The phrase “squeaky clean” might be one you’ve heard often, but despite its sweet-sounding nature, you don’t actually want your skin to feel squeaky after a cleanse. In fact, that tight and dry feeling could be a sign of a compromised skin barrier, desperate for hydration.
Board-certified dermatologist Jennifer David told HuffPost in a previous story that “it’s a sign that your skin is stripped of its natural oils and lipids. Your skin should feel refreshed, but not tight or squeaky.” A soft and hydrated post-cleanse face should be the ultimate goal.
But this doesn’t meant that a complete and thorough twice-daily cleansing isn’t in order. In fact, Arianne Shadi Kourosh, a board-certified dermatologist and associate professor at Harvard Medical School, also told HuffPost in that story that washing debris, pollution and makeup from your face is a vital step in anti-aging practices and ensuring that other skin care products are absorbed effectively.
“Especially for those of us living in urban environments, our skin is confronted daily with radiation from the sun and screens, and with airborne chemicals and irritants from pollution. That can settle on the skin and corrode the skin barrier, causing premature aging in the form of wrinkles and dark spots,” Kourosh said.
She explained that sticking to lukewarm (not hot!) water, steering clear of harsh scrubbing and choosing the right kind of cleanser can all help in ensuring an undisrupted skin barrier and avoiding that uncomfortable dry feeling.
You can read more tips from the professionals here. For hydrating facial washes, grime-fighting pre-cleansers and helpful tools that get your face clean minus the tightness, take a look at the list below to see some more tips from our knowledgeable skin experts.
The experts consulted for this story do not necessarily endorse the products ahead unless otherwise noted.
A non-foaming hydrating everyday cleanser
“When it comes to cleansers, gentle and hydrating is best,” said Nkem Ugonabo, a board-certified dermatologist at UnionDerm in New York City. This classic hydrating face wash by CeraVe can be a great staple in your everyday skin care regimen, especially if you are sticking to the twice-a-day washing rule. The lotion-like consistency and non-foaming formula contains hyaluronic acid and essential ceramides necessary for ensuring a healthy barrier function. It's also fragrance-free, making it a great option for all skin types.
A silicone facial brush for irritation-free exfoliation
Board-certified dermatologist Jennifer David told HuffPost that she personally loves manual silicone scrubbing pads, which can be a more affordable and sanitary alternative to other automatic face brushes. They can also be more gentle on the skin than harsh physical scrubs, which can cause micro-tears in the skin. This dual-textured exfoliating brush can give you massage-like clean, and the teardrop shape makes it easy to get into those harder-to-reach areas of your face.
A luxurious cleansing balm that's HuffPost shopping writer-approved
Though it's at a higher price point, HuffPost shopping writer Lourdes Avila Uribe deemed the Elemis Pro-Collagen cleansing balm "worth every penny" when she tried it out.
"The texture is wholly unique and utterly delectable," she wrote. "It has a buttery soft consistency that starts off like a rich, thick oil and slowly melts into the skin, dissolving makeup, grime and impurities. Eventually, it takes on the consistency of a cleansing milk, so by the time I wash it off, my skin is as clean as can be while still feeling hydrated, smooth and healthy. I like to massage the balm into my face for up to a minute to really let it sink into my pores to get all the gunk out and soak up the balm’s nourishing ingredients."
Kristen Aiken, editorial director of life and commerce at HuffPost, is also a fan, having told Uribe in that original story that the balm is "one of the only products that can effectively cleanse my skin AND nourish it without making me break out. I have perpetually dry skin no matter how much water I drink, and this saves me from drying out (especially in the winter months)."
The balm is suitable for all skin types and comes in four sizes, in case you want to try out a smaller one before committing to the pricier full-size.
A gentle, hydrating cleanser from a staple French pharmacy brand
"I can personally vouch for this La Roche Posay cleanser, as I use it every day," HuffPost shopping writer Erica Kam wrote in a previous story. "It's the gentlest one I've tried so far and I've tried many. I had an issue with my past few cleansers where they left my face so dry it felt like it was burning; not a problem with this one, which feels like a lightweight cream when I put it on and leaves my face clean but hydrated."
