The Best Facial Cleansers for Rosacea in 2023

Skin with Rosacea requires tender, loving care and a gentle cleanse, done twice a day, is an important part of this care. Daily cleansing helps to remove bacteria, excessive oil and makeup, leaving your skin clean, healthy and free of external triggers that could otherwise worsen your Rosacea.

How to Choose the Best Cleanser for Rosacea

Managing Rosacea requires that you understand triggers that could worsen the symptoms of this condition. More importantly, you must understand your skin type and the best way to care for it.

The first thing you need to consider when choosing a cleanser is your skin type. Cleansers that do not contain soap are usually the most suitable for non-oily skin. These types of cleansers have 10 % less soap, have a neutral pH that is almost similar to that of the skin and better still, are easy to rinse off.

Cleansers for Different Skin Types

Combination skin:

Non-soap cleansers are suitable for dry to normal skin. Find cleanser specifically for sensitive skin.

Dry skin:

If you have very dry skin, you may want to go for a creamy, non-soap cleanser with low foam. This type of cleanser coats the skin with a thin film that traps moisture.

Oily skin:

Oily skin requires a mild soap to remove the excessive oil. Be gentle when cleaning your face because over scrubbing can aggravate redness and itchiness.

Cleansing Tips For Skin With Rosacea

Even the best cleanser for Rosacea may not work so well if you are not cleaning your face the right way. Here’s how dermatologists recommend you cleanse your face:

  • Use your fingertips instead of a cloth to clean your skin using a cleaner that works for your skin type.
  • Use lukewarm water to rinse your face. Avoid hot or cold water as this may result in flushing or itchiness. If water irritates your skin, use a cream cleanser that will soothe your face and that can be wiped off with a soft cloth.
  • Using a thick pile towel, gentle pat your face dry.
  • Give your face up to 30 minutes to dry before applying medication to avoid stinging. Check to see how long your skin needs to dry to avoid stinging when it gets in contact with tropical medication.
  • Wait 10 minutes after applying medication before applying moisturizer, sunscreen or makeup.
  • Follow your doctor’s recommendations for medication and scrubbing your eyelids if you have ocular Rosacea.

Soap-based Cleansers for Rosacea

As someone who has Rosacea, soap-based cleansers or any type of soaps could greatly irritate your skin because of the harsh ingredients contained in these products.

On the other hand, soap-free cleansers keep your face from over drying and feeling too tight. Non-soap cleansers hydrate as they cleanse, by protecting your skin’s natural oils. This can go a long way in improving your Rosacea symptoms.

Best Facial Cleansers for Rosacea

We’ve evaluated many of the cleansers for Rosacea on the market and after many hours of research, came up with the top 5 cleansers that will certainly help to improve your skin.

Quality:

Price:

Our Rating:

Let’s just start by saying that the National Eczema Association awarded this CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser a Seal of Acceptance, so you can be sure of the quality of this product.

This cleanser is formulated using the MVE Delivery Technology, which allows the cleanser to infuse moisture into your skin, leaving it hydrated all day.

The formulation contains Hyaluronic Acid too, which works to retain the skin’s natural oils and therefore slowdown the process of skin aging.

Some users have attested to the fact that using this facial cleanser as a shaving cream minimizes breakouts.You do not have to use this cleanser as a shaving cream. But you may go ahead and see how it works if you are looking for something that will sooth your skin and minimize breakouts after shaving.

PROS

  • MVE technology traps moisturizing ingredients and releases these onto the skin for all day nourishment and hydration
  • Non-comedogenic, non-irritating
  • Developed with dermatologists
  • Restores and maintains skin's natural protective function
  • Contains ceramides to moisturize and soften skin
  • Hydrates and cleanses

CONS

  • May cause a burning sensation in some people
  • Can over dry already dry skin

aveeno cleanser rosacea

Quality:

Price:

Our Rating:

This foaming cleanser by Aveeno contains the feverfew plant, which is not only known to help mitigate symptoms of fever but can also be soothing to the skin.

Feverfew is valued for its anti-irritant properties, which can be beneficial to the skin, especially skin made sensitive due to conditions such as Rosacea. This extract is also known to minimize skin redness.

The reason we like the Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser is that many attest to its gentleness, which is a plus for someone with Rosacea. Even then, this cleanser does a good job of removing residue and oil without leaving the skin dry.

Another great property of this cleanser is its non-comedogenic nature, which ensures your pores will not be clogged up. Other helpful properties include that it is soap-free, fragrance-free and hypoallergenic; these are especially valuable features to look out for when choosing a cleanser that will sooth you.

