Best Eco-Friendly Cleansers That Get The Green Light From Us
Face feeling oily despite using enough Salicylic Acid to banish the biggest of blemishes? Or maybe your skin’s parched and puffy even though you’re chugging more spring water than an Arctic fish. When it comes to fulfilling your dewy-skin dreams, there could be a simple secret you’ve been sleeping on. And the answer lies in the very first step of your routine: Your cleanser.
Yes, it’s the most basic step in skincare. And yes, you’ve been doing it since you were about 12. But the importance of finding the best cleanser for your skin type *cannot* be stressed enough.
With a plethora of products on the market, it’s an uphill battle to pinpoint your perfect cleanser. An insane choice of gels, balms, oils, foams, water-based products or creams can leave any skincare obsessive stumped. To make things simple, here’s 15 of our favourites. And the best bit? They’re all eco-friendly or organic, so you can cleanse with a conscience. Enjoy.
By Emily Kemp
How we choose the best cleansers
When deciding on the best cleansers ever, we look for the hardest-working formulas that give great value for money, use eco-friendly formulas and excel at dirt-banishing duties. Considering all skin types and tones, we select only those products with industry-leading ingredients for oily, dry and sensitive skin - and all those in between.
To scrutinise our selections, we bring in expert opinions from our editors and pore over your detailed reviews. When we find kind-to-the-planet formulas with five star ratings, we can be sure those are the best cleansers that will really live up to the hype.
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Face Halo
Pro Black 3 Pack
Best for: Minimalists
These unassuming little pads went viral for a reason: They remove makeup using nothing but good ol’ fashioned water. Yeah, seriously. One Face Halo pad purchase and you’ll never need to buy a cleanser again.
Ok, that last bit might be an overstatement. And you’re right to be sceptical. But honestly, these pads are a Hollywood MUA and A-lister favourite. And you know how hard that crowd is to please.
Designed with an ultra-fine microfibre fabric, the pads make light work of removing heavier makeup and masks. There’s no harsh ingredients or textures, making them non-stripping. You won’t need to worry about disrupting your skin’s precious PH balance, either.
After a few uses, just throw them in with your laundry and reuse again and again. Sustainable and insanely simple? Double tick.
The hype: "Amazing, this product is kind to you and the planet. It removes all makeup and products from skin. It also cleans bare skin and clears up pores in seconds. Will save you time, money and your body from extra chemicals from products and their packaging. Will be buying for all my family and friends for Christmas." - Rebeccah, customer review
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Balance Me
Pure Skin Face Wash
Best for: Radiance
Dull, dehydrated or blemish-prone skin? This is your jam. With an ingredients list worth writing home about, cleansing with this face wash is a genuine delight.
Firstly, the formula is infused with Moringa: A super-light oil (oily skin types don’t freak out, oil is not the enemy) packed with Omega-9 fatty acids and antimicrobial properties. This is especially important when it comes to acne-specific skin care.
There’s also Rice Bran Oil in the mix. Yes this sounds like a breakfast cereal, but it’s actually a blend of high levels of Vitamin E, Vitamin B and Omega-9 to boost hydration and even out skin tone.
Sulphate-free and with chamomile and palma rosa scents, you’ll be singing this cleanser’s praises morning and night.
The hype: "I have dry, sensitive, acne prone skin, and this face wash addressed all three of those concerns beautifully. After a few months' use my skin looks a thousand times better than it ever has since I started puberty." - Joanna, customer review
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REN Clean Skincare
Evercalm™ Gentle Cleansing Gel
Best for: Sensitive skin
REN’s Evercalm range is a godsend for sensitive skin types: The kind of skin that needs those hard-working hero ingredients to keep it calm and collected. And this cleanser does just that.
With a minimalist ingredient list, the gentle gel formula helps banish any irritation, tightness or discomfort. It delivers on some much-needed TLC - all without skimping on effectiveness.
