Foaming cleansers were formulated for oily teenage skin that produces sebum fast enough to replenish. Adult skin barrier doesn't recover the same way — the daily stripping causes dryness, sensitivity, and rebound oil.
Signs you're over-cleansing
Tight squeaky feeling after rinsing. Redness around nose for 10+ minutes afterwards. Skin that feels dry but breaks out anyway. Need for heavy moisturiser to undo the stripping.
The cleanser swap that fixes most adult skin issues
Cream cleanser morning and evening. CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, La Roche-Posay Toleriane, Avene Tolerance Extreme — all under £15. Most users see improvement within 2 weeks.
If you've used the same foaming cleanser for years and your skin has been a problem, this single change is the cheapest experiment in skincare.