We often try product after product in hopes of finding a facial wash that would give us clear skin. That being a feat in itself, you would be surprised to know that the optimal facial wash is one that not only upkeeps your complexion but also smoothens, brightens and softens your skin.
Try keeping an eye out for cleansers with built-in AHAs or other similar mild chemical exfoliants (not to be confused with the rough and grainy exfoliating particles in scrubs). This is so that they can be used daily without stripping your skin of its natural oils while bringing the best texture and clarity.
Here are some of our picks:
This unassuming tube of facial wash produces a satisfyingly rich lather plus it contains papain, an ingredient that works like an exfoliating enzyme that sloughs away dead skin. Added hyaluronic acid and ceramides keep the skin healthy and comfortable so you don’t get that tight feeling that you get when skin is over-cleansed. When the dense foam rinses off, skin is noticeably softer and smoother to the touch.
With AHA from apples to buff away dead skin and impurities lodged in the pores, this citrusy-smelling gel deep cleanses and detoxifies skin to keep zits away. To use, apply the gel to damp skin and massage to melt away impurities. The gel cleanser will start to foam into a dense lather before it should be rinsed off.
Despite offering a thorough cleanse, it won’t leave skin tight and dry thanks to apple extract and apple fruit water meant to replenish hydration levels and make skin smooth and soft to the touch.
Buff and polish skin to smooth, radiant perfection every time you wash your face; this cleanser combines chemical BHA from white willow bark and gentle-on-the-skin apricot microspheres to do the work of exfoliation.
The result from daily washing with this cleanser? Pores are cleared and look smaller and less obvious, breakouts are nipped in the bud and skin’s texture is refined, radiant and supple we’re almost afraid to stop using it.
Supercharged with a carefully concocted blend of citric, glycolic, mandelic, tataric and lactic acids to get rid of dead skin effectively, this face wash gradually but surely resolves clogged and enlarged pores and skin dullness.
To care for and balance the skin it also has soothing aloe vera, softening rosehip and nourishing, lightweight oils. Skin becomes clearer and more radiant, less prone to breakouts, smoother and more refined with every wash.
Powered with a special blend of hydroxy acids called Alpha Beta acids, this remarkable cleansing gel removes all traces of dirt, oil, bacteria and makeup, and is even safe for use around the eyes.
This is one multitasker everyone needs skin-side. And it doesn’t just cleanse and exfoliate, it also has a powerful hydrating and nourishing ingredient, snow ear mushroom, which was added to the formula to maintain skin’s moisture balance. The formula is also vegan and is paraben and sulphate free.
As its name suggests, salicylic acid — one of the best ingredients to clear breakouts — is the star ingredient in this cleanser. This makes it the one cleanser everyone acne-prone skin needs in our book. Daily use of this zit-fighting superstar will keep pores unclogged, reducing blackheads and zits and balancing skin’s sebum levels so that skin is less oily.
For a deep skin clean without ever leaving it too squeaky clean and feeling tight, this creamy, foaming wash contains AHAs, glycolic and lactic acids, plus pineapple, pumpkin, and papaya enzymes to purify and clear pores gently yet thoroughly.
It is suitable for all skin types and works to leave skin fresh, soft, and conditioned, all ready for layering on your skincare lotions, serums and creams for optimal absorption.
A skin-loving foaming cleanser that goes the extra mile — gently exfoliating, arresting breakouts, minimising pores and evening out the complexion by ‘washing away’ fine lines and wrinkles thanks to vitamin C rich amala extract and Hawaiian green papaya enzymes.
It isn’t a foaming cleanser, rather more of a cleansing fluid that you rub on your skin with your fingertips to melt away makeup and debris before rinsing it off; plus there is a lovely bonus: The subtle, refreshing aromatherapy scent that lends a little extra to the routine of washing your face.
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Text: Melissa Chew