A lot of people are learning more about hormone disruptors and carcinogens in personal care products, which means you’re not the only one trying to “clean up” their shower routine!

Whether you’re just getting started with non-toxic living or you’ve been on this journey for a while, body wash is a great swap to make… And there are plenty of brands to choose from!

I dug through ingredient labels (so you don’t have to) to find the best non-toxic, natural, and organic body washes that are clean and still make your shower feel like a little retreat from the stresses of life.

As usual, I’ve included a variety of options so that you can choose based on your preferences. Bar or gel, refillable or not, scented or unscented, etc.

Here are easy links to help you shop by category, or jump to the reviews.

Best scented:

Has options for fragrance-free and/or sensitive skin:

For acne-prone skin:

Refillable liquid options:

Bar soap options:

Most affordable:

Organic (uses mostly organic ingredients):

For kids & babies:

For men:

(Of course, guys can use any products on this list! But these brands have specific “manly” products or scents.)

Hemp body wash:

Available at Target:

Available at Walmart:

Available on Amazon:

Body wash without sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS):

  • All the brands below are free from harsh sulfates like SLS.

What this guide includes:

This guide contains product recommendations and we may receive compensation if you purchase through certain links. As always, we only make recommendations that are genuine!

My Favorite Natural & Non-Toxic Body Wash Brands (with Our Reviews)

Here are the best non-toxic body wash brands we’ve tried in recent years:

Plaine Products

an image of Shampoo, Body wash, conditioner and face wash from Plaine Products inside the bathroom

Liquid. Scented and unscented options.

Abbie’s Review:

Plaine Products is a refillable, low-plastic brand. You actually ship the bottles back to them when you’re finished so they can wash and reuse them! (You keep the plastic pump and use it with your new bottle.)

Plaine Products body wash and other personal care products are made with minimal, mostly natural ingredients. Their products are very user-friendly and good for the whole family.

It’s all made in the USA by a small, locally-owned business.

My favorite scent is the Rosemary Mint Vanilla—it’s so refreshing but not overpowering. But the Citrus Lavender is really nice too! It has a bit of an energizing vibe to it (I’d say the citrus is more prominent than the lavender).

This SLS-free body wash lathers well and is very soft. My husband really likes it and requested we re-buy it (which I’ve already done). He definitely loves a lather-y soap. He also has more sensitive skin than I do and tends to get some eczema, and this body wash works well for him.

Check out my full review of Plaine Products (and behind the scenes of their headquarters!) here.

If you decide to buy, you can use the code THEFILTERY20 for 20% off your order.

Shop Plaine Products
Find it on Amazon

Meliora

Bar soap. Scented & unscented options. Zero-waste/plastic-free.

Lauren P.’s Review:

I love a good bar of soap but I’ve found not all bar soaps are equal. This soap suds really nicely and doesn’t leave your skin feeling stripped but rather hydrated and clean. 

This soap comes in a few different scents: Lavender, Lemongrass, Peppermint, Tea Tree, or Unscented.

I tried the Lemongrass one. Lemongrass is so hit or miss for me, especially with essential oils. Sometimes it can almost feel like the citrus is burning your nose, but not this one. It’s really light and pleasant and doesn’t linger too long after you wash. 

The texture of the soap is lovely. It gets sudsy really easily but you can also feel the soap on your hands and then feel when it’s rinsed off. It’s really soft and hydrating. It rinses off easily, too, without any lingering textures or films.

Meliora is one of those rare awesome brands that is both non-toxic and low-waste/plastic-free. You can buy their soap either in a cardboard box packaging or without any packaging at all! It’s made in the USA in their Chicago factory.

Additionally, all of their ingredients are MADE SAFE® Certified, Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free, and vegan.

Shop Meliora

Primally Pure

Primally Pure Almond + Vanilla Body Wash with water droplets on the bottle, sitting on a tiled shower shelf.

