Indulge in a wonderfully long bath or relaxing hot shower after a gruelling and stressful day. And cleanse with the best natural body wash. This is what heaven sounds like to us, don’t you agree?
You don’t need to use harsh chemicals that can strip the natural oils in your skin, as there are so many organic and natural body wash brands available to try. These brands are kind to the planet and kind to your skin, helping to reduce harmful ingredients in their products. Let’s celebrate good and toxin-free body washes, because well, you deserve only the best.
We’ve put together a list of our favourite all-natural body wash brands below. These are made with organic and natural ingredients and is cruelty-free. We’ve outlined products suitable for vegans or anyone who would prefer not to have animal-derived ingredients included in their beauty routine.
If you’re interested in learning more about organic soaps, please also read our article on the best organic soap.
Our Picks for the Best Natural Body Wash Brands
1. REN Skincare Atlantic Kelp And Magnesium Anti-Fatigue Body Wash
Ethics and Info| Vegan, Recycled Packaging, Cruelty-Free, Paraben-Free
We are big fans of REN skincare there is no doubt there. REN’s Atlantic Kelp and Magnesium Anti-Fatigue Body Wash is sulphate-free and formulated with Atlantic Kelp Extract. It’s a moisturising toxin-free and natural body wash that nourishes and smooths skin tone.
This body wash contains an anti-fatigue essential oils blend that will awaken and refresh your senses and sluggish skin for an uplifting and refreshing shower experience.
The packaging is made with 100% recycled plastic bottles giving the bottle a slightly grey tint. We love that they are helping to create demand for recycled plastic to help clean up our oceans!
2. Green People Daily Aloe Natural Shower Gel
Ethics and Info |Certified Organic, Cruelty-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Recyclable Packaging.
Green People delivers a moisturising Shower Gel that is gentle and calming. This toxin-free body wash is perfect for daily use and should last about 3 times longer than other washes.
The bottle is made from PP & PE plastic which is widely recycled. Inside the bottle, you’ll find a wonderful blend of Aloe Vera, Lavender Oil and Olive oil, giving you the perfect combination of relaxing fragrance and moisture.
It’s perfect for sensitive skin and free of chemicals. It delivers just the right amount of foam to be a great cleanser overall.
3. True Botanicals Nourishing Wash
Ethics and Info| Recyclable Packaging, Cruelty-Free, Certified Non-toxic, Vegan, Paraben-Free
A luxurious toxin-free body wash, rich in essential oils with absolutely no synthetic fragrances or harsh chemicals. It has a heavenly herbal fragrance and is gentle on your skin. A perfect helper to start or end your day.
This delightful bottle contains Green and White Tea, Aloe Leaf Extract and Olive Fruit extract, delivering the perfect combination of antioxidants and moisturizing fatty acids.
Their packaging is mostly plastic-free, making it a low waste vegan body wash.
4. Basd Organic Moisturizing Body Wash, Seductive Sandalwood
Ethics and Info |Non-GMO, Cruelty-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Recyclable Packaging.
Basd deliver a good plant-based body wash made with all-natural ingredients such as aloe and organic green tea. This body wash will leave your skin smooth and beautiful. It has a lovely floral and citrus fragrance with a bit of spiciness to top it all of. Perfect for a calming shower after an adventurous day.
Think Dirty rates them as a perfect 0 when it comes to toxic ingredients. So it does not contain carcinogens or allergins. If bergamot is not for you, don’t worry, they make a range of other fragrances including Mint, Creme Brulee and Grapefruit.
5. Avalon Organics Nourishing Lavender Body Wash and Shower Gel
Ethics and Info |No GMOs, Paraben Free, Uses Natural Fragrances, Vegan, Recycled Packaging
Avalon Organics Nourishing Lavender Body Wash is a gentle plant-based bath and shower gel that blends botanical cleansers with vitamins and delicious essential oils. The lavender scent is calming for a relaxing bath or shower so allow some time to soak and enjoy.
The ingredients are certified to the NSF/ANSI 305 Standard for Personal Care Products Containing Organic Ingredients.
6. Moo & Yoo Miracle Body Wash
Ethics and Info |Handmade, Natural Ingredients, Vegan, Cruelty-Free
Moo & Yoo is a family run business from Edinburgh in Scotland. Their range is eco-friendly using natural and cruelty-free ingredients. If you purchase this body wash each product packaged in a glass bottle or jar is sent in plastic-free delivery packaging.
Their miracle body wash is a gentle and nourishing wash blended with Marula oil and Icelandic Moss, packed with antioxidants and nutrients. It has anti-inflammatory properties and is soothing to your skin.
The miracle body wash is available with a pump dispenser or aluminium lid.
7. Sop Dene Body Wash
Ethics and Info |Handmade, Natural Ingredients, Vegan, Cruelty-Free, Plastic Free, Social Contribution
SOP stands for Scents of Place inspired by their local landscape and language in Norfolk England. The word Dene in the product name refers to a local expression for a sandy stretch of coastline.
