From balm to gel – and in no particular order – here are our current favourites for fresh faces and all skin types.
1. Paul & Joe Cleansing Gel, £23 amazon.co.uk. Thoroughly cleanses the face and removes all make up without stinging the eyes or stripping the skin which might sound like the basic minimum but as we all know in reality makes this something of a unicorn.
2. Tolpa Dermo Face Rosacal Micellar Liquid, £8.99 boots.com. Suitable for all skin types, including those experiencing redness and rosacea, this dermocosmetic will soothe, strengthen and even remove makeup.
3. Dermatology M Charcoal Cleanser, £38 dermatology-m.com. Based on Chinese Herbal Medicine, this is designed to tackle congested, acne-prone skin with its detoxifying, exfoliating ingredients. Squalane keeps the moisture balance buoyant, and soapwort acts as a natural antibacterial cleanser.
4. Bufarma Comforting Milky Cleanser, £29 bufarma.com. Stash this intensely soothing cream cleanser by your bed for those nights when washing your face has to take second place to slipping between the sheets. This makes short work of makeup and leaves skin as clean and softly fragrant as freshly washed and line-dried cotton.
5. CeraVe Foaming Cleanser, £18.50 lookfantastic.com. Who doesn’t swear by CeraVe? The go-to brand has an extensive range to target any number of skin types and conditions in a reassuringly no-nonsense fashion. The fragrance-free featherweight foam comes into its own on normal or oily complexions, restoring barrier function and eliminating makeup, excess oil and dirt.
6. Dr David Jack, Afterglow Ceramide Cleansing Balm, £65 drdavidjack.com. Devised by the esteemed Harley Street physician, this beautifully rich balm is filled with barrier-building ceramides and botanical extracts. Massage effortlessly into the skin before rinsing with warm water, or leave on for a few minutes for a mini-mask.
7. Erborian Centella Cleansing Oil, £22 uk.erborian.com. Based on an award-winning blend of Korean ingredients and French luxury skincare knowhow, this lightweight oil cleanser takes Centella Asiatica (Indian pennywort, or tiger grass) as its hero ingredient to create a richly moisturising oil which transforms into a milky lotion leaving no residue.
8. Innisfree Cherry Blossom Glow Jam Cleanser, £17 sephora.co.uk. Get with the trend for all things cherry and revel in the mouthwatering aroma of this sweet treat of a cooling cleansing gel which leaves skin glowing and summer-ready.
9. Kanzen Skincare Derma Anti-Bacterial Cleansing Water, £14 kanzenskincare.com.If this has infiltrated your TikTok feed, be assured the hype is real. Hypochlorous acid is extraordinarily effective at eradicating blemishes and soothing inflammation. This all-natural cleansing water can be spritzed directly onto the face and left to air dry.
10. Katoa Botanicals Cleansing Enzyme Butter, £49 katoabotanicals.com. Just launched and already a firm favourite with industry experts, makeup artist Penny Ryan has embraced her Maori heritage and created a range rooted in Kaitiakitanga; the practice and process of looking after the Sea, the Sky and the Land. And also, clearly, the skin, as this buttery balm works as a gentle exfoliant and rich moisturiser in one, with detoxifying bio ferments working to leave skin healthy, brightened and radiant.
