Key Highlights
- Discover the transformative power of foaming cleansers for achieving a radiant and clear complexion.
- Explore a curated selection of top-rated foaming cleansers to address specific concerns.
- Learn about essential ingredients to seek out and how they cater to different skin types.
- Get expert advice on effectively incorporating foaming cleansers into your daily routine.
- Understand the distinctions between foaming cleansers and other types to make the best choice.
- Find answers to frequently asked questions, addressing various aspects of using foaming cleansers.
A good facial cleanser is a crucial first step in an effective skincare routine. Whether it's day or night, your cleanser should leave your face fresh but not dry, ready for a hydrating serum or moisturiser with SPF. Among the many types of cleansers, foaming cleansers are a popular option. They are known for leaving the skin feeling fresh and clean. However, you'll want to avoid overly stripping options if you have dry skin or a reaction-prone complexion.
Click on the links below to jump to that section:
- 5 best foaming cleansers for radiant and clear skin
- Benefits of a foaming cleanser
- Ingredients to look for in a foaming cleanser
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How to use a foaming cleanser
Learn top tips for getting the best results from a foaming cleanser according to skin type
- Frequently Asked Questions
Explore our favourite cleansers that give a deep clean without stripping the skin
Learn how a foaming cleanser differs from cream or gel. Get the best of both worlds with a foaming cleanser
Identify what makes a cleanser work for you. Is it hydrators or anti-acne factors?
5 Best Foaming Cleansers for Radiant and Clear Skin
Achieving a clear and glowing starts with a good skincare routine that clears dirt, grime, makeup and SPF. These can lead to acne, blackheads and textural irregularities. Foaming cleansers emulsify the oils on the skin's surface and within the pores making it simple to wash away build-up from the day. There are so many cleansers to choose from, we're here to help you select the best one that maintains balance for your skin type.
1. Cerave Foaming Cleanser
Cerave Foaming Cleanser, a popular skincare brand, is loved by many people for good reasons! It is a gentle face wash that removes dirt, oil, and makeup. It does this without taking away your natural moisture. It has hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and ceramides which help prevent that tight, dry feeling after cleansing. With its gentle formula, CeraVe Foaming Cleanser is a great option for daily use if you have sensitive skin that's on the oilier side.
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Perfect For: Normal to oily and sensitive complexions
2. Cerave Cream-to-Foam Cleanser
Starting as a cream and changing to a foam gives you the best of both cream cleansers and foaming cleansers. It's suitable as a clarifying wash for dry skin.
The CeraVe Cream-to-Foam Cleanser contains amino acids and hyaluronic acid which keep the skin hydrated and support the natural moisture barrier. Salicylic acid helps manage oil production and fight the causes of acne. CeraVe Cream to Foam Cleanser provides a nice cleansing feel while taking care of sensitive skin. It's a wonderful option for anyone looking for a gentle but deep cleanse.
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Perfect For: Normal and combination skin
3. Cerave Foaming Oil Cleanser
Cerave Foaming Oil Cleanser is a great option for removing makeup, dirt, and impurities. It works well but is also gentle enough for even sensitive skin. Its special oil-based formula breaks down even tough makeup without taking away your natural sebum.
This foaming face wash also offers gentle exfoliation with glycolic acid. It helps get rid of dead skin cells, revealing a brighter face. This BHA exfoliating cleanser helps improve texture and gives you a healthy glow without causing irritation.
The foaming effect helps to emulsify oils without drying your skin out, the result is a clean but not stripped face that doesn't require double cleansing.
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Perfect For: Normal to dry skin
4. Acnaut Cleansing Foam
Acnaut Cleansing Foam is a potent face wash made with active ingredients such as lactic acid to help control breakouts and acne. The cleanser goes deep into pores to remove dirt, oil, and impurities that can cause acne. It looks after different skin concerns, including blackheads, spots and clogged pores.
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Perfect For: Acne, prone, teenage and oily complexions
5. Dermalogica Breakout Clearing Foaming Wash>
Dermalogica Breakout Clearing Foaming Wash is made to help stop breakouts and avoid new ones. Its key ingredient is salicylic acid. This beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) can get deep into the pores to clear out dirt and oil, while buffing away dead skin cells. Tea tree oil and lavender oil fight acne-causing bacteria and along with camellia have a soothing effect.
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Perfect For: teenage and acne-prone skin, active spots and frequent breakouts
How do Foaming Cleansers Work?
Foaming face wash is popular because it's intuitive to use, fights oiliness and leaves you feeling clean and fresh. However, does the foaming action actually mean it's cleaning better?
The surfactant in foaming gel cleansers creates a thick lather when mixed with water which helps lift away dirt, oil, and impurities from your skin.
