5 Best Drugstore Skincare Products to Avoid Toxic Ingredients + Get Better-Looking Skin
When it comes to skincare, what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in it.
Unfortunately, many mainstream products sold in stores are loaded with hidden toxins: synthetic fragrances, parabens, phthalates, PEG, formaldehyde releasers, 1,4-Dioxane, and harsh preservatives that can irritate your skin, disrupt your hormones, and even cause cancer.
Your skin is your largest organ, and it absorbs most of what you put on it. That’s why it’s so important to actually know what’s in your skincare products–because some may be doing more harm than good.
Over the past two months, I tested some of the most popular drugstore skincare brands that promise effective, benefit-driven formulas without the toxic ingredients. Here’s what I found.
TLDR: Revive’s Skincare Collection came in #1 because it left my skin smooth and glowing, uses non-toxic ingredients, doesn’t have synthetic fragrances, and even includes 100% PURE essential oils! I’ve been using this collection everyday, and my skin has never looked better.
Revive’s Skincare Collection blew us away and was my favorite skincare by far, earning 5 stars ★★★★★. I love all four products that come in the collection, and none of them made my sensitive skin break out (which is super rare for me!).
The Cleanser does a great job of removing my makeup without feeling abrasive–I still almost can’t believe it’s plant-based and made without harsh chemicals, it really works that well!
I follow the Cleanser with the Face Revitalize Vitamin C serum to hydrate, promote collagen production, and reduce wrinkles. Then I use the Renewal Serum to help nourish my skin and protect against free-radical damage.
I finish with the Moisturizer–this might be my favorite! It does wonders for anti-aging, and it smells amazing.
The best part: unlike other products that use synthetic fragrances (that can end up disrupting your hormones), Revive’s Skincare Collection is made with 100% PURE therapeutic grade essential oils. The Lavender & Frankincense, Ylang Ylang, Geranium, and Carrot Seed Oils in their products not only smell great, but are amazing for your skin.
Read the benefits of each of the essential oils here.
It’s no wonder Revive’s Skincare Collection has so many great reviews (including one from us!)
Out of everything I tested, this was the routine that gave me the best combination of ingredients I felt good about using, noticeable improvements in how my skin looked and felt, and the PRICE is unbeatable. Revive is the only skincare I use now, and that’s why it’s my #1 recommendation. It’s also the most affordable!
2. La Roche-Posay
La Roche-Posay is one of the most popular dermatologist-recommended skincare brands, and it earned our #2 spot.
During our review process, the most important things we looked for were effective ingredients, noticeable results, and formulas we felt good about using. La Roche-Posay checked a lot of those boxes! We especially liked their Toleriane products, which are designed for sensitive skin and made without things like fragrance, parabens, and sulfates.
The biggest downside was that their ingredient standards aren’t consistent across every product. Some of their popular formulas still contain ingredients like synthetic fragrance, PEGs, and denatured alcohol — all things we were specifically trying to avoid putting on our skin.
Because of that inconsistency, Revive ultimately gave us the better combination of ingredients we felt good about using and noticeable results, which is why La Roche-Posay earned our #2 spot.
Pacifica is one of the more “clean beauty” focused drugstore brands we tested, which helped it earn our #3 spot.
We liked that many of their products are vegan, cruelty-free, and formulated without ingredients like parabens and phthalates. They also offer fragrance-free options and use a lot of plant-based ingredients, which we loved.
However, some of their products still use natural fragrance and essential oils. While we definitely prefer that over synthetic fragrance, we couldn’t find the same publicly available purity testing or GC/MS reports for those oils that we found with Revive.
Because of that uncertainty, paired with Revive giving us more noticeable results overall, Pacifica earned our #3 spot.
4. CeraVe
CeraVe is one of the most popular drugstore skincare brands, so we were really curious to see how it compared.
We did like that many of their products are fragrance-free and made with ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to help support the skin barrier and hydration.
But after using it, we honestly didn’t notice much of a difference in how our skin looked. Our skin wasn’t irritated, but it also didn’t feel noticeably smoother, brighter, or improved.
We also noticed that some CeraVe products still contain ingredients we were trying to avoid in this review. Their Daily Moisturizing Lotion, for example, contains methylparaben and propylparaben, despite being fragrance-free.
Because of that, CeraVe came in at #4 on our list.
5. Neutragena
Coming in last on our list is Neutrogena.
We like that they offer some fragrance-free options with ingredients like hyaluronic acid that help with hydration, but overall their ingredients seem pretty inconsistent depending on the product.
Some formulas are fragrance-free and made without parabens or phthalates, while others still contain added fragrance or ingredients we were specifically trying to avoid.
With so many different formulas, we felt like you really have to read every ingredient label carefully instead of knowing what to expect from the brand as a whole.
We also didn’t notice enough visible benefits to make navigating all the different formulas feel worth it, thus earning the #5 spot.
And the winner is…
The winner is Revive! Their skincare collection is non-toxic, made without harmful chemicals like 1,4-Dioxane, parabens, formaldehyde releasers, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, and more. Plus, they use 100% PURE essential oils in their products for added benefits and amazing scents.
Best of all: You can get 30% OFF right now!
Best of all: You can get 30% OFF right now!
#1: Revive Skincare Collection – Buy it here.
#2: La Roche Posay – Buy It Here
#3: Pacifica – Buy It Here
#4: CeraVe – Buy It Here
#5: Neutrogena – Buy It Here