The Best Hydrating Face Washes for Dry Skin

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 that can deliver what you’re looking for: clean skin that’s not stripped dry. Here are a few of our favorites from CeraVe!

CeraVe Hydrating Facial 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 Facial Cleanser, $4.99-15.99 MSRP

CeraVe Hydrating Body Wash

The skin on your body deserves some cleansing attention as well. Try this gentle, foaming formula that not only cleanses the skin but comforts it as well. It’s formulated with ceramides that help repair the skin barrier, hyaluronic acid which attracts moisture to the skin’s surface, and emollients which moisturize and soften dry skin all day.

CeraVe Hydrating Body Wash, $10.99 MSRP

CeraVe Hydrating Micellar Water

Micellar water is a fan-favorite cleansing option for a number of reasons. Not only is the gentle micelle technology—which lifts and traps impurities like a magnet—effective, but most formulas are multi-taskers and compatible with all skin types. We particularly love this hydrating formula by Cerave, which is formulated with three essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. It can cleanse the skin, remove makeup, hydrate the skin and help restore the protective skin barrier. You don’t even have to rinse! 

CeraVe Hydrating Micellar Water, $9.99 MSRP

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar

Who said all bar soaps are bad? This Hydrating Cleanser Bar gently removes dirt, oil, and makeup without disrupting the skin’s natural protective barrier. And while most bar soaps aren’t formulated with cream, this one contains the brand’s Moisturizing Cream to hydrate and nourish the skin so it’s left feeling soft.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar, $4.99-9.99 MSRP

CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleanser Cloths

These ultra-gentle cleanser cloths can remove dirt, oil, and waterproof mascara with ease—all while hydrating the skin. It’s formulated with three essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid to keep skin hydrated for eight hours, while helping to repair and restore the skin’s natural protective barrier. What’s more, these wipes are non-irritating, non-comedogenic, and fragrance- and sulfate-free.

CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleanser Cloths, $7.97 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.