Clean beauty skincare essential products for 2025
If the idea of switching to clean beauty products feels overwhelming or confusing, you’re not alone! In a world of new product releases every week, knowing where to start can feel impossible. But don’t worry – I get it. In this post, I’ve rounded up top skincare picks for different skin types without harmful ingredients to help you make the switch with confidence.
The perfect skincare routine looks different for everyone, depending on skin type and skin concern. Whether you have dry, sensitive, oily, acne-prone, normal, or combination skin, the routine you need is within reach. The basics are simple for everyone: cleanse, treat, moisturize, and protect with SPF. Let’s explore skincare products and their ingredient lists together, so you can feel confident about the specific products you’re using.
Cleansers
Ilia The Cleanse Soft Foaming Cleanser
This gentle foaming cleanser is great for dry, combination, and normal skin types. It targets large pores, dryness, and oiliness to leave your skin feeling clean and refreshed.
I love a foaming cleanser so if you’re anything like me, then this one is a great choice. It is also fragrance-free, cruelty-free, and contains vegan ingredients. Plus, it has glycerin, which is an amazing ingredient for moisturizing and smoothing skin.
I immediately repurchased this cleanser when I ran out because it’s that good. It will make an excellent addition into your routine!
Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser
If you have sensitive or dry skin, then this cleanser could be a great fit for you! It has been awarded the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance, meaning it is safe for people with eczema and sensitive skin to use.
This gentle cleanser is fragrance-free and paraben-free, as well as dermatologist-recommended. This cleanser doesn’t mess around — it’s straightforward, gently cleansing and soothing your skin. This cleanser is always a crowd pleaser; I haven’t talked to anyone who doesn’t enjoy using it!
Like the Ilia cleanser, this Vanicream cleanser contains glycerin, which helps your skin feel moisturized after using and leads to healthy skin.
If you’re looking for a simple cleanser that is gentle on your sensitive skin, this could be the one!
Byoma Milky Oil Cleanser
If you prefer a cleanser that isn’t foaming, then oil cleansers could be the answers to your wishes!
This gentle cleanser is also great for sensitive skin and drier skin types, as it is alcohol-free and fragrance-free. It effortlessly, but effectively, melts away makeup and SPF to leave your skin feeling fresh. This cleanser is dermatologist-tested and approved, as well as vegan and cruelty-free.
Although I prefer foaming cleansers, I found this oil-to-milk cleanser soothing and effective.
It melts away makeup while being gentle on sensitive skin. I enjoy using this product as it is reliable and effective.
The milky oil cleanser contains moringa seed oil (which soothes skin and reduces fine lines and wrinkles), olive fruit oil (which moisturizes and helps treat sun damage), and squalane (which calms inflammation and supports the skin barrier). These ingredients work together to create a soothing and gentle face cleanser.
If you have sensitive skin and are looking for an oil-to-milk cleanser that will soothe your skin, then this cleanser from Byoma could be perfect!
Dime Creamy Foam Cleanser
If you have oily skin, you could benefit from using this cleanser! It focuses on blemish control, removing excess oil, debris, and acne-causing bacteria.
Although it is suitable for all skin types, Dime says that it is best for oil and acne-prone skin.
Thanks to its active ingredients, glycolic acid and salicylic acid, this cleanser targets blemishes, oil, and bacteria to help you work toward glass skin!
Another great thing about this cleanser is that it is free from harmful substances such as sulfates (which can irritate your skin) and phthalates (which are endocrine disruptors).
Although I haven’t personally tried this cleanser, it gets 4.8 stars out of 5 and over 1,100 reviews, which proves that it is a great choice. Incorporating a cleanser with acne-targeting ingredients into your routine could greatly benefit your skin!
Toners
Byoma Hydrating Milky Toner
As toners go, this milky toner from Byoma is a great hydrating choice for dry, dehydrated, and sensitive skin. It is free from alcohol and fragrance, which makes it safe for dry and sensitive skin.
