10 Natural & Organic Body Washes For Head-To-Toe Moisture
If you want to improve your beauty routine, opting for natural and organic body wash is the perfect place to start. Whenever people ask me how to transition to more natural beauty products, I always recommend starting with the ones you use the most. In this case, it's body wash.
Natural & Organic Body Wash Brands We LOVE!
So scrub-a-dub-dub, let's get to it.
1. Elva's All Natural's Refillable Natural and Organic Body Wash
Elva's offers one of the best natural moisturizing body wash that smells too good to be true. The scent is a combination of sweet orange and vanilla. It's so delightful; I can't get enough of it! Made with 100% botanical ingredients (like organic horsetail herb and organic sunflower), it's refillable, paraben-free, SLS-free, sulfate-free, CertClean certified, vegan, and gluten-free.
It comes in either a shower-safe aluminum bottle or a dark amber glass bottle (which can be used for hand soap at the sink). Either bottle can be reused and/or refilled with Elva's 1.5-liter refill option at home (which can also save you money!). They have a take-back program now, too!
When it comes to pH balance, they have taken it to a whole new level: all of their skincare products have been carefully formulated to mimic the natural PH balance of our skin. You can read a lot more about this on their blog.
Elva's has worked its way into my absolutely never-run-out-of stash. They have a simple motto: people. planet. pure. They add:
"By harnessing the power of pure natural and plant-derived ingredients, we are protecting nature itself. We believe we can make a difference in people's quality of life, health, and ultimately their overall well-being."
Elva's also offers refill cleaning products that are the bomb!
2. Weleda's Aroma Essentials Shower Gel & Creamy Body Washes
Weleda's new collection of Aroma Essentials Shower Gel & Creamy Body Washes is a perfect addition to my morning routine. The Relax Body Wash leaves my skin feeling softer, smoother, and deeply moisturized. Weleda was kind enough to send this new range and I am impressed with the results. The scents are light yet linger, leaving you feeling fresh and relaxed. The combination of Lavender and Bergamont is a power-packed duo that I simply love. Its creamy formula instantly takes me to my happy place!
This line deserves all the praise, and there are enough scents to choose from to make everyone happy. I think it’s the perfect brand selection for a spa ritual with enough flair to make it seem like an actual retreat.
Born in Switzerland, Weleda has been harvesting A-list ingredients for 100 years. The use of biodynamic gardening techniques ensures a holistic, ecological, and ethical approach to farming and gardening! Weleda’s cosmetics are certified natural by the European organization NATRUE, which requires that no cosmetics be tested on animals and enforces this prohibition.
The tubes are made from plastic and I did ask the brand directly about this. I am happy to report that Weleda empties are recyclable municipally at curbside (depending on individual municipal capabilities, of course) and through its ongoing partnership with Terracycle. Their Skin Food Nourishing Body Lotion as well as the new Body Lotions, which launched last month, are made of 97% rPET.
This is a significant step forward in the brand’s goal to be as sustainable as possible while maintaining the safety, efficacy and the plant potency of its NATRUE-certified natural personal care products.
3. Cocoon Apothecary Bubble Bath
You will want to cocoon yourself in this natural and organic body wash and bubble bath! If gorgeous scents and luxurious botanical extractions are a priority for you, this is an absolute must. If you are a bath type of person, they have two bubble baths to choose from.
The Touchy-Feely has uplifting natural aromas of lavender and rosemary. This is the perfect organic body wash for sensitive skin, formulated with certified organic ingredients which are also vegan and cruelty-free.
The Kahuna Bubble Bath is basically Hawaii in a bottle with an infusion of Aloha and heart! The natural scents of lemongrass and ylang-ylang create the perfect soak!
Cocoon Apothecary knows natural skincare. Jessica, the founder, is a queen at making products that you will keep coming back to. I love her range and have been using them for years. They have a strong eco commitment and support "sustainable, traditional farming that doesn’t harm workers, pollinators, animals, soil, or water." Bubble bath is just one of their products, so make sure to check out the serums and lotions too.
I love their bottle recycling program. You can send in your empties and clean and disinfect them and use them again! Part of a circular economy — gotta love that!
