James Welsh has put 39 cleansers through their paces, and the numbers say a lot. He approved 21, gave 6 a mixed take, and skipped 12, landing on a Guru Score of 54%. That score shows how high he sets the bar. The question he keeps coming back to: does a cleanser actually respect the skin barrier while it cleans?
What does James Welsh recommend in cleansers?
What James keeps praising is the non-stripping cleanser, one that rinses away fully without leaving skin tight, dry, or thirsty. He reaches for glycerin-heavy formulas a lot. Glycerin is a humectant, which means it pulls water toward the skin and helps it hold onto that moisture. When he spotted 50% glycerin in Dr Sam's Flawless Cleanser, he called it one of the nicest hydrating cleansers he had ever used. Texture matters to him too. The Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil earned a permanent spot in his routine because it breaks down sunscreen and makeup in about a minute, with no oil dripping or lingering. The BYOMA Melting Balm Cleanser won him over because it emulsified and rinsed away without any effort, and the Prequel Non-Drying Glycerin Cleanser because it foams into something that feels more like moisturising than washing. Soothing ingredients like oat extract and aloe show up in nearly every product he rates highly, and he treats them as a sign that a brand is thinking about barrier health, not just cleaning power.
In his words
"This is probably one of my most staple products ever. As in like, it's always coming back and forth in my routine. It's always a cleanser I fall back on. In fact, when I'm testing new products, it's one of the cleansers I use because I know how well my skin reacts to it. Great for when your skin is stressed out, you want to focus on maintaining the skin barrier. Matcha for antioxidants. We've got hemp seed oil in here as well. Nice fatty acids, a good amount of glycerin, keeping those hydration levels up. I think that this is actually one of the first really non-stripping cleansers I ever used way back in the day."
"This is just one of the nicest most hydrating cleansers I've ever used and I don't usually team the term hydrating with a cleanser but when there's 50% glycerin in a cleanser it's obviously going to be hydrating. It's such nice texture. There's aloe, there's oat extract, arginine as well so all soothing and helping to support the skin barrier. You get your money's worth with this cleanser."
"This has stayed consistently in my skincare routine. [...] This one has just been my go-to over and over and over. It kind of feels like this isn't viral, and this should be because this feels luxury, but it's very much drugstore price at the same time. This does beat out to me all those viral really popular well-marketed oils which I've tried. [...] The reason I love this one so much is there's three different versions and I love the Speedy version. [...] It's not just oils, the emulsification process, everything is really good, [...] but it's very quick. That's what I used to hate about using oils, it felt like this is going on for so long, the oil's dripping down my face, it's going to my eyes, it's going to my mouth. This one feels like it's literally over in like a minute. This is going to break down sunscreen and makeup super super fast, really fast. I don't think I've used a cleansing oil that breaks down makeup especially super quick. When I've had to put a load of makeup on my face, this is the cleansing oil that I use because it just strips everything off perfectly and super quick without having to spend ages."
"This cleanser kind of turns into a really lightweight foam that feels like you're moisturizing your face with that foam. It doesn't feel like it's stripping anything. It rinses away with a really really good deep cleanse without the stripping of a deep cleanse. We have oat in here as well, I believe it's oat kernel extract which is lovely and soothing, so you can really take your time with this, and aloe as well, soothing and hydrating. It's just such a nice cleanser. It's quite a unique cleanser in the sense that the texture is a little bit different. There are a few other similar cleansers, but as far as how it then interacts on the skin, how it then foams up, how it then leaves your skin, is fairly unique. The thing about this that just feels a lot more nourishing and moisturizing than any other cleanser I've used."
"It smells really good. It's like buttery soft, like it's gliding over the skin. [...] It emulsified and kind of turned into that whitey milky fluid that rinsed away so effortlessly and so easily. It's a really, really nice cleansing balm. [...] I do much prefer the texture, to be honest with you, rather than that plasticky feeling balmy texture. I do think it's going to be one of my preferred cleansing balms."
"I'm using Skin Rocks Cream Cleanser. I actually use this as a double cleanse most of the time but I use this to take off if I'm wearing any sunscreen all that kind of stuff because it is just so so gentle and it is a cleanser I'll take with me to like a hotel traveling because it's just like a one and done cleanser, well a two and one cleanser perfect for both steps of the double cleanse routine but this one just feels extra nice."
How many cleansers has James Welsh reviewed?
James Welsh has reviewed 39 cleansers, for a Guru Score of 54%. 21 approved, 6 mixed, and 12 skipped.
What has James Welsh skipped in cleansers?