Not only does this toner focus on hydrating skin but it also calms and soothes while simultaneously reducing redness. This vegan toner contains lipids, which are an essential ingredient in maintaining a healthy barrier. To read more about the skin barrier, what affects it, and how to look after it check out our article Best Clean Skincare Products for Sensitive Skin.
I love incorporating this toner into my skincare routine as it provides an extra layer of hydration before my serums. It feels like it is taking care of your skin and I can immediately feel a difference when I use this.
If you have dry, dehydrated, or sensitive skin – especially during the cold, harsh winter weather, then this hydrating milky toner could be a great addition to your daily routine!
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
If you’ve been on social media, you’ve probably heard the hype around this product. This liquid exfoliant is great for normal, dry, combination, and oily skin. Especially if you want to target acne or blemishes.
It contains salicylic acid, which is amazing for treating acne and targeting oil. This BHA exfoliant targets pores, uneven texture, acne, blemishes, and gets rid of dead skin cells. It is also fragrance-free and contains vegan ingredients.
When I use this in my skincare routine, my skin absolutely LOVES it! It clears up any acne and blemishes and leaves my skin clear. I do have to make sure I moisturize enough when using this as it can make my skin feel drier than normal, so that is something to keep in mind.
Peach Slices Snail Rescue Blemish Busting Toner
If you want a toner that targets breakouts, this could be the right choice for you. Snail Rescue Busting Toner targets blemishes, uneven skin tone, dull skin, discoloration, strengthening the skin barrier, and clearing pores.
Another great thing about this toner is that it is cruelty-free and suitable for all skin types.
It contains snail mucin, hyaluronic acid, and cica. Snail mucin is best known for its moisturizing abilities as well as stimulating collagen production. Hyaluronic acid is an extremely popular ingredient for hydrating and moisturizing skin. Cica is a skincare ingredient that is growing in popularity. It is anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, soothing, prevents breakouts, smooths fine lines, targets dryness and evens skin tone.
This toner is rated 4.7 stars out of 5 with 660 reviews! If you want to target breakouts and are on a journey to clearer skin, then this toner could be an amazing addition to your routine.
Beekman 1802 Milkshake Hyaluronic Acid and Squalane Facial Toner Mist
This toner is not only effective but also fun! Luckily, it is suitable for all skin types, so anyone can enjoy it.
This toner is fragrance-free and alcohol-free, doesn’t clog pores, is safe for sensitive skin, and cruelty-free. It gets 4.8 stars out of 5, with over 1,000 reviews!
Milkshake targets redness, irritation, pore size, and balances the skin’s microbiome (your skin’s natural barrier). This toner leaves your skin feeling dewy, refreshed, and moisturized. The unique packaging means you can reapply the product throughout the day! Use it during your skincare routine, to set makeup, or just to refresh your skin at any time.
The key ingredients in this toner are goat milk, which nourishes skin; mugwort, which helps with redness; and jojoba oil and squalane, which target hydration and moisture. No wonder it won the 2022 Allure Best of Beauty Skin Award!
This toner is not only fun, but also contains skin-friendly ingredients. It feels like a hug after a long day!
Serums
Byoma Hydrating Serum
Since the first time I used this serum, it has been a constant in my routine. I don’t know how many times I’ve repurchased it.
This serum is a game-changer for dry and sensitive skin. It boasts a long list of awards and specifications, including being dermatologist-tested and approved, accepted by the National Eczema Association, free from oil, alcohol, and fragrance, non-comedogenic (won’t clog your pores), vegan and cruelty free!
This hydrating serum helps to keep your skin barrier healthy by targeting hydration. With powerful ingredients such as ceramides to help your skin barrier, glycerin for hydration, and squalane to prevent moisture loss, this serum could be a great addition to your routine.
I enjoy sandwiching it between a hydrating toner and moisturizer for the ultimate comfort routine for my dry skin.
Peach & Lily Glass Skin Serum
This serum got its name for a reason! Nothing gives my skin a glow like this serum does.
The Glass skin serum does it all. It targets acne, anti-aging, dryness, dullness, fine lines and wrinkles, loss of firmness, oiliness, pores, redness, sensitivity, and uneven skin texture – what a list!
