Beauty

The Top 10 Luxury Face Washes 

Luxury face washes are formulated with sophisticated ingredients, and there are great options for each skin type. Discover the best facial cleansing product for you here.

By 

Meyme Nakash

 |  April 22, 2024

One of the most important steps in a skincare routine is washing your face. Since every face wash is formulated for a specific skin type and tone, you can’t use just any product. Choosing a face wash is just as selective a process as buying a serum, or one of the many other luxury beauty products. Luxury face washes gently remove impurities from and replenish the skin. Like luxury shampoos and conditioners, they also use advanced ingredients — some with antiaging properties. 

The brands that developed luxury face washes have thoroughly researched and tested their formulas, keeping an eye on different skin sensitivities. Face washes typically come in the form of a gel or foam. Gel cleansers have a thicker consistency and produce a soapy lather, whereas foaming cleansers are more lightweight. Generally, the latter is ideal for oily skin because the fluffy suds help control excess sebum production. Sebum is a substance that our sebaceous glands produce to moisturize and protect the skin but in excess, can cause breakouts. Identifying your skin type before choosing a luxury face wash is important because most products target specific issues.

Here are our favorite luxury face washes for dry, oily, and combination skin types, organized in alphabetical order. These products will help you elevate your skincare routine. 

In This Article

• Augustinus Bader The Foaming Cleanser, $73
• Bioeffect Facial Cleanser, $75
• Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser, $80
• La Mer Essence Foaming Cleanser, $105
• La Prairie Foam Cleanser, $100
• Shiseido Future Solution LX Extra Rich Cleansing Foam, $65
• SK-II Facial Treatment Gentle Cleanser, $75
• SkinCeuticals LHA Cleanser Gel, $45
• Tatcha Rice Wash Skin-Softening Cleanser, $40
• Valmont Bubble Falls, $80

The Top 10 Luxury Face Washes 

Augustinus Bader The Foaming Cleanser

Augustinus Bader The Foaming Cleanser is a product that lifts dirt and oil from the skin without disrupting its microbiome. That way, even people with drier skin can enjoy its benefits. This luxury face wash has a cream-to-foam texture and is formulated with clean, vegan ingredients. It is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of pores and even pigmentation and dark spots. The brand incorporated its proprietary TFC8 technology into its formula. The signature blend of amino acids nourishes and protects the skin from future damage. If you’re looking for an advanced cleanser that leaves your skin looking brighter and more even-textured, then this is the product for you. 

Bioeffect Facial Cleanser

Those with sensitive skin will appreciate the milky texture of Bioeffect Facial Cleanser. It is one of the brand’s newer releases, designed to instantly dissolve makeup, SPF, and other pollutants that clog the skin without drying it out. The luxury face wash is formulated with squalane and barley-beta glucan, moisturizing the skin and helping to reduce redness. The brand uses Icelandic water to eliminate the potential of hard minerals that irritate the skin. This cleanser has a gel texture that transforms into a milk-like substance when mixed with water.

Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser

Dr. Barbara Sturm is a German doctor who’s famous for founding her eponymous brand of antiaging skin and hair products. With the help of her team, she developed the Enzyme Cleanser, a two-in-one cleansing foam and exfoliator. The enzymes in this product help remove dry and dead skin, leaving your face silky smooth. 

This luxury face wash is infused with vitamin C, which reduces the appearance of wrinkles and protects the skin from harmful UV rays. It has an unusual texture; it is a fine-grained powder that transforms into a foam when mixed with water. To use it, first place a coin-sized amount of powder in the palm of your hand and mix it with lukewarm water. Then, smooth over your face to create a foam texture. Rinse off the product and admire your revitalized skin. Since it’s so powerful, the brand recommends that you use it only two to three times a week. But people with oily or acne-prone skin can use it every day. Dr. Sturm is dedicated to meeting the unique needs of every individual and offers many products, including this cleanser, specially designed for darker skin tones. 

