How To Find the Perfect Facial Cleanser for Your Skin Type

Cleansing is an important step in your skin care routine, but it can be confusing when it comes to choosing the right type that will work best for your needs and specific complexion. To minimize the time spent determining the right choice, we’re sharing how to find the best facial cleansers for your skin type. 

Cleansers For Sensitive Skin | Oily Skin | Dry Skin | Combination Skin | Normal Skin

Why Use A Facial Cleanser?

Imagine a day’s worth of dirt, oil and leftover makeup merging into an invisible mask of pollutants on your skin. This is where the magic of a good cleanser shines, sweeping away these impurities. If neglected, applying products over this unwashed layer only traps the dirt and oil, leading to clogged pores. These clogged pores, filled with a mix of oil, bacteria and grime, become the perfect breeding ground for breakouts. You can learn even more about the purpose of cleansing in this cleansers 101 guide.

Cleansers For Sensitive Skin

Understanding your skin type is crucial in selecting the right facial cleanser, especially if you have sensitive skin. So, how do you know if you have sensitive skin? When exposed to irritants, sensitive skin frequently responds with a rash that may appear red, flaky or bumpy. You may notice these reactions from certain chemicals, ingredients or perfumes as well as leave-on topical products, such as facial serums and moisturizers, that are designed to stay on the skin instead of being washed off. You may also notice that you react to a change in diet or when you have hormonal imbalances. In addition to rashes and bumps, sensitive skin may feel itchy and tight — particularly after cleansing with products that contain harsh chemicals or artificial fragrances. Sensitive skin is also often accompanied by dryness or dehydration, which can also leave skin feeling prickly and parched.

Given these challenges, it’s important to choose a cleanser that is gentle yet effective. When your skin is on the sensitive side, cream cleansers are a great choice as they help lock in moisture while removing impurities. One of our top picks? The Lemon Grass Cleanser, which contains olive oil to soothe dry skin and sunflower oil, rich in vitamins to reduce the visible signs of aging. This hypoallergenic cleanser also contains wheat extract for hydration.  

If you’re looking for a gentle yet effective way to cleanse, the Barbados Cherry Enzyme Cleansing Powder is your new best friend. Enzymes in skin care help accelerate the skin’s natural exfoliation process without the harshness of traditional scrubs or chemical exfoliants, which is exactly what sensitive skin types need. When mixed with water, this cleanser transforms from powder to a creamy foam. Once massaged into the skin, you’ll feel the exfoliating effects of actinidin and papain enzymes, while Barbados cherry, Kakadu plum and diatomaceous earth work together to leave skin even and balanced-looking.

Cleansers For Oily Skin

For those dealing with oily skin, the approach and choice of products will differ significantly. If you’re unsure whether you have oily skin, here are a few signs that you may have this skin type:

• Greasy to the touch
• Visible, large pores
• Prone to breakouts 
• Makeup gets soaked up quickly but also slides off easily 
• Shiny looking 

If you do have this skin type, your goal should be to control the buildup of oil or debris and prevent breakouts. Our Lead Skin Care Trainer Natalie Pergar recommends the Charcoal Exfoliating Gel Cleanser to combat oily skin. Rich in antioxidants, this gel lather unclogs and deep cleans pores thanks to its star ingredient — charcoal. This may sound odd, but charcoal actually draws out dirt and oil to help prevent clogged pores. Another antioxidant-rich ingredient in this formulation is blue matcha, which is known to improve the visible signs of aging (think fine lines and wrinkles). You can watch Natalie go into more detail about this cleanser in this In The Mix video.

Cleansers For Dry Skin

To effectively tackle dry skin issues, it’s essential to choose the right skin care products. Dry skin can benefit from gentle cleansers including foaming products like our Kombucha Microbiome Foaming Cleanser. It features micellar technology and actives that help balance the skin microbiome and protect the skin barrier, an essential for sensitive skin. A blend of pre, pro* and postbiotics improves the skin barrier while kombucha, jasmine, white tea and ginger combine to refresh and balance the microbiome.

Cleansers For Combination Skin

Combination skin is characterized by oily and dry skin in one complexion. Your T-zone and chin feel extra oily while your cheeks or other parts of your face get dry. The skin’s oiliness and dryness can fluctuate with changes in weather. Humidity might increase oiliness, while cold weather could enhance dryness. The goal for combination skin is to treat both oily and dry areas for a clear, balanced complexion. You will most benefit from using different products on different areas of your face. You can visit an Eminence Organics Spa to receive a tailored routine for your skin type. 

For those with combination skin, we recommend the Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Cleanser which has a Lactic Acid Complex to remove buildup, gently remove dead skin cells and buff the skin to look smooth and polished. Mangosteen, a superfruit, defends your complexion from pollution and other environmental stressors that could dry out the skin.

Cleansers For Normal Skin 

Normal skin types simply need to maintain their balanced and healthy skin. You don’t notice dry or oily patches, nor do you suffer redness or itchiness from trying new products. You might occasionally notice breakouts related to hormones or infrequent cleansing, but your skin is generally balanced. While normal skin is typically well-balanced and less prone to issues, it’s not completely immune to the occasional changes or breakouts caused by environmental factors. To help maintain this balance and counteract these effects, the Stone Crop Gel Wash is an excellent choice for normal skin. This gentle cleanser provides a light foam, refreshing and cleansing the skin, while ingredients like stone crop and chamomile work to hydrate and soothe.

Have you found a cleanser that suits your complexion? To narrow your selection down, view the full lineup of our cleansers here or visit an Eminence Organics Spa Partner for a consultation.

*This formula does not contain live probiotic cultures.