- Home
- /
- The esmi Edit
- /
- The Best Cleanser for Your Skin Type
The Best Cleanser for Your Skin Type
We step you through how to choose a cleanser right for your skin type and skin concerns from The Uncomplicated Cleanser range. Find the cleanser to achieve your healthiest skin ever.
Our 4 quick tips for choosing the right cleanser include:
- Know your skin type and concerns. This helps you choose a cleanser with active ingredients to achieve your skin goals.
- Look for a gentle formula that offers hydrating ingredients and maintains oil balance.
- Avoid harsh ingredients that strip and dry the skin. For example, sodium laureth sulfate, fragrance and SD alcohol 40.
- Be open to switching up your cleanser depending on changing skin concerns.
Why Knowing Your Skin Type is Key
When choosing from different types of cleansers, the key to making the right selection is knowing your skin type and skin concerns.
Dry skin
Indicators: Flaky, dry patches, dullness, skin may feel itchy and tight.
Skin goals: Improve moisture retention and hydration.
Oily skin
Indicators: Large pores, shiny skin, prone to congestion and acne.
Skin goals: Keep pores clear of debris, target acne and congestion, and regulate oil production.
Combination skin
Indicators: Oily T-zone prone to shine and congestion while cheeks and outer area of your face are dry and flaky.
Skin goals: Target excessive oil and congestion in t-zone while keeping other areas hydrated.
Sensitive skin
Indicators: Reactive, red, easily irritated, dry, and prone to inflammatory skin conditions like rosacea or eczema.
Skin goals: Strengthen the skin barrier, protect, keep skin hydrated and moisturised.
Normal (lucky you!)
Indicators: A good balance of moisture, small pores and an even, usually blemish-free skin tone.
Skin goals: Hydrate and protect.
Stuck on what your skin type is? The Different Skin Types can help you work it out.
Target Skin Concerns
When figuring out how to choose a cleanser, in addition to your skin type, you’ll probably have specific skin concerns to address. Many skin concerns are common to certain skin types. For example, acne (skin concern) is common for people with oily skin (skin type).
Skin concerns include;
Dehydration: This is a very common skin concern that can happen to all skin types. Dehydrated skin is lacking water and symptoms include flaky, rough skin, congestion, uneven skin tone, dullness, and excess oil.
Hyperpigmentation: Symptoms include sunspots, age spots, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation from scarring and melasma - also known as “the mask of pregnancy”.
Fine lines and wrinkles: Signs of ageing are coming to all of us eventually, no matter our skin type! The good news is, there’s plenty you can do to slow or prevent the premature signs of ageing.
Congestion: Congested skin is oily and has a bumpy, uneven texture. It may appear ‘dirty’ (although it isn’t) when blackheads are present. Combination and oily skin types are the most likely candidates for congestion.
Dullness: Skin appears lacklustre, flat, and without a healthy glow. A few reasons for dull skin include dehydration, buildup of dead cells on the surface, and ageing. Dry skin types are prone to experiencing dullness.
Breakouts: While breakouts are usually linked to oily or combination skin, they can show up on all skin types. Hormonal changes, such as pregnancy, can trigger acne for those who previously had no real breakout concerns.
Redness: Sensitive skin types and those with inflammatory acne are usually the most prone to experiencing skin redness. Persistent redness and intense, hot flushing can also be a sign of rosacea.
Choosing a Cleanser for Your Needs
Now you’re clear on your skin type and concerns, let’s take a look at The Uncomplicated Cleanser range and match the right cleanser to your skin goals.
The different types of cleansers include;
Suited to: All skin types
Our best selling Uncomplicated Cleanser is perfect for all skin types. The gentle cream cleanser balances skin and won’t leave it dry or tight, just clean, calm, and supple. The formulation focuses on cleansing while supporting skin hydration and maintaining a healthy oil/moisture balance.
It gently removes all traces of makeup, dirt, excess oil, and other impurities with a double cleanse while calming and protecting skin. An ideal face wash for normal skin types.
Key ingredients to cleanse while maintaining hydrated, calm, and balanced skin;
Aloe vera: Hydrating and calming for skin with very gentle exfoliant properties.
Green tea extract: Anti-inflammatory to soothe and calm redness while antioxidant properties protect the skin from free radical damage.
Stearic acid: Emollient properties minimise water loss while cleansing.
Capric triglyceride: Reduce skin dryness by minimising moisture loss.
The different types of cleansers in our range are based on this gentle cleansing formula plus specific active ingredients to target individual skin concerns.
The Uncomplicated Cleanser Plus Anti-Redness
Suited to: Sensitive skin prone to redness and inflammation.
If you’re wondering “What face wash should I use for sensitive skin?” this is the one! This gentle cream cleanser cools inflammation, balances skin and delivers an improvement in redness while gently removing impurities.
Key redness-reducing ingredient: Tasmanian Mountain Pepper extract
In addition to aloe vera and green tea extract, this formulation includes Tasmanian Mountain Pepper extract. This natural extract is ideal for sensitive skin types experiencing redness and inflammation, helping to minimise redness and cools hot, angry skin.
The Uncomplicated Cleanser Plus Anti-Ageing
Suited to: All skin types dealing with fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of elasticity.
This gentle cream cleanser addresses ageing concerns for all skin types, promoting elasticity, suppleness, and moisture while balancing skin for a more youthful-looking complexion.
Plumps, hydrates and softens skin while gently removing impurities.
Key anti-ageing ingredient: Peptides
This formulation includes peptides to stimulate the production of both collagen and elastin.
The result is firmer, tauter looking skin with a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles. Peptides also help even out skin tone and repair damage.
The Uncomplicated Cleanser Plus Brightening
Suited to: All skin types prone to dullness, hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone.
This brightening, antioxidant-rich cleanser balances and brightens skin for a more illuminated, even complexion while gently lifting away impurities.
Signs of pigmentation, including age spots and dark patches, and dullness are minimised for a brighter complexion.
Key brightening ingredient: Kakadu Plum extract (rich in Vitamin C)
Kakadu Plum is a native Australian botanical containing the highest levels of vitamin C found in nature. This super antioxidant brightens hyperpigmentation, blemishes and smooths uneven skin tone.
Kakadu Plum also contains antioxidants gallic acid for restoring the skin’s natural barrier and ellagic acid to improve firmness and elasticity.
The Uncomplicated Cleanser Plus Charcoal
Suited to: Oily and combination skin types prone to acne, congestion, and large pores.
Which face wash is best for acne and oily skin? The Uncomplicated Cleanser Plus Charcoal. Detoxify and purify congested, oily skin with this gentle cleanser. Helps to draw out acne-forming bacteria and other impurities from deep within pores, refreshing and refining skin texture.
Key detoxifying ingredient: Activated charcoal
Activated charcoal is a master skin detoxifier. Toxins cling to charcoal, extracting dirt and oil build-up from clogged pores without irritating skin. It also fights breakouts by reducing excess oil and regulating sebum production.
How to use The Uncomplicated Cleanser
Apply a pearl-sized amount of the cleanser to damp hands and massage gently into skin with an upward motion. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water or remove with esmi's Microfibre Facial Cleansing Mitt.
Use in the morning and at night - don’t forget to double cleanse in the PM after wearing foundation. We recommend using an eye makeup remover first if you have a non-tubular mascara.
View The Uncomplicated Cleanser range and add a targeted cleanser to your skin routine today. If you need any help with how to choose a cleanser for your skin type, chat with an esmi skincare expert online.