Body Care Products that Are Free of Harmful Chemicals

Hi friend! I hope you are enjoying Green Beauty Month as much as I am! There is so much to learn from knowing which hair products to use, facial oils, or body care.

For the next two weeks, we are discussing how to help your entire body. This week, we are focusing on external body care, specifically with body washes and lotions.

Our skin soaks in all the different things we put onto it, regardless if it is harmful to our body or not. This is why we break out or have rashes from using different products.

Today, I am using assistance so that you know from more than one resource if a product is free of harmful chemicals or not.

We are looking at natural body care product lines to see which ones are truly natural and which are trying to appear natural when they are not.

Mind you, all ingredient lists have big words that only special scientists know how to pronounce, so be thankful I am writing all of this out instead of making a video of me trying to pronounce these words! ha!

I will put in parenthesis a simpler term or meaning of the product. However, I still want to include the scientific name so that you can start to identify ingredients when shopping for new products to try.

I think this is going to be very interesting!

Best Body Care Products that Are Free of Harmful Chemicals

The rating system I am using today is the Think Dirty App. It is a comprehensive system that looks at the ingredients list to determine the rating from 0-10. Specifically, this app looks for Carcinogenicity, Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity, and Allergenicity and Immunotoxicity.

As we previously discussed, there are harmful chemicals you want to avoid altogether, but there are also others that may not be as high on your radar. This app helps you make better decisions about the products you are using.

This app also scans bar codes, which is super helpful in making sure you find the right product information.

By the way, this is in no way sponsored by Think Dirty App. I just want to show you a great resource to help you clean up your beauty routine! 🙂 Lastly, this is not an end-all be-all. Always do your own research to decide things for yourself.

The Think Dirty App meter has three different levels:

• 8-10 // The worst! Ingredients may cause long-term health issues.
• 4-7 // Moderate Level. Ingredients could cause long-term health issues.
• 0-3 // The Best! Ingredients have no documented negative health effects.

I will share with you how the app rates the products I list and what ingredients it warns you against if there are any. You will notice that I only provide facts and no personal influence as to which of these natural body care products are better than the other.

Everyone has different sensitivities, so what may work great for you may cause someone else to have an allergic reaction.

Body Wash

Dr. Bonner’s Castile Liquid Soap [Peppermint] //

Rating of 0. The only ingredients that have a rating higher than 0 include Organic Peppermint Oil – 3, Organic Hemp Oil – 1, and Citric Acid – 1. Everything else is rated at a 0.

Acure Cell Stimulating Energizing Body Wash Pure Mint with Argan Oil Extract //

Rating 3. The ingredients that are rated a 3 include Organic Rosa Canina (Rosehips) and Almond Extract. Sodium Levulinate (from corn) and Cinnamomum Aroaticum (Cassia Bark) Oil are rated at a 2.

Derma E Psorzema Body Wash //

Rating of 5. This product tests higher due to Phenoxyethanol (a synthetic). It is an ingredient that can cause skin irritation, disruption to the nervous system, and vomiting/diarrhea. All other ingredients are in the 0-3 range.

The Seaweed Bath Co Body Was, Eucalyptus & Peppermint //

Rating of 3. Ingredients at the rating of 3 include Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate (a surfactant), Cocamindopropyl Betaine (a thickener), Aleurites Moluccana (Kukui) Oil, Chlorophyll (a great ingredient found in plants, I personally take it as a supplement), and Allantoin (conditioning agent).

Avalon Organics Nourishing Lavender //

Rating of 1. The ingredients rated at a 3 are Polysorbate 60 (a surfactant), Bisabolol (extracted from German Chamomile), and Ethylhexl Glycerin (a mild preservative, not used on the market for long and could cause allergic reaction).

Burt’s Bees Fresh Peppermint & Rosemary Body Wash //

Rating of 3. Ingredients with a rating of 3 include Coco Betaine (a synthetic), Betaine (skin conditioner), and Glyceryl Oleate (skin conditioning and a fragrance ingredient may cause skin irritation).

Alaffia – Authentic African Black Soap, Tangerine Citrus //

Rating of 2.  Lemongrass Essential Oil has a rating of 2, while Lauryl Glucoside (a surfactant) has a rating of 1. Everything else is rated at a 0.

Jasons Naturals Body Wash Tea Tree //

Rating of 3. Ingredients with a rating of 3 are Cocamindopropyl Betaine (a thickener), Allantoin (derived from the comfrey plant, which can cause allergic reactions), Sodium Benzoate (preservative and fragrance ingredient), and Fragrance verified with No Phthalates. Ingredients with a rating of 2 include Sodium Luryl Sulfoacetate (gentle sulfate substitute), Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree Oil), and Benzyl Alcohol (PH adjuster, solvent, preservative).

