Combination skin can make skincare overwhelming. As if it’s not already hard enough to tackle our skin concerns, throw in different concerns in different areas and you’re suddenly facing a whole new challenge. Should you be using different products on different parts of your face? Should you be prioritising oily sections over dry? Vice versa? It can be hard in a world where we are spoilt for choice but not so much for information or advice. Skincare can be both time consuming and expensive, so to ensure you’re not wasting your precious time or money, The Beauty Drop has curated a list of the best cleaners for combination skin. Skin of this type requires products that can hydrate its dry patches without exacerbating the oily. In particular, combination skin needs a cleanser that won’t strip the good, natural oils from the face, but will still effectively cleanse the skin’s pores, removing dead skin, sweat, dirt and pollutants. A gel or foam is often best, but for combination skin you’re primarily looking for one thing— balance. Enter, these beauties:

SkinCeuticals Simply Clean

Simply Clean is a gel makeup removing cleanser that features sulfonic acid for the exfoliation of skin and removal of build-up including dead skin cells, it is also formulated with glycerin, which promotes hydration. Simply clean removes even waterproof makeup and leaves the skin feeling clean and smooth, making it the ideal everyday cleanser.

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser

Cult favourite CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser blew up on TikTok for being an affordable and effective product. With a gentle formulation of essential ceramides, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, it deeply cleanses both the face and body, removing dirt, oil and makeup, without harming your precious skin barrier. It’s fragrance, sulfate, paraben and oil free, making for an incredibly gentle formula, suitable for all your sensitive and combination skin needs.

Go-To Properly Clean

Feel like your cleanser isn’t leaving you feeling properly clean? Make this cleanser your new go-to to feel cleansed and refreshed every time you wash your face. With the added benefits of being cruelty-free, vegan, Australian made and sulfate and paraben free, this gentle formula works to clean your face without ever leaving it dry or feeling unbalanced. It’s suitable for mature, sensitive, breakout-prone, dry and oily skin— consider giving Go-To a go for whatever your combination may be.

Alpha-H Balancing Cleanser

With a soothing cream formula, this Alpha-H cleanser is a multi-tasking product with a focus on respecting the skin’s natural pH balance and preparing it for the proper absorption of other products. Used in a daily routine, this cleanser gently cleanses the skin of makeup and debris without stripping the face. Formulated with vitamin E and aloe vera, this cleanser is also very calming on irritated and inflamed skin.

The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser

If simple, to-the-point, affordable skincare is your thing (how could it not be?) then look no further than The Ordinary’s Squalane Cleanser. This cruelty free formula removes makeup and dirt while supporting your skin’s natural barrier with plant-derived squalane. As an ingredient in skincare, squalane also has the potential to reduce fine lines and fade scars and hyperpigmentation. This cleanser’s creamy non-comedogenic and soap-free formula melts into the skin to leave it feeling soft and smooth.

Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel

Mario Badescu is a bit of a hall of famer in the beauty world and the Enzyme Cleansing Gel is no exception as one of its best sellers. This daily deep cleaning face wash removes excess oil without risking the skin feeling dry or irritated. Added papaya and grapefruit extract give it a gentle exfoliation factor, helping the skin feel extra refreshed. This favourite can also be used as a purifying face mask, just leave it on the skin for one to five minutes before gently rinsing it off for an extra fresh-faced feel.

So, there you have it, the best cleansers for combination skin. Give one of these a try to get you on your way to perfectly cleansed and well-balanced skin. Don’t forget to sign up to the Beauty Drop’s VIP list for exclusive access to drops and the best deals.