Squeaky clean skin can come with a price. The harsh sulfates, added fragrances, and unnecessary ingredients formulated into many face washes can throw a wrench into anyone’s beauty routine—even if your cleanser claims to be gentle. “If you’re using conventional beauty products with a ton of preservatives, fragrances, and stabilizers, you’re going to damage the skin’s microflora, which will impair your skin function and have the worst impact for skin quality and appearance,” says holistic aesthetician Kristina Holey. So, rather than deal with irritation later, consider adding a more cleanly formulated cleanser into the equation. The 16 formulas below are the tried-and-true clean beauty cleansers our editors love for removing makeup, dirt, and excess oil from your skin.
Ranavat Luminous Ceremony: Cream Cleanser
Genuinely gentle on skin, Ranavat’s creamy cleanser will inspire you to take a moment to savour washing your face—an impressive feat, honestly. Manjistha, an Ayurvedic herb, brightens skin as it assists in cleansing.
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Herbivore Botanicals Pink Cloud Rosewater + Tremella Creamy Jelly Cleanser
No sulfates or synthetics here. Instead, Herbivore Botanicals relies on a rose hydrosol and vegan squalane—alongside easy-on-skin surfactants.
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Weleda Gentle Cleansing Foam
Marie Veronique Pure E.O. Free Oil Cleanser
This all-natural formula relies on omega-6-rich oils (not essential oils) to deliver serious makeup removal and gentle cleansing.
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Youth To The People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser
Thousands of positive reviews all point to one simple fact: this award-winning and best-selling cleanser is the one gentle face wash you have to try, even if you’re not interested in natural and clean beauty.
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OSEA Ocean Cleanser
This top-rated gel cleanser uses seaweed and antioxidants to fight free radical damage, leaving skin healthier with every wash.
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Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser
This exfoliating cleanser is gentle enough to use every single day—but if you’re at all sensitive or already sloughing a ton in your routine, switch to using it twice a week to boost your glow.
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Ursa Major Fantastic Face Wash
The blend of essential oils in this formula keep your skin healthy and hydrated while still getting it really clean.
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Josh Rosebrook Complete Moisture Cleanse
Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash
A sulfate-free, vegan, and natural face wash that’s powerful enough to remove most makeup in just one wash. Plus, we love the drugstore price.
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Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser
This jelly cleanser is free of SLS, fragrance, and essential oils and is perfect for tackling oily skin and removing makeup at the end of a long day.
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Biossance Squalane + Antioxidant Cleansing Oil
Acure Seriously Soothing Cleansing Cream
If your skin turns red at the thought of washing your face, this is the cleanser you need to try. Peony extracts and sunflower amino acids make this sulfate-free formula ideal for reactive and sensitive skin.
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One Love Organics Vitamin B Cleansing Oil & Makeup Remover
Smear this oil all over your dry skin to melt away even waterproof makeup, then splash your skin with water to get an easy one-step cleanse.
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Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm
This article originally appeared on Harper’s Bazaar US.
