The 18 best facial cleansers

When it comes to the art of face washing, us ladies take it pretty seriously. We carefully select our skin care products and practically give ourselves a facial in the a.m. and p.m.. But a cleanser is a cleanser, right? Don't they all do the same job? Hardly. TotalBeauty.com readers gave us their two cents about which cleansers made their faces squeaky clean — without leaving their skin feeling like the Sahara. No. 18: Clinique Liquid Facial Soap, $15 Why:  "I have tried many, many facial cleansers and now have been using this exclusively since I first tried it a couple of years ago. I have combination skin that is prone to both dry patches and blackheads/clogged pores. This is the only cleanser I have found that does a wonderful job of keeping my pores clean, but does not strip my face and leave it crepey or scaly looking. It is by far the best that I have tried. I am totally satisfied with it!" — Betty_P, TotalBeauty.com member No. 17: Mary Kay Creamy Cleanser 2, $12 Why: "Until I found Mary Kay Creamy Cleanser 2, I thought I had dry skin. My face used to feel tight after washing it, but since [I started using this], my skin is always soft and moist. In fact, I have combination skin type. I've always been very allergic so before I found Mary Kay Creamy Cleanser 2, I couldn't use anything without getting 'itchy.' I've been using it for at least 24 years now and I'm now 50 and everyone thinks my 14-year-old daughter is my sister!" — AKU075, TotalBeauty.com member No. 16: Ambi Complexion Cleansing Bar, $1.99 Why: "This cleanser leaves your face refreshed and revitalized without removing your natural moisture. An excellent product with a great fragrance also." — Shanita, TotalBeauty.com member No. 15: Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser, $20 Why: "The size of a dime is all you need to dispense from the bottle in order to remove every trace of makeup, dirt and the most stubborn, sometimes hard-to-remove, waterproof eye makeup. This cleanser has never failed me. It always leaves my skin feeling totally clean, fresh and not dry or stripped in any way. I try different cleansers, well, because I am a beauty blogger, but always go back to Purity. The scent is very light, and I truly look forward to using this at the end of the day to help my skin feel totally refreshed and totally clean." — MakeupSearcher, TotalBeauty.com member No. 14: Dermalogica mediBac Clearing Skin Wash, $33 Why: "After the first use I could tell a difference in my skin. It is awesome! I have extremely oily adult acne skin and after using this wash, the tone and texture of my skin was fabulous. The smell is pretty awful, but with results like these how can I hold that against the best cleanser I have ever used? And trust me I have used them all." — kt1974, TotalBeauty.com member No. 13: Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar, $4.49 Why: "I have VERY sensitive skin — prone to dermatitis, redness, dryness, etc. You'd never know it, though, because of my skin care regimen. This is the only brand that lets me keep my skin smooth and dewy every day." — RachelMoran, TotalBeauty.com member No. 12: Origins Frothy Face Wash, $18.50 Why: "I have tried every product under the sun, but nothing has worked as well as this cleanser. It feels great on your skin and rinses off completely. You feel like your face is squeaky clean without the dryness. Most cleansers I've used have left my face dry and have not prevented breakouts, but since using this I've had a massive improvement in skin clarity. I no longer get bad breakouts and my skin never feels too dry." — Elexsaria, TotalBeauty.com member No. 11: Fresh Soy Face Cleanser, $38 Why: "I love this cleanser, one of the only ones I've ever purchased repeatedly. It's very gentle, yet it removes all my makeup, including mascara, very thoroughly. [It] doesn't sting my eyes, pull my lashes out or dry my skin. My skin is dry in the winter, more oily in the summer, and [this] is great for both seasons. It only takes a small amount to do the job, so the product lasts a long time, making it an economical purchase. The tube makes it safe to use in  the shower and great for traveling. I highly recommend this cleanser." — BarbBlue, TotalBeauty.com member No. 10: Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser, $29.95 Why: "This is absolutely the BEST cleanser I have EVER tried, hands down. I need something grainy to provide some scrubbing action, and this uses sugar and rice powder so it's gentle. It smells amazing and works like a charm. My skin breaks out if I don't use this weekly. Also, it minimizes pores, ladies!" — aquarianrabbit, TotalBeauty.com member No. 9: Glytone Mild Gel Wash, $28 Why: "I know most people love this because of their acne, which this is great for, but it does so much more. The glycolic acid/AHA complex is meant to exfoliate and refresh the skin. This is great for acne because it clears the skin of clogging agents from the outside in. My acne marks fade more quickly because I am constantly sloughing off the old cells with this cleanser. This is not drying and not irritating for sensitive skin." — Rourou, TotalBeauty.com member No. 8: Estee Lauder Perfectly Clean Splash Away Foaming Cleanser, $19 Why: "Perfect for households with combination skin types. My 16-year-old daughter has oily and I've got combination, and amazingly we both have brilliant results from using this cleanser. This one product removes her excess oil while ridding her of blackheads. Meanwhile it cleanses my skin without making it feel dry or excessively sensitive. Added benefit: Your skin feels literally squeaky clean after use and responds well to whatever product you follow your cleansing with." — jentindell, TotalBeauty.com member No. 7: Caudalie Instant Foaming Cleanser, $26 Why: "In my quest to use natural products, Caudalie's foaming cleanser is a standout. I have combination skin that never felt completely cleansed without a toner, which then left it feeling dry. [This] cleanser is the perfect single-product solution; it leaves my skin feeling squeaky clean but not dry." — texasgal, TotalBeauty.com member No. 6: Kiehl's Blue Herbal Gel Cleanser, $20.50 Why: "I have oily skin and this is the only product that I have been able to use for years and not have my skin break out. I admit, I'm a sucker for things advertised as the new big thing, but I always find myself going back to Kiehl's." — dasschick, TotalBeauty.com member No. 5: Basis Cleaner Clean Face Wash, $5.49 Why: "I am in my early thirties and still have random minor breakouts. I can't use typical acne cleansing wash as it dries out my skin. Other more moisturizing cream washes don't do anything for my breakouts. I love how [this] leaves my skin. My skin is cleansed, but [this product] doesn't dry it out." — karbear19, TotalBeauty.com member No. 4: Aveda Tourmaline Charged Exfoliating Cleanser, $29 Why: "This product was recommended to me by a friend who is a makeup artist. I have some red broken capillaries on my face and it dramatically reduces their appearance." — pizon23, TotalBeauty.com member No. 3: DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, $25 Why: "I was wary to try this because I have acne prone skin with [an] oily T-zone area, but this stuff is fantastic! At the end of the day, I cleanse my skin with this and it removes all my makeup in one go. It rinses off clean with no residue. I use it on weekends too when I haven't worn makeup, and it just makes my skin feel so nice. In the mornings I use my regular ProActiv regimen, and haven't had any flare-ups. Give it a try!" — saifai, TotalBeauty.com member No. 2: Bioelements Flash Foam Cleanser, $33 Why: "I love everything about this cleanser. Gentle enough with my rosacea and I use it to remove my eye makeup as well!" — NatalieKelley, TotalBeauty.com member No. 1: Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel, $26 Why: "Deep cleans, smells great, and contains natural and organic ingredients. I love this cleanser. It is gentle, yet effective, in removing makeup and sunscreen. I highly recommend this cleanser for oily/combo and sensitive skin." -- daw825, TotalBeauty.com member