This post shares the 9 best non-toxic body washes. Body washes that are free from parabens, sulphates, phthalates, artificial fragrances and other potentially harmful ingredients. These body washes are made with natural, safe and organic ingredients and many are also vegan, cruelty free and good for the planet.
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Table of Contents
Why use a non-toxic body wash?
Body washes are a product that most of us use on a daily basis to clean our bodies and help us feel clean and fresh. Many of the ingredients in the personal care products we use, including body wash, can be absorbed through the skin into the blood stream (and can thus impact our internal organs) and because body wash is a product we use so often, it's important that the ingredients in your body wash be safe for health and non-toxic.
Unfortunately, the regulations for the personal care industry and beauty products are rather lacking in many countries (including both Canada and the US), which means that harmful ingredients, toxic chemicals, toxic ingredients, synthetic fragrances, and other skin irritants can end up in the products that are sold to consumers, including conventional body washes. That is why it's important to always read product labels and only choose personal care products made with safe, non toxic ingredients.
When it comes to body washes, the good news is that there are now many brands that make your health and safety their priority, and formulate their products with safe ingredients and without harsh chemicals. More and more brands are using natural, certified organic ingredients that are also often vegan, cruelty free, fragrance free and nontoxic.
It's always my mission to make life easier for you, so to make this round up I tried and tested over 20 brands of non-toxic body washes and have narrowed it down my top 9 picks for you. Here I will share my honest opinions and reviews of all of the body washes I tried. All of these body washes are free from harsh ingredients and are great for the whole family including organic body washes, natural body washes and natural soaps.
After you finish reading this post, be sure to check out the best non toxic body lotions too.
The 9 Best Non-Toxic Body Washes
Primally Pure Body Wash
Primally Pure is my personal favourite safe body wash and overall top pick!
Why I love it:
- This is the most natural body wash on the list and is made with all natural ingredients.
- It comes in three different scents including eucalyptus and lavender, citrus and mint, almond and vanilla. The citrus and mint one is my favorite!
- These body washes are scented with natural essential oils like lavender essential oil and are free from any synthetic fragrances.
- It has a creamy texture that doesn't dry out your skin.
Cons:
- It is a low suds formula, so if you like more of a lather you may not like this one as much.
- It is the most expensive body wash in this review.
- Packaged in plastic so no sustainable packaging.
- No contaminant testing.
Certifications: All natural ingredients and plant-based ingredients.
Size: 8 ounces
Price: $32 USD - Be sure to use my 10% off code to help you save money
Attitude Body Wash
Attitude body wash is a great option that is widely available in drug stores and is one of the easiest clean body washes to buy.
Pros:
- They make both fragrance free, hypoallergenic and scented body washes depending on your needs and how sensitive your skin is.
- They have many different scent options including include bergamot and ylang ylang (my favorite!), patchouli and black pepper, peppermint and sweet orange scent, and petitgrain and jasmine.
- It is one of the more affordable non-toxic body washes in this review.
- They now make body wash that comes in a refillable aluminum container so it's better for the planet and more eco-friendly.
- It lathers really well.
Cons:
- The formula is thinner and more watery compared to some of the others in this review.
- The brand doesn't test for contaminants.
Certifications: EWG Verified, vegan, cruelty free, ECOLOGO Certified, sustainable, biodegradable and low aquatic toxicity.
Size: 473 mL or 16 ounces
Price: Depends on the size and type. Ranges from $11.67 -$39.00 USD
100% Pure Body Wash
100% Pure is one of the better known non-toxic personal care brands. They make many great personal care products, including great body washes.
Pros:
- Offers the most scent options of any brand in this review. My personal favourite is vanilla bean.
- Is nice and hydrating.
- The formula is really gentle.
Cons:
- Packaged in plastic with no sustainable packaging options.
- The brand doesn't test for contaminants.
- I didn't love the gel formula as much as some of the more creamy formulas in this review, but that's just my personal preference.
Certifications: Gluten Free, Vegan, Made in the USA. Sulfate free. Made with natural ingredients.
