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Here’s a hot tip I just learned about 15 years late: wash your face for a full minute to reap the greatest cleaning benefits. It’s transformative and will leave your face looking and feeling actually clean. Imagine! Now let’s find the perfect, highly-reviewed, cruelty-free, clean vegan face cleansers for the job.
But first…
What are “clean” vegan face cleansers?
The whole idea of ‘clean beauty’ gets muddied by brands trying to hop on the marketing bandwagon, whether or not they have the products to show for it. And unfortunately nothing is stopping them, because ‘clean’ is a pretty vague and unregulated term. (I have a whole post about this here.)
On Florah, here’s what I take ‘clean’ to mean:
- Cruelty-free and vegan
- Having a score of 3 or better on EWG’s Skin Deep database, which is a helpful resource that follows a rigorous rating system. (I’ve made exceptions to this one for brands like Blue Beautifly, whose products don’t appear on EWG but whose ingredients clearly speak for themselves.)
- Made by transparent brands that seem to have their hearts in the right place. This one is a bit subjective, but essentially I just make sure that brands are up front and open about their ingredients, philosophies, eco efforts, etc.
Do the above three steps constitute a perfect and scientific method? No. Do they do a meaningfully good job? I’d say so.
As always, all brands on Florah are cruelty-free, and those that are fully vegan are marked with a (V).
Clean Vegan Face Cleansers
Kale + Antioxidant Superfood Cleanser | $39
Youth to the People (V)
A beloved gentle cleanser with antioxidant-packed ingredients
Skin Type: Normal, dry, combination, oily
Targets: Pores, dullness, blemishes
Cleanser Type: Gel || Size: 8 oz
Hero Ingredients: Kale, Spinach, Green Tea, Alfalfa, Vitamin C, Vitamin E
Amazon Rating: 4.7 / 5
Reviewers Love: Gentle; doesn’t strip or dry skin; leaves skin feeling soft, silky, and clean; comes in refillable glass container
AQUARIUS BHA + Blue Tansy Clarity Cleanser | $26
Herbivore (V)
Deep-cleaning, skin-firming, and display-worthy, with a subtle scent
Skin Type: Oily, acne-prone, combination
Targets: Pores, acne/blemishes, oiliness
Cleanser Type: Gel-to-foam || Size: 4 oz
Hero Ingredients: Willow Bark BHA, Blue Tansy Oil, Zinc PCA
Amazon Rating: 4.8 / 5
Reviewers Love: Truly deep cleans; lathers nicely and rinses off easily; doesn’t strip or dry skin; beautiful glass bottle
SUNSHINE DEW Antioxidant Cleansing Oil | $22
Earth Harbor (V)
Serves as a deep cleanser + makeup remover, offering moisture, softness, and glow
Skin Type: All
Targets: Buildup, lack of vitamins/nutrients, dull skin
Cleanser Type: Oil || Size: 2 oz
Hero Ingredients: Sea Kelp, Papaya Enzymes
Amazon Rating: 4.6 / 5
Reviewers Love: Leaves skin feel soft, clean and glowing; no oily or greasy feel; beautiful packaging
Cream Cleanser | $15
Mad Hippie (V)
Gentle, effective, and very popular among those with sensitive skin
Skin Type: All
Targets: Pores, acne/blemishes, oiliness
Cleanser Type: Cream || Size: 4 oz
Hero Ingredients: Jojoba, Green Tea, Macadamia Oil and Orchid Extract
Amazon Rating: 4.6 / 5
Reviewers Love: Excellent for sensitive skin; very moisturizing and soothing; perfect for part 2 of a double cleanse routine
Grapefruit Cleanser | $29
Blue Beautifly (V)
A super-clean organic cleanser from a fan-favorite brand
Skin Type: Oily, combination
Supports: Balanced pH, clarifies, hydrates
Cleanser Type: Not specified || Size: 4 oz
Hero Ingredients: Organic Grapefruit Peel, Organic Castor Oil, Organic Aloe Vera, Organic Grapefruit Essential Oil
