What's the best way to wash my face?

Most soaps contain chemicals called surfactants (charged fats) that can have a tendency to remove the protective cholesterol and fats from the skin. Soaps also tend to be alkaline (have a pH above 7), which probably contributes to their propensity to irritate even normal skin.

Dove products, although often called soap, are actually milder, neutral (pH of 7) cleansers called syndets. They tend to be less drying and irritating and are often recommended by dermatologists over soaps.

Many liquid cleansers have several types of fats added to them to replenish what the cleansing surfactant component take away. Many brands of mild liquid cleansers exist, and essentially none of them have been studied head-to-head. Theoretically, brands like Cerave, which contain types of moisturizers named ceramides in addition to cholesterol and other fatty acids in a more natural ratio. Studies have not compared ceramide-based cleansers with other types of moisturizing cleansers so it is not possible to say with certitude that they are better than other cleansers, but the theory is appealing to many dermatologists.

At the end of the day I recommend one ceramide-based cleanser in particular, namely Cerave, because it is reasonably priced, my patients have fantastic results, and because I find the theory of replacing what is naturally lost appealing.