10 Best Face Washes For Black Men 2025

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Many men think lathering up a bar of soap and slapping it on their face counts as cleaning and toning their face and skin. Most bar soap kills germs but is awful for your face. It can dehydrate and irritate your skin, make skin disorders like eczema worse, and cause your skin to flake and itch.
To address that, you need to use facial cleansing products that hydrate and help replenish what the average day strips away. The following are the ten best face wash products for black men.
Contents
Best Face Washes For Black Men
Every face wash on this list has incredible attributes and a few downsides. It is ranked based on its overall ability to cleanse, tone, hydrate, and care for the face plus, its ability to address skin ailments like acne, excessive oil, or eczema.
Jack Black Deep Dive Facial Cleanser – Best Overall For Black Men
As a face wash, Jack Black Deep Dive Facial Cleanser is one of the best. It accomplishes multiple clean skin objectives, including hydrating your face, exfoliating dead skin, and removing oils that clog pores. The result is a revitalized face with skin that feels refreshed every day.
Jack Black’s proprietary blend of ingredients soothes the skin while clearing away dead skin cells. Its cleanser strips away oils but leaves essential sebum on the skin. It does all this while leaving no dry patches or flaky skin.
Part of the formula includes kaolin clay and volcanic ash. Both help wash away dirt, oil, and grime. It is also great for helping remove skin trapping hair and causing ingrown hairs.
If you are hesitant, it comes in three sizes, which allows you to test the cleanser before committing to it.
Pros
- The ingredients are some of the best on the market
- Doubles as a mask and exfoliator
- Has a great scent that is not overpowering
Cons
- Some ingredients are harsh and may not be a good choice for men with sensitive skin
- Can only be used once or twice a day
- It is on the expensive side
Rugged & Dapper Daily Face Wash- Premium Option
If you have mild to moderate skin conditions, Rugged & Dapper Daily Face Wash is the face wash for you. Formulated with natural ingredients, including essential oils, Rugged & Dapper is great for cleaning while not drying out or damaging the skin. It also has jojoba oil beads, which makes it a great exfoliator.
As a cleanser, it stands out but it also helps fight the signs of aging. The face wash is so gentle you can use it as a prep for shaving. It is great for normal, dry, sensitive, and acne-prone skin.
Pros
- Works well with just about any skin
- Tones, cleans, and exfoliates
- Has essential oils
Cons
- The jojoba oil beads can remain in beards
- Is on the expensive side of the scale
L’Oreal Paris Facial Cleanser – Best Budget Option
For those looking to get a great product at a fair price and save a little cash, L’Oreal Paris Facial Cleanser is the answer. The main ingredient is charcoal, which helps unclog pores, exfoliate and remove unwanted oils and secretions.
Another benefit of L’Oreal Paris’ Facial Cleanser is that it has retinol, which aids the skin to ward off aging, sagging, dryness and wrinkles. For a revitalizing feeling, the cleanser contains peppermint oil.
Pros
Perfect for an effective cleanser that will not break your budget
- Removes most oil and dirt from the skin
- The peppermint oil is refreshing
- The face wash is reputedly an anti-aging cleanser
Cons
- It does contain some chemicals that can irritate sensitive skin
- The odor can be overpowering
- It can strip essential oils off the face
- It can dry out skin if overused
Brickell Men’s Face Wash
Brickell Men’s Face Wash is charcoal-based and has aloe vera, olive oil, Jojoba oil, and other natural ingredients. It is a great face wash for African American men that struggle with dry skin, and very effective for those with oily skin. The face wash is also organic, meaning you do not expose your skin to chemicals.
As a healer, Brickell fights acne and adult skin ailments. It is rich in antioxidants and vitamin E oil. This makes it almost perfect for repairing damaged skin. Those ingredients also help prevent acne. The formula is proprietary and was designed specifically to remove excess oil and dirt without drying the skin.
Pros
- It is gentle on sensitive skin
- It is an excellent moisturizer
- It is so gentle that it can be used several times a day
Cons
- It is not an exfoliant
- Its moisture content makes it a poor choice for men with oily skin
NIVEA Men Beard & Face Wash
The NIVEA Men Beard & Face Wash works best with men with beards or those whose skin is sensitive. It is an exceptionally gentle formula that uses charcoal to help unclog pores and remove dirt and grime from the face. It doubles as a beard cleanser with an incredible foaming action that washes off residue-free.
