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Top Face cleansers 2026

  • Updated Nov 8, 2026
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  • How we rank
Price
Skin
Form
Fragrance-free
1 CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
Our top pick

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser

9/10 Our score

Best for Normal to dry skin that feels tight after a foaming wash.

A non-foaming cream cleanser for normal to dry skin. It uses glycerin, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid, and it is fragrance-free. In the 2026 U.S. News survey of 129 dermatologists, CeraVe's hydrating cleanser scored 100, first among sensitive-skin face washes, and the sample product is this one. Dermatologist Kristina Collins, quoted by Who What Wear, says it cleans without the tight feeling dry skin gets from a foam. The texture does not foam, so people who want a squeaky wash often think it left something on the skin. It will not cut heavy sunscreen as well as a second cleanse with an oil.

Size
8 oz and larger
Texture
Non-foaming cream
Key ingredients
Ceramides, glycerin, hyaluronic acid
Fragrance
None
Skin
Normal to dry

Sources: U.S. News: CeraVe hydrating cleanser first in the 2026 dermatologist survey (published 2026-05-11) · Who What Wear: Dr. Kristina Collins on CeraVe Hydrating · Mid-County Dermatology 2025 product list (published 2025)

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2 La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Facial Cleanser

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Facial Cleanser

8.6/10 Our score

Best for Dry or sensitive skin that wants niacinamide in a cream cleanser and does not wear heavy makeup.

A milky, fragrance-free cleanser with glycerin, ceramide-3, and niacinamide in La Roche-Posay thermal water. Dermatologist Kristina Collins, quoted by Who What Wear, recommends it for people who find foam too drying. Vogue quotes dermatologist Whitney Bowe calling the texture milky rather than stripping, and notes it may not remove heavy makeup on its own. It is the cleanser to use if CeraVe's cream wash still stings. Follow it with a moisturizer. It is not a treatment for acne.

Size
13.52 oz
Texture
Milky cream, non-foaming
Key ingredients
Glycerin, ceramide-3, niacinamide, thermal water
Fragrance
None
Skin
Dry to sensitive

Sources: Who What Wear: Dr. Collins on Toleriane Hydrating Cleanser · Vogue: dermatologists on Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser

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3 Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser

Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser

8.4/10 Our score

Best for Very sensitive, eczema-prone, or post-procedure skin that needs the shortest ingredient list.

A soap-free wash with glycerin and almost nothing else that can sting. Vanicream leaves out fragrance, dyes, and the harsher surfactants. U.S. News's 2026 dermatologist survey ranks Vanicream third for sensitive-skin cleansers, with a score of 74. Dermatologist Gretchen Frieling, quoted by Vogue, calls it low-risk for irritation and a fit for eczema, rosacea, and skin on a retinoid. Kristina Collins, in Who What Wear, says it can feel less hydrating than CeraVe if your skin is very dry. Use it when every other wash burns. It will not leave a moisturized film.

Size
8 fl oz
Texture
Gentle, low-foam
Key ingredients
Glycerin
Fragrance
None
Left out
Dyes, fragrance, botanical extracts

Sources: U.S. News: Vanicream third in the 2026 sensitive-cleanser survey (published 2026-05-11) · Vogue: Dr. Frieling on Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser · Who What Wear: Dr. Collins on Vanicream

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4 CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser

7.6/10 Our score

Best for Normal to oily skin that feels greasy after a cream cleanser.

The foaming partner to CeraVe's cream cleanser. It dispenses as a gel, turns to foam, and lists ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide. The brand marks it fragrance-free and aims it at normal to oily skin. U.S. News's 2026 survey ranked the hydrating CeraVe cleanser, not this foam, so the dermatologist score does not transfer. Use it in the morning if a cream wash leaves you shiny. Dry and eczema-prone skin usually finds the foam too tight and should stay with the hydrating bottle.

Texture
Foaming gel
Key ingredients
Ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide
Fragrance
None
Skin
Normal to oily

Sources: CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser listing: ceramides and niacinamide, normal to oily · U.S. News: survey ranked the hydrating CeraVe cleanser, not this foam (published 2026-05-11)

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5 Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

7.2/10 Our score

Best for Dry to normal skin that wants a simple non-foaming wash and does not need ceramides.

The classic non-foaming Cetaphil wash for dry to normal, sensitive skin. The current bottle adds glycerin, panthenol, and niacinamide, and it is fragrance-free. U.S. News ranks a Cetaphil cleanser second in 2026, but the sample on that list is the Daily Facial Cleanser for normal to oily skin, a different formula. This gentle cleanser is the one you can wipe off or rinse. It can leave a light film, which is the point on dry skin and the complaint on oily skin. It does not have the ceramides in CeraVe.

Size
20 oz
Texture
Non-foaming lotion
Key ingredients
Glycerin, panthenol, niacinamide
Fragrance
None
Skin
Dry to normal, sensitive

Sources: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser listing: glycerin, panthenol, niacinamide · U.S. News: Cetaphil second, sample is the daily facial cleanser (published 2026-05-11)

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6 Bioderma Sensibio Foaming Gel

Bioderma Sensibio Foaming Gel

7/10 Our score

Best for Sensitive skin that wants a gel cleanser that also takes makeup off, and can tolerate a foam.

Bioderma's Sensibio foaming gel is sold for sensitive skin and for taking makeup off the face and eyes. The brand says it cleans without the tight feeling and that it calms irritation. U.S. News's 2026 dermatologist survey ranked CeraVe, Cetaphil, and Vanicream, not this gel, so the sensitive-skin claim is the brand's. Foam is still the wrong texture if your face already feels stripped. Use it when a cream cleanser leaves makeup behind. Follow it with a moisturizer. It is not an acne treatment.

