I go on a lot of quests when it comes to finding the perfect product, and I can really only focus on one thing at a time. My first order of business is finding the perfect face wash. Here are my criteria:
- All-natural
- Gentle enough to use to remove eye makeup
- Not crazy expensive
- Smells good
- Doesn’t make me break out
- Good packaging (you’ll see why this is important)
I want to find the cheapest product I can find that meets all my criteria, so I’m starting out looking at stores like Target, where I picked up this cleansing gel made by Avalon Organics.
At first I thought I had achieved my goal on the first try. This product is only $9.99, it’s completely organic, doesn’t burn my eyes and takes off makeup, smells like oranges (which I like), and after months I didn’t notice any unusual reaction from my skin. (However, this is for normal to oily skin so if you tend toward dry skin this probably won’t help as it doesn’t really have any moisturizing properties.)
Sadly, there is one thing that is causing me to continue my quest:
This is what it looks like after continuous use. I really liked the pump style of packaging, but after a few uses I noticed it leaking ever so slightly. For awhile I wiped it off, but it got to be tedious and messy. Now I just let it go and use it only in the shower.
If you don’t mind dealing with a little mess, this is a great organic face wash. I know it might be a fluke, but I don’t want to take my chances. Call me an idealist, but I think I can find something with everything I’m looking for.
Updated: I bought this again later on and have never had a leaking problem since. Therefore I am 100% satisfied with it!
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Disclosure: I bought this with my own money and no one asked me to write this. I’m just sharing for the good of humanity, or for the two of you who might actually care.
From David, The Rainmaker:
Best male face wash: DDF Glycolic 5% Exfoliating Wash.
From kapachino:
Thanks for the info, brother! Most people probably don’t care, but it is not all-natural; lots of parabens & chemicals.
From Jessica:
Oh this is very interesting. I’m always on the look for new products that are inexpensive and work great. I’ll be on the lookout for this!
From Amber:
Have you ever read about oil cleansing? Most users custom-blend some combination of olive oil and castor oil. It works really well for all skin types, even oily and blemish-prone.
I’m lazy so I buy products instead of making my own. I like good old-fashioned Pond’s cold cream as my cheapie product, and Nude Skincare cleansing oil as my luxury product. The latter is expensive, but it lasts FOREVER because a tiny bit goes far, and it smells like lilies.
From Amber:
Oops, I meant to give you a link:
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P251016&categoryId=B70
From kapachino:
I haven’t heard of that method! I should do some research. The Nude Skincare product looks wonderful, but I’d like to find something cheaper if possible!
From Krista:
I’ve tried the Avalon Face Wash before and not had a problem. Maybe you could call the custumor service # and ask about receiving a new one. Perhaps it is just a fluke, if you like the product and the price is right then it might be worth another shot!
I found this on their website: “If you are an Individual Consumer in the U.S. with product questions or comments, please call 1-888-659-7730.”
From kapachino:
That’s good to know! Maybe it was just a bad bottle. If I can’t find anything else cheap that works well, I’ll probably give it another try. :)
From Kyla Roma:
Oh, thanks for the tip! I’m using a super gentle cleanser right now- but maybe I should look at going a little more natural with it too :)
From Lauren:
Cetaphil has worked great for me for many years…cheap, non-toxic and removes makeup! (Right now I’m using it alternatly with Proactiv, which seems to be working very well too…)
From kapachino:
I have used Cetaphil in the past and really liked it, but it does contain parabens which are a chemical preservative and I’m trying to avoid using products with them!
From Nora:
The last line of this made me laugh :) I may have to check it out though! I’m always looking for something new & good for me to add to my regime. I’m currently using a L’Oreal product and I like it but it’s so *not* organic!
From Mom:
Suggestion: Find a pretty permanent (glass, ceramic, etc.) lotion dispenser that you like, then pour the new bottle of cleanser into it and use it from there.
From kapachino:
You’re so smart, Mom. Don’t know why I didn’t think of that before!
From becca:
I just use a bit of castile soap. It makes my face feel a bit tight, but a little lotion afterwards and I’m good to go. It comes in all different kind of smells, but tea tree oil and almond are great, and i just bought peppermint. Coincidentally, this is also the soap i just to wash the kids, use for hand soap and make some cleaning products so that little bottle does a lot of work. Nice to not have so many things setting around.
From Laura T.:
I LOVE Ellie’s Handmade Soap, and use the olive and shea butter bar for my sensitive skin; they have other ones that are for the face, as well. All of the ingredients are all-natural, and it is a college friend of mine’s wife’s business, so I know I can trust all the claims on the website as far as what ingredients are used, etc. They only come in bar form, though; I don’t know if you prefer liquid facial cleansers. http://www.ellieshandmadesoap.com/
From Laura T.:
Okay, this totally made me start thinking about how much I’ve been wanting to try the lime and clove shampoo bar for FOREVER, so I finally broke down and ordered it. I looked at the scents offered, and the honey blossom bar can be used for the face, and I can personally vouch that that scent is amazing. It’s a flat shipping rate of $6.99, so I used that as an excuse to get a shea body butter and candle, too. :)
~Laura Tunningley