A good grooming regime starts with a quality cleanser

ir pollution, sweat, and residue from products are a daily struggle for every man’s skin, so to counter these skincare adversaries, washing your face daily is a necessity. Whilst you may think using a body wash to clean your pores is acceptable, you’d be sorely mistaken.

As explained by dermatologist Dr Timm Gouleke, founder of Royal Fern who has over 20 years experience in the field, “You should cleanse at least once a day in the evening to clean your skin from pollution, sweat, SPF, and makeup.”

He continues, “A good cleanser should tolerate the skin’s natural pH to keep it balanced, and should not be too harsh as this can strip the skin of precious natural oils.”

So, it’s time to move away from soap with its drying, abrasive, and pH-imbalancing properties, and say hello to a face wash which can leave you with a squeaky clean visage, while retaining moisture, removing excess oil, and even fighting breakouts. They create a solid base for all the products that follow, including moisturisers, oils, masks, and serums, so your debonair good looks can reap the maximum benefits of full glowing potential.

Cleansers come in all shapes and sizes, so when choosing the right one for you, you’ll need to listen to your skin’s needs. If you tend to be on the dry side, look out for those with moisturising properties, or if you have an abundance of excess oil, then sebum-regulating ingredients should be the ones on your wishlist.

Dr. Gouleke confirms that “For oily and acne prone skin types, a gel or foam cleanser should be fine. Ingredients like salicylic, alpha-hydroxy acids, niacinamide, and zinc can help with breakouts. But overall the ingredients should be not noncomedogenic, which means they won’t clog your pores.

“For dry skin, cleansing creams or balms are great. Look out for ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid with a lot of moisturising benefits.”

The vast range of cleansers on the market can be daunting for a face wash freshman, so we’ve put together a guide that will have something to suit every skin type and budget, from crowd-pleasing Horace to the luxury of Augustinus Bader’s cleansing gel.

Keep scrolling to shop our edit below.

Best for: Gently refreshed skin every day

Best suited to: Normal - combination skin

A mild face wash for those with normal and combination skin, Aesop’s offering is olive-derived and infused with purifying and hydrating botanicals of bergamot, chamomile, and rosemary that will leave your pores cleansed and your skin fresh. As with most Aesop products, it smells divine, so you’ll look forward to using it on the daily. Bonus points for its apotecary-style aesthetics.

Best for: A great all rounder for an even better price

Best suited to: All skin types

Made using 99 per cent natural ingredients, the purifying cleanser by French independent grooming brand Horace will leave your skin feeling clean, clear, and soft. It works for all skin types and prevents outbreaks and redness whilst retaining moisture - and with a 4.8 star rating across over 5,000 reviews, it’s clear to see it’s a crowd pleaser.

Best for: Soft, soothed, moisturised skin

Best suited to: All skin types

UK-based brand Oskia is a specialist in cellular nutrition, or in other words, the label know what your skin needs. The cleanser, which starts as a pink balm and transforms into a milky oil, is packed full of vitamins, enzymes, and nutrients that repair sun damaged or dry skin, remove dead skin cells, and promote collagen production - all topped off with a soothing rose and chamomile fragrance. What more could you want?

Best for: Glowing, youthful complexion

Best suited to: All skin types, a glowing complexion

Founded by Professor Augustinus Bader, a front-runner in the field of Stem Cell Biology, his eponymous brand is an authority in science-led skincare. If you’re in the market for glowing, youthful, and revitalised skin (...who isn’t?), then this cleanser will grant all of your skincare wishes. With ingredients that smooth imperfections, tighten pores, and promote cellular renewal, you’ll step out of the shower with a renewed, hydrated, and refreshed complexion on a daily basis. It’s time to get that glow.

Best for: Mature or demanding skin

Best suited to: All skin types

With over 20 years experience in dermatology, Dr. Timm Golueke, Royal Fern founder, brings a wealth of knowledge to the development of skincare products at the brand.

The cleanser is rich in nutrients, nourishing, and provides plenty of moisture whilst preserving the skin’s natural healthy pH. Featuring the label’s patented ‘Royal Fern Complex’, it has a natural complex of active ingredients which are anti-inflammatory, promote regeneration, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles for a soft and even complexion.

