The Absolute Best Face Wash for Men

If you aren’t already using the best face wash for men (for your exact skin type), then you’re missing out. There really is no “one size fits all” in a skin care routine, though many skin care brands (especially men’s skin care brands) might try to convince you otherwise.

It's important to find a face wash that matches your skin’s variables, such as natural moisture levels, aging, acne, sensitivity, and more. There are cost-effective options in every category: the Cetaphils and CeraVes and Neutrogenas produce formulas for every key skin type and need.

Read on to see our picks for the best men’s facial cleansers, which are really just the best facial cleansers, period. These choices are based on over a decade of product testing, and also factor in the opinions of two board-certified dermatologists as well as web reviews far and wide.

• Best Face Wash for Men Overall: Cardon Purifying Clay Cleanser, $20
• Best Men’s Face Wash for Oily Skin: The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser, $13
• Best Men’s Face Wash for Dry Skin: CeraVe Hydrating Oil Foaming Cleanser, $16
• Best Men’s Face Wash for Sensitive Skin: Aesop Gentle Facial Cleansing Milk, $57
• Best Men’s Face Wash for Acne-Prone Skin: La Roche-Posay Effaclar Gel Cleanser, $17
• Best Men’s Face Wash for Combination Skin: Geologie Everyday Face Wash, $10
• Best Men’s Face Wash for Normal Skin: Murad Resurgence Renewing Cleansing Cream, $36
• Best Men's Face Wash for Aging Skin: Fresh Soy Cleanser, $33
• Best Fragrance-Free Men's Face Wash: Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser, $10
• Best Exfoliating Cleanser for Men: Kiehl's Rare Earth Cleanser, $38
• Best Oil-Based Face Wash for Men: Hanskin Pore Cleansing Oil, $27
• Dermatologist’s Favorite Face Wash for Guys: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, $15
• Best Face Wipes for Men: Ursa Major 4-in-1 Essential Face Wipes, $26

Despite the fact that I get dozens of cleansers sent to me each month, I will always keep Cardon's Purifying Clay Cleanser on the sink ledge, no matter how good the rest of them are. This marshmallowy soft face wash is a deep-cleaning superhorse, and suits all skin types. Clay is supremely nourishing on the skin as it soaks up any excess oil and grime, but mild enough that it shouldn't parch dry skin types, either. (As the doctors recommended, it's often just that dry and sensitive skin types need to wash less often.) I do find it easier to enjoy the benefits when I'm applying it at the sink and not in the shower, since it works best on damp skin (and not overly wet skin). Then, flush it away to have a pillowy soft, refreshed mug. Cardon even promises that it absorbs up to 4 times the impurities of any charcoal face wash. I'm inclined to confirm.

Good to Know: You can use this as a makeshift deep-cleaning face mask, too—even just by leaving it on skin for an extra 30-60 seconds.

This foaming gel is one of two new face washes to get a 2023 GQ Grooming Award. It's a perfect addition to The Ordinary's "keep it simple" assortment: A chickpea-sized squeeze is more than enough for a generously foaming lather, and in my experience, it degreases my sweaty, oily brow in a jiffy. Even my more dry- and sensitive-skinned partner uses it without feeling dehydrated. This is the facial cleanser I'm most likely to restock on my own accord, in terms of a shower usage (since I love Cardon's for the sink ledge), and since it has more universality that other deep-cleaning foaming face washes.

Good to Know: If you love The Ordinary and have dry skin but are reticent to use a foaming cleanser (although I stand by this one), then also consider their excellent Squalane Cleanser.

Another 2023 GQ Grooming Award winner, CeraVe rounds out their roster of cleansers with the best oil-based face wash in the game (though it's a blend of oil and water, to be clear). This stuff saves the skin of my dry-shelled partner thanks to its generous use of squalane oil, so it effectively pulls away dirt and grime while added back the needed nourishment in the process—so successfully that he feels and sees the difference after he rinses. If a simple face wash can make him smile that broadly after use, then it deserves this coveted spot on GQ's list.

Good to Know: Not all oils clog pores, so even acne-prone individuals with dry skin can benefit from oil cleansers. Be sure to check the "comedogenic rating" of any oil-based ingredients; in this case, squalane oil scores a low 1 out of 5, which means it is almost certain not to clog pores.

This easily could have been my Best Overall pick—seeing as any face wash that is best for sensitive skin types is often best for all skin types—but I do believe it belongs in this "sensitive" category foremost. This is like a milk bath for your face, and cleanses lightly so as to not trigger any volatility. Whenever I find myself with irritated, overly dry skin (seasonally, or from testing too many products), this is one that balances me out right quick. I also recommend it for anyone who has to cleanse more than twice in a day, since it will give you the needed refresh without ever stripping moisture.

Good to Know: It has a generous pour, and its glass bottle isn't very gym or travel friendly; so perhaps get a reusable TSA-friendly vessel to tote it on the go.