Texture
Foaming gel
Skin
Sensitive
Use
Face and eyes, including makeup
Fragrance
Unscented

Sources: Bioderma Sensibio listing: foaming gel for sensitive skin and makeup · U.S. News 2026 survey ranked CeraVe, Cetaphil, and Vanicream, not this gel (published 2026-05-11)

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7 Aveeno Calm + Restore Foaming Cleanser

Aveeno Calm + Restore Foaming Cleanser

6.9/10 Our score

Best for Dry, sensitive skin that wants an oat wash and is not reactive to feverfew.

Aveeno Calm + Restore is a fragrance-free gel that foams, with oat, feverfew, and hyaluronic acid. Aveeno says it is for normal to dry sensitive skin and that it is soap-free and non-comedogenic. Oat is the useful part for dry skin. Feverfew is a plant extract, and plant extracts are what Vanicream leaves out because they sting some people. The 2026 dermatologist survey did not put this bottle first. Use it if you like oat and a light foam. Skip it if every botanical wash burns. It is gentler than a benzoyl peroxide wash and less plain than Vanicream.

Size
7.8 fl oz
Texture
Gel to foam
Key ingredients
Oat, feverfew, hyaluronic acid
Fragrance
None

Sources: Aveeno Calm + Restore listing: oat, feverfew, hyaluronic acid, fragrance-free · U.S. News 2026 cleanser survey did not rank this bottle first (published 2026-05-11)

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8 EltaMD Foaming Facial Cleanser

EltaMD Foaming Facial Cleanser

6.7/10 Our score

Best for Oily or combination skin that wants a light foam without tea tree or benzoyl peroxide.

EltaMD's foaming facial cleanser uses an enzyme and amino-acid blend and is sold as oil-free. The brand aims it at oily and sensitive skin and says it takes makeup off. It does not have the ceramides in CeraVe's foam or the short ingredient list in Vanicream. The dermatologist survey that scored CeraVe's hydrating cleanser at 100 did not score this foam. Use it in the morning if cream cleansers leave you shiny and COSRX's tea tree stings. It is still a foam. Dry, eczema-prone skin should stay with CeraVe Hydrating or Vanicream.

Texture
Foam
Key ingredients
Enzyme and amino-acid blend
Finish
Oil-free
Skin
Oily to combination

Sources: EltaMD Foaming Facial Cleanser listing: enzyme and amino-acid blend, oil-free · U.S. News 2026 survey scored the CeraVe hydrating cleanser, not this foam (published 2026-05-11)

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9 PanOxyl 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Foaming Wash

PanOxyl 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Foaming Wash

6.5/10 Our score

Best for Acne that needs benzoyl peroxide. It is a treatment wash, not a daily gentle cleanser.

A 10 percent benzoyl peroxide wash for acne, in a 5.5 oz tube. Benzoyl peroxide kills acne bacteria. It also bleaches towels and it dries the skin out. This is not the CeraVe or Vanicream bottle you use every time you wash. Use it on breakouts, leave it on for a minute or two, and rinse. Follow with a plain moisturizer. Do not use it with a retinoid the same night if your face is already peeling. This tube sells a lot because it treats acne, which is a different job from a gentle cleanser.

Active
Benzoyl peroxide 10 percent
Size
5.5 oz
Use
Acne wash, short contact
Not
A daily gentle cleanser

Sources: PanOxyl listing: 10 percent benzoyl peroxide foaming wash

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10 COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

6.4/10 Our score

Best for Oily skin that wants a low-pH gel and is not reactive to tea tree or salicylic-type ingredients.

A low-pH gel wash with betaine salicylate and tea tree oil, sold as a 5.07 fl oz bottle. COSRX says the pH sits near the skin's own and that a small irritation test on 34 people found no reaction at 24, 48, and 72 hours. That is the brand's test, and it is short. Tea tree and a salicylic-type ingredient are the reason sensitive and eczema-prone skin often stings on this gel. Dermatologist surveys that rank CeraVe, Cetaphil, and Vanicream do not place this cleanser. Use it if you are oily and the cream washes feel like they did nothing. Skip it on a broken barrier.

Size
5.07 fl oz
Texture
Gel
Key ingredients
Betaine salicylate, tea tree oil
pH
Low, near skin pH
Skip if
Sensitive or eczema-prone skin

Sources: COSRX listing: low pH, tea tree, BHA, and the brand irritation test · U.S. News 2026 cleanser survey, which does not rank COSRX (published 2026-05-11)

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Related categories

Face Moisturizers Face creams and moisturizers ranked by formula: La Roche-Posay Toleriane for daily use, Vanicream for sensitive skin, and the CeraVe tub for dry skin. Read more
Face Creams Face creams ranked on lab and expert evidence: CeraVe for dry skin, Olay Regenerist for measured hydration, and lighter picks for sensitive or oily skin. Read more
Face sunscreens Daily face sunscreens ranked by filter type and wear: EltaMD UV Clear for acne-prone skin, chemical fluids when you need them invisible. Read more
Hyaluronic acid serums Hyaluronic acid serums ranked by dose and texture: Vichy Mineral 89, La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5, and The Ordinary 2 percent. Read more

A cleanser only has to get the day off the skin without leaving it tight. CeraVe's hydrating wash is the one dermatologists rank first for dry skin. Vanicream is the short formula when everything else stings. A foaming wash is for skin that looks shiny by noon. Star ratings and the pros and cons on each card are aggregated from opinions published on the internet.

How we picked these

The 2026 U.S. News dermatologist survey and quoted dermatologists in Who What Wear and Vogue decide the order. A brand's own irritation test stays labeled as theirs. How many people bought a cleanser is not a reason to rank it higher.

How we rank