Wash away your skin worries with the best facial cleansers in Malaysia 2021! There’s no better feeling than a clean face at the end of the day!
A clean face is the perfect base to apply your eye cream, serums and whitening creams too!
You can remove the day’s grime off with any of these best face wash in Malaysia! Without drying out your skin or causing unsightly break outs!
Select The Right Cleanser According To Your Skin Type!
As with choosing the best toner or moisturizer, your skin type is a major factor!
Here are the types of cleansers that are suitable for common skin types:
1. Dry to Normal Skin
Depending on how dry your skin is, look for cream and lotion cleansers with the following hydrating ingredients:
- hyaluronic acid
- glycerin
- shea butter
- ceramides
- honey
- lipids/oils
There are cleansing balms as well. And while these are often unsuitable for oily or acne prone skin types, they can be very moisturizing for dry skin!
Or you can use a micellar cleanser, which you may not even have to rinse it off!
2. Sensitive Skin:
Sensitive skin will do well with any mild cream cleanser that shies away from fragrance, citric ingredients, preservatives, and sulfates!
3. Oily / Combination Skin
Foaming or gel cleansers are your best friend if you tend to have areas in your face that are prone to excess sebum production.
Clay cleansers are great at removing excess oil! Another alternative (that is more environmentally-friendly) are solid soap bars!
Look for cleansers with non-comedogenic and calming ingredients like:
- grapeseed oil
- neem oil
- citric acid
- aloe vera
- green tea
4. Acne-Prone Skin
Similar to oily skin types, acne prone skin should use light foaming or gel cleansers without comedogenic ingredients.
And preferably with salicylic acid & glycolic acid. To treat and prevent acne!
On a side note, if you want to try facial cleansing oil as part of a double-cleansing routine, there are products that work for all skin types!
11 Best Facial Cleansers In Malaysia 2021
Dry To Normal Skin:
1. SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule Foam
SKIN 1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule Foam owes its cleansing ability to a gentle cleansing agent, sodium cocoyl isethionate.
Plus the main ingredient is plant-derived:
Centella asiatica (also called gotu kola), which is used traditionally for healing purposes. It is both anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant. Great if you have some breakouts to clear!
What We Like:
- Affordable
- Soft creamy texture
- pH balanced (level 5)
- Calms acne and redness
- No sulfates, parabens, fragrance, essential oils, silicones, or alcohol
- Not drying
What We Don’t Like:
- Some citric acid (known skin irritant)
- Smells weird
- Not much foam
Price: ~RM45 | Size: 125ml
2. Fresh Soy Face Cleanser
Beauty junkies are probably well aware of this product:
Firstly, for its superb cleansing ability without leaving skin tight or dry! Secondly, it has plenty of antioxidant ingredients (including vitamin E and ginseng root extract)!
What We Like:
- Effortlessly removes make-up
- Alcohol free
- Smells nice (of cucumbers)
- Gentle enough for daily use
What We Don’t Like:
- Quite pricey
- Has soybean oil which is comedogenic
- There is citric acid (not for sensitive skin)
Price: ~RM130 | Size: 150ml
Best For Sensitive Skin
3. Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser
One look at that short ingredient list tells you that:
Even if you have sensitive skin, you can use the Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser! In fact, dermatologists like to recommend it for eczema and acne sufferers!
It is effective at cleaning. But not drying and calms irritated skin!
What We Like:
- Without paraben, sulfates, silicones, fragrance, gluten, or lanolin
- pH balanced
- Can clean make up off
- Purified water and skin-compatible glycerin are the top 2 main ingredients
- Doesn’t sting eyes
- Especially good for oily skin types
- The ingredient list includes titanium dioxide (a sunscreen ingredient)
What We Don’t Like:
- Not very foamy
- Contains controversial but natural ingredient mica (as coloring)
Price: ~RM80 | Size: 237ml
4. CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
Suitable for those with normal, dry or even sensitive skin:
CeraVe’s Hydrating Facial Cleanser cleans without making your face dry. Or irritating your skin!
The watery formula consists of skin-safe ingredients like ceramides, and glycerin.
While phytosphingosine (also in the formula) can help with acne!
