How often should I wash my face?

You should wash your face twice a day: once in the morning and once at night. Morning cleansing removes oils accumulated overnight, while evening cleansing removes the day's dirt, makeup, pollution, and excess sebum. If you are using a cleanser with strong actives such as <a href="/en-ca/ingredients-in-cerave/salicylic-acid">salicylic acid</a>, you might start by using your cleanser every couple of days before increasing to once or twice a day and alternate with a milder cleanser adapted to your skin type. CeraVe’s formulas are gentle and help maintain the skin’s protective barrier even when using exfoliating agents.

Can my skin type change over time?

Yes, your skin type can change over time due to aging3, hormonal fluctuations, stress levels, and environmental shifts (such as moving to a colder or more humid climate)4. It is important to reassess your skin's needs periodically and adjust your cleanser accordingly.

What happens if I use a cleanser that is too harsh?

If you use a cleanser that is too harsh, you risk disrupting your skin's natural moisture barrier. This can lead to moisture loss, resulting in skin that feels dry, tight, irritated, flaky, or overly sensitive.

Do CeraVe cleansers contain fragrance?

No, all CeraVe facial cleansers are 100% fragrance-free, allergy-tested, and formulated to be gentle on all skin types, including sensitive skin.

How Do You Choose the Best Facial Cleanser for Your Skin Type?

Woman smiling with closed eyes while applying a foaming cleanser to her face against a bubbly background.

Reviewed by CeraVe Editorial Committee

A face wash is the foundation of any effective skincare routine, but finding the right one requires matching the formula to your skin's unique needs. Because cleansers come in a wide variety of textures and formulations, a one-size-fits-all approach does not work. Using the wrong formula can disrupt your skin's natural moisture barrier, while the right one keeps your skin balanced, clear, and healthy.

Overview

Key Takeaways: The CeraVe Cleanser Standard

Regardless of your skin type, CeraVe recommends looking for facial cleansers that are:

Gentle on the skin, alcohol-free, and non-drying
Fragrance-free and allergy-tested
Developed with dermatologists
Non-comedogenic (won’t clog your pores)
Won’t disrupt your skin’s natural moisture barrier
Formulated with hydrating ingredients (such as hyaluronic acid)

Why Does Your Skin Type Matter When Choosing a Face Cleanser?

Your skin type matters because using the wrong cleanser can either strip your skin of essential moisture or fail to remove excess oil and impurities. For example, a heavy foaming cleanser designed for oily skin may leave dry skin feeling tighter, parched, and uncomfortable. Conversely, an ultra-mild, non-foaming cream cleanser may not provide a deep enough clean for someone with oily or acne-prone skin.

Additionally, different skin types naturally prefer different textures. Oily skin types often favor refreshing foaming gels, while those with dry or sensitive skin typically prefer the comforting, moisturizing feel of creams, lotions, or cleansing balms.

Your choice of cleanser can also address specific skin concerns, such as dullness or acne breakouts. For targeted results, pay attention to the formula's active ingredients. Cleansers offer a gentle way to introduce components like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide; because they are rinsed off quickly, they may cause less irritation than leave-on serums or creams.²

For help choosing the right cleanser for your specific skin type and concerns, use our Facial Cleanser Quiz.

Identify your skin type

You can identify your skin type by observing how your skin behaves throughout the day, particularly in response to oil production and environmental factors. There are 4 primary skin types: normal, dry, oily, and combination.¹

What is normal - or balanced - skin?

Normal skin is well-balanced skin that does not regularly experience excess dryness or oiliness. It is generally free of major skin concerns, visible pores, acne breakouts, and severe sensitivity.

What is dry skin?

Dry skin is skin that lacks sufficient moisture, often making it feel tight, itchy, and uncomfortable. If you have dry skin, you may also notice a rough texture, dullness, and more visible fine lines.

Best for dry skin: CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser
Best for very dry skin: CeraVe Hydrating Foaming Oil

What is oily skin?

Oily skin is characterized by the overproduction of sebum (natural oil), which leaves a persistent shine on the face. This excess oil makes oily skin highly susceptible to enlarged pores, blackheads, and acne breakouts.

Best for oily skin: CeraVe Foaming Cleanser or CeraVe SA Cleanser

What is combination skin?

Combination skin is dry in some areas of the face but oily in others. Typically, people with combination skin experience oiliness and enlarged pores in the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) while having dry patches on their cheeks.

Best for combination skin: CeraVe Cream-to- Foam Cleanser or CeraVe Foaming Cleanser

What is sensitive skin?

Sensitive skin is highly reactive skin that easily experiences stinging, burning, or redness when exposed to certain ingredients or environmental factors.
While sensitive skin is sometimes classified as its own type, any of the other four skin types can also experience sensitivity.

CeraVe’s formulas are gentle and adapted to sensitive skin.

What is acne-prone skin?