Best for: Dry skin that needs to be pepped up

Best suited to: Sensitive or dry skin

Known for their ability to harness the power of premium plant oils which provide age defying benefits, Votary’s cleanser is designed to balance your skin and deliver a healthy, radiant complexion. Packed with over 20 ‘super-seed’ oils, it will reduce inflammation, provide nourishment, and breathe new life into skin that could do with a touch of reinvigoration.

Best for: A juice cleanse for your skin

Best suited to: All skin types

Powerful enough to purify your skin yet gentle enough to use twice daily, Youth To The People’s cleanser is an eco-conscious nutrient-rich formula that will provide your face with its five-a-day - and the rest. Boasting cold-pressed antioxidants, vitamins C, E, and K, and extracts of spinach, kale, and green tea, it will soothe irritated skin whilst boosting your skin’s natural barrier with essential fatty acids. This is the green juice cleanse for your face.

Best suited to: All skin types

Specialising in science-based formulations that encourage the skin to support itself from within, Patricks is a brand every man should know about. The face wash is deep cleansing, mattifying, and balancing, whilst also promoting cell regeneration and reducing redness. Infused with amber and bergamot for a refreshing fragrance, you’ll enjoy the foamy goodness seven days a week.

Best for: Minimising pores and blackheads

Best suited to: All skin types, especially dull skin

Well known for using only the most essential ingredients in their no-frill products, Typology’s formulas pack a nutrient-rich punch. For a radiant and even complexion, look no further than their exfoliating face wash which micro-exfoliates and unclogs pores with poly hydroxy acid, whilst nourishing with extracts of aloe vera, and rebalancing with inulin. This is all rounded off with sweet orange essential oil to give it a delicate citrussy scent.

Best for: Quality all-round cleansing on a budget

Best suited to: All skin types

Byoma’s lightweight and jelly cleanser transforms into a rich foamy lather upon contact with warm water, and will leave your face feeling refreshed. It breaks down dirt, excess oil and makeup without breaking down your all important skin barrier. Your complexion will feel nourished thanks to extracts of licorice root and green tea.

Best for: An alarm clock for your skin

Best suited to: All skin types

If you find waking up in the morning a daily struggle, then Kiehl’s Facial Fuel will awaken your skin to give you a fresher, healthier appearance every morning. With extracts of caffeine, menthol, and vitamin E, you’ll start the day with a spring in your step. Pair with the brand’s eye fuel, and moisturiser to feel extra zingy.

Best for: Preventing blemishes and breakouts, even for sensitive skin

Best suited to: All skin types, including dry and sensitive

Infused with grapefruit for its gentle antibacterial tendencies and amino acids to remove makeup and dirt, Malin+Goetz’s face wash is a product that’s kind to your skin - especially if you’re prone to dryness or sensitivity. It won’t strip any natural oils, yet will also leave you feeling fresh and clean.

Best for: A healthier looking complexion

Best suited to: All skin types, even the most sensitive skin

Known for its potent, rich and science-based formulas, Sunday Riley is committed to creating the highest quality products with as little impact on the planet as possible - and this cleanser is no exception. The silky plant-based formula pulls out impurities whilst pulling in hydration, leaving you with smaller-looking pores and a glowing complexion.

Best for: Youthful men’s skin

Best suited to: All skin types

Designed specifically for men’s skin, Dior’s Dermo System cleanser contains micro-particles and ingredients which provide a deep clean, stimulate cellular renewal, and clarify the skin. Skin will appear younger, leaving you with a bright and clear complexion - and if you’ve got any nicks or cuts from shaving, the β-ecdysone will help repair your skin to its healthy state.

Best for: Hydrating thirsty skin

Best suited to: Normal - dry skin

CeraVe’s hydrating cleanser is a nourishing and gentle formula which sweeps away dirt and grime without damaging the skin’s natural barrier - in fact, it reinforces it with essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid.

As a non-foaming formula, it will leave your face feeling soft and smooth, with no feeling of tightness or dryness. Great for restoring dry skin to its former moisturised state.