What We Like:
- Fragrance-free
- Free of essential oils and alcohol
- Can remove make up
- Non-comedogenic
What We Don’t Like:
- Hardly foams
- May not be hydrating enough for exceptionally dry skin
- It’s not great at removing heavy make up
Price: ~RM130 | Size: 473ml
5. La Roche Posay Toleriane Caring Wash Anti-Discomfort Facial Cleanser
With its risk-free formula:
La Roche Posay Toleriane Caring Wash Anti-Discomfort Facial Cleanser is gentle on eczema flares. Although the cleanser has a light milky consistency, it can dissolve makeup.
Skin will feel supple and soft again with regular use!
What We Like:
- Without silicones, alcohol, sulfates, fragrance, or parabens
- Great anti-aging ingredients present (niacinamide, vitamin E and ceramides)
- Panthenol helps with skin repair
What We Don’t Like:
- Need to use more to remove makeup
Price: ~RM80 | Size: 200ml
Best For Oily / Combination Skin
6. Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser
Sometimes you need more foaming power (SLS) to tackle excess oil:
And maybe that is why the Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser has been a favorite among oily skin types for so long!
What We Like:
- Short ingredient list
- Alcohol and silicone free
- Removes makeup
- Economical
What We Don’t Like:
- Not paraben or sulfate free
Price: ~RM60 | Size: 125ml
7. Kiehl’s Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash
Whether you have oily or combination skin:
Kiehl’s Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash is a non-soap (SLS-free) alternative if you’re looking for the best facial cleanser for oily skin in Malaysia!
PS: They have a great lip balm too!
What We Like:
- No parabens, sulfates, alcohol, silicones
- Foamy
- Calendula is also an antioxidant
- Can clean off mascara too
- Face does not feel dry afterwards
- Fresh and delicate scent
- Calms redness (chamomile and calendula)
What We Don’t Like:
- It does have citric acid and lemon peel oil (known skin irritants) for fragrance
Price: ~RM130 | Size: 230ml
8. EltaMD Foaming Facial Cleanser
Another option as the best cleanser for combination skin types:
EltaMD Foaming Facial Cleanser is foamy but gentle since it does not have sulfates. You can use it in your double-cleansing routine to completely remove makeup!
What We Like:
- Formula does not have parabens, oil or sulfates
- Skin does not feel dry after using it
- Antioxidant (sodium bisulfite)
What We Don’t Like:
- There are silicones in the formula
- Can’t fully depend on it to remove makeup
Price: ~RM120 | Size: 207ml
Best For Acne-Prone Skin
9. La Roche Posay Effaclar Foaming Gel Cleanser
La Roche Posay Effaclar Foaming Gel Cleanser targets acne with zinc pca. It does a good job of controlling shine and preventing breakouts as well!
And you can trust it to remove makeup, sunscreen, and dirt!
What We Like:
- Does not have silicones, alcohol, parabens or oil
- pH balanced at 5.5
- Smells nice
- Comfortable consistency
- No leftover residue on your face
What We Don’t Like:
- Not sulfate-free or fragrance-free
- Has citric acid (not for sensitive skin)
- Drying on other skin types besides oily skin
Price: ~RM65 | Size: 200ml
10. CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser
Pay a little more and get your skin a cleanser that busts acne without sulfates!
CeraVe’s Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser has4% benzoyl peroxide. Among other star ingredients like niacinamide, sodium hyaluronate, and ceramide!
What We Like:
- No fragrance, alcohol, sulfates, silicones or parabens
- Skin-safe formula
- Smells nice
- Can remove makeup
- Lathers well
- Clears breakouts effectively
What We Don’t Like:
- Thin consistency so you may have to use more to remove makeup
- Benzoyl peroxide will bleach your colored towels and clothes
Price: ~RM105 | Size: 150ml
11. Cetaphil PRO Acne Prone Oil Control Foam Wash
Instead of benzoyl peroxide, Cetaphil PRO Acne Prone Oil Control Foam Wash uses soothing zinc gluconate to work on pimples!
This product creates light foam with little scent.
What We Like:
- Alcohol free as well as free from sulfates, parabens and silicones
- Don’t need to use a lot
- Smells pleasant
- Controls oil
What We Don’t Like:
- Quite drying if you don’t have very oily skin
- Not fragrance-free
- Removing makeup may require double cleansing with an oil cleanser
Price: ~RM90 | Size: 236ml
Final Verdict
The best facial cleansers in Malaysia 2021 don’t need a lot of chemicals in order to keep your face clean, clear, and sufficiently hydrated!
- Dry skin: SKIN 1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule Foam
- Sensitive skin: Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser
- Oily/ combination skin: Kiehl’s Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash
- Acne-prone skin: CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser
