If you always find yourself in the cleanser aisle of the store, but just couldn’t figure out which one to pick, we have some helpful tips for you.

The purpose of a cleanser in your skincare routine is to wash away grime, products, and impurities without stripping it off its natural oils. However, some brands go an extra mile and add an ingredient or two that also help with your specific skin type or a problem area.

On the flip side, many brands do not hesitate to add some harsh and potentially harmful ingredients to their products. Needless to say that you need to stay away from these chemicals.

Since buying the right facial cleanser requires considering multiple factors, the process gets confusing for many people. If you’re also one of them, here’s a simple and foolproof guide on how to choose the right cleanser for yourself.

According to Skin Type

· Dry Skin

Dry skin is always dry as a bone, itchy, and flaky. Putting on make-up without proper moisturization tends to cake up. It’s important to choose the right cleanser when you have dry skin. Overly drying cleansers can lead to acne, clogged pores, and dry spots. Not to mention, discomfort. We suggest looking out for a cleanser that has non-comedogenic natural oils in it. Glycerin is also an excellent ingredient for dry skin.

Gel cleansers tend to be better for dry skin than foam-cleanser.

· Combination Skin/Sensitive Skin

Combination skins are those with an oily T-zone and normal or dry skin on other areas of the face. Sensitive skin, on the other hand, is easily triggered by environmental conditions. Redness, itchiness, dryness, and burning sensation are some of the telltale signs of sensitive skin.

For both these types of skin, you need a cleanser with ingredients that protects the skin’s lipid barrier. Choose a cleanser that is hydrating with ceramides in it. Also, make extra sure that you pick out a cleanser with ingredients that are gentle on your skin.

People with sensitive skin are especially suggested to stay away from scrubs and cleansers with microbeads in them. They should also opt for fragrant-free, paraben-free, soap-free, and hypoallergenic cleansers.

· Oily/ Acne-Prone Skin

Oily skin is the skin type with a little extra production of oil than normal. As a result, you can get large pores, a perpetual shiny complexion, whiteheads, blackheads, and acne. Ironically, all these side effects can be easily avoided if we become skin-knowledgeable early on.  But sadly, most of us suffer before learning to maintain oily skin.

The idea behind looking for the right cleanser for oily skin is to pick one that cleanses a little strongly. A cleanser that cleanse oil from pores and prevents acne, blackheads, and whiteheads. On the other hand, people with oily skin should stay away from cleansers that strip away all the oil from the skin as they will only stimulate the skin to produce more oil.

The trick is in choosing the right ingredients. Go for cleansers with benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid in it.

A Few Things to Remember When Choosing a Facial Cleanser

In addition to skin type, there are some other things you need to keep in mind when buying a facial cleanser. These include:

· Choose the Right Brands

Along with keeping an eye out for the right ingredients, make sure you are choosing the right brands. We suggest diving deep into the skincare community and learn about the brands that test their products first, only use gentle ingredients, do their research, and are highly suggested by dermatologists. Sadly, many skincare brands have commercialized to the point of having no regard for the actual purpose of the product.

If you can’t afford expensive brands, don’t worry! Drugstore cleansers with their simple yet effective ingredients work just as well. The key is to look for brands with the right ingredients, not with fancy-schmancy reputation.

· Explore Different Types of Cleaners

There are many different types of cleansers available in the market. There are oil cleansers, milk cleansers, foam cleansers, gel-cleansers, and cream cleansers.

Mix and match and try different types to see what works best for you. For anti-aging, you can go for an oil cleanser, a cream cleanser, or a milk cleanser.  The foam cleanser is best for oily, acne-prone, and combination skin.

People with dry skin can trust milk cleansers, cream cleansers, oil cleansers, and gel cleansers.

· Know the Ingredients You Should Stay Away From

When shopping for cleansers, you also need to steer clear of products with some specific harmful ingredients in them. Walnut shells for instance are a big red flag. Run far away from that product and be sure to warn some unsusceptible victims along the way too.

Alcohol, phthalates, various fragrances, sodium lauryl sulfate, Formaldehyde, and parabens are some other ingredients that need to be avoided.

It’s important to note here that there are mixed reviews about parabens. Some believe parabens to be alright, while others believe they increase the chances of breast cancer. We believe it is better to be safe than sorry.

How to Know You Picked the Right Cleanser?

A cleanser that cleans up your face without making it feel dry and stretchy is the right one for you. No break-outs on the face are also a good indicator of the right cleanser. If you choose wisely, the right cleanser might even help you prevent further breakouts and help keep your skin hydrated.

The only way to pick the best cleanser for yourself is by making an informed decision. Therefore, we highly suggest that you figure out your skin type before you go cleanser shopping. The more you know about your skin type and what different ingredients do to your skin, the better you’d get at skincare shopping.

Another piece of advice you need to take home is to read up skincare articles via trusted sources or take advice from people who read skincare research articles.

With knowledge of your skid, you’ll always end up buying the right cleanser, or any skincare product per se.