The 9 Best Powder Cleansers for a Customizable Cleansing Experience

Best Overall

Tatcha The Rice Polish Foaming Enzyme Powder

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One of Dr. Fahs’s top picks, this is a classic that recently got a revamp. It’s now available in the classic variant and three other versions: deep, gentle, and calming. Still, you can’t go wrong with the OG. It relies on nonabrasive rice bran (that’s the powder part) and lactic acid for just a touch of gentle chemical exfoliation. It’s extremely fine-milled and so silky that it’s hard to believe it’s exfoliating at all, but the super-smooth, glowing, and even skin you’ll see after using it is proof positive.

Price at time of publish: $68

Active Ingredients: Rice bran | Skin Type: All | Size: 2.1 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byride Clean: Yes

Best Drugstore

Honest Beauty Skin Sweep Exfoliating Powder Cleanser

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For some reason, powder cleansers haven’t made their way to the drugstore yet, making this option all the more noteworthy. It relies on both rice and oat powders as well as sea salt for physical exfoliation purposes, though it also contains kaolin clay, a great ingredient for absorbing excess oil.

Price at time of publish: $22

Active Ingredients: Rice starch, oat flour, sea salt | Skin Type: Balanced to oily | Size: 1.4 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Best Clean Formula

Uncommon Beauty Daily Foaming Powder Cleanser

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Yes, this is Kristen Cavallari’s new beauty line. And yes, the whole line is pretty good, but this powder cleanser is one of our favorites. Not only is it super clean, but the brand also abides by Credo’s list of banned ingredients, which is one of the most extensive lists of harmful ingredients. It also foams beautifully (not always the case with powder cleansers). It’s another rice-bran-based option and contains exfoliating papaya enzymes, too. Bonus points for the sifted top dispenser, which minimizes the likelihood of spills.

Price at time of publish: $38

Active Ingredients: Rice bran | Skin Type: All | Size: 0.75 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Best for Dry Skin

Josie Maran Argan Exfoliating Cleansing Powder

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While powder cleansers may not be the first thing you think of for dry skin, this one, another of Dr. Fahs’s recommendations, is a particularly good option for the drier crowd. Credit the addition of hydrating argan oil, which ensures this leaves your skin feeling smooth, soft, and clean but never stripped. (An attribute confirmed by happy reviewers.) To that point, it transforms into almost a milk-like texture when mixed with water.

Price at time of publish: $40

Active Ingredients: Rice bran, argan oil | Skin Type: All | Size: 2 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Best for Boosting Radiance

Babor Cleansing CP Enzyme Powder

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Because all cleansing powders gently exfoliate, they’re a good choice for helping to boost radiance and improve overall tone. However, this one is an especially great choice if you’re looking to get extra glowing results. Credit the addition of vitamin C, which is not only a great antioxidant and collagen-booster (a boon for those with more mature skin) but also is one of the best ingredients for helping to boost radiance.

Price at time of publish: $36

Active Ingredients: Talc, vitamin C | Skin Type: All | Size: 2.6 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No 

Best Budget

DHC Face Wash Powder

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This Japanese beauty brand may be best known for its beloved cleansing oil, but don’t sleep on the cleansing powder. Despite the very wallet-friendly price tag, it’s still as effective as many of its pricier counterparts, relying on cornstarch to create a silky powder that lathers up surprisingly well when mixed with water. The addition of honey and sodium hyaluronate also makes it a great moisturizing option.

Price at time of publish: $13

Active Ingredients: Cornstarch | Skin Type: All | Size: 1.7 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Runner-Up, Best Budget

Tosowoong Enzyme Powder

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This pick is unique in its specially balanced pH of 5.5, the ideal pH for your skin (if it’s too alkaline, your skin can look dull and flaky). It, too, is very affordable, always a plus, and has papaya enzymes for an extra boost of chemical exfoliation with the mechanical.

Price at time of publish: $18

Active Ingredients: Cornstarch | Skin Type: All | Size: 2.4 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No

Best Exfoliating

AmorePacific Treatment Enzyme Peel Cleansing Powder

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If you want your powder cleanser to really pull double duty as both a cleanser and exfoliant, try this formula. Not only does it contain chemically exfoliating papaya enzymes, like some of the other options on this list, but it also contains exfoliating green tea enzymes for an added punch of dead-cell-dissolving power. It also foams up nicely, though FYI, it does contain some ingredients (fragrance, artificial color) that could potentially irritate sensitive skin.

Price at time of publish: $68

Active Ingredients: Cornstarch, papaya, and green tea enzymes | Skin Type: All | Size: 1.7 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No