4. Bathing Culture Travel Size Natural & Organic Body Wash
Cradle your skin with Bathing Culture's certified organic body wash made with hydrating and nourishing ingredients like aloe vera, organic coconut, and shea butter. This plastic-free body wash will transport you to the Redwood canopies of Northern California thanks to the Cathedral Grove Scent.
It's packed in a TSA-approved travel-size aluminum bottle that you can either reuse or refill in one of their locations. They also offer a gallon-sized refill option for your home.
If you have sensitive skin, you might want to give this one a go! It's called Mind and Body Wash for good reason: you can put your mind at ease because this natural body wash is free from all the nasties we talked about at the top of this post.
Beyond performance, the ethos of this brand encourages creating personal and planetary care! A carbon-neutral company, they are making bathing a "radical act". Vegan, cruelty-free and biodegradable, they check all the boxes.
Bathing Culture is available at Eco Roots — one of my favorite online zero waste shops.
5. Impossible Soap by The Detox Market
Known for meticulous attention to ingredients, the Impossible Soap combines a signature aromatherapeutic blend of sweet almond, bergamot, and cedarwood to make your bathing ritual even more decadent.
This organic body washes for dry skin come in a glass bottle that you can reuse at home. It's perfect if you want to make your own hand wash, for example.
The Impossible Soap is part of The Detox Market's in-house collection called Detox Mode, which lives up to the hype. "Detox Mode was created to offer safe, clean, and effective replacements to these dirty secrets."
The Detox Market has been curating and offering the best in green beauty for over 10 years, so they are a trusted source in the industry!
6. Plaine Products
I love this natural moisturizing body wash from Plaine Products, which is packed full of skin-quenching ingredients. You have three options to choose from: unscented, citrus/lavender, and rosemary/mint/vanilla. All of their products are vegan, cruelty-free, and palm oil-free.
This body wash creates a pretty good lather and doesn't leave any noticeable residue but doesn’t feel too stripping either. You just feel clean and the rosemary, mint, and vanilla makes for a uniquely enjoyable experience.
You can also opt for the citrus lavender or the unscented option if that is more suitable for you. I did find this mildly irritating but am certain this is not likely the case for most people so if you love a good body wash this is definitely one to try.
Plaine Products was one of the first brands to offer zero-waste packaging options for their entire range of products: think hair care (organic shampoo) and face care. Their aluminum bottles ensure that you can actually recycle them, too.
A lot of beauty products claim to be recyclable, but in fact are not (mostly because of the type of plastic they are, combined with the metal parts and springs in the caps). But that's not the case here because aluminum has high recycling rates.
You can also send the bottles back in three simple steps:
- Step 1: Order your preferred products. Replace lid with pump.
- Step 2: When your bottle is low, order a refill or subscribe and they will send the refill automatically.
- Step 3: When the bottle is empty, rinse it out and switch the pump over to the refill bottle. Use the return label to send back the empty bottle.
Plaine Products is a member of 1% For The Planet and is also a certified B Corp.
7. Ursa Major Body Wash Bars
This Vermont-based company offers a range of hair and body care products, including their natural moisturizing body wash. If you want a zing in the morning, you will love these. They're lightly scented with a punchy, citrus-infused aroma that comes from lime peel, frankincense, and ginger. It's gluten-free, cruelty-free, and vegan.
Although the bottles are made from plastic, Ursa Major is always looking for ways to reduce packaging waste. They transitioned tier 8 fl oz bottles to 50% post-consumer recycled content (PCR). Their tubes contain 59.1% PCR plastic and 40.9% sugarcane bio resin and they have moved to FSC certified paper stock for the majority of their secondary packaging.
Along with the bottled version, they also have soap bars. The Morning Mojo soap bar is infused with peppermint and will leave your skin smooth and hydrated. It does contain certified RSPO palm oil.
Ursa Major is certified B. Corp with a goal of reducing single-use plastic output by 60% by 2022.
8. Dr. Bronner's Natural & Organic Body Wash Bars
If you follow The Eco Hub, you know how much I love a good DIY! Most of my cleaning recipes are made with Dr. Bronner's multi-purpose Castille soap. It's honestly one of the most versatile products you can have in your home.
