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When it comes to all the various skin types, we can’t seem to ever catch a break. But oily skin in particular can be an absolute nightmare to deal with and can even lead to new issues, most commonly in the form of breakouts. In order to minimise acne breakouts and keep all excess shine from oily skin at bay, it’s important to invest in the best skincare products for your skin type but particularly your daily face wash. Incorporating the right cleanser for oily skin into your morning and evening skincare routine will ensure that your skin is constantly kept clean, under control and well balanced.
The ingredients you should be looking out for in your search for the best face wash for oily, acne prone skin include:
- Salicylic Acid – a form of Beta Hydroxy Acid that exfoliates the surface of the skin, breaking down excess oils and is also known for its anti-inflammatory properties which works great for reducing redness and breakouts;
- Niacinamide – a hero ingredient for practically every skin concern! Great for banishing and keeping pesky breakouts at bay and reducing excess sebum;
- Hyaluronic Acid – to provide and lock in hydration as other targeted ingredients for oily skin can leave your skin feeling overly dry after use; and
- Activated charcoal and clay – deep cleaning ingredients that draw out oil and dirt trapped in your pores.
We scoured the internet and did a whole bunch of due diligence to discover the absolute best face washes for oily and acne prone skin and then went through our usual elimination process to finally reach our top 5 Haul of Fame superstars. These 5 cleansers are not only the most effective when it comes to combatting oily skin and reducing acne but have proved themselves to be worthy of our pennies (and much more).
1. CeraVe Foaming Cleanser
With over 14,000 global reviews and a rating of 4.7/5 on Amazon (16oz size), it’s clear that this is one of Cerave’s hero products (along with the renowned CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser!).
The CeraVe Foaming Cleanser is formulated with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide which ensure that your skin is not left feeling tight after use.
This daily face wash is great for anyone with oily skin generally that may not necessarily struggle with acne/breakouts but instead want to keep excess sebum under control.
Available at Amazon
For anyone with oily and acne prone skin, we’ve found another hero product by CeraVe for you.
Available at Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
Meet the CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser, a gentle cleanser that is formulated with salicylic acid which will draw out impurities by exfoliating the skin, removing dead cells and ultimately smoothing the skins surface of rough bumps and blemishes.
Both the CeraVe Foaming Cleanser and CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser are fragrance free (and so won’t cause any irritation) and also non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores).
We’d recommend only using these face washes as part of your second cleanse after removing your makeup so that their active ingredients can really get to work your skin.
2. Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash for Oily Skin
The Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash is the clever cleanser that balances dry and oily skin.
Origins’ best selling face wash is not only gentle on the skin but provides a light foam action when used.
The Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash is made with broad leaf kelp extract (which minimises excess oil production), wheat protein (protects and balances drier parts of the skin) and tourmaline (provides excess moisture to the washing process to make excess oil and dirt slide right off the skin with ease).
This cleanser for oily skin is also infused with bergamot, mint and lavender essential oils that make the cleansing experience feel that little bit more fancier!
Available at Boots.com
3. Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser Face Wash for Oily Skin
Think of the Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser as the ultimate deep cleaning tool for your oily skin.
Charcoal literally acts as a magnet, drawing out double the amount of dirt and impurities than any basic cleanser would.
Another bonus is that when charcoal is combined with acne busting salicylic acid, it quite literally becomes a powerhouse product.
The Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser is infused with Japanese Skin Purifying Technology and provides noticeable results after just one use!
Also, don’t be put off by the colour of this cleanser (it’s made from natural charcoal after all!). On application the face wash is black, but then foams white and rinses clean.
Boasts 10,000+ reviews on Amazon and 13,000+ on Google.
Available at Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
4. La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Cleansing Gel
Similar to CeraVe, this French skincare brand is backed with an army of cult followers.
The heart and soul ingredient of the brand’s skincare line is skin soothing thermal rich spring water, known for its high concentration of selenium (which is super high in antioxidants). These antioxidant rich products work to neutralise all the free radicals our skin absorbs on a daily basis e.g. pollution.
La Roche Posay’s mission is to provide ‘a better life for sensitive skin‘ and so their line of products are not only effective but gentle too.
The Effeclar range by La Roche Posay is targeted at those with acne prone skin.
The Effaclar Purifying Foaming Cleanser will remove excess oils whilst maintaining the natural balance of your skin, leaving your skin feeling fresh and clean (and free of all nasties!).
Available at Amazon
For those looking for the best cleanser for oily skin (without acne concerns), the La Roche Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser is an extremely popular product and also Hyram approved too!
Available at Amazon.com
5. Mario Badescu – Enzyme Cleansing Gel
Simple. Effective. Affordable. Famous!
The Enzyme Cleansing Gel by the celebrity endorsed and instagram famous brand – Mario Badescu, is the brand’s best selling face wash.
It’s gentle and refreshing gel formula makes it the ideal face wash for oily skin. It can also effectively remove makeup and excess sebum whilst lifting away impurities from the skin.
The Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel is infused with papaya and grapefruit extracts that contain alpha hydroxy acids (AHA’s) which gently exfoliate the skin to reveal a brighter, smoother and clearer complexion.
Not only does this superstar facial cleanser effectively and thoroughly break down impurities, it also helps to prevent any future build up in the skin that can later cause breakouts and blackheads!
Available at Beautybay.com and Amazon
Bonus add on:
Regardless of which cleanser you decide to go for from our list of superstars above, another product that we would highly recommend incorporating into your skincare routine is a Niacinamide serum. We’re a massive fan of Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% by The Ordinary and the entire internet also seems to be pretty crazy about it too. With over 21,000 Google product reviews and just under 10,000 Amazon reviews, you need to get your hands on this serum and stock up as it quickly goes out of stock.
Niacinamide comes with pretty much all the skincare benefits under the sun. For oily, acne prone skin however it really will become your saving grace. Not only will it reduce excess sebum production, but it’ll also reduce redness and irritation, brighten dark spots and also improve your overall complexion and keep any unwanted visitors away too!
Available at Theordinary.deciem.com and Amazon
Don’t forget to take a look at some of our other HoF Superstars here, or visit the Haul of Fame category of our shop page to discover our top picks and the crème de la crème of Beauty, Home and Parenting products.
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