A good facial cleanser is key to any skincare routine. It helps remove makeup, grime, and impurities without harming the natural moisture barrier. Many people believe that a foaming face wash such as gel or water-based cleansers are more effective than cream or milky ones, this is often because the cleansing ingredient responsible for foaming (sodium lauryl sulphate or sodium cocoyl isethionate, for example), directly tackles excess oiliness. However, they can also leave your face feeling stripped and dry.
If you have sensitive or dry skin, you may prefer milky cream cleansers. These cream cleansers gently clean, without stripping while adding extra hydration. This leaves your skin feeling soft and ready for the next steps in your routine.
Click on the links below to jump to that section:
- Exploring the best cream cleansers for your skin type
- What are the differences between cream cleansers and other types?
- What are the advantages of cream cleansers in skincare
- Frequently Asked Questions
Dry, oily or sensitive skin, our most luxurious cream cleansers for your skin’s needs
Discover what makes this formula perfect for all skin types from ultra-dry and oily complexions
Creamy cleansers offer the best of both worlds, discover why you should include one in your daily routine
Exploring the Best Cream Cleansers for Your Skin Type
Cream cleansers are versatile, containing skincare heroes such as vitamin C, lactic acid, ceramides or hyaluronic acid. Finding the perfect new cleanser is the first step in achieving a radiant and healthy complexion.
If you have dry or sensitive skin, a damaged moisture barrier could be a concern for you. In this case, look for gentle cleansers, ceramides and probiotics. In case you have oily or acne –prone skin, you’ll need grease-free hydration without stripping your natural oils.
Cream cleansers are suitable for different complexions, even oily skin. Eliminating oil can feel right in the moment but it can trigger excess oil production in the long run. Meanwhile, your skin can get progressively dehydrated without the right hydrating routine. A cream cleanser maintains hydration and balance. Explore the best milky and cream cleansers, picked for your complexion.
Cream cleansers for dry eczema-prone skin
Dry skin can feel tight, flaky, and itchy, especially after washing. This happens because regular face washes can strip away natural oils. This makes dryness worse and compromises the moisture barrier. Explore our selection of refreshing cream cleansers that remove impurities without over-drying the complexion.
1. CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser: Deep Moisture Without the Grease
CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser is a cult classic and it’s easy to see why. This simple cleanser, created with dermatologists, cleans away makeup, dirt, and oil without taking away your skin’s natural hydration. It has three important ceramides that help restore and protect the moisture barrier, keeping hydration locked in for a healthy complexion. For a deeper clean, massage for several minutes or apply as a face mask before rinsing off.
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Perfect For: Dry to very dry skin although suitable for all complexions.
2. Skingredients Prebiotic Cleanser: A Gentle Approach to Skin Health
Starting your skincare routine with Skingredients Prebiotic Cleanse will leave you feeling fresh, clean and balanced, ready for your hydrating serum and moisturiser. Pre-biotics feed your protective microbiome and the cream formula ensures your skin doesn’t feel stripped or dry after cleansing. Gently cleanse for 60 seconds, rinse and pat dry for the ultimate cleansing routine.
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Perfect For: All complexions, including sensitive and oily skin
Cream cleansers for oily skin
Oily complexions need hydration too. Some believe that using cream cleansers will make oily skin worse. But harsh cleansers can actually take away your natural oils. This can cause the skin to produce more sebum than needed.
Cream cleansers made for oily skin can clean away excess sebum while keeping the skin hydrated and balanced. They do this without blocking the pores. The right formulation for oily skin may be lighter than those made for dry skin.
3. Caudalie Vinoclean Cleansing Almond Milk: Luxurious and Soothing
Experience the soft and calming effects of Caudalie Vinoclean Cleansing Almond Milk. This gentle cleanser helps remove makeup and impurities, including waterproof mascara, while keeping your skin’s natural oils intact.
Its smooth texture turns into light milk and rinses off easily. After use, your skin feels soft, hydrated, and balanced. This cleanser is safe for even the most sensitive skin types because it is fragrance-free and hypoallergenic.
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Perfect For: Normal to combination skin, suitable for oily but not clog-prone skin.
The best cleansing milk for dull skin
Dullness can result from dehydration, a damaged skin barrier, textural irregularities, marks or a combination of factors. Pollution, stress, sun damage, and our skincare habits can lead to tired and dull-looking skin.
Cream cleansers with brightening ingredients, like vitamin C, niacinamide and gentle exfoliating acids can bring life back to your complexion. Cream cleansers maintain hydration and brightness and with added ingredients they can revitalise your complexion too. Explore our favourite for brighter skin.
4. Image Vital C Hydrating Cleanser: Infusing Vitamin C for Radiant Skin
Image Vital C Hydrating Cleanser is your go-to product for dull and tired skin. This creamy cleanser mixes vitamin C with gentle cleaners to show a brighter and more radiant complexion. Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant. It fights free radical damage, brightens your complexion, and facilitates collagen production. Polish your skin into a brighter, younger version.