This serum is perfect for dry, normal, oily, and combination skin. It is also vegan and cruelty-free.
This serum boasts an impressive mix of ingredients, including niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and a peptide complex. Niacinamide helps with areas of concern such as acne, signs of aging, and brightens the skin. Hyaluronic acid is known for its amazing hydrating and moisturizing benefits. The peptide complex in this serum works on collagen production and fine lines and wrinkles.
It’s no wonder that this serum won the Best of K-Beauty award in 2023 and a Cosmopolitan Readers’ Choice Beauty Award in 2024. If you want radiant skin, this might be your answer!
Beekman 1802 Golden Booster Vitamin C Brightening Serum
You’ve probably heard about skincare products with vitamin C. But what do they actually do? This serum targets dark spots, uneven skin tone, inflammation, and damage, while also helping to brighten, repair damage, and protect against the sun!
Golden Booster is great for sensitive and dry skin types and is fragrance-free! Beekman 1802 is a cruelty-free brand and is Leaping Bunny Certified.
What makes this serum stand out? The vitamin C in this serum comes from amla berries. This is an amazing ingredient – they have 20 times more vitamin C in than oranges do!
My skin loves this serum! It quickly clears blemishes and makes my skin glow from the inside out! If you’ve been thinking about incorporating vitamin C into your skincare, this serum is a great place to start.
Beekman 1802 Dream Booster Anti-Aging Bakuchiol Serum
It’s no secret that retinol products can be harsh on the skin. Luckily, this serum contains a retinol alternative and is safe for sensitive and dry skin.
This serum contains bakuchiol, a natural alternative to retinol that comes from the babchi plant. It is known for its soothing, calming, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties.
The bakuchiol in this serum is 4 times more gentle than retinol, making it a great alternative for those with more sensitive skin.
The Dream Booster Serum reduces fine lines, refines skin, minimizes the appearance of pores, plumps, firms, and hydrates the skin. It is also fragrance-free, and Beekman is cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny Certified.
If you’ve been thinking about retinol but are hesitant to start using it, then this alternative could be a good option. It has 4.8 stars out of 5 with 623 reviews – many people think so!
Moisturizers
Byoma Moisturizing Gel Cream
This moisturizer is lightweight but effective. It’s a staple in my skincare routine and layers beautifully with other products and makeup. Everyone I’ve talked to who uses this product loves it and keeps repurchasing it.
This gel cream is suitable for all skin types, dermatologist-tested and approved, free from oil, alcohol, and fragrance, doesn’t clog pores, and is both cruelty-free and vegan – what more could you want?
It targets your skin barrier to ensure it stays healthy and hydrated, while also reducing sensitivity. This gel cream has ceramides for moisture barrier protection, niacinamide to target brightening, and green tea to soothe the skin.
The cute packaging and luxurious formula make this moisturizer a winning combination!
Vanicream Facial Moisturizer
If you have sensitive skin, this simple yet effective moisturizer could be for you. It focuses on moisturization and hydration, making it especially beneficial for sensitive skin, though it’s suitable for all skin types.
This moisturizer also has a lightweight texture, but is slightly heavier than the Byoma Moisturizing Gel Cream. It’s dermatologist-recommended, vegan, and free from parabens and fragrance, and won’t clog pores. It’s also accepted by the National Eczema Association, so it’s safe for those with eczema.
Key ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, squalane, and glycerin are all fantastic for hydration and skin barrier support.
I love using this moisturizer when I incorporate an exfoliating toner into my routine – it’s simple, effective, and never irritates my skin!
Innisfree Green Tea Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Cream
This lightweight cream is ideal for dry, combination, and normal skin types. It feels luxurious yet gentle, and leaves your skin deeply hydrated.
The Green Tea Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Cream is free from alcohol-free and fragrance-free, dermatologist-tested, and contains vegan ingredients.
It contains powerhouse ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, squalane, and ceramides to hydrate the skin, while green tea provides antioxidants and an extra layer of moisture. With a rating of 4.8 stars out of 5 and over 700 reviews, it’s a crowd favorite.