Low-plastic, but not refillable. Scented. Liquid.

Abbie’s Review:

This is a definitely a luxurious-feeling body wash! It’s creamy—it almost feels like a cross between and body wash and a lotion. It doesn’t lather very much, which I personally don’t mind. (My husband, on the other hand, is all about the suds!)

Primally Pure says their low-lather wash is made like that on purpose. Their goal is to cleanse the skin without stripping it, keeping the skin’s natural barrier and microbiome in tact. It also makes it good to use as a shaving cream.

Of course, I love that it’s made with minimal, all-natural ingredients (no synthetics). A lot of the ingredients are even organic.

Their products are made in California, USA, and they partner with small, sustainable farms for ingredient sourcing whenever they can.

This body wash is expensive ($44 for 12 oz at the time of publication), so it’s definitely not for someone looking for a budget option. But if you like to make your shower routine into more of a luxury experience, then this is a good option for you.

One little annoying thing is that the body wash tends to dry inside the pump and clog it a little bit. So the next time you go to use it, the body wash squirts out at a weird angle sometimes because it’s partially clogged. Not a big deal, but just a little inconvenience that might be worth noting.

Other than that, the bottle is really nice (it’s metal), and I wish you they had a refill option so you don’t have to re-buy it every time. (You can send your empties back to them for recycling though.)

I tried their Almond + Vanilla, which has a nice warm scent to it. They also have other options like Citrus + Mint, Eucalyptus + Lavender, and Bergamot + Eucalyptus. They don’t have an unscented option at this time.

Here’s our full review of Primally Pure, including several of their other products.

Shop Primally Pure

Attitude

Bar soap & liquid options. Refillable. Scented & unscented.

Abbie’s Review:

I’ve repurchased Attitude’s body wash (and other products) many times over the years. In part because they’re just so easy to buy from—they have a lot of options, their price points are pretty affordable, and they’re very ‘normie-friendly’ (they lather well and smell nice, etc.), which means my husband likes them too.

They have bar soap that comes in several different scents, as well as liquid options. The liquid versions are available in either plastic or aluminum bottles, with pump lids or just regular squeeze bottles. You can also get a big refill box.

They also have a 2-in-1 Sport Wash and a 2-in-1 Scalp Care Wash and my husband likes both of those a lot.

For fragrance options, they have some that are only all-natural (scented with essential oils), or they have other choices that use safe synthetics (they’re still free of phthalates and things like that). They have a Sensitive Skin one as well!

A lot of their products are EWG Verified. Unfortunately, Attitude’s labeling has changed in recent years, causing confusion for customers. They used to list all of their fragrance ingredients individually on the label, but now some of their products contain “Fragrance“. Here’s the reasoning they give for that:

“Please note that our products have always contained fragrances of natural origin (except for unscented products). The only thing that has changed is the way we display this information on our packaging. EWG has requested that we add the term *fragrance (parfum) to our list of ingredients because their internal standard now make it mandatory for companies to indicate which ingredients are part of the fragrance.”

If you don’t want to deal with all that, you can either go with one of the Unscented options, or one that only uses essential oils for scent (like Leaves Bar for example).

Shop Attitude
Get it from Amazon
Find at Walmart

Ursa Major

Bar soap and liquid options. Scented

Abbie’s Review:

They have two main options for body wash: Citrus Riot liquid body wash and Morning Mojo bar soap.

I haven’t tried the liquid one yet, but I’m a big fan of the Morning Mojo bar soap. I love the smell. It must be called Morning Mojo for a reason because it’s definitely got an energizing scent to it. (You can still use it at night though.) I like that it has a light texture for exfoliation, but it’s not harsh on the skin.

It’s free from petrochemicals, sulfates, parabens, synthetic fragrances, and some of the ingredients are even certified organic.

I also recommend the Morning Mojo if you want a more low-waste option. The Citrus Riot comes in a plastic bottle and unfortunately it’s not refillable at this time.

