The 15 Best Cleansers for Dry Skin that Deliver Soft-as-Silk Skin
No matter your skin type, routine cleansing is a basic step and the cornerstone of a healthy skincare routine and healthy skin. But when it comes to washing dry skin, it's not always so cut and dry. Some cleansers are too harsh and dry for this skin type and remove too many natural oils, leaving the skin feeling tight, itchy, incredibly dry, and downright uncomfortable. However, if you choose to wash with one of the best cleansers for dry skin, those unwanted effects aren't bound to surface. So, rather than glossing over daily face cleansing, stockpile your beauty arsenal with a cleanser designed just for dry skin, leaving it clean, healthy, and feeling oh-so-soft.
What Ingredients to Look For in a Cleanser for Dry Skin
Dry skin has a whole host of different requirements when it comes to what makes for a good basic cleanser. For starters, the ingredients in the formula are crucial to consider—anything too abrasive or stripping will throw the skin’s oil balance off kilter and compromise the pH balance and moisture levels. To ensure that doesn’t happen, look for hydrating and moisturizing cleansers for dry skin containing ingredients like ceramides, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and shea butter.
Shop the Best Cleansers for Dry Skin
1. Dr. Whitney Bowe Glow Cleanser
3 reviews
$36.00
Creamy cleansers are the perfect accessory for dry skin because their thick, hydrating formula cleans the skin well while keeping moisture levels perfectly intact. This pH-balanced face wash transforms into a silky lather as it's activated with water and massaged into the skin, keeping the skin calm and healthy so it looks and feels its best.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, cucumber extract, peptides, ceramides, and marshmallow extract
Skin Type: All skin types
Beauty Insider Tip: Developed by world-renowned dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe, this cleanser is safe and gentle enough to even use on post-procedure skin.
2. Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Cleanser
33 reviews
$82.00
Dry skin and cream cleansers, like this one, are a match made in heaven. That’s because the creamy base of this cleanser lends a hydrating effect thanks to an emollient, lipid-rich formula that cleans without depleting the skin of its natural oils. Plus, the cleanser rinses easily off the skin with no residue, leaving the skin soft and refreshed.
Key Ingredients: BioReplenish complex, coconut oil, murumuru seed butter
Skin Type: All skin types
Beauty Insider Tip: Use this cream cleanser as the first step in a double cleanse to keep the skin balanced as you wash it.
3. DHC Deep Cleansing Oil
1589 reviews
$16.00
There’s a reason this oil cleanser is a cult classic and best seller: It works to remove every last trace of makeup while keeping the skin soft and hydrated. Use it on its own or as the first step of a double cleanse to help break down makeup (even waterproof makeup!), dirt, sunscreen, and oil on the skin without clogging the pores or instigating breakouts.
Key Ingredients: Olive oil, vitamin E, rosemary leaf
Skin Type: All skin types
Beauty Insider Tip: Rather than using the oil on wet skin, apply it to your face when it's dry so that the oil binds to oil on the skin and makeup to remove it entirely.
4. FOREO Luna 4 Smart Facial Cleansing and Firming Massage Device
9 reviews
$199.00
Some skin types need a little extra help in the cleansing department, and that's where this device comes into play. Perfect for keeping drier skin types intact without stripping away much-needed moisture, this easy-to-use cleansing tool also boosts circulation and collagen, promotes lymphatic drainage, reduces puffiness, and drives active ingredients further into the skin. It's clinically proven to be 35 times more hygienic than nylon bristles.
Key Ingredients: Silicone
Skin Type: All skin types
Beauty Insider Tip: Use it as a skin prep so that your creams and serums penetrate deeper into the skin for better results.
5. SkinMedica AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser
511 reviews
$48.00
Unlike some exfoliators, which may be too harsh for dry skin, this gentle formulation buffs away dead skin to improve the skin’s tone and texture. Naturally derived ingredients power this cleanser without disrupting the skin’s balance for hydration levels.
Key Ingredients: Lactic, glycolic, citric, salicylic, and malic acid, jojoba oil
Skin Type: All skin types
Beauty Insider Tip: Make sure to follow up with sunscreen since the AHAs in this exfoliator can increase the risk of sunburns.
6. PCA Skin Creamy Cleanser
77 reviews
$40.00
This super gentle and hydrating cleanser removes the day without affecting the skin's moisture levels or stripping away its natural oils. Thanks to the creamy consistency, the skin is left refreshed and not tight or 'squeaky.'
Key Ingredients: Rose hip seed oil, sunflower seed oil, lilac leaf cell culture extract, aloe vera leaf juice
Skin Type: Dry and sensitive
Beauty Insider Tip: Use this cleanser morning and night, gently massaging it into the skin before rinsing with lukewarm water.
7. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser
37 reviews
$17.99
For intolerant skin, this daily face wash is the one to reach for. Formulated with good-for-your-skin ingredients that replenish moisture and leave the skin clean yet comforted, this prebiotic thermal spring water-rich cream cleanser helps to restore and maintain the skin’s pH levels and barrier for healthier, well-hydrated skin.
Key Ingredients: Ceramide-3, glycerin, niacinamide, prebiotic thermal water
Skin Type: Normal, dry, and sensitive
Beauty Insider Tip: To avoid any skin friction, always tap the skin dry with a clean towel
8. Epionce Milky Lotion Cleanser
50 reviews
$36.00
With its milky consistency and lotion-like texture, this cleanser is necessary for dry skin. Sure, the daily-use cleanser does a great job of cleaning the skin effectively, but it also does so without causing any unnecessary irritation, dryness, inflammation, or damage. We also like this formulation for soothing, calming, rough, scaly skin and redness.
