If you’re looking for a facial cleanser that isn’t tested on animals, then look no further. We poured through the internet to find the best cruelty-free face washes that are out there. The facial cleansers of the brands below are 100% cruelty-free, which means none of their products or ingredients are tested on animals.
Why You Need a Good Face Wash and What Face Wash To Look For
Washing your face is one of the most important steps in a skincare routine.
At night it removes makeup, skincare, sunscreen and grimes from the day. It unclogs pores, keeps your skin from breaking out, and gives you a clean canvas for the rest of your skincare regime. Cleaning your face in the morning removes the toxins your skin expelled to the surface while you sleep.
It’s important a face wash is suitable for your skin type. For instance, with dry skin it’s better to go for a creamy facial cleanser, while oily skin can better opt for a foaming face wash.
To make your search to your new favorite facial cleanser a little easier, we’ve rounded up the 13 best cruelty-free facial cleansers for every skin type.
Vegan Face Wash
Vegan
In the beauty industry, ‘cruelty-free’ refers to animal testing, whereas vegan means a product doesn’t contain any animal-derived ingredients or byproducts. If you are in the market for a cruelty-free and vegan face wash, this list offers you 10 options.
The 13 Best Cruelty-Free Face Washes
- Best for combination and oily skin: Tatcha – The Deep Cleanse
- Best for dry and dehydrated skin: Glossier – Milky Jelly Cleanser (VEGAN)
- Best for combination, oily and acne-prone skin: Ursa Major – Fantastic Face Wash (VEGAN)
- Best for combination/oily yet sensitive skin: Drunk Elephant – Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser (VEGAN)
- Best for dry, dehydrated and sensitive skin: The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser (VEGAN)
- Best for sensitive skin: Pacifica Beauty – Coconut Milk Cream to Foam Face Wash (VEGAN)
- Best for normal to dry skin: Milk – Vegan Milk Facial Cleanser (VEGAN)
- Best for oily, combination and acne-prone skin: Youth to the People – Kale + Green Tea Spinach Vitamins Cleanser (VEGAN)
- Best exfoliating cleanser for normal to oily and acne prone skin: Kate Somerville – ExfoliKate Cleanser Daily Foaming Wash
- Best for dull and uneven skin tone: Ole Henriksen – The Clean Truth Foaming Cleanser (VEGAN)
- Best for acne prone skin: COSRX – Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser (VEGAN)
- Best for sensitive skin: Perricone MD – Hypoallergenic CBD Sensitive Skin Therapy Gentle Cleanser
- Best for double cleansing: Dermalogica – PreCleanse (VEGAN)
The Best Cruelty-Free Cleansers for Every Skin Type
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1/13
Best cruelty-free facial cleanser: combination and oily skin
Tatcha – The Deep Cleanse
Shop at Amazon | $$$
Luxe gel-based cleanser with tiny natural fruit fibers that deeply cleanses and gently exfoliates the skin at the same time. The fruit parts dissolve while you cleanse and the gel transforms to a foam making your cleansing routine a lot more interesting. The oil-free formula made with Japanese Wild Rose and Japanese Leopard Lily eliminates excess oils, unclogs and tightens pores and leaves your skin feeling refreshingly clean.
Free of: Paraben, Phthalates, Sulfates SLS and SLES, Mineral oil
Parent company: Tatcha is owned by Unilever, a company that is not cruelty-free
2/13
Best cruelty-free and vegan face wash: for dry and dehydrated skin
Glossier – Milky Jelly Cleanser (vegan)
Shop at Amazon | $$
Does your skin feel tight and dry after washing your face? Check out this conditioning gel wash from Glossier. The soap-free formula is a blend of 5 skin conditioners, making sure the skin isn’t stripped of its essential moisture. Packed with hydrating ingredients it leaves skin soft and glowy. Also perfect to use as makeup remover, including mascara. Bonus points for the smell of sweet roses.
