The Research Desk

We Read the Labels
So You Don't Have To

Every product in our database carries two verdicts: an ingredient safety score and an ownership audit. Because "natural" on the front label means nothing when a conglomerate is writing the check.

Explore The List See How We Score

Reader-supported. We never accept payment for scores or placement.

Brand lookup Ingredient score + ownership status in every review

Browse Cleaning Deodorant Shampoo Body Wash Who Owns It

Methodology

Two scores. No exceptions.

Full methodology →

01

Ingredient Safety

Scored 1–10 per product line

We read the full ingredient list — including what hides behind "fragrance" — and cross-reference every component against EWG, Made SAFE, and peer-reviewed sensitizer data.

1 · avoid 5 · mixed 10 · verified clean

Full ingredient disclosure required
Fragrance loopholes flagged
Certifications independently confirmed

02

Brand Independence

Ownership traced to the source

We trace every brand through filings, acquisition records, and investor disclosures — then classify exactly who controls the formula you're buying.

Independent Founder-owned, no parent company

▲ VC-Backed Outside investors on the board

× Acquired Conglomerate-owned, indie branding kept

Ownership investigations

Who Really Owns It?

Marketed as independent. Traced to a conglomerate. These are the case files.

All investigations →

Case TL-008 Undisclosed

Mrs. Meyer's

Marketed as Garden-inspired & homegrown

Actually owned by SC Johnson

Acquired 2008 Makers of Raid & Glade

Open the file →

Case TL-017 $100M

Native

Marketed as Small-batch & simple

Actually owned by Procter & Gamble

Acquired 2017 The Tide & Febreze empire

Open the file →

Case TL-021 $700M

SheaMoisture

Marketed as Family-recipe heritage brand

Actually owned by Unilever

Acquired 2017 Also owns Dove & Axe

Open the file →

Case TL-025 $1.5B

Dr. Squatch

Marketed as Anti-corporate bro soap

Actually owned by Unilever

Acquired 2025 Same shelf as Axe

Open the file →

The register

Top Rated Brands

View all 22 brands →

Independent Cleaning

Force of Nature

EPA-registered disinfectant made from salt, water, and vinegar. Nothing else.

10/10 Ingredient safety

10/10 Independence

Why it ranked: Founder-owned by Melissa Lush. EPA-registered efficacy with a three-ingredient formula.

Read the full review →

02 Branch Basics Cleaning · One concentrate replaces every cleaner in your home. Made SAFE certified. Independent 10Ingr. 10Indep. 03 Meliora Cleaning Products Cleaning · Every ingredient listed on the label, every time. B Corp and Made SAFE. Independent 10Ingr. 10Indep. 04 Primally Pure Deodorant · Farm-to-body deodorant made with tallow and organic ingredients. Family-owned. Independent 10Ingr. 10Indep.

The database

Browse by Category

All categories →

Cleaning 10 brands5 flagged Force of Nature 10/10 · Independent Fragrance loopholes, quats, chlorine bleach — and SC Johnson subsidiaries posing as indie. Deodorant 4 brands3 flagged Primally Pure 10/10 · Independent Aluminum, propylene glycol, synthetic musks — and P&G-owned 'naturals.' Shampoo 4 brands6 flagged ATTITUDE 10/10 · Independent Sulfates, silicones, formaldehyde releasers — and Unilever brands in indie costume. Body Wash 4 brands2 flagged Dr. Bronner's 10/10 · Independent SLS/SLES, parabens, undisclosed 'parfum' — and freshly acquired viral soap.

Published research

Latest Investigations

All articles →

Investigation Who Really Owns Your 'Natural' Cleaning Products? Mrs. Meyer's, Method, Ecover, and Seventh Generation are all owned by two companies. We followed the money. Cleaning Investigation Native Isn't Indie — Here's What to Use Instead Native was bought by P&G in 2017 for $100M. Here are 5 truly independent alternatives. Deodorant Roundup The 6 Best Non-Toxic Cleaning Products (Actually Independent) We tested and scored 10+ cleaning brands. These 6 are truly non-toxic AND independently owned. Cleaning