Your skincare regimen is your foundation. Anything less than efficient and effective would make a shaky base. Temperamental skin. Eruptions. There are the good days and the bad days - but you never know when. Chances are, as life goes, a pimple creeps up on the night when you need perfectly clear skin the most. But no, it's not life being unfair - it's purely coincidental. It's your skin's way of getting your attention - "Take care of me!"

Finding - and (religiously!) sticking to products and a daily routine that works for you, then, is of utmost importance. And at the basis of your regimen is your cleanser: good skin starts with clean skin! But don't just pick up the one that works for your best friend. We each have different skin, and knowing your skin type is crucial in choosing the right cleanser for you.

(Need help on figuring out your skin type? Take our skincare questionnaire for product recommendations or visit our salon for a skincare consultation - and facial while you're at it!)

the Cleanser Breakdown:

The ultimate guide to Mario Badescu cleansers, at your fingertips!

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Mild Cream Cleansers: for combo/dry/sensitive skin, removes light makeup

• Cream Soap: Our mildest cleanser for the most sensitive, delicate skin types.
• Cucumber Cream Soap: Similar to the Cream Soap, but with cucumber extract to help soothe & cool sensitive skin types.
• Keratoplast Cream Soap: Another mild cleanser for combo/dry sensitive skin, only with Keratoplast - a soothing botanical known to help calm irritated, blotchy skin. Recommended for individuals with Couperose skin.

Cream Cleansers: for combo/dry to dry skin, will dissolve makeup

• Orange Cleansing Soap: Orange extract (an Alpha Hydroxy Acid) gently exfoliates to prevent build-up of dead skin cells.
• Make-Up Remover Soap: A mild cream formula, suitable for sensitive & mature skin. It's oil-free, fragrance-free and non-drying and removes all face make-up and surface debris.
• Seaweed Cleansing Soap: Say hello to our 2nd best-selling cleanser. Bladderwrack extract & small granules of seaweed gently exfoliate while cleansing combo/dry to dry skin types. Also helps reduce ingrown hairs caused by shaving, making it a great cleanser option for men.

Cleansing Gels: for combo/oily to oily skin, will remove make-up and oil

• Enzyme Cleansing Gel : And this would be our most popular cleanser for combo/oily skin that wants to beat the T-zone shine. It removes make-up, oil and pore-clogging dirt and oil while Grapefruit & Papaya extracts gently exfoliate to prevent the build-up of dead skin. I ("I" being Kim the intern) use this daily and can vouch that it does all of the aforementioned.
• Botanical Facial Gel: This is the ultimate cleanser for oily skin with excessive shine. Grapefruit extract revitalizes and energizes while cleansing the face of all makeup and oil.
• Glycolic Foaming Cleanser: One of our few foaming cleansers. Use this as a supplement cleanser (!) - if it were possible to make that jump and dance and go neon on the screen, know that it would have been done. Substitute your normal cleanser with the Glycolic 1-2 times a week if you're combo/dry, and 2-3 times a week if you're oily. It is not for daily use. It is, however, great for the occasional deep cleanse. Herbal extracts Chamomile, Yarrow and Sage soothe while Glycolic Acid helps promote cell turnover by exfoliating dead skin build-up without the abrasive grains.
• Acne Facial Cleanser: Aloe Vera and Chamomile extracts help soothe while Salicylic Acid helps prevent and heal existing acne breakouts while unclogging pores and preventing build-up. Hyaluronic Acid helps the skin retain its natural moisture to prevent drying out. Acne Facial Cleanser may sound daunting and all sorts of intense, but there's no need to be apprehensive about is. It's gentle and mild enough as to not further irritate problem skin.

Cleansing Creams/Milks: a tissue-off cleanser, for aging skin or dry skin

• Cleansing Milk with Carnation & Rice Oil: A milky, oil-based cleanser recommended for dry/sensitive skin who do want (and need) the residual oils. Rice Bran Oil and Carnation Oil moisturize as skin is cleansed and makeup is removed. To use? Massage cream in circular motions, wipe away in an outward direction with a cotton dampened with toner or water to remove. It's not water-soluble, so don't even bother trying to wash it off...
• Cucumber Makeup Remover Cream: It's quite an old-school formula, a thick cream perfect for removing theater/oil-based makeup or for extra dry, aging, delicate skin. Again, not water-soluble, so follow the above instructions to remove!

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Which cleanser do you use?

And if you still need help picking out what works best, e-mail us, call us or ask us in the comments below!