If you’ve ever stood in the face wash aisle at the store and been overwhelmed by the hundreds of options, join the club. Add in eco-credentials and clean ingredients, and it can feel downright impossible to choose. Luckily, there are increasingly great options that check all the right boxes: gentle formulas that get your skin clean, ingredients you can actually recognize, and packaging that’s kinder to the planet – like recycled plastic, post-consumer materials, or glass.
Below are some of the best sustainable cleansers and brands worth knowing if you’re trying to create a more eco-conscious skincare routine.
1. Ethique
Recommended Product: Face Cleanser Bar
Materials & Packaging: Plastic-free bar, compostable paper wrapping
Why it’s great: This bar cleanser from Ethique is plastic-free from the start. The formula uses natural surface-cleansing agents and botanical extracts that remove impurities without stripping your skin. Plus, the packaging is compostable paper, so no plastic in sight.
Skin type: Normal to oily
🌍 Available in the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand (plus select international retailers)
2. S.W. Basics
Recommended Product: Non-Foaming Cleanser
Materials & Packaging: Glass bottle with aluminum cap
Why it’s great: A minimalist classic with just 3 ingredients: pure rosewater, vegetable glycerin, and tea tree oil. This cleanser melts away makeup and dirt gently, and the glass bottle means less plastic waste and more recyclability.
Skin type: Dry to combination skin
🌍 US-based, with international availability depending on country
Recommended Product: Nourishing Cleanser
Materials & Packaging: Recyclable bottle (post-consumer recycled plastic)
Why it’s great: True Botanicals is known for rigorous ingredient standards (no toxins, no artificial fragrances, no silicones). Their cleanser is plant-rich and feels creamy and soothing while still doing a solid job of cleansing away grime and makeup.
Skin type: Sensitive/dry
🌍 US-based, with international shipping available in many regions.
Recommended Product: Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser
Materials & Packaging: Recycled and recyclable plastic bottle
Why it’s great: This cleanser is packed with kale, spinach, and green tea, so it’s both antioxidant-rich and deeply refreshing. The brand uses post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, and the formula is vegan and cruelty-free.
Skin type: All skin types
🌍 Widely available in the US, Canada, UK, EU, and Australia through major beauty retailers
5. OSEA
Recommended Product: Ocean Cleanser
Materials & Packaging: Recyclable PCR plastic bottle
Why it’s great: OSEA uses seaweed, aloe, and rose oil to cleanse without stripping the skin’s natural moisture, and it feels fresh and cooling. It’s vegan, cruelty-free, and uses post-consumer recycled packaging where possible.
Skin type: Normal to dry
🌍 US-based, with international availability through select global retailers
Recommended Product: Refillable Face Wash (Citrus)
Materials & Packaging: Refillable aluminum bottle with refill pouch
Why it’s great: Plaine Products lets you refill your face wash bottle with pouches, cutting way down on single-use containers. The citrus formula is packed with vitamin c and super effective at removing impurities. Aluminum is infinitely recyclable, making this one a big win for those of us shopping with the planet in mind.
Skin type: All types, especially combination skin
🌍 US-based, with international availability depending on region
Recommended Product: Facial Bar (Tea Tree Charcoal or Pink Rose Clay)
Materials & Packaging: Plastic-free bar with compostable paper packaging
Why it’s great: These facial bars feel like real skincare, not just a bar of soap. The Tea Tree Charcoal option is a nice pick when your skin feels oily, clogged, or a little break-out prone, since it’s made to help lift buildup and keep you feeling fresh. The Pink Rose Clay bar is more of a gentle daily cleanser, with a softer feel that works well when you want something simple that won’t leave your face feeling tight afterward.
Skin type: Tea Tree Charcoal: combination to oily | Pink Rose Clay: normal to dry/sensitive
🌍 US-based, with international availability depending on location
Recommended Product: Blue Tansy Clarity Cleanser
Materials & Packaging: Recyclable bottle (heavy glass + label recyclable)
Why it’s great: For those who want a more mindful skincare ritual, Herbivore’s cleanser delivers gentle exfoliation and calming botanicals like blue tansy and white willow bark. The glass packaging is premium and recyclable, and the formula is cruelty-free.
Skin type: Oily/combination
🌍 Widely available in the US, Canada, UK, EU, and Australia through major beauty retailers
9. HiBAR
Recommended Product: Cleanse Face Wash
Materials & Packaging: Plastic-free bar, cardboard/paper packaging
Why it’s great: It’s a great “no-fuss” cleanser that feels gentle and skin-friendly. It foams up surprisingly well for a bar, rinses off cleanly, and leaves your face feeling fresh without that tight, dry feeling some bar cleansers can cause. It’s also really easy to toss in a toiletry bag, which makes it perfect for travel or the gym.
Skin type: Normal to combination skin
🌍 Primarily available in the US and Canada, with limited international availability through select retailers
How to Choose a Truly Sustainable Face Wash
Here are a few quick tips to make sure your new cleanser is actually a better choice for the planet:
Look for:
🌲 Glass or aluminum packaging whenever possible
🌲 Post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic when plastic is unavoidable
🌲 Refillable systems (they’re a huge win for waste reduction)
🌲 Clean, plant-derived ingredients with zero or minimal synthetic fragrances
🌲 Cruelty-free and vegan formulations
Avoid:
🌲 Conventional plastic tubes that aren’t PCR or recyclable
🌲 “Compostable” packaging unless you know your local facility can handle it
🌲 Harsh sulfates and synthetic dyes that can irritate skin and pollute water
Switching to a more sustainable face wash is a change that will feel good every time you use it. You’re cleansing your skin and reducing plastic waste, choosing better ingredients, and supporting brands that are thinking far beyond their next quarter’s profit.
Just do as much as you can. Even moving from single-use, non-recycled packaging to something made from recycled materials or glass is already a step in the right direction.