When helping a client choose products for their skin I will always start with the cleanser, this is the most important part of any skincare routine, even if you have a dry skin and you think no I must start with a rich moisturiser. I can not stress enough

“Through using an incorrect cleanser you can create a skin condition that you do not naturally have”

You can create an oily, dry, dehydrated, and even sensitive skin condition buy using an incorrect cleanser, which then has an impact on all the other products you will be using for your skin, which will be trying to combat a condition you have created in the first place and do not naturally have.
Finding the right cleanser is not easy, there is lots to choose from and just because you have read about one particular product r your friend will not use anything else, does not mean it is going to get the best out of your skin.

You may have oily skin and want that squeaky clean feeling and use foaming facial washes that do achieve this or soap!!!! but all this will do is make the condition worse, yes you are cleaning the skin but you end up stripping the skin of it’s natural oils and the sebaceous glands go into overdrive and produce even more oil than is needed, so by mid morning the shiny, oil has reappeared and your oil skin is no better off.

Normal, dry and sensitive skin, by using a pomade, balm type cleanser think this is exactly what a dry skin needs, but I have seen with clients that it may remove the makeup they want and initially leave the skin feeling moist, but some times these types of cleansers leave pores clogged, especially it seems around the eyes, nose and chin, so not cleansing at all. And in some cases actually making the skin even drier, if they are not removed efficiently they leave a film on the skin and actually cause deep down dehydration, some of these types of cleanser still have a base of glorified Vaseline which is a mineral oil, and these are widely known to block pores. It is more likely the action of using the hot cloth which you need to remove these types of cleanser that is doing the good.

I would suggest cleansing may come in the form of 2 products, one to remove makeup and one to actually cleanse the skin. An oil based product or balm cleanser are great for what I would call a surface cleanse, removing the makeup and dirt, but for a more thorough cleanse may be a product that gently foams or a gentle wash to do a thorough second cleanse.