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EVERY GOOD SKINCARE routine starts with the same thing—a quality facial cleanser. Think about it, before you layer on the serums, moisturizers, and eye creams, you must first clear the canvas. Face washes accomplish this by getting rid of all the dirt and grime that's accumulated on your face throughout the day while also helping prevent clogged pores, which can cause blemishes and acne. So it's crucial to find the best face wash for you, no matter your skin type.
Best Face Washes for Men
"You need to use a face wash morning and night and anytime after a heavy workout to avoid bacteria and sebum from accumulating," says Dr. Anthony Rossi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
It's easy to think that all face washes for men are the same, but that's certainly not the case. The best face washes for men do more than just clean: they can also hydrate, treat zits, and remove excess oil. This initial step in your skincare routine is especially important for guys who lead an active lifestyle. While a cardio workout boosts your skin's blood circulation and can promote collagen production, all that sweat can leave your face prone to breakouts and irritation.
With so many products out there, finding the right one for your skin type and preferences can feel impossible. That's why we spent the past two years trying every cleanser we could get our hands on to find the ten best face washes for virtually any skin type and price point.
What to Consider
Key Ingredients
A face wash is arguably the most important step in any skincare routine because, without it, the rest of the products are utterly useless. When looking for a face wash, you want something that's gentle yet effective. Even if your skincare routine only consisted of washing your face, you wouldn't want a cleanser that strips your skin of all its beneficial natural oils. If you have acne-prone skin, look for a face wash with acids, like salicylic, AHA (alpha hydroxy), or BHA(beta-hydroxy). These ingredients help slough away dead skin cells that can cause breakouts. If you have dry skin, look for a hydrating face wash with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and moisturizing plant-based oils (avocado, peppermint, etc.).
Skin Type
Of course, like most skincare products knowing your skin type is essential in choosing the right face wash for you. Whether oily, dry, acne-prone, or sensitive, every skin type requires unique formulas to effectively cleanse. For example, those with oily skin should look for gel-based face washes that control excess oil, while those with dry skin should opt for cream-based formulas that hydrate without stripping moisture. Sensitive skin fellas will benefit from gentle, fragrance-free cleansers that limit the risk of irritation. In short, choosing a face wash for your skin type ensures you're using a product that works in harmony with your skin’s natural needs, helping to achieve a clear and balanced complexion (not to mention, priming your face for additional products).
How We Selected
For the past two years, I consulted with Men's Health's Grooming editors and writers on the top face washes for men. Experts, including Deputy Editor of Commerce, Christian Gollayan, tried over 50 face cleansers and evaluated their ingredients, feel, consistency, and effectiveness. We also considered top-reviewed face cleansers that had at least 100 five-star customer ratings on e-commerce websites that we trust, like Amazon.
Below is the culmination of that extensive expertise research with the ten best face washes for men with any skin type or budget.
Pros
Gentle non-stripping formula- pH-balanced to maintain skin’s natural protection barrier
- Unscented for those sensitive
Cons
- Not ideal for those who prefer some fragrance
For active guys who want a no-nonsense soap that also feels luxurious, look no further than Kiehl's bestselling cleanser. Made with hydrating glycerin and squalene, and without parabens or fragrances, this face wash thoroughly cleanses your skin without drying it. It's packed with powerful ingredients, like squalane and glycerin, that effectively cleanse skin while also moisturizing your face, leaving it soft and ready for other soothing products.
Testing notes: We've been using Kiehl's bestselling cleanser for years as a go-to face soap, and we love its ultra-smooth formula that glides over our skin. We also like how it doesn't have a fragrance, which also makes it ideal for guys with ultra-sensitive skin. While we wouldn't exactly classify $16 for 2.5 oz as a bargain, it's still on the cheaper end of the cleanser market. All in all, no matter your skin type or budget, Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser is an ideal everyday face wash.
Read More: Best Kiehl's Products
| Key Ingredients | Squalane, avocado oil, glycerin |
|---|---|
| Skin Type | All |
Best Face Wash for Skin Prone to Redness
Paula's Choice Calm Ultra-Gentle Cleanser
Pros
- Formula is gentle on sensitive skin
- Deeply cleans without damaging skin barrier
- Helps reduce redness on the face
Cons
- A slightly weaker lather compared to others on this list
After reviewing over 50 cleansers, our testers gave Paula's Choice's face wash a 2023 Grooming Award. Unlike traditional cleansers, this one removes dirt but doesn’t disrupt your skin’s barrier. “My skin feels incredible after every use,” raved one tester.
Testing Notes: A couple of years after those awards, and our editors are still raving about Paula's Choice's ultra-gentle face wash. One editor whose skin is especially sensitive noticed that his face looked less red and had fewer breakouts after incorporating this cleanser into his daily skincare routine.
