If you only upgrade one product for dry skin, make it your cleanser. The wrong face wash strips the oils your barrier needs and leaves skin tight before you've even reached for moisturiser. The right one cleans gently and leaves skin comfortable. Here are the best cleansers for dry skin you can buy in the UK in 2026.
Why your cleanser matters most
That "squeaky clean" feeling is actually a warning sign — it means the cleanser has stripped your natural lipids. For dry skin you want a gentle, non-foaming or low-foaming formula with a balanced pH that removes dirt, sunscreen and excess oil without disrupting the barrier. Cream, lotion, milk and balm cleansers are usually kinder than traditional foaming gels and soaps.
Best overall: CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser
CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser
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A non-foaming, fragrance-free cleanser with ceramides and hyaluronic acid that cleans without stripping. It leaves dry skin soft rather than tight, works morning and night, and is gentle enough for sensitive and eczema-prone skin. Superb value in the pump bottle.
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Best budget: Simple Kind to Skin / Garnier Milk
Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Cleansing Lotion
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An affordable, fragrance-free, no-rinse lotion cleanser that's ideal for very dry or reactive skin and lazy evenings. Widely stocked in UK supermarkets and Boots. Gentle, unfussy and easy on the budget.
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Best cream cleanser: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser
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A creamy cleanser with ceramides and niacinamide and a famously short, gentle ingredient list. It calms reactive, stinging skin and removes light make-up while leaving the barrier intact. A go-to for dry AND sensitive faces.
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Best for double cleansing: a gentle balm or oil
The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Balm
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If you wear SPF or make-up, start with a balm or oil cleanser to dissolve it, then follow with a gentle cream cleanser. This balm melts away the day without scrubbing and rinses clean, making it a great first step in a dry-skin double cleanse.
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Ingredients and habits to avoid
Steer clear of traditional bar soaps and high-foaming sulphate cleansers (often listed as sodium lauryl sulfate), strong fragrance, exfoliating face washes with grains, and very hot water. Cleansing more than twice a day, or scrubbing with a flannel, also worsens dryness. Gentle and brief is the goal.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best cleanser for dry skin?
CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser is our top all-round pick — a non-foaming, fragrance-free formula with ceramides that cleans without stripping. For dry and sensitive skin, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating is excellent too.
Should I use a foaming cleanser if I have dry skin?
Generally no. Most foaming gels and soaps are too stripping for dry skin. Choose a cream, lotion, milk or balm cleanser that leaves skin comfortable rather than tight and squeaky.
How often should I wash my face if it's dry?
Twice a day at most. Many people with dry skin do best cleansing properly only at night and simply rinsing with lukewarm water in the morning to avoid over-stripping.
Do I need to double cleanse with dry skin?
Only if you wear sunscreen or make-up. In that case, use a gentle balm or oil first to dissolve it, then a mild cream cleanser. If you wear neither, a single gentle cleanse is enough.
