These Soothing Cream Cleansers Keep My Skin Dewy All Winter

Look, I fully understand the appeal of a face wash filled with mega acids, the kind that leaves your skin super tingly. It feels so efficient! Like you’re really taken the extra effort to get fresh and clean; it’s tangible proof if you can’t actually dig into your pores with a teeny little scrubber brush, you’ve done your due diligence with finding the next best option. But here’s the thing: Not only do these formulas often leave my complexion looking red and flakey over time, using them is completely untenable when the weather moves in a cold and dry direction. That’s when I need to fully give up the hardcore exfoliation and shift toward cream cleansers.

For the still unconvinced out there, let me set the scene: You come home after commuting in sub-zero weather. Your mascara is somehow both running and frozen to your lashes; your nose is running straight into smudged foundation you applied six hours ago. You go into the bathroom and pour a giant dollop of thick, velvety face wash into your hands before massaging it into your forehead and cheeks. Once you’ve applied it everywhere, you take a hot towel and effortlessly wipe away every last bit of congealed makeup from your visage and the result is… dewy. Refreshed! Not a weird dry or irritated patch in sight. You rub in some face oil for good measure, and go to sleep knowing that you’ll actually wake up hydrated no matter how Sahara Desert dry your heating system makes your home.

Winter is really just around the corner, so now’s the time to start switching up your routine. Ahead, shop the 10 options I’m stocking up on now.