The Best Face Cleansers on the Market

Some of the best cleansers on the market aren't fancy & expensive. But if you want the very best, you can pay for it. Here I run down the best face cleansers on the market today from cheap to steep & for 5 different skin types: dry, oily, combination, sensitive & blemished. This list includes the yearly picks by the staff of 'InStyle' magazine plus the tried & true picks selected by other beauty experts. This is no random list -- every cleanser here has passed with high marks the exacting standards of the best makeup artists, beauty editors & dermatologists in the business.

Key: $=up to $10; $$=up to $20; $$$=up to $30; $$$$=up to $40.

Best cleansers for dry skin, from cheap to steep

• Cetaphil There's no bells & whistles with this baby-mild product that even dermatologists swear by. So why is this $10 cleanser such a must-have? It's clean, simple & isn't loaded wtih chemicals or perfumes that can irritate the skin. It's just the best drugstore cleanser out there. Period.$
  
• Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser This cleanser contains shea butter, which leaves skin moisturized as well as cleansed. $$
  
• Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Cream This cleanser smells like almonds & doesn't come with a lot of preservatives, so keep an eye on the expiration date. $$
  
• Lancome Galatee Milk Cleanser This milky cleanser is very moisturizing. $$$
  
  

Best cleansers for oily skin, from cheap to steep

• Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash Like Cetaphil for dry skin, Purpose has few bells & whistles -- a good thing for a cleanser. This soap-free, oil-free liquid lathers away dirt, makeup & oil but doesn't leave skin so dry it reacts by overproducing oil. Pretty good job for only $6. $
  
• Clinique Wash-Away Gel Cleanser This classic cleanser can be a bit drying, so test the product before you buy. $$
  
• Shiseido Pureness Cleansing Gel Gentle & soft, you'll love the way this cleanser...smells (& cleans your skin). $$
  
• Lancome Clarifiance Oil-Free Gel Cleanser This cleanser will leave your oily skin feeling luxurious, but not oily. $$$
  
  

Best cleansers for normal/combination skin, from cheap to steep

• Dove Essential Nutrients self-foaming cleanser This cleanser is a great standby from cold winters to humid summers, according to NYC dermatologist Francesca J. Fusco in the 2005 spring issue of InStyle Magazine. This $6 basic cleanser washes away oil & dead skin cells without stripping skin of its needed nutrients. $
  
• Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser This is the best drugstore cleanser. Period. $
  
• Bloom Facial Cleaners [/link] This aromatherapy cleanser has lavendar & grapefruit essential oils. $$
  
• FACE Stockholm Foaming Face Cleanser A great product that's not drying. $$$
  
• Laura Mercier One-Step Cleanser The perfect pricey cleanser. $$$$