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Perfect For: Mature skin, dullness and dryness
Cream cleansers for blackheads
Blackheads are tricky to tackle, but using the right cream cleanser can help. The best cleansers have key ingredients like exfoliating acids and skin-identical oils. You may think an oil-free cleanser is best for fighting blackheads but it’s the fats and oils that penetrate and loosen the blocked and clogged pores. Ingredients like acids, retinol and bakuchiol help to unplug your pores, buff away dead skin cells and refine texture.
Skingredients’ PreProbiotic Cleanser contains PHA, a gentle exfoliating acid to unclog pores and fight blackheads.
5. Biofresh Cleansing Milk: Nourishing Your Skin Naturally
Biofresh Cleansing Milk is a natural and gentle way to deeply cleanse your face. This creamy milk makes light work of makeup, impurities, and even waterproof mascara. After use, your skin feels soft, fresh, and smooth. It has organic ingredients like green tea and cucumber extracts that help soothe the complexion. This can reduce redness and irritation.
Massage into your face, paying particular attention to blackhead-prone areas. Cleanse for at least 60 seconds, deeply massaging the pores, rinse and pat dry with a clean cloth.
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Perfect For: Sensitive, acne-prone and unbalanced complexions
Ultra-gentle cream cleansers
For people with sensitive complexions, it is very important to find a cleanser that won’t cause irritation. Harsh ingredients like surfactants, fragrances, and alcohol often lead to problems. These can make sensitive skin feel tight, itchy, and red.
Ultra-gentle cream cleansers are great for those prone to sensitivity. They are made with soothing and nourishing ingredients that clean without harming the skin barrier.
The Skingredients Pro-Prebiotic Cleanser is reactive skin safe and the Biofresh Probiotic Cleansing Milk is suitable for sensitive complexions. However, the beloved brand for allergy-prone skin -La Roche Posay has a sensitive skin cream cleanser for you.
6. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Cleanser: Sensitive Skin’s Best Friend
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Cleanser is a top choice for people with sensitive skin. This gentle, fragrance-free cleanser works well to remove makeup, dirt, and impurities without causing irritation. It helps maintain the natural balance of your moisture barrier.
The formula includes prebiotic thermal water, which soothes and reduces inflammation. This helps calm sensitive skin and lessen redness.
Its creamy texture turns into a soft lather. This leaves your face feeling clean, refreshed, and hydrated, without any greasy feeling.
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Perfect For: Sensitive, allergy-prone and reactive complexions
Shop the products in this guide
What's the difference between cream cleansers and other types?
Cream cleansers have the texture between a cream and a gel but, some skincare products, such as the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser and the Skingredients PreProbiotic Cleanser have thicker, creamy jelly cleanser consistency. Others such as the Caudalie Cleansing Almond Milk and the Biofresh Probiotic Cleansing Milk have a lighter-weight texture and can be applied using a cotton pad or directly to the face. Cleansing creams are water-based emulsions which separate them from cleansing balms and oils. However, creams don’t foam or lather which usually helps you maintain its natural hydration and balance.
Explore what makes cream cleansers unique
- No lather, no foam
- Avoids stripping the epidermis of vital hydration
- Easily removes makeup, impurities, pollutants and sunscreen
- Leaves the skin feeling refreshed and clean
- Boosts radiance and brightness
- Keeps you looking dewy and healthy
- Suitable for all complexions, including oily and sensitive skin
What are the advantages of a cream cleansers in skincare?
One big benefit of cream cleansers is that they provide a gentle way to clean effectively. They can easily take off makeup, dirt, and impurities without harming your skin's natural barrier. This is due to their creamy texture and often hydrating ingredients.
This makes them great for people with sensitive or dry skin that can get irritated by stronger cleansers. Cream cleansers usually have moisturising agents too. This leaves your skin feeling soft, smooth, and hydrated. This is different from some gel or foaming cleansers that can eliminate your natural sebum.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Cream Cleansers Improve Skin Hydration?
A cream cleanser mainly cleans, but it can also help with hydration. When choosing one, look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or ceramides. These ingredients attract and hold moisture, making your cleanser work better. How much your skin stays hydrated will rely on the cleanser's formula and your skin type.
How Often Should I Use a Cream Cleanser?
Most people can use a cream cleanser morning and night because they’re gentle enough for all complexions. However, if you have very sensitive or dry, flaky skin, there’s no harm in skipping your morning cleanse and using a cream cleanser in the evening to remove the day’s makeup, impurities and pollutants.
Is it necessary to follow up with a moisturiser after using a cream cleanser?
After using cream cleansers, your face can feel fresh and hydrated, normal, combination and oily skin may not feel the need for a hydrating serum or moisturiser. However, it is still important to use a moisturiser after cleansing to replace any lost oils and deeply penetrate the epidermis with ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