My husband likes Ursa Major, too. He’s been using their Fantastic Face Wash for over a year now.

Shop Ursa Major
Find it on Amazon
Buy from Walmart

Birch Babe

Bar soap, plastic-free, scented.

Abbie’s Review:

I love this natural body soap from Birch Birch. I got the “Woodsy Jay” and it smells SO good. It is a more masculine scent, so my husband and I are both using it. (He likes it, too.)

They have several scents available: Charcoal & Lemongrass, Citrus Swirl, Key Lime, Woodsy Jay, Aloe Vera & Seaweed.

The are handcrafted in Canada and have a good lather (without sulfates). They are CERTCLEAN certified, vegan, and cruelty-free. They’re packaged in paper.

They can double as a shampoo bar too if you want (although I haven’t tried it for that yet).

In addition to their Botanical Body Bars, they also have Exfoliating Body Bars, Botanical Shave Bars, and Facial Cleansing Bars, which are suitable for sensitive skin.

Use code THEFILTERYBB10 for 10% off.

Shop Birch Babe

Toups & Co.

an image of a French green clay box and soap of Toups and Co.

Bar soap, plastic-free, scented & unscented options.

Celia’s Review:

Toups & Co.’s bar soaps can be used for your body and/or your face.

Their French Green Clay Soap is one of my favorite personal care products right now. Made with French green clay, coconut oil, and natural minerals, it fights blemishes with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties to clarify and detox the skin.

It is rather expensive for a body wash ($19 per bar at the time of publication), but I will say that a little goes a long way.

It has a gentle floral scent that makes washing my face feel refreshing and luxurious. 

What I appreciate most about this soap is that it makes my face and body feel truly clean. I typically like to double cleanse for my face, but even on nights when I can’t be bothered to do that, my skin still gets that deep clean (without feeling tight or dry). 

I have an acne-prone complexion that’s also super dry (some may say I’m *extra blessed*), and my skin loves this cleanser.

Not only are the ingredients non-toxic, but it provides a next-level clean feeling and I think it’s well worth the price.

I’ve been raving about their French Green Clay Soap, but they also have a few other options: Activated Charcoal, The Everything Bar, and Lavender Tallow.

Everything is made in the USA by a small team and they source their ingredients from small, local farms whenever they can. Some of their products (like the French Green Clay Soap and the Everything Bar) are made without animal ingredients, but this is not a vegan brand (they use a lot of tallow).

P.S. They have a men’s liquid body wash as well!

Here is my full Toups & Co review that includes a bunch of other products I’ve tried.

P.S. You can get 10% off with our link.

Shop Toups & Co.

Dr. Bronner’s

Dr Bronner's Bar Castile Soap

Bar soap and liquid options. Refillable. Scented and unscented.

Ana’s Review:

At $4.99 a bar, this is definitely one of the most affordable natural body soap options.

This organic body soap is a daily go-to in my household. It’s our permanent body soap, and on rare occasions, I use it on my face. I find the bar so smooth and silky compared to the liquid one, which feels a bit harsher sometimes. (If I had to guess, it’s probably because the liquid Castile one is probably more concentrated.)

The bars smell amazing, they truly clean so well, and a little bit goes a long way—a single bar lasts for weeks (daily use for 2 people). They’re also great for shaving! I’m not a shaving cream kind of person because I don’t like clutter, so I tend to use 1 product for many things. 

Ingredients-wise, these soaps are great—all of them are EWG-verified. But if you have sensitive skin like me, I would 100% suggest using the bars rather than the liquid soap—they’re just more gentle. (Or, make sure to dilute the liquid one very well.)

The scents are my favorite part. I’m sensitive to strong smells, so any scent that’s too overpowering tends to trigger my allergies. These soaps are great because they smell, but they’re soft and gentle. My favorite ones are lavender and rose. My husband swears by the eucalyptus! All of the options are unscented, peppermint, lavender, tea tree, rose, and eucalyptus.

