Well and Good recently published an article about the harsh realities of the longtime loved Cetaphil face wash.
To summarize, Cetaphil and many dermatologists have been promoting it for years as the best gentle facial cleanser for sensitive skin. It only has 8 ingredients, but after water they are all manufactured chemicals.
And we wouldn’t exactly call them gentle.
What’s the problem?
The ingredients include 3 different parabens (known to cause endocrine disruption and linked to breast cancer), propylene glycol (increases chemical penetration into your skin and bloodstream) and sodium lauryl sulfate (known to cause skin irritation). Additionally, ethylene oxide is often added to sodium lauryl sulfate in order to make the chemical less irritating to skin and hair. This process creates a byproduct called 1,4-dioxane, a known carcinogen. Exposure can be toxic to the brain, liver and kidneys.
Read more about the scary effects of these chemicals on your body here.
What now?
We get it, weaning yourself from a product you’ve been using for years and are generally happy with may seem unnecessary. Why fix what’s not broken? Unfortunately, even if you aren’t seeing these potentially scary side effects right now, the long term health effects of these chemicals can be really serious.
Think about it, if you wash your face twice a day, over 10 years you are applying these controversial chemicals to your skin 7,300 times. That’s also just your face wash, think of the other products you use throughout the day. Makeup, shampoo, body wash, moisturizer. It all starts to add up really fast.
To make the separation anxiety a little bit less traumatic we found 5 gentle cleansers with clean ingredients to replace Cetaphil’s spot on your counter.
1. Live Botanical Gentle Cleansing Gel This hydrating, oil-free and soap-free milky gel gently cleanses without stripping or disrupting the skin’s delicate acid mantel. Formulated for acne prone and sensitive skin, mild astringents like green tea and aloe balance natural, healthy oil production without drying or stripping. A customer fave, this is an easy transition to clean beauty, helping you maintaining a fresh, hydrated complexion. 100ml / $40
2. Graydon Face Foam An unscented oil-free cleanser for sensitive skin. The gentle foam effectively removes dirt, makeup, sweat and excess sebum while balancing the pH of your skin. Infused with blue-green algae (also known as Blue Majik®), white willow bark (a natural salicylic acid), and apple cider vinegar to provide a gentle, but thorough cleanse. 100ml/$33
3. Laurel Skin Effortless CleanserA brand we can ALWAYS count on for ultra-effect plant-based formulas. There isn’t one product we haven’t fallen in love with from the line. The Effortless Cleanser for Normal/Dry skin is no exception.
The non-foaming, non-stripping gentle facial cleanser that effectively removes daily pollutants, excess oil, and full makeup and sunscreen while hydrating, nourishing, moisturizing and supporting a healthy skin barrier. The light, creamy gel-like consistency leaves skin soft, nourished and refreshed. 100ml / $56
4. Dafna Purify Cleanser A soft lotion-gel cleanser. Leaves skin looking clear, glowing and fresh. Indulgently formulated with eight natural oils and nutrients as Ayurvedic Pomegranate extract, MelaCareTM oil and Geranium essential oil to allow soft cleansing experience. Removes everyday impurities and unclogs the pores, fights free radicals and the appearance of spots. Helps to reduce hormonal acne. 100ml / $42
5. Ursa Major Fantastic Face Wash Ursa Major’s Fantastic Face Wash is a foaming gel cleanser with a natural brightening complex. It thoroughly cleanses, brightens and clarifies your complexion , removes oil and grime and dissolves dead surface skin. The best part is that due to the high % of aloe this cleanser soothes irritated skin and leaves ZERO dryness. It feels refreshing and nourishing all in one. 8 oz / $28
If you’re interested in the products above, you may also be interested in some of the products in our Clean Beauty Box. We ship clean and cruelty-free products to our subscribers every other month.
