Save your skin barrier with the 7 best sensitive skin face washes I tested (2025)

As a pivotal first step in your skincare routine, cleansing helps purify your skin and give it a much-needed dose of hydration. That, we love.

What we don’t particularly love (actually, we don’t love at all) is cleansing with ingredients and formulations that don’t serve sensitive skin well — that is, includes no-no’s ingredients that dermatologists would abhor.

“All skin types (oily, normal, combination, dry) can also be simultaneously sensitive,” Tiffany Libby, MD, board-certified dermatologist, Mohs surgeon and assistant professor of dermatology at Brown University’s Warren Alpert School of Medicine, told Post Wanted. “Sensitive skin is skin that has a weakened or disrupted skin barrier and results in various skin signs of sensitivity like redness, flaking, itching and overall irritation.”

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had sensitive skin. After using certain ones for years and consulting a team of board-certified dermatologists, we’ve rounded up the best face washes you can add to your cart and feel good about. Head on over to the in-depth FAQ section for more intel on what to look for in a face wash for sensitive skin.

If you’re a skincare junkie, too, check out my expert-backed guides to the best hyaluronic acid products and niacinamide serums to help build your regimen.

Best for Sensitive Skin: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser

The La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser is a sensitive- and dry-skin-approved option that’s worth grabbing. Take it from me, someone who has reviewed nearly the entire brand.

It’s fragrance-free, contains niacinamide and doesn’t strip the epidermis. Instead, it’s hydrating, effectively removes impurities — especially at the end of the day — and is formulated with the brand’s signature thermal spring water that hails from France. Feel-good cleansing, secured.

Two standout features of this cleanser are its price and size. It’s accessible for shoppers seeking an affordable everyday product, while the 13.52 fluid ounces make it a great value. It doesn’t strip my skin, always leaves my face feeling nourished and oil-free, and preps it for serums and moisturizers.

For sensitive skin users, this formula is refreshing, both literally and formulaically. Each product from La Roche-Posay contains the brand’s proprietary Thermal Spring Water (think: dousing your face in Poland Spring instead of tap water from your bathroom sink). Every single ingredient, including the water, is well thought out, and I’ll always reach for this one.

Key ingredients: Ceramide-3, Niacinamide | Size: 13.52 fluid ounces

Best Drugstore: CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser

If you’ve ever perused the Target beauty aisles or have seen dermatologist-recommended products on advertisements, you’re likely familiar with CeraVe. Its Foaming Facial Cleanser is top-notch, especially if you’re looking for a cleanser that’s “safe.” It has never led to breakouts.

While it’s marketed for normal to oily skin, I find it works best for dry and sensitive skin. It doesn’t leave that filmy texture that’s so common with drugstore cleansers (spoiler alert: we don’t want them, and never did). It doesn’t disrupt the skin barrier, making it ideal for dry and even flaky areas of the face, like I’ve found around my jawline.

Additionally, it’s packed with three essential ceramides, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid, so it’s bringing you a dermatologist-approved trifecta that has fared well for my skin in the long haul. If you want to avoid a pricier cleanser, this drugstore hero is the way to go.

Key ingredients: Ceramides 1, 3, 6-II; Hyaluronic Acid | Size: 0.97 fluid ounces

Best for Oily Skin: The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Foaming Cleanser

Pretty-in-pink packaging aside, The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Foaming Cleanser is heaven-sent for my combination skin. Specifically, conquering and remedying the oilier zones on my face.

But, it’s not only for oily skin types. My combination skin is obsessed with this product because it’s so gentle. It doesn’t leave my skin squeaky clean like some other cleansers designed for purely oily skin; instead, it removes excess oil while leaving my skin incredibly hydrated, thanks to its to-die-for foaming abilities.

As soon as this formulation is mixed with water, you’ll be amazed at its lathering power. It not only hydrated and rinsed away dirt and makeup, but it completely allowed my skin to feel matte-clean. Best of all, my complexion still looked radiant (think: glass skin, without the excess “dewy” finish), so you’re receiving the best of both worlds.

While it proves to work incredibly on my sensitive skin, it has a subtle rice and floral scent, which may be undesirable for those who are extremely sensitive. However, I’ve seen no adverse effects; it’s just food for thought.

I’m not sure how this cleanser is less than $20. It’s not only the price that makes more than 5,000 beauty shoppers flock to it each month on Amazon, but it’s its efficacy. I highly recommend it.