James skipped 12 of the 39 cleansers he reviewed, and his reasons tend to fall into two camps: safety concerns and dryness. He skipped the CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser with 4% Benzoyl Peroxide because testing found benzene, a known carcinogen, at levels above federal safety limits. He skipped the Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser because certain batches contained a preservative not listed on the packaging, one he noted can irritate sensitive skin. The Rhode Pineapple Refresh Daily Cleanser is a different kind of skip. Despite a promising ingredient list, he said it left his skin tight, dry, and desperate for hydration, comparing the feeling to a Clearasil-style wash. And the Kylie Skin Foaming Face Wash he skipped for containing fragrance and drying ingredients that, in his view, made the claim of being suitable for all skin types hard to stand behind.
"The jelly cleanser, certain batches contain a preservative not listed on the product ingredient list. And whilst this preservative is found commonly in skincare products, especially those clean beauty ones, this preservative, like many paraben alternatives, can cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals, especially at higher levels."
"The Foaming Face Wash was criticized for containing fragrance and drying ingredients that many complained weren't suitable for all skin types. The way this was being sold as suitable for all skin types is what really made people look at these products and be like that's not suitable for all skin types."
"Contained benzene, a known cause of cancer at levels which exceeded federal safety standards"
"They call this 'A refreshing balm to lather daily cleanser, formulated with polyglutamic acid, green tea extract, and pineapple enzyme.' So it's kind of gently exfoliating, refreshing, soothing, hydrating. It sounds incredible. It says gentle enough to use morning and evening and safe for sensitive skin. However, this dried me out a lot, and I don't know how. It very much reminded me of a Clearasil kind of cleanser, the state that it left my skin in. As a product it seems nice when you use it, and the lather feels kind of soft and bouncy, but then you rinse it away, and my skin has been left tight. It's been left dry, kind of like thirsting for hydration. So whenever I use this, I had to tone a fair few times and use a really nice hydrating serum. This will go in the shower, and I'll be using it on my body absolutely fine, especially in the summer. It's just not for me, unfortunately."
What should you take from James Welsh's picks?
James Welsh's cleanser record is a strong guide for anyone whose skin tends to feel stripped or tight after washing. Across 39 reviews he named four winners: the Prequel Non-Drying Glycerin Cleanser, the BYOMA Melting Balm Cleanser, the Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil, and the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser. He skips anything that dries skin out or raises a safety flag, and his highest praise goes to cleansers that leave the barrier intact. For those with sensitive or dry skin, his approved list is a solid place to start.
Watch James Welsh say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Prequel Non-Drying Glycerin CleanserNamed a winnerWatch at 11:57
- BYOMA Melting Balm CleanserNamed a winnerWatch at 2:59
- Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing OilNamed a winnerWatch at 5:30
- Glossier Milky Jelly CleanserNamed a winnerWatch at 3:27
- Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly CleanserSkipped itWatch at 8:40
- Kylie Skin Foaming Face WashSkipped itWatch at 7:21
- CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser with 4% Benzoyl PeroxideSkipped itWatch at 26:35
- Rhode Pineapple Refresh Daily CleanserSkipped itWatch at 8:28
- Garnier Micellar Cleansing WaterSkipped itWatch at 18:59
- Youth to the People Superfood CleanserSkipped itWatch at 18:30
- Neutrogena Makeup Remover WipesSkipped itWatch at 16:47
- Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing BalmSkipped itWatch at 10:10
- Fresh Soy Face CleanserSkipped itWatch at 7:23
- SKKN CleanserSkipped itWatch at 8:16
- The INKEY List Oat Cleansing BalmSkipped itWatch at 5:19
- Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Gentle CleanserSkipped itWatch at 65:05
- Krave Beauty Matcha Hemp Hydrating CleanserRated itWatch at 20:14
- Dr Sam's Flawless CleanserRated itWatch at 6:41
- Skin Rocks Cream CleanserRated itWatch at 11:50
- Dr. Idriss Soft Wash Complete Daily CleanserRated itWatch at 1:01
- CeraVe Hydrating Facial CleanserRated itWatch at 4:48
- CeraVe Foaming Facial CleanserRated itWatch at 10:42
- The INKEY List 2% Salicylic Acid CleanserRated itWatch at 47:59
- BYOMA Milky Jelly CleanserRated itWatch at 3:07
About this expert
See everything James Welsh has reviewed
Related guides
This guide reflects what James Welsh said across their videos about 39 products in cleansers, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The Guru Score is our read on how warmly they talk about them. It is general information, not medical advice.