Nothing wakes you up like splashing cold water on your face. Once you’re bright and alert, your morning routine can commence, usually starting with face wash. From gel and cream varieties to clay and a good old-fashioned bar, there are many options available.

Regardless of what you choose, you can bet it also comes with a long list of ingredients. But what exactly are these ingredients and are they even good for you?

What you put onto your skin is partially absorbed into your body and bloodstream – and what’s washed off goes down the drain and into the environment. Keeping this in mind, you may want to think twice about what face wash you choose.

This post does contain some affiliate links which means The Honest Consumer may receive a commission if you decide to purchase, however, at no additional cost to you!

Are There Harmful Ingredients in Conventional Face Washes?

There are potentially harmful ingredients in face wash and many other personal care products. Sometimes these are not harmful in and of themselves, but they can be when mixed with other ingredients.

Furthermore, while some ingredients may have little or no effect in small amounts, constant and continuous use can cause them to build up in our bodies and the environment.

Some of the ingredients you may want to avoid when buying face wash follow.

Parabens are commonly found in many personal care products, including face wash, because they are used as a preservative to keep products shelf stable. However, parabens are endocrine disruptors and are also linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.
Formaldehyde is also used as a preservative and can irritate your eyes, nose, throat, and skin. While some products may not contain formaldehyde, keep an eye out for formaldehyde-releasing preservatives like DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, glyoxal, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, and quaternium-15.
Phthalates are used in face wash as a solvent, a gelling agent, and to keep it from drying out. However, these are potential endocrine and reproductive system disruptors.
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is commonly found in shampoos, but may also be present in your face wash. It’s what causes products to suds and foam, but it’s also an irritant because it strips your skin of natural oils.
Polyethylene glycol (PEG) can be used as an emulsifier in skincare products but may lead to irritation. It has been linked to cancer, because it is sometimes contaminated with ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane – a known and a possible carcinogen, respectively – but better purification standards have minimized this concern.
Ethanolamines such as diethanolamine (DEA), triethanolamine (TEA), and monoethanolamine (MEA), can react with other chemicals to form nitrosamines, which are potential carcinogens. While they are deemed safe for use in cosmetic products in the US, DEA in cosmetics is prohibited in Canada and Europe.
Triclosan is a chemical ingredient with antibacterial properties, but its use has been banned in antibacterial soap. It has been linked to endocrine disruption in animal studies and there is concern of bacterial resistance from the overuse of antibacterial products.
Avoid fragrances. These are often trade secrets whose ingredients do not need to be disclosed, allowing brands to hide thousands of potentially toxic ingredients under this obscure label.
Many of these ingredients also enter the environment, building up and contributing to the development of harmful algal blooms. These are a form of algae that can produce toxic effects, use up oxygen in the water, or discolor and contaminate drinking water.
Microbeads are also a concern. These are added to face wash to give them texture or act as an exfoliant, but they are made out of tiny pieces of plastic and we hardly need any more of that entering our waterways. Keep packaging in mind too as bottles and tubes are also usually made from plastic and merely thrown out once your face wash is finished.

Benefits of Organic Face Washes

If you want to find a kinder, safer face wash, look to natural and organic ingredients with minimal packaging. Be mindful that natural does not automatically mean organic.

Ingredients you’ll commonly find in a natural facial cleanser can include plant oils, which are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Examples include olive, coconut oil, sunflower, avocado, almond, and jojoba oils.

If these are organic, they would have been grown, and hopefully also processed, according to organic standards such as avoiding the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.

Essential oils are plant-derived and used for their various health benefits and natural scent. Bear in mind that these oils can be strong and may not be conducive to regular use or not ideal for sensitive skin. Conduct a patch test when trying out a new product.

Nature has an enormous bounty and you’ll find an abundance of flowers, herbs, and fruits that have many advantages and smell great too.

These include orange, lemon, chamomile, rosehip, jasmine, almonds, oatmeal, aloe vera, green tea, lavender, and cucumber.

There are also organic compounds whose names you may not recognize as easily as a flower or herb. One of these is salicylic acid, which is an organic compound that naturally occurs in willow bark. It exfoliates the skin and fights acne without drying it out.

Glycolic acid has a similar function and is also derived from nature, although it can be synthesized in a lab. To help hydrate your skin and protect the barrier look for ceramides. These occur naturally in the skin but are also synthesized for skin care products.

5 Tried & Tested Face Washes Made with Organic Ingredients

If you're ready to add an organic face wash to your skincare routine, these sustainable brands are a great place to start as they prioritize a clean ingredient list, low or zero waste packaging, and crafting in small batches.

Plus, I've tried all five of these organic products and am excited to share what I did and did not love about each face wash.

Acure's Ultra Hydrating Green Juice Cleanser

Using high-quality, natural ingredients, Acure focuses on skin and hair products that are good for you and good for the planet. The popular green juice cleanser is a face wash that contains organic botanical and fruit extracts, including chamomile, pomegranate, and blackberry.

acute organic face wash — Its name comes from its green blend of kale, spinach, neem, and spirulina. It is vegan, cruelty-free, and free from parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, petrolatum, and formaldehyde.
I personally enjoyed this face wash because of how it made my skin feel moisturized. It has a thicker consistency which I think helped create a rich lather. As someone with dry skin I think finding a natural face cleanser that is also moisturizing is also a plus.
However, I didn't feel like this face wash did much for my acne.