Size: 8 ounces
Price: $20 USD
Carina Organic Body Wash
Carina Organics makes great non toxic personal care products and the Carina Organics Shampoo and Body washes are no exception.
Pros:
- I like how these smell.
- They are nice and gentle.
- You can often find this brand in organic grocery stores so you may not need to order online.
- Comes in a variety of scent options including an unscented version. My favourite is the peppermint one.
Cons:
- Packaged in plastic so no sustainable packaging.
- While this is advertised as both a body wash and shampoo my hair did not like this as a shampoo and it made it quite dry.
- No contaminant testing.
Certifications: Vegan, cruelty free, gluten free, soy free and made with 100% biodegradable ingredients.
Size: 360 mL or 12.2 ounces
Price: $19.39 USD
Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap
If you are looking for a great multi-purpose product Dr. Bronner's castile liquid soap is it! It one of the best known castile soaps on the market and has been around for over 50 years!.
Pros:
- Can be used for so many things! Hand wash, body wash, shampoo, for washing dishes and more.
- The soap is also packaged in 100% post consumer recycled plastic to help reduce their environmental impact.
- It comes in liquid and bar soap forms (I personally prefer the liquid more).
- It is so affordable! It's the most affordable option in this review.
- It comes in scented and unscented options.
- Easy to find and is sold at Walmart and Target.
Cons:
- You can't recycle the container.
- No contaminant testing.
- This does feel more like a soap rather than a body wash so I personally prefer it as a hand wash rather than a body wash. It just doesn't feel as luxurious as a body wash should in my mind.
Certifications: Organic, non-GMO, vegan, cruelty-free, fair trade. Rated a 1 on the EWG skin deep database
Size: 237 mL or 8 ounces
Price: $3.19-$64.99 USD depending on size
Rocky Mountain Soap Body Wash
Rocky Mountain Soap Company is a local brand to where I live that makes so many amazing non toxic personal care products made with natural ingredients and organic ingredients, including their Everyday Hero Shower Gel.
Pros:
- I love the scent of this natural body wash! It's so refreshing.
- It's nice and hydrating.
- Where I live I can shop locally, in-store to cut down on shipping costs and transportation pollution.
Cons:
- Packaged in plastic with no sustainable packaging.
- I am not sure if this product is available outside of Canada.
- No contaminant testing.
- Only available in one scent option so if you don't happen to live the scent there is no alternative.
Certifications: Made in Canada, all natural, cruelty free, vegan, non-GMO, Leaping Bunny certified.
Size: 250 mL
Price: $18 CAD
Sea Kind Glow Body Wash
The Sea Kind Glow Body Wash is an all natural, vegan body wash that is great for men, women and children.
Pros:
- Comes in 3 different scents and are scented with essential oils and avoids synthetic fragrances. I really like the Ocean Breeze scent.
- I found it to be nice and hydrating.
- It lathers really well.
- Sea Kind helps support sea conservation organizations which I really like.
Cons:
- Packaged in plastic with no sustainable packaging options.
- No testing for contaminants.
- The pump can be a little finicky and often takes multiple pumps to get the product to come out.
Certifications: EWG verified, vegan, non-GMO.
Size: 473 mL or 16 ounces
Price: $19.76 - $21.95 USD
The Honest Company Body Wash
Another great, safe option are the body washes from The Honest Company.
Pros:
- Comes in both scented and fragrance free options depending on your preference. I really like the Refresh (citrus vanilla) scent.
- Their body wash is made with naturally derived ingredients and are specifically designed for babies and kids if you are someone who wants one product the whole family can use.
- Easy to find in drug stores and grocery stores.
- More affordable than some of the others in this review.
Cons:
- This is meant to be both a body wash and shampoo, and while I really like it as a body wash I didn't like it's performance as a shampoo.
- The brand doesn't do contaminant testing.
- It doesn't lather very well if you prefer a soap that lathers.
- Comes in plastic so no sustainable packaging, although they do offer refills so you can refill the plastic container.