This product works well for people with sensitive skin, who work in the sun, or have skin that frequently needs moisturizer. Its ingredients work together to provide complete facial cleaning care. Additionally, being able to clean a beard and the face means that the skin treatment is consistent.
NIVEA’s Beard & Face wash is chemical-based but is not oily or greasy. It will leave the user feeling fresh and smelling great with its bourbon and vanilla scent. Additionally, it is gentle enough to use more than once a day.
Pros
- Lathers up a lot
- Great for unclogging pores
- Smells great
- Is very gentle on the face
- The face wash can double as a beard wash
Cons
- It has chemicals, which can cause a reaction in some people
- Is not an exfoliator
CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
CeraVe has several cleansing and lotion products and has earned a reputation for producing quality facial cleansers that do not butcher the skin. Its hydrating facial cleanser is no different. It is perfect for dry skin, is effective at removing dirt and grime, and does not wear away natural oils and moisture from your skin.
Additionally, it helps build and restore skin protections like ceramides (ceramides are lipids that help protect your skin) that help your skin retain moisture and look great. Without them, your face would become a flaky, crusty mess.
The CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser has three different ceramides, plus hyaluronic acid to help keep skin looking fresh, vibrant, and clean. It will not irritate dry skin and help your skin stay hydrated. Avoiding irritation and hydrating the skin makes it an excellent product for people with sensitive skin or skin conditions like eczema.
A big part of the effectiveness of the CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser is their patented Multivesicular Emulsion. The best way to think about that is as a time-released moisturizing hydrator. This slow-release moisturizing system is very effective for users with sensitive or perpetually dry skin.
Pros
- Time-released moisturizer
- Provides ceramide protection
- Hydrates very effectively
Cons
- The ingredients include parabens, a pharmaceutical preservative that can irritate some types of skin
- Is not organic
- The wash has other artificial ingredients that can irritate some skin
Jack Black Pure Clean Facial Cleanser
The Jack Black Pure Clean Facial Cleanser is a great cleanser for an array of different types of skin. It is a fairly new product and brand but has already established itself as a high-quality, affordable cleaning alternative. It specializes in being a two-in-one product that cleans and tones the skin.
It is difficult to find a better hydrator, especially without sacrificing some cleaning possibilities. The coconut and oat surfactants, along with hazel, serve as antioxidants and astringents, ensuring the skin is thoroughly cleaned, but not dried out.
Pure Clean Facial Cleanser contains sage and rosemary to help fight off bacteria on the skin as well as aloe and chamomile to reduce redness and inflammation. Tested by dermatologists, it is free of all sulfates, glutens, and parabens and is designed to address acne, clogged pores, and blackheads to maintain a clear complexion.
Pros
- Is a very effective cleanser of oil and dirt
- No sulfates or parabens
- A two-in-one cleanser and toner
- Has antibacterial properties
- Can help with redness and swelling
- Smells awesome
Cons
- Is on the expensive end of the facial cleanser scale
- Possesses a very thin consistency, which makes it challenging to work with
Ursa Major Face Wash
Ursa Major has prided itself on only using natural ingredients when at all possible and rejecting any synthetic chemicals that might cause more harm than good. The company’s face wash has 36 natural ingredients, each with a specific purpose.
Each ingredient works together to clean, tone, and healthfully maintain the face. For example, aloe and rice seeds hydrate, exfoliate and clean without removing natural oils and moisture.
The Ursa Major Face Wash is made of 99.5% natural ingredients. Almost all are locally sourced from family-owned, sustainable farms. The face wash has no artificial colors, parabens, silicones, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, or petrochemicals. The company also insists that its ingredients be vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free.
Pros
- Is a reasonably good at hydration
- All-natural (virtually all-natural) with no man-made or synthetic substances
- Is a great exfoliator
- Moisturizes skin and ensures no natural oils or moisture are removed
Cons
- It has a very strong scent
- Because it is all-natural, the shelf life is limited compared to other face washes
Bulldog Face Wash
Bulldog Face Wash is a comprehensive skincare regimen in a bottle. It cleans, tones, exfoliates, addresses aging issues, prevents skin health issues, heals and protects the skin, mainly through its natural ingredients. It also protects natural oils and hydrates the skin as it cleanses it.
