The best cleansers for dry skin,according to dermatologists and skincare experts
The 21 cleansers that dermatologists and skincare experts rate highest for dry skin, ranked by genuine consensus.
What changed, 21 October: First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser joined the top ten, at number 9.
These are the 21 cleansers that the dermatologists and skincare experts we follow rate most highly for dry skin, ranked purely by how warmly they talk about them in their own reviews. No brand pays to appear, and the order updates as new reviews come in.
La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+ Gentle Foaming Moisturizing Wash leads with a Guru Score of 90% from 8 gurus. If price matters, the top budget buy is CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser at number 5, with a Guru Score of 85%, and the top splurge is Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm at number 17, with a Guru Score of 75%. Of the 18 we hold a full ingredient list for, 18 skip drying alcohol, 14 are fragrance-free, 7 contain ceramides and 5 contain niacinamide.
Under each pick is what the experts liked about it and, where we hold one, a line a guru actually said about it. A Guru Certified mark means broad agreement across many experts. Skin is personal, so anything new is best patch-tested first.
The experts' top picks at a glance
The podium
90%Guru ScoreLipikar AP+ Gentle Foaming Moisturizing Wash
“I love this mix of this foaming gel cleanser with the moisturizing gentle milky texture. It's perfect for my second cleanser.”Kelly Driscoll
What the gurus liked: Gentle on sensitive skin; Leaves skin hydrated
89%Guru ScoreLipikar AP+ Gentle Foaming Cleansing Oil
“Pretty much everything I love about the Lipikar AP+ wash I love about this one too.”Kelly Driscoll
What the gurus liked: Cleans without drying skin; Gentle on sensitive skin
The catch: Less loved on very dry winter skin
Contains: Niacinamide.
87%Guru ScoreLiving Cleansing Balm
“The Living Cleansing Balm from Then I Met You. An icon in my bathroom for the last 5 years. I love this. I will forever love this.”James Welsh
What the gurus liked: Removes makeup and sunscreen without stripping; Soft, melts smoothly into oil
The catch: Pricey for a cleansing balm
The rest of the list
- 4
Dr Sam'sFlawless CleanserGuru CertifiedDry skinSensitive skinMid-range87%9 gurus“Funnily enough, I didn't love the Dr. Sam's Flawless Cleanser at first, my friend gave me a bottle, but oh my gosh, I do now, and it has become my travel staple.”Skin Obsessed Mary
What the gurus liked: Removes makeup and sunscreen completely; Hydrating without stripping
- 5
CeraVeHydrating Facial CleanserGuru CertifiedDry skinSensitive skinBudget buy85%28 gurus“I'm definitely a fan of the CeraVe cleanser, just washing with your hands is all that a tween would need. I think this is great, this is what we use a lot of in my house.”208SkinDoc
What the gurus liked: Gentle and non-stripping; Fragrance-free
Contains: Hyaluronic acid, Ceramides. Fragrance-free.
- 6
PrequelNon-Drying Glycerin CleanserGuru CertifiedDry skinSensitive skinMid-range85%13 gurus“It has tons of glycerin in it. It doesn't strip anything. It's going to leave you really nice and hydrated.”Dr. Aleksandra Brown
What the gurus liked: Leaves skin soft without tightness or film; Hydrating formula ideal for dry and mature skin
The catch: Foaming action may not suit all preferences
Fragrance-free.
- 7
La Roche-PosayToleriane Hydrating Gentle CleanserDry skinSensitive skinMid-range83%22 gurus“I really like the Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser. It's fragrance free, which I love, and it comes out almost like a cream, so it's super gentle.”Dr Dray
What the gurus liked: Creamy, non-foaming texture without stripping; Fragrance-free with ceramides and niacinamide
The catch: Not effective for heavy makeup removal
Contains: Niacinamide, Ceramides. Fragrance-free.
