These days there are lots of companies claiming to have all natural skin care products but how natural are they? What ingredients should you look for? It can be so confusing! We've put together a list of the 5 things to look for in a natural facial cleanser including the ingredient names that truly will Nourish Your Skin Safely ®!
1. Surfactants- These ingredients remove dirt and oil from the skin. Look for these more natural options:
- Saponified oils of coconut, jojoba and olive
- Coco betaine
- Glucosides- coco, decyl and lauryl
- Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
- Sarcosinates- sodium lauroyl and sodium myristoyl
- Amino Acid-based Surfactants- oat, apple, silk, barley and wheat
2. Emollients- These ingredients help soothe and protect skin and reduce moisture loss. They relieve that tightness or dryness some cleansers leave you with. Look for these natural options:
- vegetable oils- olive, apricot kernel, grapeseed, jojoba (a plant wax), coconut, sweet almond
- butters: cocoa, shea, mango
3. Humectants- These ingredients help attract and hold moisture and deliver hydration and nutrients into the skin keeping it from drying out. Look for these more natural options:
- Glycerin
- Honey
- Hyaluronic Acid
- Aloe Vera
4. Exfoliants- These ingredients help to remove buildup of dry or dead skin cells and promote even texture and smoothness. Your facial cleanser should contain only gentle exfoliants. Look for these natural options:
- Oatmeal
- Apricot Kernel
- Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA's) from fruit or dairy (ie. apple, milk)
- Mineral Salts
5. Botanicals- These ingredients are soothing to the skin and provide vitamins and minerals. Look for these natural extracts:
- Green and white tea
- Calendula, comfrey, marshmallow and lady's mantle
- Rose, lavender
- Willow bark, nettle, rosemary
- Bamboo, cucumber
Most cleansers will also contain a good amount of water. If you buy water based cleansers, look for ones that include hydrosols. Water-based cleansers will also include an emulsifier or two to blend the water and oils and preservatives to protect them for going bad.
Be Green Bath and Body's Gentle Facial Cleanser was named one of the 5 Best Natural and Organic Facial Cleansers for 2018 by the Natural Beauty Blog.
We were so honored to make the top 5!! Gentle Facial Cleanser is appropriate for all skin types and especially sensitive skin. If you have oily or combination skin and prefer a foaming cleanser, Be Green's Green Tea Facial Cleanser is designed for you. Both of our cleansers are EWG Verified.
Try our Gentle Facial Cleanser for free with any purchase!
Add the 1 oz size to your order and enter coupon code "cleanser" at checkout.
Have questions about natural facial cleansers? Contact our founder directly at Karen@BeGreenBathandBody.com.