Read more: Best Face Wash for Dry Skin
| Key Ingredients | Glycerin, caprylic/capric triglyceride, cocamidopropyl betaine |
|---|---|
| Skin Type | All |
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Best Drugstore Cleanser
Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser
Now 10% Off
Pros
- Non-drying, yet deeply cleansing
- Fragrance-free
- Large bottle, 20 oz
- Great value for size, under $15
Cons
- Some of our testers reported difficulty operating the dispenser pump
You can't go wrong with a classic. Formulated for “combination to oily, sensitive skin,” Cetaphil's tried-and-true cleanser blends B vitamins with glycerin, a mixture that neutralizes grime and excess oil without stripping out natural moisture.
Testing notes: Based on our testing, Cetaphil's Daily Facial Cleanser offers incredible value for the price point. We love that it contains the same hero ingredients found in more expensive cleansers, and that it works even for guys with ultra-sensitive skin. That being said, we wish the pump dispenser was easier to use.
| Key Ingredients | Glycerin, vitamin B5, vitamin B3 |
|---|---|
| Skin Type | Combination to oily, sensitive |
Pros
- Can be used on the face and body
- Removes oil without disrupting the protective skin barrier
- Large bottle, 16 oz
Cons
- May not be great for dry skin
Long before Cerave shot to TikTok stardom, the drugstore brand has been a favorite among grooming experts for offering high-quality ingredients at affordable price points. Case in point: this budget-friendly soap that's loaded with moisturizing agents like hyaluronic acid and ceramides.
Testing Notes: Cerave's Facial Cleanser is one of our favorite drugstore face washes since it's cheap, easy to find online and in-store, and simply does its job. We've been using Cerave's cleansers since our teenage years (read: a long time), and can attest that it's been a reliable formula that removed excess oil and grime without causing breakouts.
| Ingredients | Ceramides, hyaluronic acid |
|---|---|
| Skin Type | Normal to oily |
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Pros
- Exfoliates without irritating
- Lasts for months
- TSA-friendly, solid rather than liquid
Cons
- Not for every day use with sensitive skin
Shaped like a deodorant stick, but for your face, this solid soap from Oars and Alps is made with charcoal, a buzzy exfoliant that can gently scrub your face without irritation. Plus, we love that even a 1.4 oz container can last you for months.
Testing notes: We're traveling more these days, and we've been using Oars and Alp's cleansing stick as our go-to TSA-friendly soap when on vacation. Beyond its portability, we love that it applies easily (like our favorite deodorants) while really getting in there to exfoliate and remove dirt. Our face feels extremely clean after using it, and a little bit of it really does go a long way.
| Key Ingredients | Propanediol, sodium stearate, glycerin |
|---|---|
| Skin Type | Normal to oily |
Pros
- TSA-friendly size, great for traveling
- Fragrance-free
- Sulfate-free
- Unique powder formula rather than gel or cream
Cons
- One tester found it slightly drying to his sensitive skin
Finding a TSA-friendly cleanser that doesn't spill is hard to find. That's where Jaxon Lane's Insta-famous Shake and Wake comes in. It's a powder-to-cream product that gently exfoliates skin, and cleans just as well as some of our liquid-based soaps. In other words, it's a Dopp kit must-have.
Testing Notes: The most interesting thing we found about this wash was, unsurprisingly, the powdery consistency. However, what was surprising was how much we liked it and continue to use it, especially when traveling. It feels ultra-gentle on our skin, and transitions into a soap-like material once exposed to water.
Not only is the container TSA-friendly, but the container is tight and not at all prone to leakage, and because of the powder the risk involved if it were to spill in your bag is minimal (and way less destructive than a gel).
Read More: Best Face Scrubs for Men
| Key Ingredients | Papaya enzyme, pineapple enzyme, niacinamide, vitamins C and E |
|---|---|
| Skin Type | Normal |
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Pros
- Masculine yet subtle pine tar scent
- Suitable for all skin times, including sensitive skin
- Includes at least 98 percent natural ingredients
Cons
- Small container (4 oz) for the price
If you're somebody who loves the smell of the great outdoors, or that irreplaceable feeling felt (and smelt) the early morning after a night of camping, then this face wash is for you. Loaded with skin-boosting natural ingredients like aloe vera, caffeine, and charcoal, Dr. Squatch's face wash exfoliates, refreshes, and cleanses with the best of them.
Testing Notes: With its unique charcoal-backed texture and feel, we found this wash to be one of the most rejuvenating options out there. But what really stands out is its understated, yet still attention-grabbing pine tar scent—subtle enough to avoid clashing with your cologne, but woodsy enough to raise the nostrils in the best way possible.