Free of: Paraben, Sulfates SLS and SLES, Alcohol
3/13
Best cruelty-free and vegan facial cleanser: combination, oily and acne-prone skin
Ursa Major – Fantastic Face Wash (vegan)
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If you like a woodsy aroma filling your bathroom while cleaning your face, you have to try this face wash. The invigorating scent is a combination of essential oils Cedar, Lemon, Rosemary, Vetiver and Lavender. Scent aside, this soap-free foaming gel cleanses thoroughly without leaving the skin feeling tight. It is formulated with a gentle AHA exfoliating complex that clears acne. For extra exfoliation leave it on for a minute or so.
Free of: Paraben, Sulfates SLS and SLES, Synthetic fragrance, Animal (by)products, Gluten
4/13
Best cruelty-free and vegan facial cleanser: combination/oily yet sensitive skin
Drunk Elephant – Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser (vegan)
Shop at Amazon | $$$
In terms of clean ingredients, this gel cleanser is checking a lot of boxes. The gentle non-irritating formula is suitable for every skin type, but if you have sensitive, combination/oily skin, this is your holy grail. At an ideal PH-level of 5.5 it removes all traces of makeup, SPF, excess oil and other impurities, but won’t strip your skin of its moisture. Instead the skin is left fresh and balanced. Extra credits for the brand being a supporter of the International Elephant Foundation.
Free of: Paraben, Phthalates, Sulfates SLS and SLES, Mineral oil, Alcohol, Synthetic fragrance, Animal (by)products, Gluten
Parent Company: Drunk Elephant is owned by Shiseido, a company that is not cruelty-free
5/13
Best cruelty-free and vegan face wash: dry, dehydrated and sensitive skin
The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser (vegan)
Very gentle yet effective face wash that starts as a balm and turns to a soft oil when massaged into the skin. Dissolves all makeup and day’s grimes while at the same time retaining skin’s moisture using hydrating Squalane and Glycerine. As it’s an oil cleanser, it is best to use as the first step in your double cleanse and follow with your regular (water-based) cleanser.
Free of: Paraben, Sulfates SLS and SLES, Alcohol, Animal (by)products
6/13
Best cruelty-free and vegan face wash: sensitive skin
Pacifica Beauty – Coconut Milk Cream to Foam Face Wash (vegan)
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Wallet-friendly option that won’t disappoint. The cream to foam wash made with Coconut and Vitamin E is ultra-effective at removing every last bit of makeup and leaving your face squeaky clean and soft. It is very concentrated so you only need the tiniest bit. The scent is the perfect mix of Vanilla and Coconut.
Free of: Paraben, Phthalates, Sulfates SLS and SLES, Mineral oil, Alcohol, Synthetic fragrance, Animal (by)products
Related: 10 Best Vegan + Cruelty-Free Cleansing Oils & Balms
7/13
Best cruelty-free and vegan facial cleanser: normal to dry skin
Milk – Vegan Milk Facial Cleanser (vegan)
Shop at Milk | $$$
If you’re looking for a gentle milk cleanser, then Milk is what you need. Made with a blend of vegan milks (Argan, Oat, Fig) this cleanses thoroughly without leaving any residue or stripping the skin. The texture is like a cream that suds up to a milky lather. Very softening and moisturizing, making this milk cleanser a good option for dry skin. As it doesn’t contain harsh chemicals and fragrance this is also safe to use on sensitive skin.
Free of: Paraben, Phthalates, Sulfates SLS And SLES, Mineral Oil, Alcohol, Fragrance, Animal (by)products
8/13
Best cruelty-free and vegan face wash: oily, combination and acne-prone skin
Youth to the People – Kale + Green Tea Spinach Vitamins Cleanser (vegan)
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This superfood face wash makes your skin look and feel as healthy as can be. Loaded with antioxidant ingredients such as Kale, Spinach and Green tea your skin is treated to a dose of vitamins while effortlessly deep cleansing your face. The foamy texture works well for oily and acne prone skin, as it helps to dissolve excess oil. Leaves skin clean, calm and refreshed, without drying or tightening. It has a subtle fresh scent. Another plus is that this cleanser comes in a glass bottle that you can buy refills for.