100% Pure Hydrating Vanilla Bean Shower Gel //

Rating of 4. The only ingredient to move it to a 4 is Lonicera Caprifolium (Japanese Honeysuckle) Extract. This ingredient could contain para-hydroxy benzoic acid, which is a paraben-acting ingredient.

EO Everyone Lotion 3-in-1, Coconut + Lemon //

Rating of 5. One ingredient that causes this rating is Phenoxyethanol (a synthetic). It is an ingredient that can cause skin irritation, disruption to the nervous system, and vomiting/diarrhea. Sodium Coco-Sulfate (a surfactant derived from coconut oil) is the other ingredient.

Body Lotion

Pacifica Body Butter Indian Coconut Nectar //

Rating of 4. This includes Phenoxyethanol (a synthetic). It is an ingredient that can cause skin irritation, disruption to the nervous system, and vomiting/diarrhea. It also includes Pacifica’s own fragrance, which is rated at a 7. However, Pacifica’s statement of their fragrance is that it is essential oils or natural ingredients.

They do not use traditional fragrances. I assume this rating is still high because their fragrance ingredients are trade secrets and cannot be verified.

The Honest Company Body Lotion //

Rating of 3. Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil and Caprylhydroxamic Acid (natural preservative) are rated at a 3. Everything else is rated lower.

Andalou Naturals Mandarin Vanilla Body Lotion //

Rating of 3. Ingredients rated a 3 include Solar Vitis (grape stem cells provide moisture), Sodium Alginate (thickener), Allantoin (derived from the comfrey plant, soothing), and Ethylhexylglycerin (may contract dermatitis and irritation).

Shea Moisture Olive & Green Tea Body Lotion //

Rating of 3. This is due to a vegetable emulsifying wax, which is used to mix oil and water together for a smoother formula.

Desert Essence Hand and Body Lotion Coconut //

Rating of 3. Both Stearic Acid (vegetable-derived surfactant, thickener) and Magnesium Aluminum Silicate (Mineral, anti-caking agent) are rated at a 3.

Alba Botanica Very Emollient Scented Body Lotion //

Rating of 2. The only ingredient of concern is Phenoxyethanol (a synthetic). It is an ingredient that can cause skin irritation, disruption to the nervous system, and vomiting/diarrhea. It is rated at a 5, while all the other ingredients are in the range of 0-3.

EO Everyone Body Lotion Lavender + Aloe //

Rating of 5. The only ingredient of concern is Phenoxyethanol (a synthetic). It’s an ingredient that can cause skin irritation, disruption to the nervous system, and vomiting/diarrhea. It is rated at a 5, while all the other ingredients are in the range of 0-2. It is likely the amount of Phenoxyethanol that has this lotion rated higher than the Alba Botanica Very Emollient Scented Body Lotion.

Acure Body Lotion //

Rating of 3. The two ingredients with a rating of 3 are Organic Rosehip and Emulsifying Wax NF (Vegetable-based help mix oil and water for smoother lotion). Everything else is rated at a 0-2.

Be Cautious of All Natural Body Care Brands

As I went through this app, I found that not all-natural body care products are created equal. Here are some brands that had products at both ends of the spectrum.

It shocks me to see some of these fluctuate so much, especially when they pride themselves on being a cleaner option.

However, It seems that if a product has sulfates, sunscreen, or an unidentified fragrance, it increases the product’s rating significantly.

These are not the only ingredients that cause a spike in ratings from one product to another within the same brand, but these appear to be the most common.

This is definitely not “throwing a brand underneath the bus”. I just want to make sure that you do not assume all products within a brand are created equal.

You still have to check each product’s ingredients list. There are more brands than this that fluctuate in ratings, but I only wanted to name a few to give you an idea of why they could fluctuate.

LUSH //

Some products have sulfates, and they protect their fragrance trademark. No comment if these are natural or traditional fragrances.

Alba Botanica //

Mostly noticed the sun care products had higher ratings.

Yes to //

Certain ingredients, like tomatoes, require more conventional preservatives to stay fresh. While this is not within all products, I did see it in the tomato formula.

Jasons Naturals //

It seems that fragrance has a lot to do with the fluctuation of ratings. Some products have confirmed natural fragrances, while others are not sure. More research is definitely needed with this brand.

The Naked Bee //

There are not a lot of this brand’s products in the app, but the ones that show conventional fragrance as an ingredient give them a higher rating. However, their lip balm had a good rating.

Final Thoughts about clean body care products

I realize there is a LOT of information within this post, but I want to make sure you are aware of what you put onto your skin.

Your skin is your largest organ, and it absorbs everything you put on it. You want to take care of your skin with the right products, so I hope this helps!

If there is anything you would like me to go into more detail about, let me know below in the comments!

Related Posts:

• Best Oils for Your Skin Type
• Natural Ingredients for Hair Renewal
• Minimalist Beauty Tips: Ingredients to Avoid