From shampoo to affordable organic body wash, this is at the top of my list! I use and LOVE their bar soaps. There are eight scents to choose from, including an unscented version. Citrus and lavender are by far my favorites. Silky skin is yours in an instant!
Don't let the simple formula fool you. FYI: Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Palm Oil, Sodium Hydroxide*, Water, Organic Olive Oil, Mentha Arvensis, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Mentha Piperita, Sea Salt, Citric Acid, Tocopherol. *Denotes Fair Trade Certified
You will get a thorough cleanse that feels wonderful and leaves skin clean and comfortable. This is zero waste body wash at its best!
Dr. Bronner's is also certified by: Leaping Bunny, Regenerative Organic, USDA, Fair for Life, Oregon Tilth Organic, NSF, OK Kosher, and Non-GMO Project.
They do use palm oil but it comes from a small co-op in Ghana run by mostly women. I do need to mention that all of their other items like toothpaste and shampoo do come in plastic containers. They are serious about packaging innovation and say:
"Dr. Bronner’s exclusively uses 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) polyethylene (PET) plastic bottles for all of our liquid and pump soaps. We’ve been using 100% PCR PET bottles for more than ten years, long before this was common in the personal care industry."
They work closely with all of their farmers and have some pretty impressive cred around regenerative agriculture.
9. Captain Blankenship's Sea Mineral Soap
I am "all aboard" with this Sea Mineral soap and you will be too once you try it. This organic body wash for all skin types comes in two signature formulas: lemongrass/mint and grapefruit/palmarosa. Both of them offer beneficial properties for the skin, as well as an intoxicating and uplifting aromatherapeutic escape!
Captain Blankenship has a simple motto: beauty wild with nature. They are a small, women-run company in the Hudson River Valley that makes products that are luxurious and honest.
They formulate their products with organic and domestically grown ingredients whenever possible. They never use synthetic preservatives, parabens, sulfates, or "fragrance". They use recyclable and reusable glass packaging, making a positive environmental impact. They test on themselves and friends and never on animals. They believe in transparency in every aspect of their line!
They are leaping-bunny carried, are a member of 1% For the Planet, and are a certified B Corp!
10. Ingreendients
This Nourishing Body Wash by Ingreendients is gentle on skin and leaves it feeling moisturized but not slippery or film-y after rinsing. Cruelty-free, vegan, and gluten-free, it is also pH-balanced, rich, and lathers really well even without a luffa.
Some ingredients are derived from palm oil but the brand offers detailed ingredient lists including the country of origin of all the ingredients featured in their formulations. Shipping is also completely plastic-free aside from their plastic containers. Consider pairing with the Nourishing Body Lotion.
Why consider switching to a Natural & Organic Body Wash?
It's a simple answer and I am sure you know what I am going to say! When you lather with conventional body wash, you are lathering up with potentially harmful chemicals, synthetic fragrances, dyes, and even petroleum-based ingredients. I don't know about you, but I don't want to splish splash with any of those nasties.
When shopping for the best organic body wash, you want to stay clear of these ingredients:
Sodium Laureth Sulfate aka SLES (foaming agent), Sodium Lauryl Sulfate aka SLS (foaming agent), Propylene Glycol (antifreeze), Cocamidopropyl betaine (foaming agent), and Triclosan (antibacterial and antifungal agent).
We have a ton more info on the above nasties — just head on over to our post on organic & natural face washes for more deets!
What should you look for when choosing a Natural & Organic Body Wash?
We break it down simply here on the Hub by taking certain clean beauty criteria into account:
- Is the item available locally? Is it being shipped to you from another country?
- Is it made with natural or certified organic ingredients?
- Is it vegan or cruelty-free?
- Does it contain palm oil?
- How and where are the ingredients sourced?
- What kind of packaging does the item come in? Can it be reused, recycled, or composted?
This might seem like a big list, but honestly, there are so many great green beauty and skincare brands on the market today doing really great things, and many of them are highlighted below!
What we put on our bodies is just as important as what we put in them! These organic and natural body washes are some of my top go-to's. Choosing body care that's both good for you and the planet is the first step towards a zero-waste bathroom. So grab your plastic-free loofah and scrub-a dub!
What's your favorite organic bost wash? Share the brand in the comments section.
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