If you are suffering from acne you will have questions about proper skin cleaning. Cleansing seems like it should be a simple thing but to stop or prevent acne you must be somewhat aggressive about it.
Your choice of cleanser can depend on a few factors. If you are dealing with mostly non-inflammatory breakouts you could choose a product with salicylic acid. This is a beta hydroxyl acid that will increase the cell turnover in your skin and clear out the blocked pores.
If you suffer from inflammatory acne you may respond best with a benzoyl peroxide cleanser. These can reduce the bacteria which is what is responsible for your acne.
If you are using a medicated acne treatment of any kind you should avoid using a medicated cleanser. Use a mild cleanser design to wash only without medicating.
After you wash your face it should be clean without feeling tight, dry or looking red. If you have any of these sighs try a different cleanser.
You can use a regular bar soap to clean your face but not one that would be drying or irritating. Dove and Neutrogena are a couple good examples of soaps that might be good for you to use. Avoid using a soap that is anti-bacterial and has a deodorant in it.
You should not use any type of scrubbing pad or wash cloth to scrub your skin. You want to avoid any further irritation especially if you have inflammatory acne. If you want clean deeper do a wash, rinse and repeat to further clean your skin. If you want leave the cleanser on a while before rinsing it off.
Do not wash more than twice a day. You want to avoid removing the good natural oils that are on your face. Washing to often will strip off this oil and your skin will become over dry.