7 Best Face Wash for Black Men – African-American Men’s Choice

Updated Date: by Reet Patel

Are you suffering from acne breakouts? Do you notice hyperpigmentation or discoloration?

If yes, you are at the right place. And not only the above ones, several other issues such as eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, or inflammation can also be your pain in the ass.  All these happen because black skin produces more melanin which makes skin prone to various issues.

To combat these issues and make skin clean, you need to adopt a skincare routine that starts with adding a good cleanser or the best face wash for black men.

If you are in a hurry, we think Jack Henry Cleanse+ is the best one because it specifically caters to African American skin. 

Since there are several skin types, we have given techniques to identify them.  Plus, we have also started some ingredients that work amazingly well on darker skin types.  Lastly, we have shared a few tips that we actually experienced and gained benefits from.

So, let’s get started.

7 Best Face Wash For Black Men

ImageProductRatingPrice
Jack Henry Cleanse +

Jack Henry Cleanse +

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Organic Men’s Face & Body Wash

Organic Men’s Face & Body Wash

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Nivea Men Deep Cleansing Beard & Face Wash

Nivea Men Deep Cleansing Beard & Face Wash

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Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser

Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser

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L’OREAL PARIS Skincare Facial Cleanser

L’OREAL PARIS Skincare Facial Cleanser

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Rugged & Dapper Daily Power Scrub Face Wash

Rugged & Dapper Daily Power Scrub Face Wash

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Sebamed Clear Face Cleansing Foam

Sebamed Clear Face Cleansing Foam

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Rugged & Dapper Daily Power Scrub Face Wash

Although Rugged & Dapper is a new entrant in the grooming industry, it has won millions of hearts.  Besides, the product was featured in popular magazines and TV outlets.  All thanks to its ingredients and efficacy.

What’s in it?

  • Vitamin C: Balances hyperpigmentation
  • Aloe Vera: Reduces acne marks + boosts collagen production
  • Burdock Root: Kills bacteria + reduces redness & irritation
  • Jojoba Beads: Helps to remove dead skin cells, dirt, and excess oil
  • Borage Oil: Locks in hydration + soothe acne
  • Willow Bark/Salicylic Acid: Gentle exfoliation + Anti-aging
  • Hibiscus: Increases cell turnover ratio + purify skin
  • Oregano: Treats fungal & bacterial infections
  • Rosehip Seed: Treat dark spots
  • Tea Tree Oil: Contains microbial properties
  • Olive Oil: Antibacterial & Anti-oxidant 

All these ingredients collectively deep cleanse and slough away excess dirt and grime without depleting natural moisture.  Besides, it is a versatile facial cleanser that works on all skin types.  Moreover, the face wash unclogs the skin pores and retains its effectiveness for up to 12 hours.

Unlike many cheap brands, Rugged & Dapper daily face wash uses all-natural ingredients and keeps phthalates, parabens, and synthetics at bay.  

The interesting part is it takes 30 seconds to clean the skin pores, and that too with a nickel-size amount, which means it is quick and will last long.  Plus, this facial wash will save money that you would otherwise spend on adding sunscreen to your skincare routine.  Yes, you read it right.  The product suffices the need for sunscreen.

Pros
  • Improves skin health
  • Gently scrubs away pollutants
  • Relive from skin conditions of black men
  • Wash + Toner + Exfoliator
  • Long-lasting
Cons
  • Jojoba beads stuck in beards
  • Quite expensive
  • No size flexibility
  • Some users find essential oil fragrance to be overpowering

Verdict

In our opinion, it is one of the best facial cleansers for black skin.  It has essential ingredients that fight against skin issues and healthier skin. Also, it makes your skin smooth and free from bumps.

Jack Henry Cleanse+

The founder of Jack Henry has listed down the harmful ingredients before making men’s skincare products.  The plan was to restrict those ingredients that cause more harm than doing good.

What’s inside the product?