Free of: Paraben, Phthalates, Sulfates SLS and SLES, Alcohol, Animal (by)products
Related: The Best Vegan + Cruelty-Free Acne Products
9/13
Best cruelty-free face wash: exfoliating cleanser for normal to oily and acne prone skin
Kate Somerville – ExfoliKate Cleanser Daily Foaming Wash
Shop at Amazon | $$$$
If you’re looking for a daily cleanser that lightly exfoliates, Kate Somerville knows what you need. It’s foaming cream cleanser with AHAs and fruit enzymes cleanses up makeup, excess oil and other impurities and exfoliates the skin without over-drying. The result? Clean, smooth and glowing skin. It has a spa-like clean scent, that is impossible not to like.
Free of: Paraben, Phthalates, Sulfates SLS and SLES, Mineral Oil
Parent company: Kate Somerville is owned by Unilever, a company that is not cruelty-free
10/13
Best cruelty-free and vegan face wash: dull and uneven skin tone
Ole Henriksen – The Clean Truth Foaming Cleanser (vegan)
Shop at Amazon | $$$
This uplifting orange scented cleanser brightens your complexion as well as your senses. The lightweight foam gets rid of every last bit of make-up and grime, without drying out the skin. It brightens and evens out skin tone and leaves you with a radiant glow. In other words, this cleanser will make you look forward to washing your face.
Free of: Paraben, Phthalates, Sulfates SLS and SLES, Alcohol, Animal (by)products
Parent company: Ole Henriksen is owned by Kendo, a company that is not cruelty-free
11/13
Best cruelty-free and vegan facial cleanser: acne prone skin
COSRX – Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser (vegan)
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Although the name suggests otherwise, this Korean Beauty gel cleanser can be used at night too. The mild foaming face wash is formulated with Tea Tree Oil, known for its clarifying abilities, making this face wash perfect for acne prone skin. It is PH balanced and does not include alcohol, so no dry feelings here. It does have a quite strong Tea Tree smell. If that’s not an issue for you, and you are dealing with acne, this gentle cleanser is definitely worth a try.
Free of: Paraben, Phthalates Sulfates SLS and SLES, Alcohol, Animal (by)products
RELATED: COSRX’s Bestselling Products
12/13
Best cruelty-free facial cleanser: sensitive skin
Perricone MD – Hypoallergenic CBD Sensitive Skin Therapy Gentle Cleanser
Shop at Perricone MD | $$$
Made of 99% pure CBD oil, this hypoallergenic cleanser is as gentle as can be. It cleanses thoroughly while calming the skin at the same time. CBD oil (Cannabidiol), extracted from the cannabis plant, is relatively new to the skincare market, but soon became very popular due to its soothing, clearing and anti-aging effects. This low-foaming cleanser washes off without leaving a film or tight feeling. It has a subtle natural scent.
Free of: Paraben, Phthalates, Sulfates SLS and SLES, Fragrance, Gluten
RELATED: The Best Cruelty-Free Face Serums for Aging Skin
13/13
Best cruelty-free and vegan face wash: double cleansing
Dermalogica – PreCleanse (vegan)
Shop at Amazon | $$$
If you’re wearing foundation, your skin can use a double cleanse. This Precleanse of Dermalogica melts away makeup, including waterproof mascara, impurities and cleanses up the pores. Finish with a water-based cleanser to remove any last traces and the result is ultra-clean skin. The deep-cleansing oil is ideal for normal to oily skin. Note for those with sensitive noses: this has a pretty powerful (though natural) herbal scent.
Free of: Paraben, Phthalates, Sulfates SLS and SLES, Mineral oil, Synthetic fragrance, Animal (by)products
Parent company: Dermalogica is owned by Unilever, a company that is not cruelty-free
More cruelty-free skin care:
– The Best Cruelty-Free Face Exfoliators
– The Best Cruelty-Free Face Masks
– The Best Cruelty-Free Face Mists