Plus, the bars are completely plastic-free, which is important to me. The packaging is a paper bag that’s home compostable and you can find these bars at pretty much any grocery store, supermarket, or natural shops. (The liquid soaps come in either a plastic bottle or a paper carton.)

You can check out my full review of Dr. Bronner’s other products. I’ve also used Dr. Bronner’s to DIY a bunch of other stuff, too!

Shop Dr. Bronner’s
Buy from Amazon
Get it at Walmart
Order from Target

Even More Natural & Non-Toxic Body Wash Brands

If the above brands didn’t float your boat, here are even more brands to check out:

100% Pure: They have mostly natural shower gel that comes in various scents. They mostly use essential oils for the fragrance and a lot of their ingredients are organic. They come in plastic squeeze bottles and are not refillable. | Amazon

Aleavia: This is a good option for acne-prone or eczema-prone skin because it’s made with prebiotics. They have a variety of both scented and unscented options. It comes in a plastic bottle and they don’t have refill options at the moment. | Amazon | Walmart

Annmarie: This hand & body wash combo comes in one scent (Rosemary Peppermint). It’s low-plastic (aluminum bottle), but not refillable. A lot of the ingredients are organically grown or wildcrafted.

Avalon Organics: Liquid, scented. This is one of the most affordable non-toxic body wash brands that uses primarily organic ingredients. They have a couple different scents, including lavender and peppermint. They do not have refill options at this time. | Amazon | Walmart | Target

Babo Botanicals: Their liquid Bubble Bath & Wash comes in several different scents, including fragrance-free for sensitive skin. They’re EWG Verified, made in the USA, and Leaping Bunny certified. They come in plastic bottles without a refill option. | Amazon | Walmart | Target

Beauty By Earth: Liquid shower gel available in two scents. | Amazon | Walmart

Biotyspa: If you want an exfoliating shower gel, you might want to check out this one. They also have a regular shower gel. This whole brand is focused on lymphatic body drainage to improve elasticity, firmness, and softness. Their bottles are plastic and they don’t have any refill options at the moment. Their products are made in Australia and include many Australian native ingredients.| The Detox Market

BOYZZ ONLY: As the name indicates, this is a great option for boys. They have liquid scented and unscented body wash options, and they have a Combo Wash (for hair and body). They are EWG Verified, CERTCLEAN (a Canadian certification program), and Leaping Bunny cruelty-free. They come in plastic bottles but you can get a refill pouch to cut back on waste. Use code THEFILTERY15 for 15% off. | Amazon

Canary: One of the best natural body wash options in plastic-free bar soap form. They have several scents available and use natural ingredients. It’s got some light exfoliation built in.

Carina Organics: Scented, unscented, and baby options. Comes in plastic bottles with no refill option right now. | Amazon | Walmart

Chagrin Valley: They have a LOT of bar soap options. They’re handmade in Ohio and made almost entirely of natural, organic, and Fair Trade ingredients. So this is one of the best organic body washes that’s also plastic-free. You can also sort by gluten-free, unscented, coconut free, vegan, and more. | Amazon

Earth Mama Organics: One of the best clean body washes for babies. Their Foaming Baby Wash comes in several scents. Uses a lot of organic ingredients. Plastic bottles. Convenient size that’s easy to throw in the diaper bag. | Amazon | Walmart | Target

Everyone: This is not a bad option! If you don’t have any allergies to natural fragrances, then the only ingredient to consider is phenoxyethanol. Some folks choose to avoid or minimize phenoxyethanol, but it’s definitely not at the top of my *avoid* list (especially in rinse-off products). I know this is a pretty affordable brand, so if you’re looking for more of a budget option, this is not a bad choice. Their 3-in-1 soap comes in several different scents (or unscented) and can be used as a body wash, shampoo, and bubble bath. They come in plastic bottles and you can get a big 1-gallon jug for refills. | Amazon | Walmart | Target