This product is safe for daily use and as many attest, it does give you bang for your buck.

PROS

  • Fragrance, hypoallergenic, soap-free
  • Gentle for dry, sensitive skin
  • Contains calming feverfew plant
  • Reduces skin redness
  • Cleanses dirt, oil, and make-up without over-drying

CONS

  •  Leaves a sticky film

cleanser for rosacea

Quality:

Price:

Our Rating:

We chose the Cetaphil cleanser as one of our top picks because, among other reasons, the brand generally has a good track record in terms of the quality of its products.

As the name suggests, the Gentle Skin Cleanser is soothing and safe to use on all skin types. Its mild, non-soap formulation removes makeup and dirt while working to keep the skin moisturized by helping to preserve its natural oils.

Another great plus is that you can use this cleanser daily with or without water. Sometimes, sensitive skin may not be irritated by water at any temperature. When this happens, you need a cleanser that can be wiped off using tissue.

Like all Cetaphil products, this cleanser is nonirritating, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free and non-comedogenic so it will not clog your pores.

PROS

  • Nonirritating, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free and non-comedogenic
  • Can be used as a full body cleanser
  • Hydrates and cleanses
  • Easy to rinse off
  • Does not over dry skin
  • Suitable for adults, children and teens
  • Suitable for all skin types

CONS

  • Pricey
  • Does not fully remove makeup

skin media redness relief

Quality:

Price:

Our Rating:

This cleanser by Eucerin is specifically formulated for users with Rosacea and whose skin is prone to redness and irritation. As such, the cleanser is mild, soap-free, non comedogenic and fragrance free.

What we like about this cleanser is its unique Redness Relief System, which has clinically been shown to reduce skin redness associated with Rosacea in just four weeks.

This product’s mild formulation means it is safe to use without the risk of skin irritation. It cleanses and moisturizes at the same time.Eucerin’s cleanser contains a licorice root extract, licochalcone, which aids in soothing the skin, giving you relief from Rosacea symptoms.

PROS

  • Soap-free
  • Removes makeup
  • Mild non-irritating formulation
  • Does not leave skin dry and tight
  • Fragrance-free, non-comedogenic
  • Contains soothing licorice extract

CONS

  • Expensive
  • Contains parabens
  • Can be greasy

neostrata cleanser rosacea

Quality:

Price:

Our Rating:

If you are wondering what is the best cleanser for Rosacea and one that can also exfoliate your skin, the answer could be NeoStrata’s facial cleanser.

To start with, this product contains polyhydroxy acid gluconolactone known for its ability to slow down aging and to protect against the sun’s effect. Not many cleansers offer these amazing benefits.

While this product works well for all skin types, it is specifically formulated for people looking to ease symptoms of Rosacea. Many have raved about how soft this cleanser leaves the skin.

A major downside of this cleanser is that it may not remove oil-based makeup as well as other cleansers do.

PROS

  • Soap-free, hypoallergenic
  • Gently exfoliates without drying the skin
  • ContainsPolyhydroxy acid gluconolactone for anti-aging
  • Does not dry the skin
  • Suitable for all skin types, including Rosacea-prone skin
  • Fragrance-free

CONS

  • Does not remove water proof makeup
  • Expensive
  • Leaves a slimy residue
  • Not suitable for daily use on oily skin
What Are The Best Toners For Rosacea?
Toners contain active ingredients that help to remove oil, makeup and other debris from the skin’s surface. Adding a good[...]
What Is the Best Foundation for Rosacea in 2019?
When you have Rosacea, the thought of applying makeup on your already sensitive skin can be a bit scary. However,[...]
A Review of The Best Sunscreens for Rosacea in 2019
The National Rosacea Society reports that sun exposure is among the major causes of severe Rosacea flare-ups characterized by extreme[...]

Conclusion

Deciding on the best cleanser for Rosacea is definitely not an easy feat when you have so many options from which to choose. We’ve rounded up five of the best products with a specific focus on cleansers for sensitive skin.

Our top pick is CeraVe’s Hydrating Cleanser, which is approved by the National Eczema Association. This cleanser offers a combination of superior quality, effectiveness and affordability.

Be sure to consider your skin type when selecting a suitable cleanser. Ideally, you should choose soap free cleansers as these will not dry out your skin but will still thoroughly remove impurities including makeup, dirt and bacteria.

For more Rosacea-related content, please take a look at our recommendations for makeup for Rosacea, the best lotion for Rosacea or our review of the best supplements for Rosacea.