This top-shelf drugstore brand is likely one of your dermatologists' favorites, and is one of the products I am most recommended by the pros whenever we discuss acne cleansers. It's a foaming gel that generously refreshes oily and acne-prone skin (so long as you let it set on there for 30 seconds or more before rinsing away). Look, it's easy to find an acne cleanser with salicylic acid as its hero ingredient, but it is harder and harder to find one that works as quickly, calmly, and effectively as LaRoche-Posay's (and for under 20 bones, no less). For me, this is an evening cleanser; I find it potent enough to save for once-daily use (even in mitigating blackheads). It's never overly drying on skin, but I think you can swap in a gentler option for the morning.

Good to Know: LaRoche-Posay has a few key skin care lines that have confusing names. Here's a cheat sheet: Effaclar is for blemish-prone skin, Toleriane is sensitive skin, Anthelios is suncare, while Lipikar and Ciciplast are for dry skin.

I like endorsing no-frills sensitive-steered formulas for combination skin, since these individuals need a perfect universal face wash to target both their oily and dry areas. Enter this fantastic gel cleanser from Geologie (which is actually shipped as two individual TSA-friendly cleansers). It's less sexy on paper than some products that lead with big ingredients-forward rosters; its biggest sell is the plant-derived surfactant Coco glucoside, similar to The Ordinary pick above. But that's also why I love it: With skin that wavers between oily and dry (in different parts of my face and changing with the seasons), I have to rely on uncomplicated products like this to do the cleansing, then I can leave it to the other products in my regimen to rehydrate each area of the face as it requires. This cleanser has no aggressive actives nor any added fragrance (to satisfy the drier parts) but it refreshes enough to satisfy the oily parts, too.

Good to Know: If you do want an oil-busting active, consider Geologie's similar 2% salicylic acid cleanser.

Cream cleansers are a top option for sensitive types, but are often the most universal choice, too—which explains why I've slated Murad's outstanding face wash as the victor for the middle-road "normal" skin conditions. This one will honor your naturally fortified moisture barrier, while also providing non-physical exfoliation bennies via papaya enzymes. When I use it, I feel like I've used both a cleanser and a hydrating serum; my skin suggests as much, too. It always leaves my hands feeling extra nourished, too.

Good to Know: This one works well as a shaving cream, too, if you're in a pinch or want to downsize the products you pack for a long weekend.

Best Men's Face Wash for Aging Skin: Fresh Soy Cleanser

Fresh's low-foaming, gel cleanser offers excellent surface-level cleaning that leaves skin feeling clean without the sensation that you've been fully stripped of your natural oils. It's one of the most popular face cleansers in the world, able to reduce redness and clear out pores to minimize their appearance with continued use. This is great for all skin types, but particularly soothing for those with dry or aging skin who want something that'll nourish the skin while still cleansing it.

Good to Know: This cleanser is not supposed to foam up a lot, so there's no need to squeeze globs of this in the hopes that you'll end up with clouds of cleanser on your mug. Use a pea-sized, or a little more, to get all the product you need to fully wash your face.

Best Fragrance-Free Men's Face Wash: Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser

Our Experience

Rather than explaining what Vanicream's gentle cleanser has in its ingredient list, it'd be easier to tell you what it doesn't have: There are no fragrances, parabens, sulfates, or dyes. Basically, if something is likely to irritate your skin, it's not in here. Most face cleansers, or skin care products in general, contain fragrance to, well, make the product smell good. But for a lot of people, those scents can cause irritation in the form of redness, acne, flaking, etc. Sensitive skin folks rave about Vanicream's cleanser for its no-frills approach to skin care products that contain nothing more than what it needs to get the job done—in this case: cleaning your face.

Good to Know: Don't know anything about face cleansers and shopping on a budget? Just get this one. You won't impress anyone eyeing your bathroom counter, but they will be impressed by your impeccable skin.

Best Exfoliating Face Cleanser for Men: Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore-Minimizing & Polishing Powder Cleanser

What appears to be a simple starch powder is in fact much more: When lathered into your palms, Kiehl's cleanser produces three different pore-clearing actions. It purifies with clay, buffs with micro grains, and clears out dead skin cells with alpha hydroxy acids. I love it for its many use cases, like on rough skin for needed smoothness, acne-prone skin (whenever or wherever it isn't actively breaking out), or on normal, oily, and combination skin to reduce shine. It is also one of the few clay cleansers that also uses the right vessel—a simple liquid-esque cap limits the amount of water that gets in, and prevents you from having a mound of powder in your hands. Maybe I'm just an idiot and can't figure out the other powder cleansers, but at least Kiehl's is idiot proof.

Good to Know: Don't use powder cleansers in the shower; if that water seeps into the bottle, then you've got a big unusable glob of hard clay. Always start with damp hands, then sprinkle on the powder and build your initial lather.