Read More: Best Bar Soaps for Men
| Key Ingredients | Charcoal, green coffee bean, aloe vera |
|---|---|
| Skin Type | All |
Best Face Wash for Sensitive Skin
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser
Pros
- Fragrance-free
- Gentle on sensitive skin
- Lightweight
- Non-drying
Cons
- Not ideal for those who prefer some fragrance
For those with sensitive or dry skin, there are few (if any) better skincare brands than La Roche-Posay. And the brand's unisex cleanser is a perfect representation of why. Its niacinamide (aka vitamin b3) backed formula is as gentle on skin as it is hydrating. Add in other moisturizing winners like glycerin, along with the lack of any skin-aggravating ingredients like heavy fragrances or sulfates, and you have one of the lowest risks, highest reward face washes on the market.
Testing Notes: Our sensitive skin testers adore this cleanser, confirming never once incited any irritation or reaction. But those with more flexible skin found that the creamy lather of this stuff felt amazing, during and after applying.
| Key Ingredients | Niacinamide, ceramide-3, glycerin |
|---|---|
| Skin Type | Sensitive, dry |
Pros
- Doubles as a soft and effective beard wash
- Under $7 per container
- Ultra-foamy, a little goes a long way
Cons
- The scent is pretty underwhelming
Talk about a great value, at under $7 for each container who’d be hard-pressed to find a less expensive, more effective face wash for men than Harry’s. The brand best known for its stellar shave gear, has quietly expanded its arsenal to include a slew of affordable, no-nonsense men’s skincare essentials, like its facial moisturizer. This face wash is no different, with a focus on lowkey moisturizing ingredients like eucalyptus and peppermint, along with gentle exfoliants like glycerin, it’s a no-BS cleanser that’ll get the job done without breaking the bank.
Testing Notes: Of course, Harry’s hasn’t abandoned its facial hair-managing origins, as we found this cleanser to be one of the best at doubling as a beard wash, softening whiskers, and priming them for trimmer or shaving. We also cannot overstate how foamy this stuff is, helping not only strip our skin of underlying dirt and gunk, but allowing these (already super cheap) containers to last forever.
| Key Ingredients | Eucalyptus, peppermint, volcanic rock |
|---|---|
| Skin Type | All |
Pros
- Pleasant but subtle citrus scent
- Helps prevent future acne while fighting current breakouts
- A little goes a very long way, bottle lasts forever
Cons
- Initial stringy consistency prior to washing
Those who struggle with acne know it’s an all-encompassing condition, necessitating protective, non-invasive, and blemish-correcting products at every step of your skincare routine. For that first initial cleansing step, there is no better option than Geologie’s recently released Acne Control Face Wash. Despite not even being on the market for a full calendar year, this wash has already become a staple of our testers with acne-prone skin thanks to its acne-busting 2 percent salicylic acid formula and silk-like application.
Testing Notes: We're still reaching for this stuff whenever we feel blemishes or a breakout brewing. The only minor downside is that the gel can feel a bit stringy when you initially place it into your hands and needs a good deal of water exposure before foaming. That being said, this stuff has a super expansive lather once it gets going so a tiny dime-sized drop is enough for your entire face, helping the bottle last for months.
| Key Ingredients | Salicylic acid |
|---|---|
| Skin Type | Acne-prone, sensitive |
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How Often Should You Be Washing Your Face?
Our suggestion is to wash your face twice a day, morning and night. But, it’s also important to think about what products you use. Some face washes or scrubs aren’t meant for daily use. Try to avoid harsh chemicals, like sulfates or parabens. Find yourself a gentle wash for everyday use, and an exfoliating scrub to use two or three times a week.
Apply the scrub with light pressure (fast, hard, and rough isn’t always the answer). Overdo it and you can rough up your skin, which just leaves you with more to worry about. Also, remember that everyone has different skin types.
Read More: Best Face Scrubs for Men
Meet the Expert
- Dr. Anthony Rossi, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
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Shop More of the Best Skincare Products for Men
Best Grooming Products for Men | Best Body Washes for Men | Best Bar Soaps | Best Face Scrubs | Best Face Mask | Best Face Wash for Acne | Best Moisturizers | Best Body Washes for Dry Skin | Best Skincare Brands
Reviewed byChristian Gollayan
Deputy Editor, Commerce
Christian is the deputy commerce editor at Men's Health and Women’s Health, where he oversees shopping content for both brands. He started his magazine career as an accessories assistant at Vogue, and has since held editorial roles at Tatler Asia and The Manual. When he’s not online shopping, you can find him on long walks with his two corgis.