Amazon Rating: 4.6 / 5
Reviewers Love: Gentle and non-drying; feels invigorating and refreshing; standout, clean ingredients; great smell
So Clean! Facial Cleanser | $17
Fleur & Bee (V)
A little-goes-a-long-way, refreshing vegan face cleanser at a good price
Skin Type: All [not specified]
Supports: Softness, smoothness
Cleanser Type: Lightly foaming gel || Size: 3.7 oz
Hero Ingredients: Rosemary Extract, Organic Aloe Vera, Glycerin, Organic Gotu Kola
Amazon Rating: 4.5 / 5
Reviewers Love: Gentle and moisturizing; refreshing; love the company (clean, vegan, gives to charity)
Refresh Papaya + Salicylic Acid Cleanser | $24
Three Ships (V)
A gentle but effective salicylic acid cleanser that’s loved by those with acne-prone skin
Skin Type: Oily, combination
Targets: Pigmentation, uneven skin tone, clogged pores
Cleanser Type: Foaming || Size: 3.4 oz
Hero Ingredients: Aspen Bark Extract, Aloe Vera Juice, Papaya Extract
Amazon Rating: 4.5 / 5
Reviewers Love: Brightening and hydrating; not drying or stripping; bubbles/foams nicely; great for those with acne
Ocean Cleanser | $37
OSEA (V)
A seaweed-infused, mineral-rich gel cleanser that offers serious hydration
Skin Type: Normal, combination
Benefits: Clarifies, exfoliates, purifies
Cleanser Type: Gel || Size: 5 oz
Hero Ingredients: Undaria Seaweed, Bentonite, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Nourishing Oil Blend
Amazon Rating: 4.6 / 5
Reviewers Love: Leaves skin feeling super soft, smooth, and hydrated; excellent for removing makeup
Oil to Milk Cleanser | $18
Cocokind
A sensitive-skin-friendly milky cleanser
Skin Type: All [though reviewers say it’s not good for oily skin]
Supports: Healthy skin microbiome and moisture
Cleanser Type: Oil-to-milk || Size: 2.9 oz
Hero Ingredients: Fermented Oat and Oat Lipid Complex, Organic Oil Blend
Amazon Rating: 4.3 / 5
Reviewers Love: Hydrating, light, and creamy; leaves skin soft; shrinks pores. [Note that it leaves an oily finish; some reviewers suggest using it for part 1 of a double cleanse.]
Green Tea Foaming Facial Cleanser | $26
Be Green
An organic, green tea-infused, super foamy cleanser
Skin Type: Normal, oily, combination
Supports: Soothed and nourished skin
Cleanser Type: Foaming || Size: 8 oz
Hero Ingredients: Organic Saponified Coconut Oil, Organic Witch Hazel, Organic Aloe, Organic Green Tea
Rating [Brand Site]: 4.8 / 5
Reviewers Love: Foams nicely; cleans effectively without drying or irritating; super clean ingredients
Turmeric Glow Foaming Cleanser | $44
KORA (V)
An invigorating, deep-cleaning, turmeric-infused cleanser
Skin Type: All
Supports: Deep clean and glow
Cleanser Type: Gel || Size: 5 oz
Hero Ingredients: Turmeric, Aloe, and Natural Sugar Complex
Amazon Rating: 4.3 / 5
Reviewers Love: Skin feels clean and refreshed; high quality ingredients and EWG Verified; amazing smell; beautiful glass bottle
Vegan Face Cleansers By Price
For ease of comparison, here’s a breakdown of the above options by price per ounce:
- Green Tea Foaming Facial Cleanser [Be Green]: $3.25 / oz
- Cream Cleanser [Mad Hippie]: $3.75 / oz
- So Clean! Facial Cleanser [Fleur & Bee]: $4.59 / oz
- Kale + Antioxidant Superfood Cleanser [Youth to the People]: $4.88 / oz
- Oil to Milk Cleanser [Cocokind]: $6.20 / oz
- AQUARIUS BHA + Blue Tansy Clarity Cleanser [Herbivore]: $6.50 / oz
- Refresh Papaya + Salicylic Acid Cleanser [Three Ships]: $7.06 / oz
- Grapefruit Cleanser [Blue Beautifly]: $7.25
- Ocean Cleanser [OSEA]: $7.40
- Turmeric Glow Foaming Cleanser [KORA]: $8.80
- SUNSHINE DEW Antioxidant Cleansing Oil [Earth Harbor]: $11.00