Best Oil-Based Face Wash for Men: Hanskin Pore Cleansing Oil

Let us introduce you to the double cleanse: That is, using an oil-based cleanser to help dissolve hard-to-clean grime on your face, followed by a water-based cleanser to fully cleanse the face. An oil-based cleanser is especially good for those who wear makeup (which guys can do!) or mineral sunscreens, which don't wash away easily with water-based cleansers. We like this cleanser from Hanskin, which is slick, gliding over the face to dissolve whatever muck you've accumulated on your mug all day. After you've fully saturated your face, adding in some water helps to lather the cleanser, which you then rinse off and follow with your face wash of choice. It's non-irritating and it works well to give you the deepest clean you've ever felt in your life.

Good to Know: Make sure to use this on a dry face before adding water to induce a lather.

Best Drugstore Face Cleanser for Men: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Gel Cleanser

At least half a dozen times, I have found myself out of town and needing a non-drying cleanser on a dime (why splurge when I have a million options at home as a grooming editor?). And thank goodness for the global dominance of Neutrogena, because I can always find this foaming gel cleanser, which rivals many of the costlier options on this list and works with just about every skin type. So many of us shy away from the brands we used as teenagers, when really, these ubiquitous brands have the best research and development to appease the masses. No matter your skin type (sensitive and acne-prone included), this one works perfect without drying you out. The next time you're in need of a low-cost highly hydrated face wash (whether traveling or not), just go back to your roots.

Good to Know: Neutrogena's entire Hydro Boost line is perfect for a low-cost regimen, including their SPF 50 moisturizer with sunscreen, hyaluronic acid serum, and dry skin gel moisturizer.

The speed at which I barreled through Le Domaine's skin-cradling cleanser... Every aspect of this French luxe label's skin care products is worth its steep price tag, thanks to the vineyard-sourced science behind it all. And this foaming oil-water emulsion will satisfy just about everyone who opts in; on any given day I fancy myself dry, oily, combination, acne-prone, or sensitive. And on any given day, this stuff left my skin feeling like A-list material.

Good to Know: Why yes, this is the skin care label of Brad Pitt.

I'll throw this one to both dermo experts featured in this article—both of whom independently chose Cetaphil's non-foaming sensitive-skin cleanser as their top recommendation. Here is how Malik sums it up: “My patients and I love this cleanser as it is extremely gentle on the skin, yet very effective at removing impurities, SPF, and makeup. It is pH-balanced, fragrance-free, and non-comedogenic. It is also very versatile and suitable for nearly all skin types: dry, oily, combination, and sensitive included.”

Good to Know: There's a companion Cetaphil cleanser for oily skin and combination skin, too, with the same nourishing results.

For as long as I've been on this grooming beat, Ursa Major's face wipes have been part of my routine. These individually wrapped wipes (in their biodegradable packaging) are easily toted in your pocket or gym bag, and are terrific for a refresh when you can't get showered soon enough. That '4-in-1' on its product name explains why they're so great too: They provide skin toning, moisturizing, and gentle exfoliation benefits as the natural ingredients tend to your pores. (And they soothe so nicely with aloe vera, too.) Plus, since you don't rinse after use, those benefits stay with you hours later.

Good to Know: You can get these same long-lasting skin benefits from Ursa Major's 4-in-1 face toner at home, though it's even better if used after their spearmint face wash or milky cleanser.

The easiest way to find the best face cleanser for men is to shop by your skin type, and to look for products that specifically target your skin’s needs. They will do this with their formula or their key ingredients. Here are the key skin types and conditions you will see addressed most commonly, along with advice for finding the best men’s face wash for your skin needs. The expertise comes from NYC-based board-certified dermatologists Dr. Kunal Malik and Dr. Asmi Sanghvi.

But first, one word of wisdom from Malik, who says not to invest too much of your “skin care goals” into a cleanser. “Due to their very brief exposure while washing the skin, the benefits of a cleanser are likely very limited,” he explains. Think of their benefits as most surface level, or for a quick pore expunging. “For [greater nourishing and fortifying needs], try leave-on serums, or moisturizers work much better,” he says. These will be a more assuring way to target things like hydration and skin tone (like with Vitamin C, for example).

As for the ideal products and ingredients for key skin needs, read on.

You don’t go a decade as a grooming writer and editor without testing a million and a half facial cleansers along the way. I must get four or five sent to my home every week, and so this list is curated from the best of the best. My partner and I have different skin types and needs too, so anything ill suited for me is perfect for him.

I always cross-check my opinions with the web’s too: Just because I like something doesn’t make it the end-all be-all truth. The products on this roster are well regarded amongst consumers, too, most of them averaging about 4.5 stars out of 5 on key retail sites.

Dr. Kunal Malik is a board-certified dermatologist at Spring Street Dermatology in NYC. He is also Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Dr. Asmi Sanghvi is a board-certified dermatologist in NYC, practicing at Advanced Laser and Skin Cancer Center in Teaneck, NJ. She is also a Clinical Instructor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.