I wasn't the only one who enjoyed this face wash. This has become my husband's go-to new face wash. I think the mild scent makes this great for both men and women.

Shop Acure

Cocokind's Oil to Milk Cleanser

Cocokind is passionate about creating products that are kinder to your skin. Their packaging contains not only formulation fact panels, but also breaks down an item’s carbon footprint.

face wash made with organic ingredients — Research is conducted on ingredients to ensure that they meet Cocokind’s safety and sustainability standards. Most of their formulas feature certified organic ingredients.
Their products are cruelty-free; most are also vegan, with the exception of those containing beeswax.
Cocokind has multiple face wash options. I opted for the oil to milk cleanser which is good for all skin types and has a two-fold function.
It starts as an oil balm whose texture loosens makeup and removes impurities; once water is added, it turns into a milk that rinses everything off, without stripping or drying your skin.

I really loved this cleanser because it doesn’t really have a smell, it has a thicker consistency which leaves my face feeling moisturized, and I can tell it’s made with gentle ingredients.

My skin was left feeling both clean and moisturized which was wonderful.

Shop Cocokind

Corvus Botanicals Zero Waste Organic Facial Cleanser Bar

Specializing in sustainable personal care products, Corvus Botanicals is all about using responsible ingredients and minimizing packaging.

For both their ingredients and their packaging, they prioritize materials that are renewable, regenerative, pesticide-free, upcycled, and recycled.

zero waste organic face wash — They seek suppliers who are organic, fair trade, palm-free, anti-overharvesting, cruelty-free, and carbon conscious. When it comes to plant-based ingredients, Corvus Botanicals opts for those with healthy conservation statuses.
On the safety side, their ingredient standards are compliant with the FDA, EPA, and COSMOS.
The unscented Neptune facial cleanser is vegan, cruelty-free, palm-free, ocean-safe, plastic-free, and biodegradable. It contains organic shea butter and matcha leaf powder to help hydrate and moisturize your skin.
This has been my go-to face wash for years. I've gotten to know the owner Stacia and really appreciate her knowledge of ingredients and trust the products she makes.

This face wash always leaves my face feeling clean and helps to keep my acne and redness under control. I have really sensitive skin and feel like this is a gentle option that works well for everyday use with my skin type.

I also love that the face wash is unscented and features zero waste packaging.

Shop Corvus Botanicals

Inika Organics Phytofuse Renew Cream Cleanser

Inika Organics is Australian beauty brand focuses on organic skincare and makeup. They are certified organic, cruelty-free, and vegan.

Adhering to the strictest safety standards, their products are free from petrochemicals, synthetic substances, mineral oils, parabens, sulfates, and polyethylene glycol.

organic face wash with brush — Their Phytofuse Renew™ Cream Cleanser is unique in that the tube has a silicone brush whose bristles dissolve makeup and impurities. The tube is made from sugarcane-derived materials and is recyclable.
The cleanser’s hero ingredient, rose of Jericho, protects and restores the skin barrier while also hydrating it. Camellia and jojoba oils, along with shea and cocoa butters, help with softness and suppleness.

The Phytofuse Renew™ Cream Cleanser was really unique because it has a built in brush. I felt like the brush allowed me to clean my skin in a deeper way.

I enjoyed this gentle cream cleanser and felt like it worked well with my sensitive skin. While I liked this cleanser and I really liked the brush on this one, I think it's a bit out of my personal price range as it's around $45 a bottle.

Shop Inika Organics

Ursa Major's Fantastic Face Wash

Ursa Major is a growing natural skincare brand. Organic ingredients are used as much as possible and they do not use petrochemicals, parabens, synthetic fragrances or colors, silicones, or PEGs.

Their Fantastic Face Wash contains organic aloe, sugar maple, white tea, lemon, rice extract, and coconut-derived surfactants.

Providing a deep cleanse, it won’t strip or irritate your skin, while the scent of cedar, lime, and spearmint will put you in mind of the great outdoors. Fantastic Face Wash cleanses without stripping your skin of moisture, or messing with its pH balance.

I appreciated that this was a lighter cleanser that still cleanses deeply. I also liked that I could purchase a travel size in order to try out this organic face cleanser.

This allowed me to try a small amount before committing to an entire bottle. I also felt like this cleanser helped minimize my redness which is great.

Shop Ursa Major

Tips for Shopping for a New Face Wash

If you're ready to switch to a face wash with organic ingredients, here are a few tips!

Consider what type of skin you have. Do you have oily skin, dry skin, or a combination of both? It might be worth researching which ingredients will work best with your skin type.
If you're able to purchase a small or travel size bottle of the face wash, this is a great way to test out a small amount before committing to a full size bottle.
Start small and make sure the cleanser works with your skin. It's best to start with a small amount on your skin to make sure no break outs occur.
What type of face wash are you looking for? A gel cleanser, cleansing oil, or something light? This could be a personal preference or can also be something to consider based on your skin type.
Avoid harsh chemicals and learn how to read the ingredients list.
Consider following up with a natural face moisturizer.

Hopefully this guide helped you learn how to read ingredient lists, what to look out for, and how to confidently shop for natural skin cleansers made with organic ingredients.

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