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The best face wash for men of every skin type
Dry, oily or combination: our pick of the best face wash for men will keep your mug clean and properly prime your face for what remains of your grooming regime
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
A great face wash is the foundation of any grooming arsenal. If you moisturise on a daily basis, then your face wash should lay the groundwork for what comes next. In other words, you don’t want to be smearing a cream, gel or serum on top of grubby skin.
While soap and water will do the job to an extent, it will almost definitely dry your skin out. These face washes, on the other hand, are expertly formulated for men's skin. They’ll help to gently exfoliate your skin and remove any excess dirt and oil, all without drying out your face in any major way. So whereas you might use an exfoliator or face mask as little as once a week if your skin is especially sensitive, these face washes are good to go every morning.
Better still, our pick of the best face washes range from basics by Bulldog to charcoal-infused concoctions from Clinique. So however much you want to invest in your grooming ritual, there’s a product for you here.
What are GQ's best face washes for men?
- Best vegan face wash: Horace Purifying Face Cleanser, £13 at horace.co
- Best face wash for dry/dehydrated skin: Eve Lom Foaming Cream Cleanser, £50 at lookfantastic.com
- Best budget-friendly Face Wash: Q+A Oat Milk Cream Cleanser, £7.50 at sephora.co.uk
- Best face wash for acne-prone skin: The Inkey List Salicylic Acid Cleanser, £11.99 at lookfantastic.com
- Best face wash for oily skin: Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser, £21 at kiehls.co.uk
- Best exfoliating face wash: Dr. Organic Skin Clear Deep Pore Cleansing Face Wash, £7 at hollandandbarrett.com
- Best Luxury Face Wash: Tom Ford Research Cleansing Concentrate, £75 at harrods.com
Skip to: What should you look for in a men's face wash? | How we test men's face washes | GQ's pick of the best grooming guides
Clinique Charcoal Face Wash | Dr Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser
What should you look for in a men's face wash?
Primarily, you should be looking for face washes that target your personal skin care needs. Some men find their skin on the dryer side, others on the oily side, and lots of specific skincare concerns (be it blemishes or irritated skin) can pop up on either end of the spectrum. Generally, it's a good idea to look for cleansers that boast hydrating ingredients (like hyaluronic acid, squalane, and non-comedogenic oils) as well as effective cleansing agents (dermatologically-tested acids are popular for many skin types), to ensure skin is cleansed yet nourished, rather than stripped.
How we test men's face washes
Before you go ahead and start spending money on all manner of tinctures in the hopes they'll cleanse your skin, you want to know that anything you actually do buy is worth the investment – these creams can cost a lot, after all. Therefore, we've roped in some expertise to help guide us through the process and ensure we recommend only the very best. And who better than Adrian Clark, GQ's resident grooming supreme who has spent his career covering all the best serums, fragrances and essential items for helping you look and feel your absolute best.
When it came to face washes, Adrian has tested most of the products below. As such, he's washed his own face with the best offerings on the market to assess both the affordable and high-end of the scale. Elsewhere, we've looked at a combination of user reviews, ingredients, and formulations – combined with years of grooming expertise – to pick the very best face washes available now.
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