  • Coconut oil: Moisturized the skin + fight acne and eczema
  • Aloe powder: Soothes skin +  retains moisture
  • Dead sea salt & sea kelp: Prebiotic sea extracts feed skin microbes + detoxify skin + enhance skin texture
  • Citric acid: Anti-aging + deep cleanser
  • Plant glycerin: Attracts water and binds moisture

African-American men suffer from various skin ailments such as inflammation, dryness, and redness for which, this face wash is a one-stop solution.

The ingredients are responsible for killing the acne-causing bacteria and transforming your skin to acne-free skin.  Moreover, it manages the pH levels of your skin, which will help in resolving redness and flaky skin issues.

Lastly, the ingredients also boost collagen production, which results in improved skin texture and appearance.

The problem you might feel, which even we had faced, is that the bottle has no grip on it.  However, you can cover it with ribbed glass and use it to avoid slipping off during the shower.

Pros
  • Kills acne-causing bacteria
  • Good for African-American men
  • Multi-use face wash
  • Fades away dullness
Cons
  • No grip on the bottle
  • Not a travel-friendly product

Verdict

We consider it the natural face cleanser for black skin since it contains all the vital ingredients that can hydrate and make your skin acne-free.

Eraorganics Men’s Face & Body Wash

Skincare should be of utmost priority, and there should be no compromise with it.  When buying a skincare product, you must look at the ingredients since some unknown and harmful ingredients can cause eczema, premature aging, and even cancer.  Since African American men’s skin is highly sensitive, you must duly check every ingredient.

Eraorganics is a USDA organic face wash that is good for even sensitive skin.  It doesn’t contain harmful ingredients like drying toxins, sulfates, parabens, and SLS.  All it contains is a list of organic ingredients:

  • Chamomile Tea: Soothes, moisturizes, and cleanses
  • Coconut Oil: Anti-aging and reduces enlarged pores
  • Sunflower Oil: Soothe irritation & enhance skin appearance
  • Shea Butter: Anti-aging
  • Jojoba Oil: Rich in Vitamin e, treats acne and fine lines, soothe irritation
  • Beeswax: Relieves itching
  • Sweet Orange Oil: Treats acne 
  • Sweet Almond Oil: Fights acne & smoothes skin
  • Vanilla Extracts: Soothes irritation & boost healing
  • Avocado Oil: Anti-aging
  • Rosehip Seed Oil: Moisturizes & fights acne
  • Rosemary Extracts: Anti-aging

The skin care product is for multi-use, which means you can use it anywhere from head to toe.  Isn’t it amazing?  Most African American men complain about suffering from ingrown hairs and razor burn for which, this gentle face wash is a boon.  Besides, anyone can use this product without worrying about the side effects.

The ingredients also make the skin soft and open up the skin pores.  Besides, it even hydrates and nourishes skin cells.  However, oily skin men should not opt for this facial wash as it can make the skin too oily.  Lastly, the natural face wash has a pleasant fragrance, which does not clash with colognes or perfumes.

Pros
  • Promote healthy skin
  • Free from harsh chemicals
  • Manly fragrance
  • Face + Body Wash
  • Prevents razor burns and ingrown hairs
  • Restores skin’s protective barrier
  • Ideal for dry skin
Cons
  • Not good for oily skin
  • Difficult to sweep away pollutants
  • Some users complain about allergies

Verdict

Cleansing the black-owned skin is not as easy as its white skin; there are several challenges to face.  However, adding this Era Organics face & body wash is a one-stop solution to all the hassles.  It makes the skin feel refreshed and energized.

L’OREAL PARIS Skincare Facial Cleanser

Do you mind washing your face with something that absorbs all the pollutants and bad bacteria from your face?  L’OREAL PARIS face wash infused with charcoal powder is an excellent product on the list that does the following tasks:

  • Removes excess oil, impurities, and dirt
  • Captures debris, unclog pores, promotes healthy skin

The charcoal powder absorbs 200x of its weight, which only requires a dime size of amount to get rid of unwanted particles.  The black paste turns into a rich white foam when massaging on the skin to effectively remove impurities.

The five problems that most black men suffer from for which L’OREAL PARIS face wash is the solution are:

  • Dull Skin
  • Clogged pores
  • Overproduction of natural oils
  • Shiny skin
  • Dirt

We recommend applying this product to the forehead, nose, and chin area for maximum results.

