The Skin Nerd: Finding the right cleanser for your skin type 

Whether you're dry, oily-skinned or looking to brighten, there's a recommendation for you.

If you are dry-skinned or dehydrated skinned, a lotion or a cream cleanser is going to feel more comfortable on your skin.

The humble cleanser does not get enough credit. A good cleanser removes the remains of the day without irritating your skin – a great cleanser does that and can treat your skin concerns too. Your cleansing step prepares your skin for the entirety of your skincare routine, creating a clean receptive slate for your acids, hydrators, nourishers and other active ingredients. I can’t get enough of cleansers, and personally, I love to customise, so I could have four or five on the go at once. Like a tool kit for your skin, I use the cleanser that will benefit the skin that faces me any given moment – oily, dehydrated, spotty or what have you!

If your new year resolution is to take better care of your skin, you simply must start with your daily cleanser and if your current just isn’t cutting it, do not fret, as I am here with some recommendations for you.

If you are dry-skinned or dehydrated skinned, a lotion or a cream cleanser is going to feel more comfortable on your skin. The REN Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk (€25, theskinnerd.com) is a milky lotion full of nourishing plant oils such as seabuckthorn berry oil so it’s chockfull of soothing omegas, making it ideal for very dry and very sensitive skin. If you are keen on trying a cream cleanser but you’re not used to the texture, try adding a drop of water to emulsify the texture further so it’s a bit lighter.

For the oily-skinned and spot-prone, a salicylic acid cleanser is my core recommendation for your treatment cleanser to target your overproduction of sebum – however, I do not advise that you use an acid cleanser AM and PM as it may dehydrate and sensitise the skin. So, to help protect, nourish and balance oily skin, you want a gentle wash like the IMAGE Ormedic Balancing Facial Cleanser (€38, theskinnerd.com). This is a sulphate-free cleanser with hydrating aloe vera and hyaluronic acid with antioxidant green tea, so it’s perfect to remove oil while bringing plumpness, freshness and radiance to the skin and soothing at the same time.

If you are quite prone to hyperpigmentation – dark spots, dark patches, “age spots” and sun spots – you are looking for a daily cleanser that will assist in brightening too. The Neostrata Enlighten Ultra-Brightening Cleanser (€38.24, theskinnerd.com) is a beautiful cleanser that I have been using more and more since a remote team facial night we had a few months ago because it’s lightweight, has a gorgeous texture and contains potent brighteners to target pigment. The main ingredient within is Neoglucosamine, Neostrata’s patented non-acid amino, which is a very, very gentle exfoliator so it works to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots.

For a thorough cleanse, no matter your skin type or skin concerns, you do have to start with a pre-cleanse, in my opinion, to remove the majority of makeup, sebum and SPF – doing this allows the ingredients in your cleanser to actually be beneficial to the skin, otherwise, it’s unlikely that they’ll penetrate through a layer of grime.

What’s most important is to listen to your skin – now, it can’t talk but it is very good at making it clear if it likes something or if it doesn’t like something and what I love about cleansers is that if I don’t love one for my face, I can still use it as a body cleanser in the shower. It’s 2021, we don’t want to waste a thing!