People often consider foaming cleansers and gel cleansers as if they are the same. However, cream and oil cleansers can have surfactants added to them to increase their deep cleaning power. They emulsify oils to lift sebum, trapped pollutants, SPF and makeup without leaving a greasy residue. Foaming face wash can be more drying than cream or oil cleansers but if you choose sulphate-free surfactants such as glucosides, these don't have as much of a stripping effect while offering a deep clean.
Using foaming cleansers for different skin types
Foaming cleansers can be an effective way of cleaning surface oils while getting the benefits of creamy or oil-based cleansers. However, if you have very dry skin, you may want to avoid surfactants altogether and choose a cleansing balm or gentle hydrating cleanser. Look for a face wash with ceramides, amino acids and hyaluronic acid for dryness.
Sensitive skin may want to prioritise sulphate, fragrance, paraben, essential oil and alcohol-free formulations so as not to cause unnecessary irritation.
Benefits of Using a Foaming Face Cleanser
Foaming cleansers are great, especially for people with oily skin. They deeply cleanse, clear out pores, and help reduce excess shine and prevent breakouts. The light foam makes your skin feel fresh and prepped for the rest of your routine.
Many foaming cleansers also have special ingredients for specific needs. For instance, salicylic acid helps to fight acne, while others have soothing properties like aloe vera, spearmint extract or willow bark
Key Ingredients to Look For
Understanding the ingredients in your skincare products helps you get the best results. When picking a foaming cleanser, identify the type of surfactant and whether there are any hydrating or soothing factors and actives to treat specific skin concerns.
- Hydrators: hyaluronic acid, glycerin, ceramides, peptides or amino acids
- Anti-acne: salicylic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, tea tree oil, niacinamide, benzoyl peroxide or rosehip oil
- Soothing agents: natural ingredients such as aloe vera, chamomile, rose water, canella, green tea extract, niacinamide, ceramides, liquorice root, bisabolol help to calm inflammation.
- Other: vitamin C helps to fight dark spots when used in a face wash
Always remember to do a patch test before using any new product in your skincare routine, especially if you have sensitive, acne-prone or clog-prone skin.
How to Use Foaming Cleansers Effectively
You can use a foaming cleanser the same way as a gel or water-based one. Lather the product in your hands then massage into damp skin for 30-60 seconds. Rinse and pat dry with a clean towel.
Tips for using a foaming daily cleanser:
- Don't use hot water to dampen or rinse your face, this can cause excessive dryness
- Focus on oilier areas and avoid over-cleansing dry patches
- Cleanse your makeup with micellar water before using a foaming cleanser
- If the cleanser loses its foaminess, this is an indication that you may need a little more product. Add more or rinse it off and cleanse again.
- Don't worry if your cleanser doesn't foam up as much as you expected, especially if you have a sulphate-free cleanser. This means it won't be as stripping.
- Oilier skin may need more product than dry complexions. Adjust the amount of product based on your skin type to avoid over or under-cleansing.
- Take the time to massage your cleanser into clog-prone areas to lift dirt and unblock your pores.
Always follow your cleansing routine with a hydrating hyaluronic acid serum or a moisturiser based on your needs. Even if your skin doesn't feel dry, you shouldn't skip your hydrating routine.
Comparing Foaming Cleansers with Other Types
Each type of cleanser works slightly differently and certain skin types lean towards different formulas. Oil and cream cleansers help treat dry skin, meanwhile, oily and acne-prone skin may need a foaming or gel cleanser to feel clean.
While people often use the terms foaming and gel cleansers interchangeably, they have some important differences. Gel cleansers are usually clear, oil-free and create a generous, bubbly lather.
Foaming cleansers create a similar texture to gel cleansers but they usually contain emulsions of fat-based ingredients to prevent stripping the skin's natural oils but effectively clean impurities and oiliness.
Cream cleansers don't foam up and have a gel-to-cream texture. They're perfect for hydrating dry skin and removing makeup, impurities and sunscreen.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Often Should I Use a Foaming Cleanser?
You can use a non-stripping foaming cleanser morning and night. However, people with dry skin should avoid stripping their natural oils. We recommend using a gentle cream cleanser in the morning and a foaming cleanser to take the day off.
Can Foaming Cleansers Remove Makeup?
Some foaming cleansers can remove makeup such as CeraVe's Foaming Oil Cleanser. However, it's often better to use a cleansing balm or micellar water prior to a gel or foaming cleansers. Cream cleansers can effectively remove makeup and sunscreen residue.
Are Foaming Cleansers Suitable for All Skin Types?
Foaming cleansers work well for normal, combination, or oily skin types. But, if you have sensitive skin or a damaged moisture barrier, you might need to use gentler formulas.
Is It Necessary to Double Cleanse with a Foaming Cleanser?
Double cleansing is a method that usually begins with a cleansing oil or balm. A foaming or gel face wash should be saved for the second cleanse. This approach effectively removes makeup, excess dirt and SPF, while leaving the skin fresh, clean and balanced.