EO: Liquid, scented, refillable. This shower gel a good option that’s more affordable! It comes in three different scents and you can buy a 1-gallon refill jug for a little less plastic. | Amazon | Walmart

Ever Eden: This is a pretty good option for babies. They have a Protecting Baby Body Wash and a Baby Shampoo and Body Wash, both of which are fragrance-free and suitable for the youngest family members. They do have a kids body wash as well, but it’s not fragrance-free. (It’s at least phthalate-free though.) They come in plastic bottles and are not refillable at this time. | Amazon | Walmart

Fitglow Beauty: Liquid. Some ingredients are organic. (Recycled) plastic bottle with no refill option. | Amazon

Follain: Lavender or lemongrass (scented with natural oils). Liquid, refillable. I love this everything soap. | Amazon | Credo Beauty

Honest: This is a good option you can usually find in big box stores. They have several different scents, including fragrance-free. They have a Shampoo + Body Wash Combo or a Bubble Bath. They come in plastic bottles and you can get refills in paper cartons. | Amazon | Walmart | Target

Innersense: This haircare brand has an “Awakening Body Wash” too. It is scented and comes in a plastic bottle (no refill options as of right now). Amazon | Walmart

Kosmatology: This clean body wash has scented and unscented options. Made with mostly organic ingredients. Plastic bottles, not refillable. | Amazon

Mama’s Suds: Liquid and bar Castile soap. Scented and unscented. The liquid one comes in a plastic bottle.

Organic Bath Co.: Body & hand wash combo. Scented and unscented. Mostly certified organic ingredients. Comes in plastic pump bottles with no refill options as of right now.

OSEA: This is a popular one! It’s a good gender-neutral option that lathers well and has a nice scent. Note that they do use phenoxyethanol if you avoid that. They also use “Fragrance,” but it’s all natural or essential oils. Code THEFILTERY10 will get you 10% off your first order. | Amazon| Target

Pipette: Baby body wash + shampoo that you can usually find at Target. Scented and unscented options. Plastic pump bottle with no refill option. | Amazon | Walmart | Target

The Yellow Bird: If you want a hemp body soap option, check this one out. Made in the USA out of minimal, natural ingredients. Low-waste. | Amazon

What about Native? The Native Unscented body wash is not bad. It is not natural, but the ingredient list isn’t bad. All of their scented options contain undisclosed “fragrance” which is phthalate-free, but is not all-natural. Native is owned by P&G. They come in plastic bottles with no refill option.

Ingredients to Avoid in Body Wash

If you’re trying to get rid of the hormone disruptors, carcinogens, irritants, and other potentially problematic chemicals in your shower routine, here’s a breakdown of the ingredients I recommend avoiding in conventional body wash. Many of these are common across all kinds of personal care products, but some are especially relevant for something you’re rubbing all over your skin daily.

Sulfates (SLS, SLES): Sulfates like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are what make your body wash foam up. But they can be really drying and irritating, especially for sensitive skin or anyone prone to eczema or body acne. SLES is less irritating to the skin than SLS but the problem with SLES is that it can potentially be contaminated with carcinogenic chemicals (1,4 dioxane and ethylene oxide) because of the way it’s processed. A little bit of SLES isn’t a huge deal, but I try to minimize it when possible. The body wash brands listed above are free from both SLS and SLES.

  • Does sulfate-free body wash lather? 👉 It depends! Some do. Lather depends on which surfactants are used. Many sulfate-free options (such as Plaine Products) still lather nicely using milder or plant-derived surfactants, whereas others don’t really lather much at all (like Primally Pure). I totally understand that some people really like that foaminess, but just remember that lather doesn’t necessarily = clean.
  • Is “sulfate-free” the same as “non-toxic”? 👉 Not necessarily. A body wash might be free from sulfates but still contain other concerning ingredients. SLS is just one type of ingredient to watch out for (if you have dry or sensitive skin).

