We often get skincare-related questions sent to us through social media and email. Sometimes, it’s questions about some of our products, or a particular ingredient. Other times, it’s for skincare advice. Recently, we were asked a question that caught the entire team’s eye:

“I have a problem. I’m trying to create a double cleansing routine but my skin is soooo dry. Finding an oil cleanser was easy but I can’t find a good foaming one that doesn’t make my skin tight and itchy. Is this a lost cause? Do all foaming cleansers dry you out?”

–A dried out double cleanser

Since we often talk about our two cleansers–Aloe Milk and Face Foam–as a powerhouse double cleansing pair, we were intrigued by this question. It’s one a lot of people who have dry skin wonder about, since foaming cleansers are usually recommended to people with normal to oily skin. 

So, do all foaming cleansers dry you out? In short, some do and some don’t. It depends on how the cleanser is formulated, and there are options for all skin types.

We can hear the follow up questions now: Which one do I choose if I have dry skin and want to double cleanse? What if I have dry skin but need the deep clean of a foaming cleanser to deal with congested pores/skin texture? What if, as I age, my skin is more sensitive and dry and I need to find new products that suit it? 

Even among those with dry skin, there are multiple concerns when it comes to finding the right skincare products, and we all want to take care of ourselves with products that work for us.

So let’s dive into what could make a foaming cleanser drying, what to look for in a great foaming cleanser, and what alternatives are out there if your skin is just too dry and/or sensitive for one.

Why Some Foaming Cleansers and Drying

Some foaming cleansers can have harsh ingredients in them–and they’re often the very ingredients that are added to the formulation to do the two things it’s named after: cleanse and foam. This is because cleansing and foaming agents (which can also be called surfactants) like sodium lauryl sulfate–the most common ingredient you’re told to avoid in foaming cleansers–have higher pH levels than your skin.

You might be thinking, what does the pH level of an ingredient have to do with how drying it is? It’s all because of a protective layer you have on your skin called the acid mantle. Your acid mantle (also called your hydrolipid barrier) is a very thin layer of water, sebum, and sweat that sits on top of your skin. It acts as a first line of defense against harmful foreign bodies like viruses and bacteria. This is why oily skin usually handles foaming cleansers better–they have more sebum that can be cleansed away without stripping the acid mantle.

Your skin’s natural pH balance is around 5-5.5, meaning your skin is actually slightly acidic!

If your first reaction is: isn’t that what we’re supposed to be cleansing off? You wouldn’t be alone. But it is actually vital and healthy for your skin to have some level of sebum/oil production and sweat. Because of the makeup of our skin–including the acid mantle–the skin has a natural pH balance of around 5-5.5. With 7 being neutral on the pH scale, this means that your skin is actually supposed to be slightly acidic. 

When you use ingredients like a basic pH foaming agent or other harsh cleansing ingredients, you’re stripping your skin of its acid mantle, which leaves the skin without its defense against foreign microbes. You might see this referred to as your skin becoming “alkaline.” An intact acid mantle also contributes to your skin’s suppleness and maintains moisture. Plus, it creates an environment where the good microbes you want on your skin can thrive–called the skin’s “microbiome.”

How do you know if you’ve stripped your acid mantle after cleansing? That overly clean, tight feeling you get on your skin–kind of like you’ve let a thin layer of craft glue dry on your face–is an indicator. If you feel like your skin doesn’t have a lot of movement after cleansing, and only a heavier moisturizer can correct it, that will let you know your cleanser is too stripping for your skin.

Using products that unbalance your skin’s pH level can cause damage to the acid mantle–leaving skin vulnerable to bacteria.

Luckily, while most foaming cleansers are made for combination or oily skin types who need a little more help removing excess sebum, there are plenty of gentler options that work for people who have normal or dry skin types–which is especially helpful for fans of double cleansing who find that the foaming/gel cleanser is the missing piece in their skincare routine puzzle.

What Makes a Good Foaming Cleanser

Steer Clear of Harsh Cleansing Ingredients

Now that we know how the pH level of ingredients can affect your skin’s acid mantle, there are plenty of things to look for in a good foaming cleanser that will still deep clean your skin without completely stripping your acid mantle and leave you exposed to bacteria.

The first thing to look for is to find out what ingredient or ingredients are the surfactants in the cleanser. For example, I mentioned above to steer clear of sodium lauryl sulfate–that is because it has a pH of anywhere between 7 and 9.5, making it way too basic for your skin. Another thing to avoid is an ingredient called Potassium Hydroxide. It’s an acidic ingredient added to balance out the pH of a harsher cleansing ingredient. However, it's a known irritant that will aggravate your skin.

In general, it can help to figure out which ingredients in a cleanser are there because they are a surfactant (aka cleansing/foaming agent). It also helps to check the pH level of those ingredients to determine if a product will be too stripping for your skin. Keep in mind that oily skin can usually handle harsher surfactants than dry skin can–and might even need it.