The Face Wash has eight essential oils and green tea to help moisturize, clean, and protect the face. It also contains aloe vera to heal and soothe dry patches, inflamed areas, and acne. Aloe vera can also serve as a protectant of the skin, especially if that skin is exposed to the sun often.
Bulldog Face Wash comes in a gel form, which makes it easy to apply. It also is very effective at cleaning the skin while leaving it soft and toned.
Pros
- Does not contain artificial preservatives, parabens, or sulfates
- Gently cleanses while treating skin ailments
- Provides natural ingredients proven to help promote good skin health
Cons
- The scent is very strong
- The consistency is so gelatin it can be difficult to work with
Er-a Organics Face and Body Wash
Er-a Organics Face and Body Wash is a one-two punch using exotic ingredients such as shea butter, coconut oil, and avocado oil. Its blend is proprietary and is coupled with shea butter and rosehips, making a wonderful moisturizer.
Additionally, this face and body wash nourishes the skin and revitalizes it, leaving you looking healthier and younger. It is known for its anti-aging properties. It is, though, as famous for what it does not have as what it does. Er-a Organics is proud of the fact that its Face and Body Wash contains no:
- Drying toxins or chemicals that strip away skin
- Sulfates
- Parabens
- SLS
The product also claims that it strives to be cruelty-free and completely non-toxic.
As a hydrator, the face wash provides ample moisture and contains soothing ingredients that help fight acne, inflammation, and ingrown hair. However, its moisturizing ingredients do not work well with overly oily or moisturized skin.
Pros
- The formula is free of chemicals
- It doubles as a body wash
- Is exceptionally good for dry skin
Cons
- Not the best choice for oily skin
- The face wash is not an exfoliator, requiring a separate exfoliation product for most skin
What To Look For In A Face Wash For Black Men
Choosing a facial cleanser is not as difficult as it may seem. If you master the following three aspects of choosing a facial cleanser, you are almost guaranteed to choose the one that is best for you.
Understand Your Skin
To choose the best product, you must know the type of skin you have. If you have really dry skin, for instance, choosing a product that is known for drying out skin will not yield you the results you desire. You may be clean, but you also may have flaking problems, chafed skin, and splotching. The opposite applies to people with oily skin.
You need to analyze your skin, identify defining characteristics and determine some basics:
- Is your skin oily or dry?
- When you wash it with your current cleanser, does it flake or leave your skin overly oily?
- Does your skin seem to “collect” blackheads, etc.?
- Do you have acne or an acne breakout after you use certain facial products?
- Are you allergic to certain ingredients or cleansers that may be in a face wash?
The answers to these questions can help you decide the type of face wash you want. Better, it can help you avoid choosing a product that does not meet your unique needs or actually can harm your skin. More to the point, it can help you choose the best product for your face available.
Where Do You Live, Work, Play, Etc.?
The environment where you spend your time also affects the facial cleanser you need. If you live in a warm climate, you may not want a cleanser that emphasizes moisturizing the skin. If you live in a dry, cold climate, you may not want something that dries your face out.
Likewise, if you spend a lot of time outdoors exposed to the sun, you want a cleanser that also protects your face from drying out and burning. If you primarily are inside for most of your day, you want a cleanser that controls oiliness as well as does not over moisturize your face.
Finally, the type of work you do can affect your face wash choices. For example, if you work with dirt or dirty objects all day, you need a cleanser that can help remove dirt and grime. If you primarily work in an office, you cannot ignore dirt and grime, but you want a cleanser that helps provide your skin with needed nutrients you do not get in an office.
Go Natural
Most cleansers now at least emphasize what they do have for natural ingredients. You want to try and get the most natural product that most completely addresses your skin’s unique needs. You also want to avoid preservatives, synthetic chemicals, sulfates, parabens, or perfumes if you can help it.
That includes avoiding any dyes or chemically driven medication that might be in the cleanser. Both can cause allergic reactions in certain types of skin. If you choose a cleanser that might cause your face irritation, make sure you test it out first. To do that, apply a small portion to part of your face and watch for any reactions.
Top Face Washes For Black Men, Final Thoughts
As a black man, your face and skin have unique needs. Each of these products addresses a man’s unique skin needs and helps avoid skin issues like breakouts, dry patches, flaking, or excessive oiliness. The best product on this list is the product that best suits your unique skin needs.