Natural Facial Cleansers

Completely natural facial cleansers are still hard to find

Although natural products have become a mainstay in the cosmetics and skin care industry, reviews of natural facial cleansers are still hard to find. To make matters more confusing, many companies market products as "natural" even though they contain chemical ingredients. For example, Origins Zero Oil Deep Pore Cleanser (*Est. $18.50 for 5 oz.) contains irritating fragrant plant oils as well as other chemical ingredients.

In reviews, Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash (*Est. $9.25 for 8 oz.) surfaces as a more authentic natural option. This cleanser comes in two varieties: original awapuhi and sea kelp. Both formulas are made from natural ingredients, namely oils and extracts. Though the ingredients are slightly different, both formulas contain castile soap, organic tea tree and coconut oils. They are designed to be applied to moist skin. The manufacturer instructs users to gently massage the cleanser in a circular motion for one minute before rinsing with cool water.

Apparently, these specific directions produce results. Reviewers at MakeupAlley.com claim to use these cleansers for everything from washing their face to washing their makeup brushes and even their hair and body. Users say that it gets skin "squeaky clean" – so much so that not a trace of dirt or makeup shows up on a cotton ball after washing – but warn that it can be a bit drying. It isn't recommended for anyone with dry or overly sensitive skin. Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash is also positively acknowledged by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a consumer safety advocate group that lobbies for more Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation of cosmetics.

If you prefer a cleanser with exfoliating properties, Be Fine Exfoliating Cleanser (*Est. $25 for 4 oz.) gets good reviews. It is made of food-grade ingredients, namely sugar cane extract (exfoliates and moisturizes), rice bran oil (full of vitamins and proteins), sweet almond oil (as a moisturizer) and ginger root extract (anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties). Jen Adkins, skin-care guide for About.com, says the naturally sweet-smelling cleanser leaves skin feeling soft and smooth. It's gentle enough to use every day and can be used on hands and feet as well. Editors at TruthinAging.com are also pleased with the luxurious feel of the cleanser, even though they say it contains some questionable ingredients. One of the preservatives, methylchloroisothiazolinone, is a potential irritant. But editors are quick to point out that without some amount of preservatives, the cleanser is likely to get moldy fast. It also contains disodium EDTA for product stability, which can be toxic in large doses. Even though it's not perfect, editors say they will continue using Be Fine Exfoliating Cleanser because feels great on the skin and hasn't caused them any irritation whatsoever. The cleanser is paraben-, fragrance- and cruelty-free.