To lift daily dirt, rub one pump in the palms of slightly damp hands and gently massage over face and neck. Rinse with warm water and enjoy this cleanser’s endless skin-soothing effects.
The hype: "Lovely gentle gel, doesn’t sting the eyes. Great as a second cleanse in the evening or single cleanse in the morning." - Marie, customer review
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Evolve Beauty
Gentle Cleansing Melt
Best for: Handmade
Big noise in the clean beauty world is Evolve Beauty, a British-owned brand who lovingly hand-craft their products in their eco studio in Hertfordshire.
And with a 100% natural ingredients list (of which 98% are organically-sourced), this gentle balm truly is an eco warrior’s dream. Enriched with nourishing Baobab Oil, stick with this cleanser to see improved skin elasticity and revitalised skin cells.
Safe for even the sensitive eye area, massage the melt gently onto a dry face. Add warm water and watch it transform to a rich creamy milk, which never fails to deliver a deep down cleanse upon rinsing.
The hype: "This is a wonder balm. It’s gentle with an unusual texture, which initially feels like a thick gel, but warms and turns fluid once applied to the face. It has a pleasant scent and feels luxurious to use. I feel as though I am really treating my face each time I use this." - Lowri, customer review
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Sukin
Foaming Facial Cleanser
Best for: Price
Sukin shows everyone up when it comes to delivering on both price and performance. Proving that natural beauty doesn’t have to cost the earth, their Australian-made Foaming Facial Cleanser is ideal for normal to oily skin types.
Perfect for once or twice daily use, massage into skin with circular motions. Remove with your favourite reusable cotton pad or warm face cloth. Paraben, silicone and sulphate-free, this formula is infused with calming camomile and cooling aloe vera to quickly soothe any irritated patches.
It gets better. Every Sukin range is completely carbon neutral, meaning you can cleanse with peace of mind that any emissions have been offset. Zero carbon footprint? Check.
The hype: "Quite honestly the best facial cleanser I've used. It's gentle yet very effective and has an amazing smell. It doesn't leave my face tight or stripped of its natural oils. Instead it leaves it clean and fresh without any chance of breakouts." - Kimberley, customer review
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Liz Earle
Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser
Best for: Legendary
There’s a reason everyone you’ve ever known has used this product at some point in their lives: It’s legendary. Liz Earle never disappoints when it comes to skincare, but their Cleanse & Polish Cleanser will go down in history as *the* go-to cleanser for radiant skin.
A winner of over 100 awards (yep, you read that right) it’s incredibly gentle, removes makeup spotlessly and is safe for the delicate eye area too. Infused with eucalyptus oil, chamomile and cocoa butter, this rich balm is a rite of passage for any skincare obsessive. Seriously, all those judges can’t be wrong.
Use morning and night following a two-step routine: First, massage a few pumps onto dry skin. Then, rinse a face cloth (such as Liz Earle’s famous muslin cloth) in hand-hot water and wring out before polishing off the creamy cleanser. Splash with cool clean water to finish.
The hype: "As always this product is amazing! I’ve been using it for 15 years and will never change." - Rose, customer review
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The Inkey List
Oat Cleansing Balm
Best for: Skincare newbies
You can’t go wrong with this cleanser from The Inkey List. Packed with soothing Collodial Oatmeal and barrier-repairing Ceramides, dewy, even skin is a given with continued use. And all for less than a tenner.
The entire Inkey List range is budget friendly, making it an ideal starting point if you’re new to skincare. And this humble cleansing balm is a great place to begin your routine.
The gentle formula melts makeup and excess oil without stripping sensitive or irritated skin of much-needed moisture. It’s a small investment for a *big* skin transformation.
The hype: "The Inkey List has been doing skin care right since day one, and its Oat Cleansing Balm is yet another great launch. Formulated with oat kernel oil to keep skin hydrated and one percent colloidal oatmeal to reduce redness, this luxurious formula will never strip your sensitive skin of moisture." - Allure
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