Acne-prone skin is a skin condition characterized by frequent, repeated breakouts - such as blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples - due to easily clogged pores. This occurs when your skin overproduces oil, sheds dead skin cells too quickly, and traps bacteria inside the pores. Unlike occasional blemishes, acne-prone skin experiences persistent congestion, larger visible pores, and excess oiliness.

Best for acne-prone skin: CeraVe Acne Control Cleanser or CeraVe Acne Foaming Cleanser.

For help choosing the routine for acne-prone skin, use our Acne Routine Quiz.

What is dull skin?

Dull skin is not a skin type. Dull skin is a skin complexion concern characterised by an overall lack of radiance and glow, uneven skin tone, texture and visible pores. Dull skin is linked to the skin’s ability or lack of ability to reflect light evenly, which is why factors like smoothing skin texture can make a difference.

Best for dull skin: CeraVe Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser

Which Type of Cleanser Texture Is Best for Your Skin?

The best cleanser texture for your skin depends on your specific hydration needs and how much oil your skin produces. To help you choose, we have mapped out the primary cleanser textures, their benefits, and the ideal skin types for each:

Cleanser Type	Best For	Key Benefits	Recommended CeraVe Product
Gel Cleansers	Normal, Oily, Combination, Acne-Prone	Clear, jelly-like texture. Removes light makeup and excess oil.	CeraVe Foaming Cleanser (gel-to-foam formula)
Cream & Lotion Cleansers	Normal, Dry, Sensitive	Rich, silky texture that moisturizes and soothes while cleansing.	CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser (with hyaluronic acid)
Foaming Cleansers	Normal, Oily, Combination	Transforms from gel or cream to foam; deeply cleanses pore congestion.	CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser
Oil-Based Cleansers	Normal, Dry, Very Dry, Sensitive	Deeply hydrates and melts away long-wear makeup and excess sebum.	CeraVe Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser
Micellar Water	Most Skin Types	No-rinse liquid that uses tiny micelle molecules to lift dirt and makeup.	CeraVe Hydrating Micellar Water
Face Wipes	Most Skin Types	Convenient, rinse-free, plant-based wipes for on-the-go makeup removal.	CeraVe Hydrating Makeup Remover Plant-Based Wipes

How do gel facial cleansers work?

Gel cleansers work by creating a lightweight lather that effectively cuts through dirt, light makeup, and excess sebum without stripping the skin. CeraVe’s gel formulas are enhanced with skin-supporting ingredients like hyaluronic acid for hydration, niacinamide for calming benefits, salicylic acid for gentle exfoliation or vitamin C to help brighten dull skin.

How do cream and lotion cleansers benefit dry skin?

Cream and lotion cleansers benefit dry skin by delivering a rich, comforting texture that cleanses while actively depositing moisture back into the skin barrier. These non-stripping formulas ensure dry, sensitive complexions feel soft and hydrated after washing rather than tight or dry.

When should you use a foaming face wash?

You should use a foaming face wash if you have normal, oily, or combination skin and prefer a deep-clean sensation. These formulas start as a gel or cream and transform into a rich foam with water, making them highly effective at clearing pore congestion and removing excess surface oils.

Why choose an oil-based cleanser or balm?

You should choose an oil-based cleanser or balm if you need to remove stubborn, long-wear makeup or want an ultra-nourishing first step in a double-cleansing routine. Formulated with moisturizing oils, these balms leave dry and sensitive skin feeling deeply conditioned and clean.

How does micellar water clean skin without rinsing?

Micellar water cleanses without rinsing because it contains tiny suspended surfactant molecules called micelles, which naturally attract and lift dirt, oil, and makeup like a magnet. This makes it an ideal, ultra-gentle option for quick cleansing or travel.

For help choosing the right products for your specific skin type and concerns, use our Find My Skincare Solution tool.

Frequently Asked Questions

You should wash your face twice a day: once in the morning and once at night. Morning cleansing removes oils accumulated overnight, while evening cleansing removes the day's dirt, makeup, pollution, and excess sebum. If you are using a cleanser with strong actives such as salicylic acid, you might start by using your cleanser every couple of days before increasing to once or twice a day and alternate with a milder cleanser adapted to your skin type. CeraVe’s formulas are gentle and help maintain the skin’s protective barrier even when using exfoliating agents.
Yes, your skin type can change over time due to aging³, hormonal fluctuations, stress levels, and environmental shifts (such as moving to a colder or more humid climate)⁴. It is important to reassess your skin's needs periodically and adjust your cleanser accordingly.
If you use a cleanser that is too harsh, you risk disrupting your skin's natural moisture barrier. This can lead to moisture loss, resulting in skin that feels dry, tight, irritated, flaky, or overly sensitive.
No, all CeraVe facial cleansers are 100% fragrance-free, allergy-tested, and formulated to be gentle on all skin types, including sensitive skin.