7 of the best cleansers

This deep-cleanses like a mask but takes a fraction of the time and won’t leave skin feeling tight. Suitable for oily or dry skins, it’s ideal for people living in the city, as it’s thorough enough to remove the urban dirt that clogs pores.

Impregnated with aloe, chamomile and cucumber extract to balance oil production and boost hydration levels, these wipes feel luxurious, and they really work, too. They’re individually wrapped so they won’t dry out and can be easily tucked into gym bags, weekend bags and carry-ons.

Best as a pre-cleanse, this makeup remover has a pump-action head that’s spill-proof and faff-free. It’s incredibly gentle around the eye area but will still remove all traces of makeup, including waterproof mascara and long-wear lipstick.

This gel-to-balm formula is a lighter version of Eve Lom’s cult classic cleansing balm. It contains the brand’s signature blend of clove, eucalyptus, hops and chamomile oil to melt away makeup, including waterproof mascara, but splashes off so there’s no need for muslin cloths.

This may feel grainy at first – it contains sugar-based cleansers to lightly polish the skin – but soon melts as you massage it in, before you remove it with a damp cloth. It can be left on pre-cleansed skin for 20 minutes to hydrate, but if you don’t like the filmy residue that balms can leave behind, use this with a cloth or as the first step in a double-cleanse.

With a combination of AHAs and fruit enzymes, this very gently resurfaces the skin, as opposed to scrubs it, which can irritate blemishes and make them angry-looking. It can be used every day (it contains acid, so we’d suggest using it at night only) and doubles up as a weekly clarifying mask treatment.

The foam cleanser has been given a makeover by La Mer. It’s enriched with the brand’s patented Miracle Broth, so it feels rich and hydrating, and won’t leave skin looking papery once it’s splashed off. The creamy texture means you can really massage it in, unlike other foam cleansers.