We Spent 500+ Hours Washing Our Faces With 54 Cleansers—These Ones Took Off Everything (2024)

Our Top Picks

What We Love: Only a small amount of product was needed to get a deep clean that even removed makeup—including mascara. The unique lotion texture of this formula left our skin incredibly soft. It left no dryness behind. Just bright, radiant skin.

Who It's For: Made with rosewater, cucumber extract, and aloe vera juice, this formula is perfect for someone whose skin needs a little nourishment. And, while other luxury cleansers often come with an overpowering fragrance, we loved that this nourishing formula is fragrance-free. With how soft and moisturized it leaves the skin, this is a great option if your skin tends to dry (and if you’re looking for a bit of a more luxurious experience!).

Editor Tip: Anticipate some sticker shock. Augustinus Bader is a high-end brand and the price reflects that accordingly. We also found the bottle’s design to be slightly awkward; the bottle is tall and heavy, so be careful about knocking it off your counter.

Texture: Cream | Key Ingredients: Rosewater, cucumber extract, aloe vera juice | Scented: Yes | Size: 3.38 oz

What We Love: This is an all-around solid cleanser that isn’t “too” anything—it does it’s job without any fuss. We liked that it thoroughly cleansed skin without making it feel stripped. Bonus points for being able to pick it up at your local drugstore.

Who It’s For: Reach for this if you want a thorough clean that doesn’t leave you stripped. This formula contains comedoclastin—a milk thistle extract—to reduce blemishes and zinc gluconate to calm skin.

Editor Tip: This cleanser is gentle enough for regular use. We used it 1–2 a day without any residual dryness. Layer in an occasional exfoliator or a separate makeup removal product, as needed.

Texture: Gel | Key Ingredients: Avène thermal spring water, milk thistle extract | Scented: Yes | Size: 6.7 oz

What We Love: Of the 20 cleansers we tried, this was the only one that we noticed reduced any redness. We also liked the lather and how it didn’t make our skin feel stripped. This lightly fragranced formula left our skin feeling soft, refreshed and clean after every cleanse.

Who It's For: Reactive skin types, rejoice! Thanks to a bevy of calming ingredients like spearmint extract and aloe leaf juice, skin is left calmer after washing. It also contains gluconolactone, a gentle exfoliant that is safe even for sensitive skin.

Editor Tip: A bonus of this cleanser is it also works well as a makeup remover, with just a little light scrubbing needed for mascara. Two pumps seemed to be the perfect amount for an all-around cleanse.

Texture: Gel | Key Ingredients: Spearmint extract, caffeine, aloe leaf juice | Scented: No | Size: 4.2 oz

What We Love: This foamy cleanser was very gentle, which isn’t always the case with cleansers that lather up. It never caused any irritation, breakouts, or dryness. We also loved the light, barely there scent.

Who It's For: Just a little of this no-fuss cleanser goes a long way. The formula also contains hydrating glycerin and calming oat extract, so anyone who is looking for both moisture and skin-calming properties could benefit from it.

Editor Tip: This product worked great for getting skin clean without drying it out, but on days you wear makeup, you’ll want to pair it with a proper makeup remover—it didn’t stand a chance against our waterproof mascara. But once you use another cleanser ideal for removing makeup, this one is a great option as the second step in your double cleanse.

Texture: Cream to foam | Key Ingredients: Glycerin, oat extract | Scented: Yes | Size: 2.7 oz

What We Love: We loved that this formula felt light on the skin. It was gentle enough for twice-a-day washes and rinsed away easily with no residue. This cleanser gives “clean” in every sense: from the formula, to the experience, to the aesthetic of the package.

Who It's For: Sensitive skin-havers—this one’s for you! If you’re looking for a cleanser that is soap-free, this is the one for you. It uses Quillaja saponaria—commonly known as soapbark—to gently clean away impurities without drying skin out.

Editor Tip: If you have combination skin, focus the product on oilier spots (like your T-zone) rather than drier areas (like your cheeks). We also found that this cleanser removes makeup pretty effectively, save for mascara; you’ll need an additional makeup remover for that area.

Texture: Gel | Key Ingredients: Quillaja saponaria, balm mint, lavender extract | Scented: No | Size: 1.7 oz

What We Love: Only a nickel-sized amount of product was needed for a very complete clean. A wipe of micellar water on a cotton pad after cleansing had little to no makeup residue left.

Who It’s For: This cleanser uses a series of mild surfactants and emollients that break down makeup, so if you’re looking for fewer steps in your skin care routine, this could be it.

Editor Tip: While this cleanser recommends just one wash a day, someone who usually washes twice a day may want to stick to that regime.

Texture: Gel | Key Ingredients: Captaloupe fruit extract, glycerin, aloe vera, marula oil | Scented: No | Size: 5.07 oz

What We Love: There was a noticeable oil reduction in the T-zone area. While this formula was great for combating sebum, it didn’t dry out the normal or dry spots. The super lightweight formula is fragrance free and doesn’t leave your skin feeling tight.

Who It’s For: If you find yourself getting shiny on your nose and forehead throughout the day, there’s a good chance you have an oily or combination skin type! This cleanser could help get those areas thoroughly clean without sacrificing your natural oils.

Editor Tip: While redness reduction was one of the benefits listed, we didn’t notice any visible improvement in our redness or eczema. Still, we think it’s a great all-around cleanser, especially for oily to combination skin.

Texture: Gel | Key Ingredients: Soy proteins, cucumber extract, aloe vera | Scented: No | Size: 5.07 oz

What We Love: We loved that this formula had a gentle formulation with no fragrance. The vegan and cruelty-free formula is an added bonus.

