What are the 5 Best Face cleansers for 2022?

by Elad Cohen October 26, 2022

Cleansing the skin is the first, most important step in any skincare routine. You can’t care for your skin when it is dirty. Only once your skin is clean, then you can start applying toners, serums, moisturizers, etc. I started to think about how I wash my face and if I was washing it with the correct skincare products. I know a bar of bath soap is not meant to be used on my face; many average bath bars contain sodium lauryl sulfate, which can irritate delicate facial skin. But am I using the correctface cleanser? There are so many options forface cleansers in the pharmacy, how do I separate the good from the irritating?

Understanding the terminology

First things first, let’s define the terms.What is face cleanser?Face cleanser is a skincare product that removes make-up, dead skin cells, oil, dirt, and other pollutants from the skin. So, my next question is: what is the difference betweenface cleanser and face wash? Aface cleanser has a creamy, milky, or gel-like texture. It is used to remove makeup, dirt, and oils from the surface of your skin. Alternatively, face wash is a foaming substance that removes dirt and grime that is deep in your pores. Unfortunately, these terms are often used interchangeably on many product labels, so checking the texture of the product is the best way to know if it is aface cleanser or face wash.

Reviewing the ingredients

So now that I understand the names on the labels, I want to look at the ingredients. After doing some reading, I learned about some of the beneficial ingredients inface cleansers. Salicylic acid exfoliates the skin and clears the pores. Some essential oils, like Cinnamomum Camphora Linalooliferum Wood Oil, have anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce acne, and natural oils, like argan and olive, moisturize the skin. Some ingredients to avoid are: sodium lauryl sulfate, which can irritate facial skin as I mentioned before, mineral oil, which can clog pores, and parabens, which can cause a hormonal imbalance.

In my search for thebest face cleanser, I talked to my friend, Jude, who knows everything about skincare. “My favoritenatural face wash is FRÉ’s I AM PURE. I get a deep clean with the charcoal side and a moisturizing clean with the shea butter side. When I finish, my skin is clean and soft, and there is no oily residue. But all of FRÉ’s skin cleaning products are great. You can’t go wrong with them.”

Discovering FRÉ’s face cleansers

All natural face cleanser

Of course, I tried I AM PURE ($22) first. It is an all natural, double-sided beauty bar that is suitable for all skin types. The dark side detoxifies skin with charcoal, which absorbs dirt and excess oil, and Dead Sea mud, which removes impurities and dead skin. The light side cleanses and hydrates skin with coconut oil, which has anti-inflammatory properties, and shea butter, which moisturizes without clogging pores. I loved how my face felt soft and refreshed after washing with I AM PURE.

I AM PURE also comes in sustainable packaging. There is no plastic. I liked that I was doing something that was good for the environment while I was washing my face.

Argan Oil vs. Coconut Oil: Which is Better for You >

Hydrating facial cleanser

I was really happy with I AM PURE; my face was clear and smooth, but Jude piqued my interest and I wanted to try all of FRÉ’s cleansers. Next, I tried PURIFY ME ($29) hydrating cleanser. It is suitable for all skin types. The creamy formula contains hamamelis, which cleanses and calms redness, and argan oil and aloe vera, which nourish the skin. In addition, PURIFY ME has all natural jojoba beads, which are mini balls of hardened jojoba oil. The jojoba beads gently exfoliate the skin. PURIFY ME is strong enough to provide a deep clean, but gentle enough to be used both morning and night.

After using PURIFY ME, my skin felt hydrated and looked clean. I was pleasantly surprised that it was a goodface cleanser for sensitive skin. My sensitive skin was glowing, not red. I have to admit that I was worried about the jojoba beads. But there was no irritation, my skin looked great!

A while ago, my preteen daughter and two of her friends were sitting in our kitchen, complaining about all the pimples that were appearing on their faces. I didn’t want to butt into their conversation, but I put a bottle of PURIFY ME on the table and mentioned that it might help, since it was aface cleanser for acne. Last week, the girls were visiting my daughter again, and one stopped me on my way out of the kitchen. “I told my mom about PURIFY ME,” she said to me. “She bought it for me. It really works! Look, I don’t have any pimples!”

Foaming micellar cleanser

Then, I tried CLEANSE ME ($19) foaming micellar cleanser. I loved using CLEANSE ME at night, because it is agentle face cleanser, makeup remover and moisturizer all in one, and honestly, most nights I am way too tired to be doing a ten step night skincare routine. It is suitable for all skin types. The formula contains argan oil, which is high in Vitamin E and fatty acids which nourishes and moisturizes the skin, argan leaf extract, which promotes collagen regeneration, and rose flower oil, which has antimicrobial properties.

In addition to CLEANSE ME being a greatface cleanser, the bottle is made of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic and can be refilled with a CLEANSE ME ECO-REFILL ($29). The refill bags contain enough product for two refills of the CLEANSE ME bottle, and the bags also are made of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic.

I was chatting with my friend Diana, who does makeup for brides and makeup tutorials on Instagram, and she said that her makeup remover was killing her skin. I told her to try CLEANSE ME. A week later, she called me, “I can’t believe how amazing CLEANSE ME is! All those harsh, chemical makeup removers smell disgusting and make my skin blotchy. CLEANSE ME leaves my face refreshed and hydrated and it smells lovely. Thank you for sharing your makeup remover secret with me!”

Instant detox mask

Finally, I tried DETOX ME ($49) instant detox mask. I decided to make some one-on-one time with my preteen daughter and do the mask with her. DETOX ME is suitable for all skin types, but it really is a greatface cleanser for oily skin, which my daughter has. It is designed to prevent breakouts and acne, remove excess oils and unclog pores. DETOX ME contains kaolin clay, the most gentle clay used in skincare; it softens the skin with natural exfoliators, and removes impurities and excess sebum. The formula also contains argan oil and argan leaf extract, which hydrate the skin and have anti-inflammatory properties, and yarrow, which reduces breakouts, balances skin, and repairs acne scars.

We sat with our masks on for five minutes, chatting and enjoying the moment. Then, we rinsed off the masks. My face felt smooth and refreshed, like I stepped out of a spa treatment. It was great! At first, my daughter did not say anything about her skin, but later that night she said to me, “I think my skin is looking better, not so red. Maybe we can do DETOX ME together next week, too?”

Conclusion
FRÉ has thebest face cleansers.The high performance ingredients are tough on dirt and grime and gentle on your skin. Typically, I use CLEANSE ME as my nighttime wash and I AM PURE for my morning skincare routine. My skin is glowing and clear. My daughter is usingPURIFY ME twice a day and her pimples are almost non existent. We make some time for ourselves once or twice a week to do DETOX ME masks together. Our skin is healthy and bright. Jude, you were right. Thanks for the advice.