Key Ingredients: Date and apple fruit extract
Skin Type: Dry and sensitive
Beauty Insider Tip: The formula is non-foaming, which is ideal for dry skin.
9. Dr. Loretta Gentle Hydrating Cleanser
41 reviews
$40.00
Created by a dermatologist, this ultra-moisturizing gel formula lifts dirt, oil, and pollution particles off the skin, leaving it smooth and clean. It also contains hydrating agents to reinstate much-needed moisture into the skin—a major plus if your skin becomes dry from artificial heat and cold.
Key Ingredients: Hydrolyzed algin, marine peptides
Skin Type: Dry and aggravated skin
Beauty Insider Tip: For extra detoxification and hydration, leave the cleanser on the skin for 2-5 minutes before rinsing off
10. Avène Milk Cleanser
$22.00
Unlike most face cleansers, which need to be rinsed off the skin, this one works without water and doesn't require any rinsing. Instead, towel it off the skin to help hydrate dry areas. Plus, there's no greasy or oily residue afterward.
Key Ingredients: Glycerin, thermal spring water
Skin Type: Dry and sensitive
Beauty Insider Tip: For an extra dose of clean, follow up with a gentle toner
11. Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cleanser
15 reviews
$45.00
This ultra-soothing and moisturizing daily-use cleanser whisks away dirt, oil, makeup, and grime without irritating even the driest and most sensitive skin. It's gentle yet effective enough to use in the morning and at night.
Key Ingredients: Goat milk, manuka honey
Skin Type: Dry, normal, combination, and sensitive
Beauty Insider Tip: The cleanser is inspired by Kate Somerville’s personal experience with goat milk to heal the skin.
12. Sunday Riley Blue Moon Clean-Rinse Cleansing Balm
53 reviews
$50.00
This super nourishing cleansing balm cleanses the skin and even breaks down stubborn makeup while soothing dryness. Warm up the balm in the palm of your hands and massage it into the skin to calm dryness while improving the skin's overall clarity. It's also enriched with essential oils for a soul-balancing experience like a spa facial.
Key Ingredients: Moringa butter, cocoa butter, sugar-based cleanser, blue tansy, German chamomile, tangerine and sweet orange essential oils
Skin Type: Dry
Beauty Insider Tip: The balm can also be used as step one of a double cleanse or as a hydrating mask.
13. HoliFrog Tashmoo Water Lily Nourishing Milky Wash
87 reviews
$35.00
Think of this face wash as a hydrating cleanser with the benefits of a lotion. Its skin-softening and makeup-removing abilities leave skin perfectly moisturized. A blend of moisture boosters and antioxidants reinstates the skin's barrier, so your complexion is plump, calm, and radiant with nary a trace of redness.
Key Ingredients: Water lily root, lotus flower extract, amino acids, spirulina extract, sunflower seed oil
Skin Type: All skin types
Beauty Insider Tip: If you love double cleansing, use this cleanser as step two for a clean sweep.
14. Bioelements Moisture Positive Cleanser
9 reviews
$44.00
This ultra-rich, comforting cleanser is ideal for dry skin. It is formulated with a unique blend of adaptogens, a creamy base, and essential oils to leave skin balanced and soft yet never tight or dry.
Key Ingredients: Ginseng, gotu kola, dong quai, watercress
Skin Type: Dry
Beauty Insider Tip: With faint hints of geranium, the cleanser provides an uplifting sensorial experience.
15. Glowbiotics MD Probiotic Nourishing Gel to Oil Cleanser
9 reviews
$44.00
Cleansers that morph from one state to another, like one that transforms from a gel to an oil, are ideal for dry and sensitive skin since they remove impurities without stripping or disrupting the skin barrier. We like that this cleanser leaves the skin feeling soft and clean but not greasy or with an oily residue. It also rejuvenates the skin and reduces inflammation for healthier skin all around.
Key Ingredients: Superox-C, symGlucan, aeonome (probiotic), abyssinian seed oil, tamanu Oil
Skin Type: All skin types
Beauty Insider Tip: Apply to dry skin and massage into the skin before adding water to get the best cleanse.
FAQs
How Often Should You Cleanse Your Face With Dry Skin
It's best to cleanse dry skin at least once a day, always at night. Some may find a morning wash too much, leaving it tight and even more dry and irritated. If you want your skin to feel clean in the morning but a morning wash isn't an option, try splashing it with water or using a facial mist instead.
How to Choose the Best Cleanser for Dry Skin
In addition to choosing the best cleanser for dry skin with hydrating ingredients, always wash with fragrance-free and dye-free formulations, which will help keep the skin barrier healthy. Gentle creamy lotions, balms, and oils are often better suited than gels and foaming cleansers, which can be too drying.
The Bottom Line
Elise Minton Tabin is an award-winning beauty journalist, editor, and beauty expert with more than 16 years of experience. She previously held the title of Executive Beauty Editor at NewBeauty magazine, where she reported on beauty, plastic surgery, anti-aging, health and wellness. She was also instrumental in the launch of the beauty supplement brand Hush & Hush. A self-professed beauty junkie and retinol and sunscreen pusher, Elise knows what’s new, what works and who’s the best to go for every procedure under the sun. Follow Elise on Facebook, Instagram, and on her beauty blog, elisetabin.com
