Key ingredients: jojoba oil, shea butter, willow bark extract, squalane, and oat kernel extract | Fragrance-free: yes
Best Truly Budget Option: Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Hydrating Facial Cleanser
Why it’s worth it: Neutrogena’s Ultra Gentle Hydrating Facial Cleanser keeps things pretty simple with a tight list of ingredients that stars glycerin as its main hydrator. Dr. Song likes that its non-foamy, creamy formula is free of dyes and fragrances. And for the same price as a fancy latte (a mere $10), that means you’re in for a thorough clean minus any surprise irritation.
Key ingredients: glycerin | Fragrance-free: yes
Frequently Asked Questions
What factors make a face wash beneficial for dry skin versus a face wash that’s formulated for acne-prone skin?
Confused by “for all skin type” designations, or just not sure how to shop for your dry skin? Teresa Song, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Marmur Medical in New York City, explains that face washes designed for dry skin are typically formulated with gentle, hydrating ingredients that don’t strip the skin’s natural oils. “Key ingredients focus on hydration, such as glycerin and ceramides, to support the skin barrier,” Dr. Song says, adding that the texture tends to be creamy or oil-based for greater hydration.
She suggests avoiding foaming formulas since they often contain surfactants like sodium lauryl sulfate (or SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate, which cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos previously told us remove hydrating natural lipids, along with all that grime and sebum, when they’re included in face cleansers. This means that they can strip skin of moisture, and studies have shown that they can be harsh for dry and sensitive skin types. Still, many foaming face washes exclude those types of ingredients (double check your ingredient lists!), and plenty of new surfactants are specifically created to be mild on skin—such as cocamidopropyl betaine, according to Dr. Song —so we wouldn’t rule them out in this category entirely.
Meanwhile, face washes for acne-prone skin still start with a hydrating base, but tend to add in acne-fighting active ingredients such as salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, or tea tree oil. Since acne-prone skin tends to mean greater oil production, cleansers with that skin type in mind will usually also contain stronger surfactants in a lightweight gel or foaming cleanser.
How should someone shop for face washes for dry skin, in terms of ingredients to look out for or avoid?
Face washes for dry skin are going to contain some of the same hydrators as formulas for other skin types, except you’ll likely see multiple of them in tandem since different types perform different functions—and often work well when combined. Dr. Song says to look for a cleanser with moisturizing ingredients such as emollients (which soften skin and restore the skin barrier), humectants (which draw moisture to the skin from the air or deeper in the skin), and occlusives (that help seal all that moisture in so your skin stays hydrated for longer). Hypoallergenic and fragrance-free formulas will be your best bet for sidestepping potential irritation.
How often should people with dry skin wash their face?
If you’ve been hoodwinked by a certain skin-care myth that people with dry skin should wash their face less frequently, we’re very happy to help debunk it. Dr. Song confirms that people with dry skin should still wash their face with cleanser and water (not just with makeup remover!) at least once a day, “as bacteria and environmental debris can accumulate on the skin through daily exposure.”