Foaming Facial
Cleansers

Facial cleansers are an important first step in any skincare regimen. These skincare essentials create the foundation upon which the rest of your routine lies. And getting in the habit of following a regular routine—whether it features a foaming facial cleanser or another type of face wash—doesn’t only benefit your skin in the moment. Caring for your skin can help better protect it from the elements and helps keep it looking younger and healthier for longer.

CeraVe’s face cleansers, including our foaming cleansers, gently and effectively remove dirt, makeup, and excess oil from your skin. Our range of formulas can also help target specific skin concerns (such as helping to get acne under control or smoothing rough and bumpy skin). Plus, they deliver additional complexion-enhancing benefits.

Foaming facial cleansers are skincare products that, when mixed with water, form a foamy lather to help cleanse your skin. They typically contain surfactants, which help to lift away dirt, oil, makeup, and impurities from the skin. Foaming face wash formulas can be beneficial for many skin types, from normal and combination to oily and acne-prone.

Facial and body “cleansers” are umbrella terms that mean anything that washes your skin. But using the right one for your skin type—whether or not that be a foaming vs non-foaming cleanser, is what really matters. While it often involves trial and error, there are some general guidelines out there. For instance, if you’re looking to improve the appearance of oily or acne-prone skin, an oil-free cleanser may be best. Whereas, if you’re looking to nourish dry or sensitive skin, you may want to use a formula free of alcohol, fragrance, and other potential irritants.

On the other hand, foaming face wash is a type of cleanser. Foaming facial cleanser, no matter what form it comes in—gel, cream, or bar—is characterized as a liquid cleanser that produces a rich lather when it’s mixed with water and applied to skin. This dense lather is made up of tiny bubbles that deeply cleanse skin by acting as gentle exfoliators to provide a thorough clean.¹ Because of its ability to effectively remove makeup, dirt, and debris, as well as excess oil, a foaming facial cleanser tends to be better for those with normal, combination, oily, or acne-prone skin, as opposed to a cleanser for dry skin, which is already lacking in oil (also known as sebum). 

Foaming cleansers are known for their ability to deeply cleanse skin and provide a refreshed feel. You can thank the bubbles in their rich lather for that, since they provide some traction to thoroughly wash away dirt, excess oil, and debris.

Another foaming facial cleanser benefit is that they tend to be lightweight and non-greasy. This is because the absence of heavy emollients helps prevent a greasy residue. A good foaming facial cleanser tends to leave skin feeling balanced.

For example, one such CeraVe foaming facial cleanser, the gentle CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser is formulated to help remove excess oil, dirt, and makeup from your skin’s surface while refreshing your skin. This fragrance-free foaming cleanser blends ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide to help calm your skin and lock in moisture without disrupting your skin’s protective barrier or drying out your skin.

Disadvantages of using a foaming facial cleanser tend to be linked with skin type. For instance, those needing help to relieve sensitive or dry skin on their face and body may have more success with a cleanser formulated to impart intense moisture, like the CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm, which works well with all skin types. This velvety formula washes away makeup—even longwear products—dirt and excess oil while supporting your skin’s protective barrier, leaving skin feeling soft and comforted. And although it effectively moisturizes skin, it doesn’t leave a greasy residue behind.

CeraVe foaming facial cleansers can be used by most skin types as part of a complete skincare regimen. However, a gentle foaming facial cleanser tends to play best with those who have normal, combination, oily, or acne-prone skin, rather than dry skin that needs extra moisture.

The ingredients in CeraVe foaming facial cleansers always include ceramides, which can help maintain your skin’s protective barrier. And each one is a gentle foaming cleanser. Case in point: CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser is a non-drying, water-based gel foaming cleanser with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide. It helps to calm skin and retain moisture while supporting your skin barrier. We even have a gentle foaming cleanser that you can use on both your face and body, the CeraVe Foaming Cleanser Bar. Formulated with three essential ceramides, kaolin clay, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide, it’s soap-free and will thoroughly wash away dirt and excess oil without drying out your skin.

CeraVe’s foaming face cleansers are largely recommended for normal, combination, oily, and acne-prone skin. But, if you prefer a foaming cleanser and have sensitive or dry skin, we recommend trying a gentle, hydrating formula like CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser. This mild cleanser transforms into a delicate foam that gently removes dirt, oil, and makeup. It makes a great option for those with dry skin who want to enjoy the hydrating benefits of a cream cleanser and the refreshing feel of a foaming cleanser.

For dry, very dry, or sensitive skin, you can also try CeraVe Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser. You’ll be able to luxuriously lather up with a blend of squalane oil, three essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and triglyceride for moisturized, comfortable skin—without clogging your pores or stripping your skin of important moisture.

Remember: Choosing a facial cleanser is largely a matter of personal preference, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. For help finding the right cleanser for you, check out our tips on how to choose a face wash for your skin type.

At CeraVe, we have a few foaming facial cleansers for oily skin and acne-prone skin that can help support a healthy-looking complexion. There are two CeraVe foaming facial cleansers with benzoyl peroxide, an ingredient known to help reduce the appearance of acne blemishes. CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser, for example, is an acne foaming cream cleanser that thoroughly dissolves dirt and excess oil, while helping to visibly clear acne with 4% benzoyl peroxide.

Those with acne-prone skin can also try CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Wash with 10% benzoyl peroxide, which offers the maximum strength of benzoyl peroxide available in over-the-counter acne treatments for the face and body.

For another foaming cleanser option that’s formulated to help improve the appearance of acne, blackheads, and pores, we recommend CeraVe Acne Control Cleanser. This gel-to-foam cleanser works by gently exfoliating and penetrating clogged pores to help reduce acne blemishes and blackheads. It’s formulated with ceramides, niacinamide, and 2% salicylic acid, another well-known acne ingredient that can help with managing blemishes.

We recommend choosing a foaming cleanser that’s designed for your specific skin type and skin concerns. When choosing the best foaming facial cleanser for your needs, it’s also important to look for a formula that will deeply cleanse, without disrupting your skin’s natural moisture barrier. CeraVe foaming cleansers do just that, since they’re formulated to help maintain your skin’s protective barrier and lock in moisture.

Our fragrance-free foaming cleansers feature ingredients beneficial for more radiant, healthier-looking skin, like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and ceramides. Developed with dermatologists, CeraVe’s non-drying foaming facial cleansers thoroughly cleanse, remove dirt and excess oil, and refresh your skin—creating the perfect start to your skincare regimen.

To use a CeraVe foaming facial cleanser, grab your cleanser, and follow the steps below.

Step #1. Splash a little lukewarm—never hot—water on your face. Then, use your fingertips to apply your foaming cleanser, and gently massage it over your skin with your fingers. (And resist any urge to scrub hard. Doing so can cause irritation.)

Step #2. After lathering up, rinse with lukewarm water, and gently pat yourself dry with a soft towel.

Step #3. Apply moisturizer and any serums you wish. If it’s daytime, be sure to finish with a chemical or mineral sunscreen. If you’re looking for convenience, try CeraVe Mineral Sunscreen Stick. This lightweight 100% mineral broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 50 is fragrance-free, oil-free, waterproof, and has a clear finish. You can also take it on the go for touch-ups throughout the day.

1. “Dermatologists’ Top Tips for Relieving Dry Skin.” American Academy of Dermatology Association, 2022.