Winter skin care: 12 cleansers that won't leave skin a dry, flakey mess

Winter skincare alert: face-washing is the most basic of skincare tasks, buuut it's not as simple as just soaping up till you're squeaky clean — especially in the cold weather months. Super-foamy products are often made with loads of surfactants, which can strip away your skin's natural lipids and mess with your moisture barrier.

If your face already tends to be dry or sensitive — or gets that way right about now — trade your lather for a gentler cleansing milk, oil or balm (the latter melts from solid to oil, then rinses off milky). Or if you can't give up all your suds, do the double cleanse as popularized by Korean beauty trends: use a balm or oil to get rid of makeup and other heavy gunk, then follow with a milder foamy wash.

Here, 12 editor-approved picks that won't leave you parched.

Winter Cleansers

Biosource Balm-to-Oil, $39, Biotherm.