Size: 10.1 ounces | Key ingredients: Ceramides, Vitamins A, B + E

Best for Acne-Prone Skin: Paula’s Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser

The Paula’s Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser feels like a dream. If your dry skin is prone to hormonal acne like mine at times, this face wash is the one I reach for.

Specifically, it contains salicylic acid to keep blackheads at bay while maintaining its nourishing texture. It’s ultra-light but nourishing at the same time, removing oil but keeping that dry skin feeling to a minimum. For less than $25, it’s one of my favorites to use.

The cleanser’s formula includes a blend of soothing ingredients such as chamomile and cucumber extract, designed to calm irritation while dissolving dirt and makeup. The formula is non-foaming, making it ideal for sensitive skin types that may react poorly to harsher, soap-based cleansers.

This product is also free of fragrances and harsh chemicals, an extra brownie point for sensitive skin users. It’s cruelty-free and doesn’t contain added parabens, sulfates or artificial colorants. Most importantly, it creates that clean feeling that you surely want with any good cleanser.

Key ingredients: Salicylic acid | Size: 6 fluid ounces

Best for Dry: Cetaphil Hydrating Foaming Cream Cleanser

After testing the Cetaphil Hydrating Foaming Cream Cleanser for two years straight, it’s always the formulation I return to when I desire a trusty and nourishing face wash. The best part? It’s budget-friendly, hypoallergenic and fragrance-free. So, instead of being solely geared toward dry skin, it’s just as phenomenal on sensitive skin.

More than 8,000 shoppers purchase it each month on Amazon alone, though this rockstar cleanser is available elsewhere, too. Because of its cream-to-foam feel, it’s like using a cleanser-moisturizer hybrid. Plus, it hails from a dermatologist-loved brand.

Key ingredients: Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Prebiotic Aloe | Size:16 fluid ounces

Best for Oily Skin: Clinique All About Clean Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser

The Clinique All About Clean Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser is a gentle yet effective facial cleanser that I love using to thoroughly remove dirt, oil and makeup without stripping my skin of its natural moisture. Its lightweight, foaming texture makes it easy to apply and rinse off and, in turn, leaves the skin feeling clean and refreshed.

The formula is free from parabens, phthalates and fragrance (aka, the trifecta I look to avoid), which are often irritants. It’s non-drying, maintaining the skin’s natural balance, which is essential for keeping the it healthy and hydrated.

The cleanser is formulated with mild surfactants that provide a deep yet gentle cleanse. While I have true combination skin, it effectively works on the oilier parts of my face to rid excess oil from the surface, preventing clogged pores, too. I also love how quickly this whipped mousse feels.

Clinique’s All About Clean Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser is especially beneficial for those with sensitive and oily skin, largely in part for its balanced formulation. I’ll be the first to tell you that sensitive skin requires products that won’t cause irritation or inflammation, and this cleanser meets that need by being fragrance-free and dermatologically tested. For oily skin, it effectively removes the excess sebum without causing dryness or the need for excessive moisture after. As a result, this cleanser helps maintains a clear, fresh and comfortable complexion without compromising skin integrity. Yes, yes and yes.

Key ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid, Glycerin | Size: 5 fluid ounces

Best Exfoliating: Alpyn Beauty Hydrating Cold Cream Cleanser

I can’t shut up about Alpyn Beauty (my full brand review is proof in the pudding). And, speaking of pudding, the brand’s Hydrating Cold Cream Cleanser has a whipped, beautifully hydrating consistency that you wouldn’t suspect gently exfoliates, too.

I’ve had many conversations with Kendra Kolb Butler, the brand’s founder, and am always amazed at the brand’s genesis story; she hand-picks wild plants in her home of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and mixes them with clinical ingredients (like vitamin C) to create products that’ll make your skin “survive” — just like the plans in the forest.

The Hydrating Cold Cream Cleanser contains junberry and vitamin C, a soothing cocktail for brightening and reversing dull skin. I’m very much against anything with micro-beads because, hello, sensitive skin, but this formula melts directly into my epidermis.

The best part? This cleanser can also double as a mask, a beauty hack I find myself following religiously. Apply double the amount, leave it on for 10 minutes and voila: more skin nourishment without buying another product.