- 8
CetaphilHydrating Foaming Cream CleanserDry skinSensitive skinBudget buy83%7 gurus“What I really love about this is the formula, as the name implies it's creamy but yet foams nicely.”Dr. Jenny Liu
What the gurus liked: Foamy yet creamy texture without stripping; Removes makeup and water-resistant sunscreen
Contains: Niacinamide. Fragrance-free.
- 9
CeraVeHydrating Foaming Oil CleanserDry skinBudget buy81%8 gurus“One of my all-time favorite cleansers is the Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser from CeraVe.”The Budget Dermatologist
What the gurus liked: Removes makeup in one cleanse; Doesn't strip or leave residue
The catch: Oil content very low, around one to two percent
Contains: Hyaluronic acid, Ceramides, Squalane. Fragrance-free.
- 10
CetaphilGentle Skin CleanserDry skinSensitive skinBudget buy80%22 gurus“I love Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. It has niacinamide, panthenol, and glycerin -- great ingredients to help support the skin barrier but also hydrate the skin with glycerin.”Dr. Daniel Sugai
What the gurus liked: Fragrance-free and non-foaming; Gentle enough for sensitive and eczema-prone skin
Contains: Niacinamide. Fragrance-free.
- 11
SkinFixBarrier+ Foaming Oil CleanserDry skinSensitive skinMid-range80%9 gurus“It has a really nice silky luxurious texture and it foams up really well. I love that foaming action because it really helps to break through any thick oil that you might have on your skin.”Kelly Driscoll
What the gurus liked: Silky, non-drying texture; Removes makeup and sunscreen
The catch: Not a true oil cleanser
Contains: Hyaluronic acid. Fragrance-free.
- 12
VersedDay Dissolve Cleansing BalmDry skinSensitive skinMid-range79%12 gurus“I actually think that this is my favorite drugstore cleansing balm. That's saying a lot. I love the texture of this.”Skin Obsessed Mary
What the gurus liked: Melts makeup off on contact; Removes makeup and sunscreen thoroughly
The catch: Strong eucalyptus scent irritates some eyes
- 13
CliniqueTake The Day Off Cleansing BalmDry skinSensitive skinMid-range78%15 gurus“It is the best cleansing balm hands down for removing your makeup. I use it as the first cleanse of my double cleanse and have used it for years. Holy grail product, I love it.”HotandFlashy
What the gurus liked: Fragrance-free and rinses clean; Gentle on the skin barrier
The catch: May leave a slight film on skin
Fragrance-free.
- 14
CeraVeHydrating Cream-to-Foam CleanserDry skinSensitive skinBudget buy78%11 gurus“The CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser is a great cleanser for normal skin. It's super balanced and gentle. I love a lather so it's still carries a lather, it's excellent.”Doctorly
What the gurus liked: Works for combination, dry, and sensitive skin; Large bottle lasts a long time
Contains: Hyaluronic acid, Salicylic acid, Ceramides. Fragrance-free.
- 15
Round Lab1025 Dokdo CleanserDry skinSensitive skinBudget buy78%7 gurus“My favorite one is their 1025 Dokdo Cleanser.”No BS Beauty
What the gurus liked: Cleanses without stripping or drying skin; Dense, creamy lather
The catch: Too mild for sunscreen removal
Contains: Hyaluronic acid, Ceramides. Fragrance-free.
- 16
PrequelGentle CleanserDry skinSensitive skinMid-range76%6 gurus“This is a really great cleanser for most skin types, but what makes it especially great for people with dry skin is that it has this 50% glycerin in it.”Mixed Makeup
What the gurus liked: Glycerin-based formula hydrates while cleansing; Gentle enough for face and body
The catch: Stringy texture may feel unfamiliar
- 17
ElemisPro-Collagen Cleansing BalmDry skinMature skinSplurge75%15 gurus“The one I love is the Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm. It's expensive, but it's my favorite.”Nipun Kapur
What the gurus liked: Leaves skin soft and hydrated, not stripped; Fragrance-free option available
The catch: Very expensive for a cleanser
- 18
The INKEY ListOat Cleansing BalmDry skinSensitive skinBudget buy75%14 gurus“It's a great cleanser to calm irritated sensitive skin, and also great if you have dry skin. It's a perfect everyday cleanser that performs really well.”Sincerely Miss Ash
What the gurus liked: Removes makeup and sunscreen effectively; Gentle and calming with oat ingredient
The catch: Product separation and greasiness in tube
Contains: Vitamin C. Fragrance-free.