Certifications: EWG verified, paediatrician tested, hypoallergenic. Made in the USA.
Size: 295 mL, 532 mL or 946 mL
Price: $10.97 - $27.99 USD depending on size.
Hello Bello Baby Shampoo and Body Wash
The Hello Bello Baby Shampoo and Body Wash is formulated specially for babies and kids but I wanted to test it out for all my readers that do have children.
Pros:
- It's very affordable!
- Come in a variety of scent options. I haven't been able to smell them all but I did really like the lavender one that I ordered.
- It lathers really well.
- Available at Walmart.
Cons:
- There do seem to be some issues with the packaging as there are reviewers online who had issues with leaks (I fortunately did not).
- I like this as a body wash but didn't like it as a shampoo.
- Packaged in plastic so no sustainable packaging.
- No contaminant testing.
Certifications: tear free, paediatrician approved, vegan hypoallergenic, gluten free, and dermatologist tested.
Size: 296 mL or 10 ounces
Price: $6.58 -$10.99 USD
Not my favourites:
As I mentioned in the introduction, I tested over 20 different body washes to create this review so here is a summary of some of the other options I tried and just didn't love as much as the ones I included in the top 10.
- Andalou Naturals body wash - I wanted to love this one because it's the most affordable clean body wash I could find but I just didn't like it as much as some of the others I tried. However, if you are looking for a more affordable non-toxic body was I would consider trying this one for yourself to see what you think.
- Boyzz Only body wash - This formula is specifically designed for men, so that might be part of the reason why it isn't my favourite. It doesn't lather that well and it is meant to be a combination shampoo and body wash and I didn't find it was ideal for either. Plus the bottle is pretty small, especially if you are trying to use it for both purposes. However this product is EWG verified, vegan, gluten free, biodegradable, CertClean certified, and Leaping Bunny certified so it does have great certifications behind it. If there are any men reading this, I would loe to know what you think of this product!
- Earth Mama Baby Wash - this product is meant to be both a body wash and hand wash and because it's a foaming formula I personally really like it as a hand wash, but don't like it as a body wash.
- Pipette body wash - I do really like this body wash in terms of the scent and how it feels, but there seems to be some issues with the packaging as the bottle I ordered had leaked when it arrived and I have seen some other reviews saying the same.
- C'Est Moi Vanilla Body Wash - I loved the smell of this body wash but I found the formula to be kind of sticky, and since it was one of the most expensive body washes I tried I jut don't think it's worth the high price point.
- Alaffia Authentic African Black Soap - This is another multi-purpose product that can be used as a body wash, hand wash, face wash and shampoo. I really like using this as a hand wash but don't love it as a body wash personally. But it comes at a really great price point and is nice and gentle so if you are looking for an affordable multi-use product this would be a great option.
- Baja Baby Shampoo and Body Wash - this is another multi-purpose product that is designed specifically for children and babies. I was really excited about this product as it is made in Canada but the seal on mine broke so some of it spilled with shipping. I did like it as a body wash (not as a shampoo) but for the price point I am hesitant to recommend it until the seal issue is fixed.
Ingredients to avoid in body wash and why:
Now there is no possible way that I could try and review every safe and natural body wash on the market, so if you are out shopping for body wash here is a summary of some of the ingredients you can watch for and avoid since many of the personal care products on the market, including body wash, can be made with ingredients that can have negative health risks.
Parabens
Parabens are preservatives used in many beauty and skincare products to help increase their shelf life and stability. The parabens used most often in personal care products are methyl, ethyl, butyl and propyl paraben, which are used as preservatives and antibacterial agents.
The problem with parabens is that some of them have weak estrogenic and anti-androgenic activity. In other words, they can lead to hormone imbalances and are therefore classified as endocrine disruptors or hormone disruptors.
Endocrine disruption can lead to a number of health problems including thyroid disease, infertility, acne, fatigue, weight gain, etc. And parabens have been linked to breast cancer, skin cancer, decreased sperm counts and infertility (Reference, Reference, Reference, Reference).