Key ingredients: Vitamin C, Juneberry | Size: 3.9 fluid ounces

How I tested

After rotating face cleansers for my dry skin for four years, here’s what I’ve been keeping in mind for each product:

• Formulation: Is it hydrating? Is it effective at cleansing away impurities? These factors were majorly taken into account.
• Irritation levels: I have incredibly sensitive skin that’s also dry, so I made a note if any product broke me out (spoiler alert: thankfully, they didn’t).
• Versatility: Depending on the consistency, some are better to layer serums and moisturizers on top of, while others feel like a cleanser-moisturizer hybrid. This was taken into account for each cleanser tested.

An FAQ on Face Washes for Sensitive Skin

Ahead, our team of board-certified dermatologists gave us the 411 on what to look for in a face wash for sensitive skin — outlining ingredients, formulations and more.

What are the benefits of using a face wash?

“Face washes essentially serve two purposes: (1) remove build up of dead skin cells, dirt, and oil, and (2) stimulate hydration, when chosen wisely and coupled with a moisturizer,” Adarsh VIjay Mudgil, MD, dual board-certified dermatologist, owner of Mudgil Dermatology, PC and assistant clinical professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, told The Post.

Face washes also help cleanse the skin of bacteria, makeup and pollutants that build up on the skin throughout the day and prepare skin for the next skincare steps, per Libby.

How often should a face wash be used?

According to Dr. Libby, a face wash should be used one to two times daily, in the morning and evening.

“If exercising and sweating, it is important to use a face wash afterward as well,” she added. “You’ll want to avoid over-washing skin, in which case skin may feel overly dry and tight aka ‘squeaky clean’, which is a tell-tale sign you may have over washed skin and potentially stripped necessary oils and fats from skin and irritated the skin moisture barrier.”

How to *actually* tell if you have sensitive skin, according to experts

“Sensitive skin tends to be dry and ‘rashy,’ meaning it gets red and inflamed appearing,” Dr. Mudgil said. “This can happen either without exposure to something sensitizing or in response to an allergen (like fragrance).”

All skin types (oily, normal, combination, dry) can also be simultaneously sensitive. “Sensitive skin is skin that has a weakened or disrupted skin barrier and results in various skin signs of sensitivity like redness, flaking, itching and overall irritation,” Libby added.

What type of face wash formulation is best for sensitive skin?

“An individual with sensitive skin should look for a non-foaming hydrating, creamy or oil-based cleanser,” according to Libby. Although formulations have improved significantly to where there are foaming cleansers that can be used on sensitive skin, a gentler option is still a cream- or oil-based cleanser, she advises.

Another note: less is more. “Folks with sensitive skin tend to be sensitive to harsh cleansers which over-exfoliate the skin or to cleansers that are very fragrant,” Mudgil added. “A mild, hydrating cleanser is one’s best bet.”

What ingredients to look for in a face wash for sensitive skin, according to experts

According to Libby, look for hydrating and barrier repair ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and allantoin. Specifically, hyaluronic acid and ceramides are two key ingredients Mudgil recommends as well.

What ingredients to avoid in a face wash for sensitive skin, according to experts

Of course, fragrance is at the top of the list. “Preservatives, parabens and formaldehyde are other ingredients to avoid,” Mudgil listed.

What’s more, Libby advises against a higher percentage of exfoliating agents like 10% glycolic acid, strong fragrances and absolutely any physical exfoliants like washes with beads.

A dermatologist-approved skincare routine for sensitive skin

Face washing not only rids the skin of debris, oil, makeup and the day’s pollution, but it also sets the stage for the next skincare steps.

“Ideally, apply from thinnest to thickest when it comes to product application, like serums and then moisturizers,” Libby said. Oh, and you’ll want to follow Mudgil’s golden rule: “Moisturizer at night, sunscreen in the morning!”

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Victoria Giardina, New York Post Commerce Journalist & Content Strategist, who has spent countless hours researching, testing hundreds of products and comparing the latest makeup, skincare, hair and beauty items and trends to determine what’s truly worth your hard-earned cash. She evaluates formulas, textures, ingredients and more, in addition to consulting medical and industry experts. Some of Victoria’s latest conquests include testing the best vitamin C serums on the market, and a rinse-and-repeat review of the best shampoos of 2025. Victoria, who received a beauty industry essentials certification from the Fashion Institute of Technology, has been creating shopping guides for the New York Post since 2021 and previously held positions at Insider Reviews and CNN Underscored.