The Best Foaming Facial Cleanser

Foaming cleansers have dramatically changed in the last few years, allowing for more customized ingredients and experiences that can target your specific needs and skin type. Keep reading for the best foaming cleansers and the trick to using them daily in your routine.

A good cleanser is the foundation of an effective skincare routine. While there are many types of cleansers, from oil and gel to cream and exfoliating, one version is often a hot topic: foaming cleansers. Beloved by many and perhaps slightly misunderstood by others, foaming facial cleansers are effective when used correctly (and with purposeful ingredients). Keep reading as we uncover what makes the best foaming cleanser and how to best use them in your daily ritual.

What Is A Foaming Cleanser?

First things first – a foaming cleanser is, as the name might imply, a facial wash that foams up. This voluminous option is effective because it is capable of removing stubborn oil, dirt, and makeup from the surface of the skin. The foaming texture, which is either distributed as a foam from a pump or foamed up with a light lather, allows for a deeper cleanse thanks to the excessive bubbles in the formula.

Who Can Use A Foaming Cleanser?

Foaming cleansers are perfect for those looking for a deeper cleansing experience, especially individuals with oily or acne-prone skin. This specific face wash can have a reputation for being drying, but those are the foaming cleansers of yore. Today’s iterations are supplemented with a variety of ingredients that target specific skin woes, like dryness, blemishes, or excessive oil. With such targeted ingredients, a foaming cleanser can be ideal for any skin type.

How Often Can You Use A Foaming Cleanser?

The frequency of use when it comes to a foaming cleanser is a personal preference. Oily or acne-prone skin might enjoy the refreshing feel of a cleverly crafted foaming cleanser, preferring to use it twice a day. While those with dry skin might enjoy applying a creamy foaming cleanser once or twice a day, which imparts a soft hydration onto the skin as cleansing. Also, if you’re using a daily sunscreen – which you absolutely should be – a foaming cleanser can more effectively remove lingering SPF at the end of the day, helping to leave skin clean as a whistle and ready for the next steps in an evening routine. Additionally, a foaming cleanser can be a perfect pairing with an oil cleanser for a thorough double cleanse technique. Perfecting any routine takes patience and diligence. Experiment to assess how your skin feels using a foaming cleanser for daily use.

How To Use A Foaming Cleanser

While cleansers may be an afterthought in Western culture, cleansing is seen as key to healthy skin in Japan. The trick to using a foaming cleanser is not just rushing through this vital step, but actually taking the time to carefully and thoroughly cleanse for cleaner, healthier-looking pores and skin. It’s also possible to transform the mundane act of the cleanse into a mindfulness ritual by embracing the Japanese concept of kiyome, which translates to purification. This belief can act as not only a physical cleanse, but also an emotional one, allowing the cleansing process to be an act of letting go. While cleansing skin (ideally for 30 to 60 seconds), take a page out of founder Vicky Tsai’s book, Pure Skin, by visualizing distractions, negative thoughts, and self-doubt melting away as you massage the cleanser into the skin in gentle, circular motions.

The Best Foaming Cleansers

The secret to success when finding your ideal foaming cleanser is to shop by your skin type. Find your perfect formula by narrowing down your skin type below.

Best Foaming Cleanser for Dry Skin

Consider The Rice Wash, a creamy foaming cleanser that gently smooths and washes away buildup without stripping skin for a soft, luminous complexion. The bestselling face wash is purposeful with its lather: the foam comes from the pH-neutral amino acid base and Japanese rice powder, which naturally softens and balances skin. Plus, the addition of Okinawa algae and hyaluronic acid gives skin a boost of hydration and plumpness as well. Combination skin that errs on the side of dryness will love this creamy foam cleanser, too.

Best Foaming Cleanser for Combination to Oily Skin

Those with oily and combination skin often believe they need to over-wash their faces to rid themselves of excessive oil and prevent breakouts. However, this skin-stripping step can actually do the opposite, causing the skin to produce even more oil and potentially leading to more breakouts. This is where the new Matcha Foam Cleanser steps in to save the day. The luxurious ultra-fine foam – thanks to a unique gel-to-foam texture – deeply decongests pores, reduces oil, and visibly calms skin without stripping. While many foaming cleansers rely on harsh formulas, the Matcha Foam Cleanser takes on oiliness with a gentle touch: balancing the microbiome, soothing, and calming. However, the sumptuous cleanser still offers powerful clarifying and oil controlling benefits thanks to prebiotic inulin and pore-refining green clay, perfect for oily and blemish-prone skin. As the cleanser name suggests, ceremonial-grade matcha (sourced from Kyoto) is the star of the show though. Rich in antioxidants, matcha calms (and has been proven to be wonderful effective for acne-prone skin, too) and it also gives the cleanser it’s rich green hue. While drinking a matcha a day has a bevy of pleasures (including being delicious), massaging on the Matcha Foam Cleanser also has endless benefits, including a reduction in oil production, calmer skin, and a healthy microbiome. Here’s to more matcha in our lives.