Sop makes this exquisite Zero Waste body wash by hand with vegan and organic ingredients. They use a lovely blend of Bergamot and Black Pepper to create a decadent body wash destined to elevate your mood and reduce stress.
If you’re looking for a Zero Waste and all-natural body wash that lifts you up, then Sop has what you’re after.
8. REN Skincare Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash
Ethics and Info| Recyclable Packaging, Cruelty-Free, Paraben-Free
Another great body wash by REN skincare, if we haven’t convinced you to try the first REN option on this list then this one is definitely worth your attention.
This is a daily body wash for all skin types, made to gently cleanse and leave your skin smelling like the divine scent of roses. It contains Rose Otto Oil, which is one of the worlds most expensive essential oils and is famous for its ability to soothe and calm skin. Leaving your skin feeling soft and your mind de-stressed.
9. Puracy Vegan Body Wash, Coconut & Vanilla
Ethics and Info| Recyclable Packaging, Vegan, Cruelty-Free, Gluten-Free, Paraben-Free and Toxin Free
The Puracy Natural Body Wash is made from a coconut-based surfactant that lathers into a fluffy foam, leaving your skin feeling fresh, soft and full of moisture. It contains 99% natural ingredients and is 100% biodegradable.
Puracy is gentle enough for everyday use and it’s all made in the USA.
It has a beautiful fragrance of coconut rounded off with a hint of vanilla.
10. Naissance Natural Certified Organic Fragrance Free Liquid Castile Soap
Ethics and Info |Organic, Cruelty-free, Natural, Vegan, Recyclable Packaging
Naissance makes a fragrance free Castile soap that is certified by the Organic Soil Association and contains only natural ingredients. This castile soap is made with vegetable oils and doesn’t have added fragrances so smells like vegetable oils. If you’re looking for something versatile this is a great choice as it can be used on your hands, face and body and even in the home.
If you’d like to add fragrance to this soap we recommend adding a few drops of your favourite essential oil to create your own customised scent.
What to Look out for – Natural Body Wash
There are a few things to look out for when you are looking to buy a more natural body wash as marketing claims and ingredient labels can be misleading even for those in the know.
Organic & Natural Ingredients
When it comes to soap labelling things become a little bit interesting as you can only label something organic if it contains more than 95% organic ingredients. That’s why you’ll often see soaps labelled made with organic oils or similar as products with between 95% and 70% organic can only be labelled as “made with organic”.
Soaps often contain things like lye and surfactants, ingredients that make them soapy and foamy, this will be counted as part of the ingredient ratio, taking up a portion of the volume. This means these products can’t be labelled organic as less than 95% of the ingredient can be organic. So when it comes to soap look for made with organic or natural ingredients. Don’t be alarmed if you can’t find a certified organic body wash.
Cruelty-free
At a minimum, choosing a body wash that is cruelty-free is super important as it means that the product was not tested on animals. Animal testing can be a very cruel practice with rabbits and other breeds of dogs being rubbed with irritating ingredients that can cause real harm during the testing process.
Choosing official cruelty-free products mean that you’re selecting body care items that have not been tested on animals. It also means that none of the ingredients has been tested on animals.
Common Toxins in Liquid Soap
When it comes to liquid soaps and personal care products you often find a cocktail of ingredients you can’t pronounce on the product label. These ingredients can be harmful to you. If you’re looking to avoid some of the biggest toxic culprits try to avoid:
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate – This is a foaming agent that is linked to 1,4-dioxane a hormone disrupter linked to breast cancer
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate – Another foaming agent linked to all kinds of nasty conditions such as eczema, damaged eye tissue and hormone disruption
- Propylene Glycol – This ingredient is found in anti-freeze and is linked to organ toxicity
- Cocamidopropyl betaine – Also a foaming agent linked to organ toxicity
- Triclosan – An antibacterial agent that can cause immunotoxicity amongst other things
- DMDM hydantoin – An antimicrobial agent linked to immunotoxicity
- Parabens – A preservative that many cosmetics companies have started to remove from products as it can cause contact dermatitis, especially around the mouth in women. It’s also a hormone disrupter that mimics estrogen suspected of causing breast cancer
Types of oils
Body washes often contain oils, as most soaps do. And of course, oils are good for the skin. Palm oil is sometimes listed on products, which makes it easy to identify, but it’s also hidden in derivative ingredients that are hard to identify. Palm oil isn’t toxic, however, it is known to be responsible for deforestation. Even some sustainable palm oils can be a problem. We’d therefore recommend avoiding palm oil containing products if possible, or as a last resort goes for responsibly sourced palm oil. You can find a list of palm oil derivative ingredients on the Ethical Consumer website here.
Other than palm oil, we’d also recommend avoiding products that contain mineral oil, as it’s a petroleum-based product that is harmful to you and the planet.
If you’re looking for good natural oils, have a look at our post about making your own DIY facial oil as it contains a good list of basic carrier oils and essential oils that are often used in cosmetic products.