Who it’s For: The lightly foamy lather would work well for most skin types. Those with sensitive skin will especially benefit from the use of colloidal oatmeal, which is known for its skin soothing benefits. Ceramides can also boost your skin barrier over time.

Editor Tip: This cleanser works best for light makeup like concealer or tinted moisturizer. Days when we wore heavier makeup days, including mascara and full coverage foundation, we noticed that this cleanser left a bit of residue behind, so we’d just pair it with a makeup removing double cleanse.

Texture: Creamy gel | Key Ingredients: Ceramides, colloidal oatmeal, avocado oil | Scented: Yes | Size: 5.07 oz

What We Love: Everyone loves a little instant gratification. This wash gave visible improvements in skin texture and acne, and we loved how refined our pores looked after using this cleanser. Every time we use this cleanser, our skin looks and feels better—this product made us excited to wash our faces!

Who it’s For: We recommend this for those dealing with dullness or acne. It’s also ideal for folks looking to brighten dark spots. Skin-sloughing AHAs, including glycolic acid, along with fruit enzymes, can help with all of those concerns.

Editor Tip: This product lathers quite well, so a little bit goes a long way. You may want an extra pump for removing makeup. As with any exfoliating product, be sure to follow up with SPF, as you may be more sensitive to the sun.

Texture: Gel | Key Ingredients: Papaya, pineapple, and pumpkin enzymes, glycolic acid, lactic acid | Scented: No | Size: 4 oz

What We Love: It gave us the clean feeling we were looking for while still providing hydration. We used it twice a day and noted that it quickly helped our breakouts. We noticed a little bit of a soothing cooling effect while cleansing. After rinsing, our skin looked radiant, less oily and hydrated.

Who It’s For: This one would be best for someone looking to help clear some breakouts. The formula contains an encapsulated form of salicylic acid that continues to treat skin, even after rinsing. Green tea extract can also soothe the inflammation that comes with acne.

Editor Tip: Store the tube on its side, as sometimes it leaks when stored upright. For a deeper clean feeling, we like doing a double cleanse with this one, but it doesn’t feel necessary as it provides a great clean on its own.

Texture: Cream | Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, green tea extract | Scented: Yes | Size: 6.75 oz

What We Love: We loved the all-around solid formula and natural scent. If you’re looking for sustainable options, this cleanser is packaged in glass rather than plastic. The combination of the glass bottle and natural scent feels a bit luxe, which is a nice touch.

Who It’s For: Thanks to the versatile ingredients, all skin types could benefit from this cleanser. Combination and sensitive skin types, especially. Our skin didn’t feel stripped or moisturized after this cleanser, so it hits a nice middle ground.

Editor Tip: This product wasn’t designed to remove makeup, so you may need an additional makeup remover. We paired it with a makeup removing balm, with this cleanser as a second step, which worked like a charm. The earthy fragrance is reminiscent of a potent green juice; we loved it, but it might not be for everyone.

Texture: Gel | Key Ingredients: Kale, spinach, green tea | Scented: Yes | Size: 8 oz

What We Love: This gel-like formula was so lightweight and gentle, the consistency is, in a word, perfect. The pretty packaging and easy-to-use tube doesn’t hurt, either. The scentless formula never irritated our skin our left it feeling overly stripped.

Who It’s For: Combination and oily skin types: Rejoice! Not only does this cleanser do a great job of really cleaning your skin and removing any trace of a greasy feeling, it does so without drying out the skin. The formula is also gentle enough to use multiple times a day.

Editor Tip: Like many of the cleansers we tested, this one struggles a bit against stubborn eye makeup (props to the waterproof mascara formulators), so a separate makeup remover is required.

Texture: Gel | Key Ingredients: Turmeric, white tea, blueberry extract, chicory root | Scented: Yes, but also available in fragrance-free formula | Size: 6.7 oz

What We Love: This creamy texture feels like a cloud on the surface of your skin as it gently washes away oils and impurities. The bottle not only looks great on a beauty shelf, it’s easy to maneuver in order to apply the perfect amount of product without wasting a drop. The fragrance is light, with hints of citrus, that doesn’t linger on the skin.

Who It’s For: Products designed for oily skin don’t often feel luxurious, but this one meets the mark perfectly. We noticed our skin was left feeling bouncy and soft, with no trace of residue or film.

Editor Tip: There’s no pump, so the amount of product isn’t predetermined for you. The squeezable bottle allows you to dispense the exact amount of product you desire.

Texture: Cream to foam | Key Ingredients: Red algae, Japanese rice powder, hyaluronic acid | Scented: Yes | Size: 4 oz

What We Love: The light eucalyptus fragrance, which doesn’t linger at all once rinsed, reminds us of being at the spa. Coupled with its gentle foaming texture, this cleanser transformed washing our face into a luxurious ritual. Added bonus: the bottle is clear, so you can see exactly how much is left.

Who It’s For: If you love the experience of a foaming cleanser, but don’t love how drying and stripping they can so often be, this cleanser is for you. This cleanser elevates foaming cleansers to a luxury level, so you can bring the spa home to your bathroom.

Editor Tip: A little goes a very long way—one pump is more than enough (sometimes we preferred half a pump!). The consistency can be slightly runny before you lather it up, so be careful with your pump. We found it was effective at removing heavy makeup, but would prefer a double cleanse with waterproof eye makeup.

Texture: Gel to foam | Key Ingredients: Raspberry fruit extract, cacao extract, Japanese elm tree bark, sea asparagus, white mulberry, angelica keiskei | Scented: Yes | Size: 6.7 oz

Bianca Kratky contributed additional reporting by interviewing three board-certified dermatologists:Dr. Kavita Mariwalla,Dr. Hope Mitchell, andDr. Jenny Liu.