La Mer Essence Foaming Cleanser

If you’re looking for a luxury face wash that’s also sustainable, look no further. La Mer incorporates at least 45% PCR (a reusable plastic) and other recycling practices to package the Essence Foaming Cleanser. This non-acnegenic, sulfate-free cleanser is designed for all skin types. The brand even stresses its effectiveness as a men’s shaving cream. It is formulated with La Mer’s signature Miracle Broth and Deconstructed Waters technology, which soothes irritated skin and enhances the absorption of nutrients. This product is great for removing everyday grime from the skin and leaves your skin smooth and supple. For maximum results, follow with the Essential Purifying Tonic. 

La Prairie Foam Cleanser

The Foam Cleanser is La Prairie’s luxurious, plant-based mousse that works on all skin types. It utilizes the moisturizing and protective agents in natural ingredients, such as green tea, licorice, and aloe vera, for a clean but effective formula. What’s more, its botanical extracts have a soothing effect, leaving you feeling calm and refreshed with each wash. This luxury face wash has a subtle scent and creamy texture that lathers into a silky mousse. It is housed in the Swiss brand’s sleek packaging and is gentle enough to use twice a day. 

Shiseido Future Solution LX Extra Rich Cleansing Foam

Shiseido Future Solution LX Extra Rich Cleansing Foam is lauded for its antiaging results. It contains enmei extract, derived from the enmei plant that’s touted for its skin healing and regenerative powers in Japan. This ingredient is combined with Skingenecell 1P — the brand’s patented ingredient — to produce a compound that enhances skin longevity. The main purifying agent is NMT, a compound that simultaneously lifts skin impurities and restores moisture. This luxury face wash leaves your skin feeling fresh, soft, and ready for product application.

SK-II Facial Treatment Gentle Cleanser

The SK-II Facial Treatment Gentle Cleanser is great for anyone seeking a collagen boost. This product works on all skin types and stimulates natural collagen production. It has a fine texture that lathers into a luxurious foam to effectively remove dirt and makeup. The formula features Pitera, an ingredient discovered in the 1970s when scientists noticed that sake brewers’ hands were more youthful than their faces. This prompted them to experiment with different yeast strains until they discovered the one that kept the sake brewers’ hands so smooth and wrinkle-free. This luxury face wash offers wonderful results, especially when paired with the SK-II Pitera Facial Treatment Essence — one of spokesperson Cate Blanchett’s antiaging weapons that she has used for 15 years. 

SkinCeuticals LHA Cleanser Gel 

LHA is a lipo-hydroxy acid used to exfoliate and decongest the skin. SkinCeuticals LHA Cleanser Gel utilizes LHA, along with glycolic and salicylic acid, to encourage skin regeneration. It achieves this by eliminating dead skin buildup and hydrating the skin. It is paraben- and fragrance-free, and gentle enough to use twice a day. This luxury face wash is ideal for oily, combination, and mature skin types. If you have dry skin, the Glycolic Renewal Cleanser and Clarifying Exfoliating Cleanser are more suitable options the brand offers. 

Tatcha Rice Wash Skin-Softening Cleanser

The Tatcha collection is inspired by ingredients used in ancient Japanese skincare rituals, including rice water. The Rice Wash Skin-Softening Cleanser combines hyaluronic acid, Japanese algae, and Hadasei-3 — a patented combination of rice, green tea, and red algae — to hydrate, soften, and strengthen the skin. This luxury face wash has a natural glowy finish for an overall healthy appearance. It focuses more on restoring the smooth texture of skin than it does on unclogging pores, so it is ideal for dry, normal, and combination — not oily or acne-prone — skin. The Matcha Cleanse Daily Clarifying Gel Cleanser is the Tatcha’s alternative cleanser that treats oily skin and clears acne. 

Valmont Bubble Falls

Bubble Falls is a light and airy cleansing foam cleanser by Swiss skincare brand Valmont. This product is suitable for all skin types. It has a gentle formula that unclogs the skin’s pores while simultaneously balancing its microbiome. This product contains both prebiotics and probiotics, nourishing the skin flora — microorganisms that protect the skin’s surface. The brand recommends you shake the bottle before every use. Dampen the skin and massage two or three pumps of product into the skin. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and follow with Valmont’s Vital Falls toner for a soft, dewy-looking complexion.

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