Best Face Wash for Men: Hydrating and Exfoliating Options

Choosing the best face cleanser for you can feel like a Herculean task. The sheer quantity of products on the shelf is daunting and made even more so if you don’t know your skin type. 

But the reality is there are really only two types of clean: exfoliating and hydrating. An exfoliating face wash delivers a deep, grit-busting scrub that clears away buildup. A hydrating face wash takes a gentler route that leaves your skin feeling refreshed and comfortable. Neither is automatically better, and they often work best in tandem. 

In this guide, we’ll explain what sets each formula apart, explore the best face wash for men in each category, and show you how to use face wash the right way.

Determining Your Skin Type

Before you choose your cleanser, you need to understand what type of skin you have. The best way to do this is to wash your face with whatever you use now, pat it dry, and wait about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, compare how your skin looks and feels to these descriptions:

• Oily skin is often shiny all over with enlarged pores and frequent breakouts.

• Dry skin usually feels tight or flaky, especially after washing.

• Combination skin typically features an oily forehead, nose, and chin (T-zone) and dry cheeks.

• Normal skin is neither too dry nor too oily, with minimal breakouts.

The 3 Best Hydrating Face Washes for Men

Whether you're searching for the best men’s face wash for oily skin or a men’s face wash for dry skin, the answer is often the same. For most skin types, a hydrating face wash is a great choice for daily cleansing. The following three formulas use a naturally derived blend of glycerin to attract moisture, witch hazel to balance surface oils, and pro-vitamin B5 and aloe to keep your skin feeling soft and refreshed. They’re the perfect way to wash away daily buildup without feeling sandblasted.

1. Coconut Castaway

Coconut Castaway smells like toasted coconut drifting through an oceanfront cabana, minus the sunburn and suspiciously expensive beach drink. It has a warm, rounded fragrance rather than the sharper edge of green herbs or crisp woods. That softer scent profile makes the wash feel more like you’re easing into or out of the day.

This cleanser is perfect for slow mornings, nighttime washes, and guys who gravitate toward tropical or subtly sweet grooming scents.

2. Birchwood Breeze

Birchwood Breeze smells like clean air hitting your face in a birchwood forest. It’s outdoorsy enough to awaken your inner woodsman, but not so intense that he starts comparing axe prices online. The fresh woodsy scent gives it structure, while the clean air quality keeps this wash from feeling dense or heavy. It sits between the warmth of Coconut Castaway and Rainforest Rapids’ sharper green character.

This scent is a versatile pick for anyone who wants one face wash for mornings and evenings. Its restrained woody profile also fits easily beside fresh or woodsy deodorants and colognes. Choosing products from a similar scent family also makes your routine feel coordinated.

 3. Rainforest Rapids

Rainforest Rapids captures the cool rush of stepping beneath a jungle downpour surrounded by eucalyptus, sage, and cedarwood. It’s the facial equivalent of waking up before your third alarm. Eucalyptus and sage give this scent a crisp, aromatic opening that makes an immediate impression. Cedarwood adds a dry base underneath, so the fragrance feels bright without becoming thin or fleeting.

Reach for Rainforest Rapids when washing your face marks the transition into the next part of your day, whether that’s sleepy to awake, sweaty to refreshed, or desk-bound to vaguely human again.

How Often Should You Exfoliate?

For most all skin types, a hydrating cleanser is a great daily driver that’ll reveal a healthier looking complexion. But the best men’s face wash for glowing skin is an exfoliating one. And nearly every skin type can benefit from regular use: 

• Normal or combination skin: Exfoliate two to three times per week. 

• Oily skin: Use a hydrating wash in the morning and an exfoliating wash at night, or alternate each day. 

• Dry skin: Exfoliate more sparingly, up to once per week. 

The 3 Best Exfoliating Face Washes for Men

When you’ve got stubborn buildup, exfoliating formulas step in with a blend of rice powder and green coffee seed powder to provide the grit needed to loosen dead skin. Charcoal helps draw out and hold onto excess surface oils, and wax-like particles called jojoba esters provide a smooth, controlled buffing sensation rather than a harsh scrub. These three Dr. Squatch exfoliating face washes add a fine, scrub-like texture that lifts away surface buildup and dead skin while you cleanse.

1. Pine Tar

Pine Tar smells like fresh-cut timber in an old forest. It's bold, woodsy, and built for days when your face has collected enough evidence to qualify as a crime scene. The strong pine scent and tactile scrubbing sensation are both rugged, so the exfoliation registers as the main event. 

Pine Tar was made for guys who spend plenty of time outdoors, train hard, or enjoy bold woodsy scents. Choose Pine Tar if you want your deeper clean to feel like one.

2. Fresh Falls

Fresh Falls pairs the scent of water, birch, and pine with the feeling of standing near a cold forest waterfall. It feels like you’re in the scenery with zero risk of dropping your phone into a river. The watery note opens up the birch and pine, giving the fragrance more air and movement. 

This cleanser is perfect for mornings or for anyone who wants physical exfoliation with a familiar, classic fragrance. Its combination of fresh and woodsy notes also makes it the ideal middle ground when Pine Tar feels too bold, but Cool Fresh Aloe sounds too green.

3. Cool Fresh Aloe

Cool Fresh Aloe smells like a clear spring morning with an energizing aloe scent. It feels light and cool, even when the day outside has other plans. Unlike the other two exfoliating options, Cool Fresh Aloe’s scent doesn’t revolve around pine or forest woods. The fresh aloe profile feels fresh and light. 

This scent is a great choice for warmer days and post-workout washes. It also lets you enjoy an exfoliating formula without making “lumberjack” the central theme of your entire bathroom.

How To Use Face Wash in Your Grooming Routine

A few simple technique tweaks help your face wash clean more effectively without making your skin work overtime:

• Wet your face: Use lukewarm water to soften surface buildup and help the wash spread evenly without turning your sink into a steam room. You can also do this in the shower.

• Apply the wash: Squeeze a small amount into your palm, and work it into a light lather between your hands first. This distributes the formula so one patch of your face doesn’t get the entire payload. 

• Massage in gentle, circular motions: Move across your forehead, cheeks, nose, and jaw for about 30 seconds. Gentle circles and light pressure help the wash reach areas where oil and grime collect without harsh scrubbing.

• Rinse thoroughly: Wash away every trace of product, especially around your hairline, nose, and jaw. Check for leftovers in your beard, as soapy residue can dry out facial hair.

• Pat dry: Use a clean towel and press it gently against your face to avoid irritation instead of rubbing like you’re polishing a bowling ball.

Most guys can use a daily face wash once or twice a day, especially before bed or after working up a sweat. An exfoliating wash won’t be necessary every time, so alternate it with a hydrating cleanser when you want a gentler daily clean.

Face It, Your Wash Game Can Do Better

By the end of the day, your face has collected a full highlight reel of everywhere you’ve been. While water is great for a quick rinse, it isn’t enough to give your mug a clean slate.

The secret to a next-level next-level routine? Combining a daily cleanser and an exfoliating scrub. A hydrating face wash helps keep things balanced, while a grit-focused exfoliant tackles stubborn buildup. 

At Dr. Squatch , our everyday cleansers have warm, tropical notes for a refreshing experience. And our deeper scrubs have rugged and woodsy scents for weekly rejuvenation. Don’t settle for just one — grab the combo that keeps your skin feeling ready for whatever comes next.

Shop the full Dr. Squatch Face Wash collection and find the wash that deserves some face time.