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One of the best things you can do every day to keep your skin clean and acne-free, it’s wash your face. The right face wash for you, however, will depend on your skin type. Ideally, the best face wash for combination skin will thoroughly remove oils, sebum, and impurities while gently exfoliating dead skin, evening out your skin’s texture and adding hydration to dry patches.
When you skin is both oily and dry like it is when you have combination skin, choosing the right products to keep your skin balanced and breakout free can be a bit of a challenge. If, let’s say, you make preventing or treating acne your number one priority and choose a cleanser with harsh ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, alcohol, or retinol, you may upset the drier areas of your skin and cause more pimples in the process. If you do the opposite and use too gentle of a cleanser, you might notice your skin becoming increasingly dull or uneven or you might feel like you're not removing enough oil (or makeup or sweat) to which your skin will, again, react with unwanted blackheads, breakouts.
Thankfully, there are plenty of gentle, balancing cleansers that are perfect for combination skin. With purifying ingredients like clay or charcoal to attract oil and draw out impurities, gentle and natural exfoliating ingredients and acne treatments like glycolic acid, salicylic acid and AHA's and moisturizers like glycerin, the face washes listed below will keep your combination skin clear, smooth and radiant.
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The Best Balancing Face Wash: A Cleanser That Harnesses The Power Of Plant-Based Science
Specifically designed for combination skin, this frothy face wash keeps the oily areas of your skin clear and the dry areas of your skin protected with the help of potent plant and organic ingredients. Checks and Balances is infused with broadleaf kelp extract to keep oil at a minimum, tourmaline and mint to clear dirt, and sebum and wheat protein to heal dry spots.
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The Best Natural Face Wash: A Cleanser With Green Tea That Eliminates Impurities
Although this cleanser is labeled ‘for men’ it would be a shame to count it out as one of the best natural face washes for combination skin. The Bulldog formula — which includes aloe, green tea, and benzoic acid to fight and reduce bacteria and glycerin for moisture — is scented with essential oils and gently clears your face of dirt and debris so that your skin feels clean and refreshed but never dry.
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The Best Exfoliating Cleanser: A Skin-Smoothing Face Wash With Powerful Exfoliating Ingredients
Dreaming of smooth, even skin that looks and feels healthy and bright? Try Murad’s AHA/BHA Cleanser. With its gentle yet highly effective exfoliating agents (salicylic acid, lactic acid, jojoba beads, and glycolic acid) this face wash loosens buildup on the skin’s surface and scrubs away dull, rough areas to reveal smooth skin. And don’t worry, it hydrates too so it’s safe enough for use on combination skin.
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The Best For Sensitive Combination Skin: A Gentle, pH-Balancing Cream Cleanser
The best face wash to balance and cleanse sensitive, combination skin is hands-down Phisoderm’s Cream Cleanser. The formula is good for morning and night use, keeps your skin’s pH levels balanced while removing dirt and oil and hydrates with vitamin E. It’s extra gentle, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and dermatologist recommended.
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The Best For Oilier Combination Skin: A Clay-Infused Gel Cleanser That Reduces Excess Oil
If your combination skin is more on the oily side, try this foaming gel cleanser from First Aid Beauty with natural red clay, antioxidants and rosemary leaf oil. In short, it’s a hard-working face wash that expertly draws out impurities, removes excess oil, and unclogs pores without ever over-drying the skin.
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The Best For Unclogging Pores: A Deep-Cleaning Oil Face Wash With Charcoal
Oil to clear excess oil? Yes, it’s a thing. Erno Laszlo’s Detoxifying Cleansing Oil banks on the addition of charcoal to attract and dissolve surface impurities, oil, and makeup while purifying your skin and pores for smoother, breakout-free skin. The unique formula, which includes sea water, grapeseed oil, and energizing minerals, also easily removes makeup, fights toxins, and promotes natural skin exfoliation.
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