- 19
BYOMAMilky Jelly CleanserDry skinSensitive skinMid-range74%8 gurus“Last for the ones I love, love the BYOMA Milky Jelly Cleanser.”No BS Beauty
What the gurus liked: Gentle enough for sensitive skin; Low lather but still cleanses
The catch: Packaging makes it hard to tell when empty
Contains: AHA, Ceramides. Fragrance-free.
- 20
Haruharu WonderBlack Rice Moisture 5.5 Soft Cleansing GelDry skinSensitive skinBudget buy73%8 gurus“I love this product, it is a really nice cleansing gel.”AliceintheRabbitHole
What the gurus liked: Silky lather that rinses clean; Hydrating without stripping skin
The catch: Coconut surfactants may sting eyes
Fragrance-free.
- 21
BYOMAMelting Balm CleanserDry skinSensitive skinMid-range68%7 gurus“The best part is that you can find it at Target and maybe other drugstores too. It really is the best cleansing balm formula that I've been able to find at the drugstore.”Hyram
What the gurus liked: Buttery texture, glides smoothly on skin; Emulsifies cleanly, rinses away effortlessly
The catch: Won't remove waterproof mascara reliably
Contains: Niacinamide, Ceramides. Fragrance-free.
Who's doing the judging
Ranked from the public takes of 43 independent gurus, including 15 dermatologists, 5 makeup artists and 2 cosmetic chemists.
DoctorlyDermatologist
Dr. Aanchal MDDermatologist
Dr. Shereene IdrissDermatologist
Dr DrayDermatologist
208SkinDocDermatologist
Dr. Sam EllisDermatologist
Dr. Daniel SugaiDermatologist
The Budget DermatologistDermatologist
Dr. Vanita RattanDoctor
Dr. Jenny LiuDermatologist
Lab Muffin Beauty ScienceCosmetic Chemist
Dr. MaminaDermatologist
Dr. Somji SkinCosmetic Surgeon
Dr Alexis StephensDermatologist+29These are independent experts we follow, not an in-house panel. We collect opinions they have already shared publicly on YouTube; they are not connected to The Guru Index and have not endorsed this ranking. "Guru" is our own editorial title for the voices we trust.
You asked
What is the best cleanser for dry skin?
On the latest data it is La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+ Gentle Foaming Moisturizing Wash, with a Guru Score of 90% from 8 gurus. The ranking above lists all 21 that clear our bar, in order.
What cleanser for dry skin do dermatologists recommend?
Of the 15 dermatologists whose reviews feed this ranking, more approve of CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser than any other pick: 13 of them. It holds a Guru Score of 85%, at number 5 on the list. Next comes La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser, with 12.
What is the best budget cleanser for dry skin?
CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser, at number 5 on the list, with a Guru Score of 85% from 28 gurus.
Which cleanser for dry skin has been reviewed by the most experts?
CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser: 28 gurus have weighed in on it, more than any other pick here, and it holds a Guru Score of 85%, at number 5 on the list.
What do the top cleansers for dry skin have in common?
Of the 18 we hold a full ingredient list for, 18 skip drying alcohol, 14 are fragrance-free, 7 contain ceramides and 5 contain niacinamide. That is a pattern in what the experts rate, not a rule: the ranking itself is by their verdicts.
How is this ranking decided?
We rank by the Guru Index consensus score: the warmth of every independent expert take we have logged for each product, with a minimum number of reviewers required so a single enthusiastic review can't top the list. Nothing here is paid placement.
How we make money. Some shopping links may earn The Guru Index a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes which products rank or how they score.