The cleanser is available in multiple sizes, with stock varying depending on where you shop, and the brand also sells refill pouches to cut down on plastic.
A hydrating foaming wash for acne-prone skin
“Foaming cleansers tend to be harsher on the skin than other types, but they’re a great option for people who have oily skin,” said Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology and an associate professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. “For people who are acne-prone, salicylic acid-containing cleanser can be useful to help remove dead cells from the surface of the skin that contribute to blocking the pores.”
Along with deeply cleaning pores, this gel-to-foam facial wash by CeraVe can help address textured and bumpy skin while also being gentle enough for frequent use. Like all CeraVe products, this cleanser incorporates ceramides for a stronger skin barrier as well as replenishing niacinamide.
A K-beauty cleansing oil that one HuffPoster loves
Shopping managing editor Emily Ruane received this K-beauty cleansing oil in a "random" PR package, but she says it's become a staple in her morning routine. "It's lasted me more than a year, so I haven't had to repurchase it yet, but I will when the time comes — everyone in my household is obsessed with it (including my husband). The consistency is thin and pretty slippery but my skin really does feel clean after using it — and never stripped, which is a sensation I strongly disike. I'll even sometimes skip moisturizer afterwards, especially on hot days." Aged ginseng is the hero ingredient in this skin-friendly formula.
A non-stripping face wash that leaves natural oils intact
It's important to find a facial cleanser that won't strip your skin of its natural oils and lipids, both of which are essential components to a healthy skin barrier. This lightweight gel cleanser contains a blend of oils to help restore moisture to the skin along with squalane, an emollient that mimics the skin's natural oils.
A foaming and exfoliating facial wash gel that resurfaces the skin
Another indulgent and gentle offering from Elemis, their Dynamic Resurfacing facial wash uses patented tri-enzyme technology to rid the skin of dirt and pollutants without harshly stripping it. Multiple reviewers mention how nice the cleanser feels without delivering that "squeaky clean" feeling you want to avoid, with one reviewer writing of the cleanser, "My face feels wonderful after, it’s gentle and doesn’t dry out my skin."
A skin barrier-supporting face wash
“The goal of cleansing is to remove soil from the outer skin layer without disrupting your skin barrier," Zeichner explained. Using a hydrating lipid complex, this gentle milky cleanser by Skinfix works up a rich lather and helps restore ceramides and fatty acids within the skin without removing necessary lipids.
A cleansing oil to get rid of dirt and grime without the squeaky feeling
“You want to aim for moderation in time, intensity and temperature,” said Arianne Shadi Kourosh, a board-certified dermatologist and associate professor at Harvard Medical School. Using a hydrating oil-based cleanser to attract and remove impurities as a first step, can mean less time spent roughly scrubbing off debris with your face wash.
This lightweight oil by Shiseido uses cleansing ingredients derived from a moisturizing agent to quickly melt away impurities while leaving post-wash skin feeling comfortable and free from residue.
A cleansing balm with omegas for sensitive skin types
For ultra dry and sensitive skin types, Zeichner recommended incorporating into your routine a milk cleansing balm, which can do a much better job of breaking down grime than face wash alone. This skin-softening balm by Paula's Choice contains both jojoba and meadowfoam seed oils, omega-rich ingredients that can regulate the skin's oil production and address rough texture. Just massage it into the skin to melt away makeup and debris, then follow with a face wash.
A gentle micellar water to remove makeup before cleansing
DiAnne Davis, a Dallas-based board-certified dermatologist, previously recommended using a micellar water as a preliminary step in breaking down impurities, especially if you wear makeup or sunscreen. This toning and deep-cleaning solution by Evolve Organic Beauty contains moringa peptides and micellar molecules to attract and lift away debris without any harsh scrubbing. A dose of hyaluronic acid also leaves skin feeling hydrated and ready to draw in more moisture.
or a classic French drugstore option
Senior shopping writer Lourdes Avila Uribe is a longtime devotee of this French drugstore staple, which starts at just $7 for a lil’ travel size. “While there are plenty of micellar waters on the market, [this] is one of the OGs and remains superior in my book,” she wrote. Micelles, explains the brand, are cleansing “microdroplets” that remove dirt from the skin without stripped its barrier.