Whether on iHerb or Amazon, CeraVe cleansers nabbed all the top spots. Here, the CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser for dry to normal skin ($32.50) came first on Amazon.sg as the number one best-selling face cleanser. Of the four different CeraVe cleansers, this is the most generic daily use version for dry, combination, and normal skin types.

It contains hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and glycerin to help hydrate skin, while 1, 3, and 6-II ceramics help restore and maintain the skin’s natural barrier. The product is also paraben-free, fragrance-free, soap-free, non-comedogenic, non-drying, and non-irritating which makes it suitable for sensitive skin. Plus, it’s a multi-tasking product that you can use it on your face, body, or as a hand wash.

While there are only five (raving) customer reviews on Amazon’s site itself, you can easily find numerous reviews about this CeraVe cleanser from bloggers and beauty influencers. The general consensus is that the creamy face wash doesn’t leave sticky post-wash residue and give its user fewer breakouts.

The other versions of this very same cleanser, namely the foaming face cleanser ($6.58 for 87ml) and salicylic acid (SA) renewing exfoliating cleanser ($29.90) came in the top three positions as well.

Ranking third place after the CeraVe cleansers on iHerb is the trusty old Cetaphil Daily Face Cleanser ($15.91) which was first introduced in 1947 as a cleansing lotion for dermatological uses. This is a cleanser suitable for all skin types, from dry, combination, normal, to oily to clean your skin.

Reviews are aplenty all over the internet for its gentle hydrating lotion which doesn’t dry out the skin or cause allergies.

In 2016, however, a slew of backlash against Cetaphil’s listed ingredients surfaced in the media (a time when clean beauty and anti-parabens, anti-SLS sentiments were brewing). A couple of their ingredients – propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate, stearyl alcohol, methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben – were listed as potentially not doing your skin any favours. While the debate trickled off inconclusively, Cetaphil fans continue to use it, while clean beauty junkies made a switch for cleaner cleanser options.

Ah, here’s an all-time cult favourite – the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay ($46.61 for a pack of 3). You’ll practically find fans of this cleansing clay everywhere around the globe, from London to New York CitY to Singapore. It’s basically 100 per cent natural calcium bentonite clay (you can actually get this from Scoop) which draws impurities out of your pores for a super deep pore cleansing session.

Customers left raving reviews for this little tub of clay as it visibly tightens pores, evens out skin tone, is suitable for regular use and works great for acne and itchy skin.

However, users have cautioned against washing the clay down your sink or drainage pipe lest it clogs the pipes. Instead, allow the clay to dry, peel it off, and flush it down the toilet. And, a final word of caution – dermatologists have warned against individuals with dry skin types from using a clay product like this for the tightening and draining effect may be too intense for dry skin types.

Coming in fifth in place on iHerb is the little cute tub of Heimish All Clean Balm ($21.11). Heimish is a South Korean skincare brand, and it’s best known for this cleansing balm which supposedly can remove heavy-duty makeup. The product contains vegetable-based ingredients and is a spa-grade cleanser with natural aroma oils.

You’ll need to use this balm on dry skin, melt it all over your makeup before massaging it with water until it turns milky, and finally rinsing it off with water. Users of the balm have noted its pleasant, aromatic smell, how it easily dissolves cosmetics, rinses off easily and doesn’t clog pores.

The Aveeno Absolutely Ageless Nourishing Daily Facial Cleanser ($27.15) is the number five bestselling cleanser on Amazon Singapore. It is part of Aveeno’s nourishing anti-ageing series called Absolutely Ageless. It can be used as a daily cleanser to remove dirt and oil, or as a makeup remover. The key ingredient is blackberry extract which provides antioxidants for the skin.

Reviews are, however, a little divided. While some users deemed it a mediocre cleanser that came with leakage in the packaging, most users praised this cleanser for its pleasant smell that’s great for bedtime and its gentle, thorough cleansing.

This article first appeared in The Singapore Women’s Weekly