One thing you must know is though the tube might look small, it still lasts long due to its thick consistency.  Besides, the face wash is available at an economical rate as compared to others on the list.  Most L’OREAL products are expensive, but this has turned out to be pocket-friendly.

Another advantage of continuous use of L’OREAL facial wash is it transforms your acne-prone skin to acne-free skin.  As a black skin guy, we know how painful acne, pimples, or ingrown hairs are.  Therefore, using this facial wash will offer a quick and permanent escape from all such hassles.

Lastly, it makes your skin feel better since it includes peppermint oil that revitalizes and rejuvenates the skin.

Pros
  • Anti-aging
  • Prevents acne, pimples, and ingrown hairs
  • Quickly slough out pollutants
  • Build rich lather
  • Deeply cleanses Your Skin
Cons
  • Unpleasant smell
  • Some users find it irritating

Verdict

In our opinion, L’OREAL PARIS is the best facial cleanser and a product you can use on the fly.  It is effective, budget-friendly, long-lasting, and trustworthy.

Nivea Men Deep Cleansing Beard & Face Wash

Nivea is a worldwide famous company, and its products are always in high demand.  The two key reasons for the high demand are quality consistency and adding value to the skincare routine.

The facial cleanser not only cleanses your skin thoroughly but also beards and mustaches.  When deep cleansing, the product does not dry out your skin.

The blend of Vanilla and Bourbon offers a pleasant smell, which does not irritate even if you have sensitive skin.  Lastly, the product comes in a pack of 3, which makes the upfront cost quite pocket-friendly. However, it would reserve a good place in your medicine cabinet, but that shouldn’t be an issue since the product is effective.

Now that you know what benefits it could offer- let’s also know what it includes.

The most important ingredient is Charcoal which thoroughly cleanses the beard and the skin underneath it.  Having a charcoal-infused face cleanser by your side means dirt-free and clear skin.

However, we feel that the ratio of charcoal in the face wash is comparatively less than other charcoal-enriched facial washes.  The color of the face wash gel is grey, while L’OREAL PARIS charcoal-based face wash has dark black color.

Another downfall of this facial cleanser is it is not 100% natural or organic; some chemicals may cause skin irritation.

Pros
  • Pleasant fragrance
  • Quickly builds lather
  • Product for beard and no-beard
  • Low upfront cost
  • Suitable to most skin types
Cons
  • Not all ingredients are natural and organic
  • Some users find the smell to be overpowering
  • Not a travel-friendly product

Verdict

If you want black men’s skincare products from a trustworthy brand, you can buy Nivea Men’s face wash.   Though it includes some harsh ingredients, it won’t affect African American skin.

Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser

Vanicream has been serving the skincare industry since 1975, and its gentle facial cleanser is one of the top-rated facial cleansers for acne-prone and sensitive skin.  As the name says, it is mild and gentle on the skin.

Besides, the company stands by its words, which is why it is free from:

  • Lanolin
  • Fragrance
  • Dye
  • Comedogenic properties
  • Paraben
  • Formaldehyde
  • Gluten

All these harmful ingredients dry out the skin, causing irritation and redness.  Since these substances are absent, it can be used as a daily facial cleanser for African American oily skin.  Moreover, the product does not clog pores and is dermatologist tested.

Pros
  • Budget-friendly
  • Free from chemicals
  • Ideal for dry and sensitive skin
  • National Eczema Association approved
Cons
  • Not ideal for scent lovers

Verdict

In our opinion, it is one of the best facial cleansers that does not contain even a single harmful ingredient that troubles your sensitive or dry skin.

Sebamed Clear Face Cleansing Foam

There are products for sensitive, oily, and dry skin, but when it comes to finding a product for combination skin, the task becomes time-consuming.

Since there are limited products, most of the time, they are unavailable.  Besides, the products should maintain a balance between excess oil production and overly dry skin.

So are you looking for a product that works well on both oily and dry skin?