Parabens: Used to prevent bacteria and mold, parabens can interfere with hormone function. They’re being phased out of a lot of formulas these days, but they still show up in some body washes, especially cheap or off-brand ones.

Formaldehyde Releasers: Preservatives like DMDM hydantoin or imidazolidinyl urea can slowly release formaldehyde, a known carcinogen and allergen. These are still found in some conventional body washes.

Isothiazolinone Preservatives: This group of preservatives (like methylisothiazolinone or methylchloroisothiazolinone) is notorious for causing allergic reactions and contact dermatitis, especially with repeated exposure. If you don’t have sensitive skin, you may not have to worry about this one as much.

Undisclosed Fragrance: “Fragrance” or “parfum” can be a catch-all term for hundreds (or thousands) of chemicals, including hormone-disrupting phthalates. If you’re sensitive to smells or want to avoid hidden chemicals, look for brands that fully disclose their scent ingredients or stick with fragrance-free options. I’ve made notes for a few of the brands above that include “fragrance” on their ingredient lists.

Synthetic Dyes: Dyes are used to make body wash look pretty in the bottle, but they do nothing for your skin and are usually petroleum-derived. They’re completely unnecessary in a product you rinse off right away.

Quats (Quaternary Ammonium Compounds): These are more common in antibacterial formulas. In body wash, they may show up as conditioning agents, but they can be irritating and may contribute to antimicrobial resistance.

What about triclosan? Good news… Triclosan has largely been banned from consumer body washes in the U.S. It’s linked to hormone disruption and antibiotic resistance.

If you have sensitive skin or allergies: Even if a body wash is labeled as natural or organic, that doesn’t mean it’s automatically safe for everyone. Essential oils and botanical extracts can still trigger reactions. This is especially true of common fragrance allergens like linalool, limonene, and eugenol, which are often found in citrus, lavender, or floral-scented products.

If you have eczema, allergies, or just react easily to new products, you might want to stick with fragrance-free or truly unscented options. That includes avoiding products that say “unscented” but still list “fragrance” to mask the scent of other ingredients. When in doubt, flip the bottle over and check the full ingredient list.

Ingredients to Look For in a Better Body Wash

Once you know what to avoid, it’s helpful to know what to look for, too. These are the kinds of ingredients I like to see in body wash formulas:

Plant-based surfactants: Surfactants are the ingredients that make body wash foam up and cleanse your skin. Instead of sulfates, look for milder cleansers like decyl glucoside, coco glucoside, sodium cocoyl isethionate, or sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate. These get the job done without stripping your skin.

Natural oils & butters: Ingredients like coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, and shea butter help moisturize and support the skin barrier. They’re especially great for dry or sensitive skin.

Aloe vera: A common ingredient in cleaner body washes, aloe helps soothe and hydrate, especially if your skin tends to get irritated from shaving or hot water.

Essential oils (used carefully): When used in moderation and disclosed clearly, essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus, or citrus can provide a natural scent without synthetic fragrance. Just be mindful if you have sensitive skin, as some essential oils can still be irritating.

Glycerin: This is a humectant that pulls water into the skin, helping it stay hydrated and preventing the soap from drying out your skin. Look for plant-based glycerin rather than synthetic.

Safer preservatives: “Non-toxic” does not mean preservative-free… I don’t want any mold or bacteria in my products! Although some preservatives (like parabens) are not healthy, there are safer ones available, like potassium sorbate or sodium benzoate.

Am I missing your favorite non-toxic body soap? Share with us in the comments below and I’ll consider adding it!

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    About Abbie

    Abbie Davidson is the Creator & Editor of The Filtery. With almost a decade of experience in sustainability, she researches and writes content with the aim of helping people minimize environmental toxins in an in-depth yet accessible way.

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