Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Pore Perfecting Cleansing Gel, available at Sephora, $38
For even tone, texture, and clarity that doesn't strip the skin of moisture, I swear by Dr. Dennis Gross' Alpha Beta facial cleanser.
Simply put, it's the best cleanser I've ever used — and you'd hope it would be after it took Dr. Gross four years to perfect. It's not a foam and wasn't formulated with soap, so it doesn't leave the skin feeling uncomfortably dry or tight. But, having said that, it's also a more intense clean. It works into a rich lather, and the alpha and beta hydroxy acids work diligently (on multiple levels of the skin) to slough away dead, tired cells and facilitate healthy turnover to even tone and texture. Altogether, it's formulated to treat skin concerns while maintaining the skin's integrity and pH balance.
After using it, my skin looks brighter and tighter, and dark spots faded at a faster rate thanks to frequent exfoliation. This worked for the no-foundation project twofold: I didn't feel the need to cover up my skin's imperfections because there were fewer of them, and I didn't want to cover it up because my skin actually looked better au naturel than it did covered in foundation.
I definitely still get the occasional blemish, but the texture and overall tone of my skin is so consistently even now that I typically just dab concealer on the spot, blend it into the surrounding skin with a brush, and head out the door.