It’s no surprise that this moisturizer effectively targets dryness – these ingredients are proof why!
Peach Slices Acne Oil-Free Moisturizer
This moisturizer is part of Peach Slices’ acne product range. It helps clear and prevent acne while hydrating and smoothing the skin. It’s suitable for those with acne as well as dry, normal, oily, or combination skin.
It contains ingredients such as salicylic acid to target acne and excess oil, niacinamide to help brighten the skin and target acne, and cica, which is anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial.
This moisturizer is also oil-free, cruelty-free and vegan. It has earned 4.5 stars out of 5, with almost 100 reviews. If you have acne or acne-prone skin and want a moisturizer that targets these concerns, this could be a great option for you!
Sunscreen
Solara Time Traveler Ageless Daily Face Sunscreen SPF 30
This sunscreen from Solara is great for those with sensitive skin – it’s fragrance-free, allergy-tested, and both dermatologist-approved and tested.
This SPF is nourishing, moisturizing, water resistant, and leaves your skin feeling dewy. It contains ceramides and squalane, both of which are effective ingredients for hydration. This sunscreen also helps with fine lines and hyperpigmentation. With 131 reviews and 4.4 stars out of 5, this SPF has proven to be popular.
This is a great SPF option for active people – its water resistance and hydrating properties make it perfect for any kind of activity!
Kora Organics Silky Sun Drops Mineral Sunscreen Serum, SPF 30
This SPF comes in the form of a hydrating, lightweight serum and gives a radiant finish. If you dislike the heavy feel or the white cast that some mineral sunscreens have, this could be the SPF for you.
Silky Sun Drops protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays, as well as environmental stressors. As well as sun protection, it also targets fine lines and wrinkles, dryness, and dullness. It is ideal for normal, dry, combination, and oily skin.
This SPF contains raspberry seed oil, that provides antioxidants and sun protection, ectoin to aid hydration and support the skin barrier, and chia seed oil for added moisturization benefits.
It is also cruelty-free, reef-safe, and vegan! If you avoid SPF because you don’t like how it feels, then this could be a great option. With nearly 300 reviews on Sephora, it boasts an average rating of 4.7 stars out of 5. That’s pretty solid!
Cocokind Daily Facial Sunscreen Lotion SPF 32
This fragrance-free SPF is perfect for sensitive skin. It has been awarded the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance, meaning it is safe for sensitive and eczema-prone skin.
This lotion helps protect against UVA and UVB rays, blue light, pollution, environmental stress, premature aging, dark spots, fine lines, and wrinkles.
It contains a mix of unique ingredients such as blue phytoplankton spirulina maxima extract (an antioxidant), microalga phaeodactylum tricornutum extract (which protects the skin against pollution and supports the skin barrier), and rice starch (which leaves the skin soft and dewy).
Cocokind is cruelty-free, and this product contains vegan ingredients. It has over 1,100 reviews, with an average of 4.46 out of 5 stars.
Necessaire The Sunscreen
This sunscreen from Necessaire is dermatologist-tested, cruelty-free, hypoallergenic, and won’t clog pores.
The Sunscreen protects your skin from sun damage and premature aging caused by harmful UV rays. It contains hyaluronic acid for hydration and niacinamide, which helps brighten skin, treat acne, and prevent signs of aging.
The Sunscreen has won the 2023 New Beauty Award, 2022 GQ Award, and a 2022 Cosmopolitan Award. With 4.2 stars out of 5 and 3 prestigious awards, this sounds like a great choice.
If you’re looking for a simple, straightforward sunscreen that does what it promises (and comes in a cute bottle the color of the sun), then this option from Necessaire could be your answer.
If you’re looking to switch your skincare routine to clean products – whether you have dry, normal, acne-prone, oily, sensitive, or combination skin – we hope you’ve found some products without harmful ingredients that you’re excited to try!
Remember, finding clean beauty essentials that work for you is a journey. Don’t be afraid to experiment with products to discover what works best for your skin. And always remember to patch test a new product before using it.