Look for Gentle Surfactants

On the flip side, there are certain foaming and cleansing agents that are pH balanced and much gentler on the skin–and our favourite is a coconut-based ingredient we use in Face Foam! Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside is a natural, sensitive-skin friendly ingredient that has a pH of around 5.5-6, meaning it won’t alkalize or strip your skin.

Others you can look for that are not overly drying or stripping (depending on their percentages) are Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Myristic Acid, Decyl Glucoside, and Lauryl Glucoside. In general, glucoside surfactants tend to be good for sensitive and dry skin, but it depends on how a product is formulated.

Foaming agents in cleansers are often drying. But with biotech advances, there are great coconut, sugar, and plant-based options that are kinder to dry or sensitive skin.

If you aren’t sure if you want to take the plunge and try out a foaming cleanser, check the ingredients and find out which ones are surfactants. There are tons of resources on which surfactants and at what concentrations are suitable for dryer skin with an acid mantle that is more easily damaged.

Check Labels: Seek pH Balanced and Non-Irritating Products

Many products actually label themselves as pH balanced or non-irritating, especially foaming cleansers as those are two major concerns regarding them for shoppers. We know this too, which is why we added this to the product description of Face Foam: “Formulated with a skin-friendly pH level, it thoroughly removes dirt, sweat and excess sebum while keeping your skin smooth and supple.” While a lot of skincare is pH balanced by nature of it being formulated to be beneficial to your skin, it is always helpful to have confirmation from a brand that their products are pH balanced.

If a product has been labeled as non-irritating, hypoallergenic, or suitable for sensitive skin, that is another good sign that it won’t be as harsh. However, the best is to find products that are listed as such, plus are dermatologist and clinically tested. Face Foam is 😉

Many brands also share what skin type a product is suitable for on their packaging or website. This can help you navigate your options.

Opt For a Product Formulated with Hydrating Ingredients

People with dry skin need some form of hydrating ingredients in every step of their routine.

Cleansers are no different. Especially since overly cleansed skin removes the skin’s outer defenses, having hydration feeds the acid mantle and the skin barrier so they can do their jobs. 

Two very common hydrating ingredients you’ll see in foaming formulas are aloe vera and glycerin. Both are excellent and sensitive skin-friendly ingredients that replenish skin. We include glycerin in Face Foam (and use aloe vera in our other cleanser, Aloe Milk) because we love that it is anti-inflammatory, barrier protecting, and suitable for all skin types.

In fact, we love it so much we include it in 12 of our products. We’d bet you have at least one product on your bathroom counter including it, too. It’s popular for a reason.

Bonus: We Love Foaming Cleansers with Gentle Exfoliation

While not strictly necessarily in what we’d qualify as a ‘good’ foaming cleanser, we think one that provides gentle exfoliation is a fantastic bonus. (Emphasis on gentle, as some foam cleansers can contain exfoliants that are too concentrated and harsh).

Why? Exfoliated skin allows cleansing ingredients to work their magic more effectively, as dead skin is exfoliated away, allowing a cleanser to remove excess sebum, dirt, and debris that has been dislodged during exfoliation.

So a cleanser that also gently exfoliates? That’s a multi-tasking win-win to us. Our favourite gentle exfoliators are azelaic acid and white willow bark extract, which are both in Face Foam. We like azelaic acid because it is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. White willow bark extract is a less drying, less irritating, and more soothing alternative to popular exfoliant salicylic acid.  

Alternatives to Foaming Cleansers

There are a lot of great foaming cleansers out there, but if you want something different, there are plenty of ways to cleanse the skin without having to use one:

• If you want to double cleanse and need a companion to your oil-based cleanser, try a non-foaming gel cleanser instead of a foaming one. It serves well as the other half of your double cleanse and you don’t have to worry about it containing stripping foaming agents.
• If your dry skin doesn’t like a foaming or gel cleanser at all, you can just use a gentle, oil-based cleanser. It might be all you need, as it will still cleanse your skin without any stripping.
• You can even double cleanse with an oil cleanser by cleansing once with it, then once with a cream cleanser.
• Using an exfoliation tool like a sponge or washcloth can also help you get a deeper clean with just one cleanser.

A quick PSA for people with normal, oily, or combination skin. Your skin can handle the varying drying effects of foaming cleansers better than those with dry or irritated skin–there is a wider range of options your skin will not only tolerate but enjoy. Don’t sacrifice the incredible benefits and deep cleaning a foaming cleanser can offer just because you’ve read these tips created for people with dry skin. 

P.S. We still recommend Face Foam for all skin types, though 😉

As one reviewer put it: 

“My daughter and I have different skin types yet we both use Face Foam. I have mature skin that needs moisture, yet it leaves my skin feeling very clean without any drying. My daughter has more of a combination skin and it helps control any oiliness she experiences.” –Annette D.