My friend Mia just introduced me to a fascinating website: Cosmetics Database. The Environmental Working Group’s cosmetic safety database, the site allows you to search for beauty products, and then gives you the lowdown: what diseases and conditions are linked to ingredients in the product, does it test on animals, and overall how well it ranks in both safety and greenness.

I was a little concerned, because I had suspicions that my facial care products were going to rate poorly. I like to use Olay Daily Facials on a regular basis, since they are gentle and really get your skin clean, and I occasionally supplement that with Neutrogena’s Oil Free Acne Wash, when I’m fighting a breakout. Unfortunately, my fears were valid:

Not only do the products rank higher than I’d like on the danger scale, they both conduct animal testing. No matter how well they work, I don’t want to support cruel practices and pollute my skin. Fortunately, I was also able to use the site to find a cleanser with a healthy rating that’s also totally animal-free: Kiss My Face Start Up Exfoliating Face Wash!