If you are spending a ton of money on the fanciest, cleanest non-toxic face wash, you now have permission to stop. This post will help you find a simple, affordable non-toxic face wash for your clean beauty routine.
A lot of people think face wash is what keeps acne at bay. I’m here to tell you that’s not really the case. That’s good news, right? You don’t need to spend tons of money on fancy face washes and creams, but you can still beautiful clear skin!
Face Wash Doesn’t Equal Clear Skin
I can’t write this article without addressing what really predicts clear skin: diet. Large cystic acne was an issue for me from age 14 until age 27 or so. I tried All. The. Things. from Proactive to vitamins to this crazy green extract from the health food store. Nothing helped my acne nearly as much as changing my diet.
I noticed how much effect diet had on my acne for the first time when I was newly out of college and working near a restaurant with an incredible salad bar. I started going to the restaurant daily to get a big salad and immediately started getting complements on my skin—how clear it was and that it was glowing.
After some thought, I decided leafy greens were likely the common denominator, but I was young and didn’t faithfully stick with the greens. A few years later after I got married, my husband and I started cleaning up our diet for good, and I saw the phenomenon again.
As we started eating more whole foods especially vegetables, my breakouts subsided. Once I saw the connection again, I made a point to get two big servings of leafy greens each day, and I haven’t had a problem with acne since.
Most days I have a green smoothie and a salad, and my skin lets me know very quickly when I slack. I am sure it’s not the greens alone as we’ve added tons of nutrient rich foods over the years and taken out lots of bad ones, but I tend to notice the biggest connection to the leafy greens. I’m also prone to eczema and have been able heal it and keep it quiet via diet. There is so much power in what we eat.
I’m not suggesting that washing your face is not needed. It absolutely is, especially if you wear makeup or sweat on a daily basis. Face wash removes makeup, dirt and oil, which is also vital to maintaining clear skin.
How often should I wash my face?
I’m sure this varies from person to person, but many sources suggest washing your face less is better. When I discovered this advice, I put it into practice. Most days I just wash my face once. If I notice it’s oily, I simply rinse it with water. Talk about a time saver!
There is something to over washing, so beware of using a strong cleanser twice a day. Over washing can irritate and dry out your skin leading to more redness and acne.
Which Foods are Good for Acne?
Research tells us that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids reduces inflammation and improves symptoms of acne. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include fish, eggs, soybeans, spinach and kale, flaxseeds, grass-fed beef and nuts.
Which Foods are Bad for Acne?
In addition, a 2016 study tells us that dairy and foods with a high glycemic index (breads, pastas, sugar) may increase the presence of acne. Dairy commonly causes inflammation, so this makes sense.
As with many health issues, it’s likely a combination of taking in more foods that reduce acne and taking in less foods that promote acne.
Can you eat your skincare?
I heard something cool the other day from Dr. Mark Hyman. He said, “If you wouldn’t eat it, you shouldn’t put it on your skin.” He said that, because our skin is our largest organ. Our skin absorbs most of the lotions, creams and oils we put on it. How deep into the body they go depends on their chemical make up.
It is safe to say that some things we put on our skin will reach the blood stream. That’s why it’s important to choose clean cosmetic and skin care products. Okay, so we aren’t likely really going to eat our skincare, but using a non-toxic face wash is still a good wellness strategy.
As I have mentioned in several posts before this, the U.S. does not ban many cosmetic and skin care ingredients like they do in the EU (European Union). There are over 1,300 banned ingredients in the EU but only a handful in the U.S. In 2021 alone, the EU banned 25 new ingredients. Anyone else jealous?
Odds are if you walk into the skincare aisle of a store, the product you select will contain ingredients that are banned in the EU and other countries. It’s up to us, the consumer, to research and ensure that we are using safe products. The most powerful thing we can do is vote with our dollars.
The higher the demand for clean beauty products, the more that will be created and make it to store shelves. More and more people are becoming interested in what they are putting in and putting on their body. This is great news!
How to spot non-toxic face wash?
I’ve been into non-toxic living for over a decade now, but I still can’t remember every ingredient I need to avoid. Thankfully, there are some recourses to help you avoid toxins in your skincare products. The best resource that I know of is the Environmental Working Group (EWG)’s Skin Deep Database.
Many cosmetic and skin care brands are now EWG Verified. When you see the EWG stamp of approval, there is no need to check the product in the EWG database. It is verified to be free of highly toxic ingredients. This can be a time saver and help simplify your shopping strategy.
Now that we’ve covered the why and discussed how to find safe skin care products, let’s check out some accessible and affordable options for non-toxic face wash.
This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
I often start with my favorite choice and this post is no exception. If I could only use one face/body wash product for the rest of my life, it would likely be this first one.
Dr. Bronner’s
Dr. Bronner’s pure castile bar soap made with organic coconut and olive oils fit perfectly into any clean beauty routine. These soaps are free of synthetic preservatives, detergents or foaming agents. They use post-consumer recycled material for the packaging. They are also certified fair trade.
Not a fan of bar soaps? No worries, they have a large selection of liquid soaps! One thing to remember with the liquid soaps is that a little goes a long way. These products are so versatile—you can literally use them for almost everything.
Honest Beauty Gentle Gel Cleanser
Honest Beauty uses quality, safe ingredients and always ranks well with the EWG. Their products are also affordable, which I personally appreciate. They have several EWG Verified face washes, so I chose to highlight the one with the most ratings.
This cleanser is made without parabens, phthalates, SLS, dyes, SLES, PEGs and synthetic fragrances. Reviews noted that it was gentle and moisturizing and loved that it was parfum/fragrance free. I love that too, since synthetic fragrance is a hormone disruptor. You can read more about this in my post The Dangers of Synthetic Fragrance.
Kiss My Face Pure Olive Oil Bar
This Kiss My Face Pure Olive Oil Bar is about as basic as it gets. It’s made of 86% olive oil and only a handful of ingredients. It is Non-GMO Verified, cruelty free, vegan, gluten free, paraben free, phthalate free and SLS free. Like Dr. Bronner’s, the offer many variations of the soap including olive and aloe and olive and chamomile.
Reviewers love how natural it feels, and how soft it leaves their face. Despite rumors, using an oil-based face wash will not make your skin overly oily. Olive oil is also non comedogenic, so it won’t clog pores. Some reviewers didn’t care for the smell, so you might want to consider that before purchasing.
I hope you enjoyed this post and that it helps you with your clean beauty routine. Did you know that olive oil makes a killer eye makeup remover? Read more about thar here.
