Favorite Facial Cleansers

I once read a tip saying not to spend too much money on cleansers since they wash off almost immediately after application, thus the active ingredients don’t spend a lot of time on the skin, and instead save the big bucks for serums, masks, and moisturizers that stay on the skin for longer. While I somewhat agree with this tip- if you’re on a budget, cleansers are definitely the area to cut spending- it’s not entirely true that the ingredients in cleansers don’t stay on your skin long. Have you ever used a scented cleanser and your face still smells like it after you’ve rinsed and dried off? That’s because skin is extremely porous (it soaks in what it comes into contact with) and even if the product isn’t on the skin for too long, the face wash will still do what it says it does. Still, it’s probably best to skip cleansers that are for targeted purposes and choose ones that will help you to scrub away dirt, grime, makeup and oils, and to help open your pores so the good stuff that you should invest your money in can work effectively. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser- $28 for 5oz. Buy it from Sephora now

This cleanser has two of my favorite ingredients: charcoal, which de-clogs pores and actively draws impurities out of the skin, and glycolic acid, which is good for uneven skin texture like mine. It has a slick gel-like consistency and heats up on contact (no you weren’t imagining your face getting hotter!) to help open up your pores even more. I like to use this cleanser in the evening because I feel like it best prepares my skin for the other products that I want to soak into my skin overnight, however I use this AFTER I have removed my eye makeup with a different cleanser or makeup remover because the warming sensation on my eyelids freaks me out

 

2. Clinique Liquid Facial Soap- $17 for 6.7oz. Buy it from Sephora now

I personally feel that Clinique can do no wrong when it comes to skin care products and this cleanser is no exception. It comes in three formulas- extra mild for sensitive skin, mild for normal/combination skin, and oily for oily/combination skin. This is perfect for me since my skin tends to be more oily in the summer and drier in the winter, so I can buy which one I need according to the seasons. These cleansers work wonders to remove makeup on the face, neck, and eyes and give you a super clean and fresh feeling. Want to feel even cleaner? This cleanser works beautifully with a skin cleansing brush.

 

3. St. Ives Apricot Scrub- $3.09 for 6oz. Buy it from Target now

I have had a tube of this in my home since before I can remember- in fact it’s the first scrub I ever used on my skin. My mom used to use it and when I became of age- and by that I mean when I got my first pimple- she told me to use it too. Products like these that have been around for decades are always a safe bet. I like to use the Blemish Control formula, which is oil free and has salicylic acid for acne (shown above), but there is also a formula for normal skin too. The heavy duty scrubbing power comes from 100% natural exfoliants, but I definitely wouldn’t recommend using this product more than twice a week at most. The goal is to remove dead skin cells to reveal fresh beautiful skin, not to remove your face from your skull.

 

I am sure there are tons of other amazing products out there, these are just the ones that I have always found myself coming back to. Please let me know of there are some other really good ones that I missed or may have not tried!