Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
The key to choosing the perfect cleanser for your skin is understanding the ingredient list to see what’s actually in the product, so you can make a better judgment about how it will act on your skin—if it will be too harsh and drying, or if it will clean effectively without disrupting your natural pH level.
Today, we’re going to give you a few examples of gentle natural cleansing ingredients that will clean your skin, but also moisturize. All of these ingredients in addition to the way your skin will look and feel is the perfect reason to keep a close watch for these lovely ingredients.
1. Aloe vera
Aloe is a great cleansing ingredient. It helps to gently exfoliate while purifying pores and leaves your skin feeling soft and comfortable. In fact, it’s so effective at cleansing that it’s often used for oily skin.
At the same time, aloe’s vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and natural moisturizers nourish and hydrate skin, so that when you’re finished cleansing, your skin feels softer—not dry and tight, as is the case with many other cleansers. Aloe vera is great at moisturizing without leaving a greasy feel, so it’s perfect for all skin types.
It contains a number of natural antioxidants, which help protect the skin from environmental stressors. Beta carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E also help keep the skin moisturized, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
2. Lavender
We all know that lavender smells good and offers a soothing, calming presence in your home, but did you know that lavender also effectively cleans skin?
Lavender is recommended for use in cleansers and in lotions for oily skin and is a good all-around skin protector and soother. It has excellent antioxidant activity, suggesting that it may help protect the skin from environmental stressors.
3. Lemon Balm
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), a member of the mint family, is a perennial herb which embodies a gentle, lemony fragrance. This herb holds an abundance of benefits which have been widely used in Ancient Greece, over 2,000 years ago, to modern day England and North America. The effects of lemon balm also help to relieve an over active mind and provide a sense of overall balance.
What makes this herb a wonderful addition in skin care products? It’s ability to protect against environmental stressors. The caffeic and ferulic acid, which are present within this plant are potent antioxidants. Lemon balm can be used in herbal steams for oily skin. Plus, it smells so fresh and clean that it leaves you feeling great for hours.
4. Hyssop
Hyssop comes from an herb called Hyssopus officinalis, which is native to the Middle East and southern Europe. The leaves, stems, and flowers are known for their cleansing properties—perfect for oily skin! A great benefit of Hyssop is that it helps minimize the appearance of pores, making skin look softer and smoother. It can also help liven up your complexion as well as balance oil and has a reputation for helping those with sensitive skin.
Hyssop is a great ingredient found in cleansers because it can help your skin look more vibrant and awake. In fact, it was also used historically to clean out unwanted energies from temples and sacred places—providing a fresh start.
5. Neem
Neem is widely known as a skin healing ingredient that helps exfoliates the skin. This makes it the perfect cleansing ingredient for all skin types, but especially for those struggling with oily and sensitive skin. It’s perfect for delivering radiant and moisturized skin after cleansing.
Do you use herbs and natural cleansing ingredients on your skin? Tell us all about your experience!
Have been using Miessence (Australia) skin care made with organic ingredients since 2009, absolutely LOVING them because they use food and plant-based ingredients. Key word here is ORGANIC. Can you tell me level of organic ingredients in ASC, please? I bought the little sample pack recently and the products are nice but I am looking for ‘organic’ vs ‘natural’ to decide if switching to ASC is a viable comparison? Thank you!
Hi Kris
Great question! The reason our website does not say that we’re Certified Organic is because we’re not certified.
It’s very expensive to go through the certification process. We spend this money on high quality organic ingredients instead of paying a certification board, who allows certain pesticides to be used at various times during the growing periods. On top of cost, some certified organic ingredients are actually of lesser quality than the ones we use to make our products. So, in this case, certifying our products could decrease the quality of them.
So with that said, our mission isn’t to fit in; it’s to stand out and above the other products out there. We feel, just because it’s labeled “organic”, definitely doesn’t make it good. What we can guarantee is that each product contains at least (if not more) 95% organic and wildcrafted ingredients; unlike some of the other certified companies out there that only contain 75% organic ingredients. Also, any non-organic ingredients used are either wildcrafted, non-GMO, or sourced from companies using sustainable practices (or feel the same way we do about the certification process!)
I hope this helps to answer your question! 🙂