Best OTC Face Washes for Different Skin Types

Like my dear, sweet wife always says to me: you don't have to spend a lot of money on your face wash to keep your face clean. She scoffs at me when I try to use hand soap or body soap on my face. Knowing that she would say this to anyone and knowing she has a background in skincare I have asked her to share her choices for the top three over the counter face washes for the top three most common skin types.

Over the Counter Face Wash for Oily Skin: Neutrogena: Neutrogena is often thought of as kind of harsh and should not be used on all skin types. Neutrogena often has a fair amount of salicylic acid in its formulations and therefore is great for acne prone and oily skin. Neutrogena though can dry out your face. The wife recomends using a Neutrogena face wash followed by a Neutrogena oil free moisturizer and folks with oily skin will see clearer less oily skin in just a few days.

Over the Counter Face Wash for Dry Skin: Noxzema: The cold cream that your grandmother may have used is still just as great as today. Noxzema has the cooling agent of camphor in it which makes it great for tight dry skin. (This is also great for sun exposed skin) Noxzema can be applied dry and removed with or without water. If you are having a particularly dry day then skip the water but still feel the clean.

Over the Counter Face Wash for Sensitive Skin: Cetaphil: Highly recommended by dermatologists Cetaphil works gently with lukewarm water to remove dirt and oil without stripping the skin. Cetaphil is among the least expensive of all the face washes on the market and yet one of the best.

You should also feel free to combine any of these washes. For example if you have combination skin but tend to break out then perhaps you want to use Neutrogena during the day with a mattifying moisturizer and then Cetaphil at night to calm the skin. As with any skin care regime try one new product at a time, wait a week for visible results and know that true results will not come for 28 days so that the skin can go through a full cycle. Also, if you have very sensitive skin or just of hygienic purposes it may be a good idea to purchase a pump type bottle so that the wash you use does not come into contact with dirty fingers.

Source:

My wife