complexion looked a little smoother. If you’re looking for a cleanser that’s gentle and effective on all skin types, we recommend this one.

Rebecca, tester with combination skin: “It had a nice soothing effect on my skin and I think it was pretty moisturizing. My skin looked nice afterward; it smoothed out my complexion.”

Best Lightweight

Mad Hippie Cleanser

$17

$16 at AmazonView on Madhippie.com

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, resveratrol, sea buckthorn berry, white tea, rose, chamomile | Skin Type: All | Size: 4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This Mad Hippie formula comes out of the tube as a cooling jelly before turning into a slightly foamy milk upon application—a consistency that felt refreshing and lightweight on our tester, Alexa’s, skin. It’s actually an oil-based cleanser with hyaluronic acid, vegan squalane, and glycerin, which surprised her because her skin did feel slightly tight after using it.

She loves that this formula is packed with antioxidants to help protect the skin and improve its overall texture and appearance, including white tea, rose, chamomile, and resveratrol—a potent anti-aging ingredient. It seemed to have an effect, because after using the face wash twice a day during the testing period, her skin was noticeably smoother and more glowy.

Alexa, tester with combination/sensitive skin: “It made my skin feel refreshed and glowy overall. And my skin definitely felt smoother.”

Best Splurge

Marie Veronique Oil Cleanser

View on Marieveronique.com

Key Ingredients: Safflower and sunflower oils, superoxide dismutase, pre and probiotics | Skin Type: Dry/sensitive/mature | Size: 4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you believe a healthy, resilient skin barrier is worth investing in, this cleanser from Marie Veronique is for you. Microbiome-friendly and free from potentially irritating essential oils, it utilizes omega 6-rich safflower and sunflower oils to penetrate pores, clearing clogs and congestion. Additionally, it works to protect the lipid barrier with antioxidants like superoxide dismutase—a powerful antioxidant enzyme—and nurtures good microbes with a potent pre- and probiotic complex.

First, our tester, Jordan, had to shake the bottle before applying, as the ingredients are different weights and tend to separate. Because this is an oil cleanser, it had a thick texture that effectively removed dirt and makeup (although she needed an eye makeup remover for her mascara). There’s no stripped-dry feeling after using this cleanser; her skin was soft, supple, and dewy-looking.

Jordan, tester with dry skin: “It was definitely moisturizing. My face was dewy and supple afterward—just right!”

Best for Sensitive Skin

Pai Cream Cleanser

$69 at AmazonView on Paiskincare.us

Key Ingredients: Camellia oil, sweet almond oil, castor oil, rose | Skin Type: All/sensitive | Size: 1.7, 5.1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Finding trusted beauty products can be a minefield for sensitive skin types—an expensive one, at that. This ultra-gentle cleanser has a dedicated following, so we had to see if it lived up to the hype.

The cream formula is enriched with a trio of nutrient-rich oils—​​camellia, sweet almond, and castor—that remove makeup, SPF, and debris while preserving the skin’s natural oils and pH balance. It goes on like a lotion—smooth and creamy—before foaming up. Our tester, Kathleen, loves that the cleanser comes with a supersoft face cloth to help swipe away the remnants of her makeup. 

The formula is nourishing and moisturizing without an oily residue. She did experience some temporary breakouts, which is common while adjusting to a new product, but they cleared up quickly. Overall, her skin was undeniably smoother and softer after using this face wash.

Kathleen, tester with combination skin: “This face cleanser left my skin feeling skin and moisturized. It does not over-strip my face at all. If anything, it felt more nourishing and left my skin more soft.”

Best Gel

Three Ships Cleanser

$24 at AmazonView on Threeshipsbeauty.com

Key Ingredients: Amino acids, aloe vera | Skin Type: Balanced/dry | Size: 2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Three Ships’ Purify cleanser proves that face wash formulas can be harsh on dirt and debris while remaining gentle on skin. This refreshing gel boasts amino acids (aka the building blocks of proteins) to help plump and smooth the skin and soothing aloe vera to hydrate.

The brand recommends using this face wash as the second product in a double-cleanse routine, but we think it can easily stand alone. The gel formula doesn’t lather but is pleasant to use: smooth, gentle, and lightweight. It was very gentle on our tester, Anna’s, skin and didn’t cause irritation around the delicate eye area (although it didn’t completely remove her eye makeup, either, so she recommends following with a swipe of micellar water). In general, she was impressed by how clean, soft, and healthy-looking her skin was after using this wash.

Anna, tester with dry skin: “I feel like this face wash does a thorough job. I do not feel the need to double cleanse. My face feels clean and ready for moisturizer, but not tight.”