When shopping for face wash, choose products that are free of sulfates, fragrances, phosphates, and microbeads. Our favorite certifications to look out for on face washes are the EWG certification (which ensures the product is free from chemicals of concern), the Fair Trade certification (which benefits the people making the product), and the PETA and Leaping Bunny certifications (which ensure no animal testing was performed using the product). As always, make sure to turn off the faucet while you’re washing your face to cut down on water use.

Ingredients

Sulfates

Sulfates, like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS), are emulsifying cleaning agents used to break down and wash away the dirt and grime that water can’t get rid of on its own. They also happen to be highly toxic threats to aquatic life, from algae to frogs to fish. Although there is some debate on sulfates, the World Health Organization unequivocally states that SLS “...is toxic to aquatic organisms. It is strongly advised not to let the chemical enter into the environment.” Take our advice, and the WHO’s, and try to avoid face washes that contain these harmful ingredients. 

Synthetic Fragrances

The most elusive ingredient of all might be fragrances. That’s because fragrances are protected from disclosure. While “fragrance” might appear to be one ingredient on the label, that word could potentially comprise hundreds of chemical compounds just for one scent! What’s our beef with smelling like roses? It’s not the scent that worries us, but what comes along with it. In particular, phthalates, which enable fragrances to become soluble. They are known endocrine disruptors in both humans and aquatic life and can even lower the production of testosterone. Studies have found that prenatal exposure to phthalates can decrease mental and motor development in children. Yikes. Always double-check the label to make sure you’re comfortable with what you’re putting on your body. 

Phosphates

Phosphates, like trisodium phosphate, are ingredients that create that luscious lathering effect in our face wash. Phosphates can also cause eutrophication, which is the mineral over-enrichment of bodies of water. This can be a natural process that develops aquatic ecosystems, but it can also be an indication of nutrient imbalances as a result of pollution. While it might sound beautiful, algal bloom – a result of eutrophication – can be harmful to aquatic life and can contaminate drinking sources. 

Microbeads

Microbeads are visible particles of plastic that are smaller than 5mm. Face washes will use them as abrasive scrubbers to replace natural exfoliators such as pumice, oatmeal, and walnut husks. Wastewater treatment facilities aren’t very good at capturing them, which means they often make their way into our waterways and break down into microplastics. Microplastics are incredibly small particles of plastic that can enter our bloodstream, causing endocrine disruption and cell damage, or our waterways, polluting the ocean and disrupting marine life digestion. Make sure your face wash doesn’t contain any “poly” ingredients, such as polyethylene, to avoid microbeads and reduce the spread of microplastics.  

Water Use

Each time we use face wash, we’re also using water from our sinks or showers, and it can add up fast. While there is no standard recommended time to wash your face, the CDC recommends 20-30 seconds for hands, and some estheticians say 60 seconds is the key to a glowing face. That means you could use up to 2.2 gallons of water just by washing your face once a day. 

One of the main reasons we’re using so much water is because we leave the faucet on while washing. Turning off the faucet can reduce the environmental footprint of water use because wastewater treatment plants are responsible for 9% and 4% of methane and nitrous oxide emissions globally, respectively. And because water treatment and movement require energy, which is the greatest source of global emissions, taking the extra step to cut back on water use can have significant environmental payoffs. 

Certifications

Here are some certifications to look for when shopping this category.

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