Sebamed has got you covered with its clear face cleansing foam.  The 5-fluid ounces bottle contains Montaline and Panthenol, which results in deep cleansing and irritation reduction.

On top of it, the cleansing foam contains pH 5.5 that bolsters the skin’s natural barrier function.  Unlike many cheap facial cleansers, Sebamed cleansing foam is dermatologically tested and doesn’t include harsh chemicals.

As the name says, it foams up well and sloughs out the dirt to prevent acne and maintain the combination skin.  Lastly, the product isn’t travel-friendly as the weight exceeds the TSA’s norms.

Pros
  • Ideal for combination skin
  • Maintains moisture levels
  • Hydrates skin
  • Budget-friendly
  • Enhances facial skin complexion
  • Sweeps away pollutants
  • Good for acne-prone skin
Cons
  • Not a travel-friendly product

Verdict

In our opinion, it is one of the best facial cleansers for Africans-Americans.  Along with a striking balance between oily and dry skin, it makes your skin free from unwanted pollutants.

Now that you know the best facial cleansers for black men- let’s know what they should contain.

Must-Have Active Ingredients

best face wash for black oily skin

The ingredients are key to combating the pollutants when it comes to buying facial washes for black men.  Any facial wash that fails to perform the primary role is not worth your investment.  Besides, you must also know which ingredients suit your skin type.

For instance, if you have oily skin, the main goal should be controlling the over-production of excess oil from sebaceous glands.  The following ingredients will help oily skin men:

  • Hyaluronic Acid
  • Benzoyl Peroxide
  • Tea Tree Oil
  • Salicylic Acid
  • Glycolic Acid

Each of the natural ingredients mentioned above controls oil production and sweeps away bad bacteria trapped in oils.  On the other hand, dry skin men should look for the following ingredients:

  • Urea
  • Aloe Vera
  • Tea
  • Lactic Acid

The natural ingredients help retain moisture without leaving too much oil on the skin.  You must keep an eye on your skin as an excess amount of oil on dry skin can lead to bacteria build-up, acne, folliculitis, and fungal infections.

As black men, we also look for the following properties and ingredients:

Antioxidants

Antioxidants remove free radicals from your skin cells to avoid unnecessary damage to cells.  The body produces free radicals out of environmental and other pressures.  Cell damage causes premature aging and wrinkles; thus, the antioxidants protect it from radicals.

You can look for Vitamin C or Beta-carotene since they also produce collagen, which binds tissues, which makes the skin soft and energized.

Emollients

Emollients are thin oily films that seal water and fight signs of aging.  It is different from moisturizers; however, moisturizers do contain emollients.  Black men suffer from dry and irritated skin for which, emollients can be a boon.  It helps in treating burns, irritations, and rashes.  Besides, it can quickly heal black men’s skin; if suffering from psoriasis, eczema, dryness, and itchiness.

You can look for other natural ingredients such as:

  • Olive oil
  • Avocado oil
  • Cocoa butter
  • Shea butter
  • Coconut oil
  • Castor oil
  • Jojoba oil

However, do not fall for:

  • Cetyl esters
  • Zinc oxide
  • Petrolatum
  • Lanolin
  • Dimethicone
  • Mineral oil

Moisturizers

Washing your skin can deplete your skin’s natural oils, leaving your skin dry, dull, and dehydrated.  Nobody could tolerate such hassles, especially African-American men’s skin, which is why moisturizers have become one of the key skincare products to add.

 You can look for the following ingredients:

  • Hyaluronic Acid
  • Aloe vera

Activated Charcoal

Since black men’s skin is highly sensitive, activated charcoal-infused facial cleanser would bring a world of difference.  It effectively absorbs the irritants to African-American skin like dirt, debris, impurities, sweat, and oil.  That’s the reason why it has got a fixed place in facial washes.

Apart from ingredients, as a black man, you should also know what skin type you have, and for that, read the next section.

What is Your Skin Type?

best facial cleanser for african american men

Highly sensitive skin is not the only skin type African-American men can have; there are other types, too. Besides, you must also know that not all skincare products are suitable for all skin types.

