Which Cleanser is Right For You?

With so many options on the market, choosing the right face wash can be hard. We spoke to New York City-based dermatologist Dr. Cheryl Karcher about which type of cleanser is best for your skin type and which to stay away from.

"Unless you have severe acne, it's best for all skin types to use a gentle cleanser," Dr. Karcher advises. "The skin has a natural protective oil barrier that it needs to stay moisturized, so the more that you use a harsh cleanser that strips the oil away, the more your skin will produce oil—this is what most people mistake as having oily skin." So what does she recommend as the best cleanser to use? "Cetaphil is great. It's an age-old formula that suits all skin types and is very gentle. Only teenagers should use gel or foaming cleansers and stay away from cleansers with microbeads—they're too harsh for daily use on the skin," says Dr. Karcher

Finally, we couldn't help but wonder if oil-based cleansers were bad for people with oily skin already? "Not at all," she says. "Oil cleansers, like Shu Uemura, are great for removing makeup and are very gentle, so they are great for oily—and dry!—skin. Neutrogena's new Makeup Remover and Cleansing wipes are also great, and so easy to use!"

Image courtesy of glamour.com