6 Face Washes That Won’t Strip Your Skin Dry

Washing your face both morning and night is an essential step to any skin care routine. The reason being, your skin is exposed to oil, grime, dirt, and makeup—sometimes all at once—every single day. If left to linger on your skin for too long, the buildup can cause a dulled appearance, clogged pores, and subsequent breakouts. By cleansing your skin morning and night, you are helping to remove the impurities before they have a chance to take a toll on your complexion.

But cleansing has evolved beyond a simple lather with soap and water. Let alone the sheer amount of face washes out there, the concerns these formulas can address are equally vast. The only downside? Some face washes can be particularly drying. If you’re dealing with an already-dry complexion, you want to be extra cautious not to make things worse. That said, you don’t have the green light to eliminate cleansing altogether. As we mentioned earlier, cleansing your skin is crucial in a well-rounded skin care routine. Thankfully, there are a handful of gentle and hydrating cleansers—from the L’Oréal portfolio of brands—that can deliver what you’re looking for: clean skin that’s not stripped dry. Here are a few of our favorites.

Vichy Pureté Thermale Foaming Cream 

This cream cleanser—formulated with Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Water—cleanses the skin from impurities and pollution particles without drying it out, all while visibly reducing the effect of hard water on skin. What’s more? No harsh rubbing is necessary. All you’re left with is skin that’s soft, hydrated, smoother, and more radiant.

Vichy Pureté Thermale Foaming Cream, $18 MSRP

L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Nourishing Cream Cleanser

Brutally cold temps and harsh winds can surely cause our skin to feel dry, but so too can natural aging. As the skin matures, it naturally loses moisture, oils, and nutrients which can result in skin that looks and feels drier. To help comfort skin, reach for this daily cream cleanser. It’s formulated with replenishing oils, and can help remove traces of makeup without over-drying the skin. The result? Skin that’s perfectly cleansed, soft, smooth, and comfortable.

L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Nourishing Cream Cleanser, $6.99 MSRP 

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser

With ‘hydrating’ in the name, it’s no surprise that this cleanser ensures your skin remains hydrated after washing. The non-comedogenic formula provides a controlled release of ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and other essential ingredients throughout the day, which help to hydrate and nourish the skin. It’s an ideal choice for normal to dry skin types looking to gently remove dirt, oil, and makeup without disrupting the skin’s natural protective barrier. 

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, $10.44 MSRP 

SkinCeuticals Replenishing Cleanser

Don’t settle for a face wash that strips the skin of moisture when you can use this hydrating formula that effectively whisks away impurities while replenishing the skin. It’s formulated with a fortifying ceramide complex, vitamin b5, and glycerin, and can leave the skin feeling clean and comfortable.

SkinCeuticals Replenishing Cleanser, $34 MSRP

Lancôme Crème Radiance

As far as cream cleansers go, this luxe blend is among the crème de la crème as it can gently remove dirt, impurities, and waterproof makeup without irritating the skin. Benefits aside, the super-soft texture of this cream cleanser feels incredibly pampering—it’s almost addictive.

Lancôme Crème Radiance, $26 MSRP

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser

Have your skin drink up the benefits of this gentle, hydrating cleanser formulated with La Roche-Posay Prebiotic Thermal Spring Water, ceramide-3, and niacinamide. It can cleanse the skin of dirt, makeup, and impurities while maintaining the skin’s natural moisture barrier and pH. Instead of skin that feels stripped and irritated, yours will be left feeling clean, comfortable, and hydrated.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser,  $14.99 MSRP

Editor’s note: With the help of these gentle, hydrating face washes, you can bet your skin won’t be left feeling dry and uncomfortable post-cleanse. Just make sure you apply moisturizer immediately after rinsing—while your skin is still slightly damp—as well to help lock in even more moisture.