Here are the skin types:

Normal Skin

The normal skin is not overly dry or oily and does not get affected by any skincare products.  Almost all face washes are compatible with this skin type.  However, it still is advisable to use the best facial wash.

Oily Skin

When sebaceous glands under the skin overly produce sebum oil (natural oils), the skin remains oily throughout the day, irrespective of seasons.  It happens due to several factors such as:

  • Stress
  • Use of harsh chemicals
  • Hormonal imbalance

Excess oil can clog pores, which is why a thinner viscosity facial cleanser for black men would be worth every penny.  Oily skin men should look for non-comedogenic skincare products.

Dry Skin

Contrary to oily skin, the sebaceous glands fail to produce sufficient sebum oil, which is why you face dryness issues.  Besides, using regular soap or shampoo can be another reason since they strip away natural oils.

A moisturizer-infused face wash for men with dry skin is a one-stop solution.  Such face washes remove unwanted pollutants and add hydration to the skin.

Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin men, especially Africans-Americans, are required to use only selected skincare products.  It is easier to irritate sensitive skin than other skin types.  If you are suffering from such a skin type, do not add alcohol, phthalates, sulfates, and paraben face wash for men.

Combination Skin

It is a combination of dry and oily skin, which requires unique treatment and care than other skin types.  Of course, there are facial washes and cleansers for combination skin.

So these are the five different types of skin through which you can classify yourself and start using particular products.  Now we will disclose some secret skincare tips that you would not find anywhere else.

Skincare Tips for Black Men

best facial cleanser for black skin

Since there is a difference in melanin-rich complexions and texture of black men, the skin requires distinct care.  Sometimes, we even ask for solutions from women around us, but trust us, you won’t get a satisfactory response.

That’s why we have curated a list of secret tips that are effective based on our personal experience.

Tip #1: Do Not Over Cleanse

We do not suggest over-cleansing your skin since it can even strip away the necessary sebum oil that maintains the protective skin barrier and melanin.  Do not aim for squeak clean skin as over-cleansing results in overproduction of sebum oil, which is bad for acne-prone skin.

Tip #2: Apply Vitamin C Serum

Apply vitamin C serums as they are a blend of healing nutrients and antioxidants.  No matter if you suffer from dark spots or razor bumps, vitamin C will take care of everything.

Tip #3: Use a Moisturizer

Moisturizer is the last step post-applying vitamin C serum.  You can buy the one containing shea butter as it will seal hydration and not let the skin dry.

FAQs:

1. What is the best face wash for African American skin?

Jack Henry Cleanse+ is the best face wash for black men. However, there are certain factors such as skin type and issues, which you must check before buying a skincare product for yourself.

2. Is Hyaluronic Acid good for African-American Men’s Skin?

In our opinion, hyaluronic acid is one of the best skincare ingredients. Applying it maintains hydration levels, which is highly beneficial to men with dry skin.

3. Is there any way for African-American men to get clean skin?

Most African-American men suffer from acne breakouts and put in all possible efforts to fight against it. Adding a daily facial cleanser is the first thing to the skincare routine as it helps in sloughing away unwanted pollutants. You must add acne-fighting topical solutions that include AHAs and benzoyl peroxide. Moreover, a non-comedogenic moisturizer will be a cherry on the cake.

4. How Many Times do Black Men Should Wash Their Face?

In our opinion, African-American men should wash their faces twice a day, morning and night. During the day, your face might attract many pollutants present in the air, which can clog the skin pores, causing acne and breakouts.

Conclusion

Facial cleansers make the skin feel refreshed, energized, and not dry or stripped.  Like all other skin tones, African-American’s skin complexion also has products to prevent skin issues and moisturize them.  It just requires sorting out the best one.

Of all the best face washes for black men, we recommend using Jack

Henry Cleanse+ due to its compatibility with black skin and capability of resolving related skin issues.  That doesn’t mean all the other facial washes are ineffective; it’s just that this particular face wash has our personal experience, and it stands on all our expectations.  Let us know which you like from the list.  Also, you can tell us what skin conditions your face wash resolves.

Disclaimer

Published Date: Aug 27, 2021

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