Fragrances
Fragrances are considered to be trade secrets. This means that companies don't have to disclose the ingredients they use to make their fragrances. Hidden within that little unassuming term could be hundreds of chemicals or ingredients, some of which could be harmful to your health. And you don't get to know what any of them are. And unfortunately, the ingredients used to make these fragrances can be harmful to your health.
The ingredients used to make fragrances can be hormone disruptors, allergens, airway irritants, neurological-toxins and ingredients linked to infertility. That's why I recommend avoiding any product, not just body wash, that uses synthetic fragrances or that won't disclose their fragrance ingredients. To avoid fragrances, check for the words "fragrance", "scent", "perfume" or "parfum" in the ingredient list.
Phthalates
Phthalates are used to make products flexible and to help fragrances and scents last longer.
Phthalates can also be included in a products fragrance formula so also be sure to avoid products with the words fragrance, perfume or parfum in the ingredient lists.
Ethanolamines (DEA, TEA, MEA)
Europe and Canada prohibit the use of DEA in cosmetics and personal care products due to concerns regarding the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines. However, these chemicals are still allowed to be used in other countries.
There is also concern that these chemicals can negatively impact male fertility as in vitro studies have shown they impair sperm motility and viability. Animals studies also shown concering neurological effects. TEA is also an immune and respiratory toxin.
To avoid ethanolamines, look for DEA, TEA and MEA when reading ingredient lists.
PEGS
PEG compounds (PEGS) are formed by condensing water and ethylene oxide. While PEG compounds themselves are usually safe for health, they can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which is a known carcinogen and because they are used as penetration enhancers, depending on what other ingredients are in the product, they can potentially make other toxic ingredients more harmful.
Triclosan
Tricolsan is an anti-bacterial agent that is added to personal care products in order to prevent bacterial contamination, and to kill bacteria on the surface of the skin. Triclosan is used so commonly that 75% of Americans have detectable levels in their urine.
Animal studies have shown triclosan to be an endocrine disruptor and other studies show that it can alter your microbiome. The good news is that triclosan is no longer used in soaps, but it still can be used in other personal care products so it's important to read labels.
But don't worry, you don't need to memorize these chemicals. I have created a free download for you with a list of ingredients to avoid in skincare and cosmetic products:
I hope you found this information helpful! If you have any questions please let me know.
Frequently asked questions:
When reading body wash ingredients, one of the main ingredients to watch out for and avoid is fragrance or parfume. Fragrances are considered to be trade secrets in personal care products, meaning the company doesn't have to disclose what ingredients are in their fragrances, and often the fragrances are where hormone disruptors and other harmful ingredients such as phthalates are found.
Dove body wash is sulfate free and paraben free but they do contain artificial fragrances. Therefore, Dove body wash would not be considered non toxic and it would be best to avoid it.
Sadly, many body washes on the market contain ingredients that can be dangerous or harmful to our health. They can contain ingredients that can irritate the skin, contribute to hormone imbalances, infertility, and other negative health effects. Luckily, more and more brands are starting to formulate their products with safe and non toxic ingredients, so be sure to choose brands that focus on your safety.
Since you made it this far we are basically best friends so be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Facebook where I share even more recipes and healthy living tips! And don’t forget to leave this recipe a star review before you go!
Other health information you will be interested in:
- The best non toxic toothpastes
- The best non-toxic deodorants
- Is there mercury in your mascara?
- Is mineral or chemical sunscreen better?
- How to choose safe cookware
- Are candles toxic?
- Is ceramic cookware safe?
- The best non toxic face masks for all skin types
Our expertise:
Dr. Erin Carter, MD, FRCPC, is a physician with board certifications in internal medicine and rheumatology. She is passionate about nutrition, environmental health and low toxicity living and has been doing research and publishing information in this area for years. She is also a self-trained chef and has been creating and publishing recipes since 2015. Her recipes have been featured on many different websites and online publications.
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