Green Your Beauty

Products for the ‘Cleanser’ Category

RATING:2 TREES
Product Link:

I’ve been using this cleanser for awhile and always wondered why my skin felt so dry after using it. I bought mine at whole foods and it is available on the website, drugstore.com, etc.

PROS:
+ smells good
+ some natural ingredients
+ easy-to-use pump
+ nice consistency

CONS:
– contains phenoxyethanol
– contains benzyl alcohol (drying)

INGREDIENTS:
Organic lavandula angustifolia (lavender)(1), chamomilla recutita (chamomile)(1), camellia sinensis (white tea)(2) and organic arnica montana(3) extracts (aqueous), cocamidopropyl betaine, disodium oleamido succinate, sodium cocoyl glutamate, sodium cocoyl isethionate, organic aloe barbadensis(2), vegetable glycerin, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (vitamin C), glycereth 7 cocoate, lemon bioflavonoids, melatonin, citric acid, phospholipids, tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), panthenol (pro-vitamin B5), sodium PCA, allantoin, phenoxyethanol, benzyl alcohol, organic citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) oil(2) and other essential oils.

FINAL VERDICT: This product smells great but is quite drying. I attribut this to the benzyl alcohol which also has been linked to toxicity. I have been trying to use it up by doubling it up as a shower gel and have developed patchy scales of dry skin all over my arms. (I had previously been using Griffin’s Remedy shower gel which is much more natural). This indicates that the parts of my skin that had not developed a “tolerance” reacted very negatively to the alcohol and other chemicals. There’s no way I could put this on my face! In short, this may have less chemicals than some other brands but I wouldn’t recommend it, particularly if your skin is sensitive or dry.

RATING: 4.5 TREES
Product Link:

I have not personally used this product, but one of my friends says it’s great. All the more reason for me to get the user review capability installed!

PROS
+ feels nice
+ removes makeup
+ minimal and recognizable ingredients
+ lots of soothing, natural oils
+ user/eco friendly packaging pump bottle
+ well-known brand that a lot of people vouch for as being great

CONS
– cetearyl alcohol, may not be vegan. *

INGREDIENTS
Water/Aqua, Alcohol, Anthyllis Vulneraria Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Glycerin,Fermented Grain Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bentonite, Lecithin,Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Fragrance/Parfum (Essential Oil), Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool, Citronellol

FINAL VERDICT: Many cleansers contain alcohol. Cetearyl Alcohol is considered to be a low hazard, so other than that this doesn’t seem like it would be a toxic choice. From their website: Why do some Dr.Hauschka Skin Care products contain alcohol? Herbs and flowers are the core of Dr.Hauschka Skin Care preparations and many are extracted in a mixture of alcohol and water. We use a Certified Organic food-grade ethyl alcohol (ethanol) from grain, fruit or vegetable. Many plants are extracted in alcohol because it extracts the widest variety of plant constituents. Alcohol also serves as a natural emulsifier, preservative and carrier, helping ingredients penetrate the skin. Alcohol is not drying to the skin when part of a carefully formulated Dr.Hauschka composition. Our alcohol is derived from a fermentation and distillation process and is gluten-free. Isopropyl alcohol is never used in Dr.Hauschka Skin Care products. *  From their website: Is the glycerin in your products animal or vegetable derived? The glycerin used in Dr.Hauschka Skin Care is always from vegetable sources. (Me thinks they should say vegetable glycerin in the first place, but that eez okay. Random tidbit: the models featured on the site are stated to be either friends,family, or members, which is kinda neat! Note on cetearyl alcohol: it is derived from natural oils and fats, so buyer should be beware that it may be animal-fat derived. It is supposed to act as an effective emulsifier in products, but unless the company can vouch exactly where it came from, it may impact the “veganness.”

All in all, this looks to be a good, natural product! More info on alcohol in skincare: