acne-safe toothpaste is a thing (2026 update)
over the last 15 years we've been around, we've seen many a rare-to-find acne-safe toothpaste come and go as companies face supply issues or close down completely, but here's a list of what we've found recently.
interestingly, it was quite easy to find acne-safe toothpaste in french and greek pharmacies, as i discovered during a trip there in summer 2023. while living in asia, i also found a few acne-safe ones also, with a patient and careful eye. based on these experiences, it may actually be easier to find abroad than here in the US.
AS ALWAYS, make sure to use our product ingredient checker tool, then double and triple check ingredients of what you are looking to buy and use, even when refilling the same exact thing. manufacturers often will change up ingredients to non-acne-safe ones without any notice.
rest assured that all w&w brand products (and all else we sell on the shop) are always acne-safe, and we will never reformulate with cloggy ingredients!
the safest bets
desert essence's prebiotic plant-based toothpaste with perilla seed
now available in our online shop, this desert essence brand, prebiotic plant-based toothpaste is the same one kim uses, and can be found in most natural food / health stores in the bay area.
beware other formulas from the same brand are not acne-safe, but this particular one is.
ingredients: calcium carbonate, glycerin, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) leaf water, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, mentha piperita (peppermint) flower/leaf/stem oil, cellulose gum, hydrolyzed pea protein, cichorium intybus (chicory) root extract, inulin (agave), perilla frutescens extract (perilla seed), glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) root extract, equisetum avense leaf extract (horsetail), quillaja saponaria bark extract (soap bark), melia azadirachta (neem) bark extract, mentha arvensis leaf oil (wild mint), mentha viridis (spearmint) leaf oil, melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) leaf oil, hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) extract, glutathione, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), zinc citrate, calcium ascorbate (vitamin c), phytic acid, sea salt, stevia rebaudiana leaf/stem powder
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spry xylitol peppermint toothpaste
this spry xylitol peppermint toothpaste (with and without fluoride) was also safe, easily found at rainbow grocery here in sf.
ingredients: water, glycerin, silica, xylitol, erythritol, lauryl glucoside, sodium methyl cocoyl taurate, zinc citrate, cranberry extract, aloe vera, xanthan gum, cellulose gum, stevia, natural peppermint flavor, sodium benzoate, titanium dioxide
kiss my face
whitening cool mint gel fluoride free
triple action cool mint gel fluoride free
sensitive citrus mint gel fluoride free
kids berry smart gel fluoride free
we used to sell this brand but it was tricky to restock over a few years, i suspect due to supply issues. however it looks like they are selling them again, and they're all acne-safe (we've tested them!), which is great news. they used to have pastes that were comedogenic but these gels are fine.
gutology
i've not tried or tested this brand, but the ingredients themselves look safe to try. many of the fancier brands tend to be comedogenic, but this ones does not appear to be.
the maybe's
sensodyne has long been a questionable one as well. christine, skinSALVATION's very first official esthetician hire (and earliest clients too!), cleared up dramatically after seeing kim for several months. she still broke out around her mouth though, and once she stopped using the acne-safe-on-paper sensodyne and switched to kiss my face, she cleared up completely. thus, we've always written it off as not acne-safe.
however, another long-time client AK has used this exact sensodyne pronamel gentle whitening formula with no problems. so, we've included it here for those brave enough to try.
active ingredients: potassium nitrate 5%, sodium fluoride 0.25% (0.15% fluoride ion)
inactive ingredients: water, sorbitol, hydrated silica, glycerin, peg-8, cocamidopropyl betaine, flavors, xanthan gum, sodium saccharin, titanium dioxide, sodium hydroxide
the definitely not's
this would include most all toothpastes commercially available - even ones marketed as being 'natural' (like tom's! big eye roll). if the ingredient listing reads any of these cloggers, move on to investigating the next tube!
- sodium lauryl sulfate
- sodium laureth sulfate
- carageenan
- chondrus chrispus
- coconut oil
- argan oil
- any seaweed, kelp, spirulina or iodine-rich ingredients
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