Roundup

The Best Natural Body Washes (From Brands You Can Trust)

Published Feb 26, 2026 · Updated Sep 29, 2026 · By the Trusted Labels team

Compare five body-wash brands using their disclosed ingredients and ownership records. Check the exact formula and scent before choosing.

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The 5 picks at a glance

We score every brand on ingredients and ownership before it reaches this list. The shop links are affiliate links: as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time.

Everyone 3-in-1 Soap, Cedar + Citrus (32 oz)

Everyone by EO Family size

Offers EWG Verified formulas; compare the exact product, scent, and current price per ounce.

Ingredients 9/10 Independent

Everyone 3-in-1 Soap, Cedar + Citrus (32 oz) View product on Amazon Why we picked it
Bathing Culture Cathedral Grove Mind and Body Wash (Glass)

Bathing Culture

Saponified organic oils and a forest-forward scent, if you want the shower to feel like a ritual.

Ingredients 9/10 Independent

Bathing Culture Cathedral Grove Mind and Body Wash (Glass) View product on Amazon Why we picked it
Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Liquid Soap (Peppermint)

Dr. Bronner's

Family-owned since 1948, Fair Trade certified, and one concentrated bottle covers several uses.

Ingredients 10/10 Independent

Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Liquid Soap (Peppermint) View product on Amazon Why we picked it
Cocokind Milky-Soft Face and Body Cleanser (13.5 oz)

Cocokind

Founder-owned with no corporate parent; check that the cleanser you pick is labeled for body use.

Ingredients 8/10 Independent

Cocokind Milky-Soft Face and Body Cleanser (13.5 oz) View product on Amazon Why we picked it
ATTITUDE Sensitive Skin Body Wash

ATTITUDE

Offers EWG Verified body washes; confirm the exact product and scent in the certification directory.

Ingredients 10/10 Independent

ATTITUDE Sensitive Skin Body Wash View product on Amazon Why we picked it

Why this list

The body-wash aisle hides its owners

Body wash is one of those products most people never think twice about. You grab a bottle, use it until it is empty, and grab another. But the body wash aisle has the same problem as every other "natural" personal care category: the brands that look independent are often not.

Dr. Squatch, the body wash brand with the lumberjack branding and the viral ads about "real" ingredients? That is Unilever now. Unilever announced the agreement in June 2025 and reported completion in September; its 2025 financial statements later put the price at €1,243 million for 98.7% of the shares. Nubian Heritage, the brand built on African-inspired body care traditions? Also Unilever, bought through its Sundial Brands acquisition in 2017. SheaMoisture? Same deal.

The pattern is consistent across every personal care category. A brand earns your trust by looking small and transparent. A multinational buys that trust at a premium. The packaging stays the same. The story stays the same. The ownership does not.

This comparison covers five brands in our catalog. The ingredient scores and historical independence scores below come from their existing brand records; they are not a ranking of every body wash on the market. Review the formula scope and sources on each brand page.

Clean body wash at a real-world price

Everyone by EO

3-in-1 Soap, Cedar + Citrus, 32 oz

Everyone is the accessible line from EO Products, founded by Susan Griffin-Black and Brad Black. The couple started EO in 1995 making essential oil-based personal care products in Marin County, California. Everyone is EO's lower-priced line, sold in larger, family-size bottles.

Everyone offers EWG Verified products. The program assesses specific formulas against ingredient and disclosure criteria; it does not declare every ingredient safe for every use. Match the current product and scent to its directory listing.

The draw is value. Everyone comes in 32-ounce family-size bottles, so compare the current price per ounce rather than the bottle price.

EO Products is privately held, has no corporate parent and is a certified B Corporation.

Why we like it

EWG Verified options at a price that makes it a realistic everyday purchase for a whole family. Larger bottles generally mean less packaging per ounce.

Check before choosing

Formulas and scents differ across the line. Match the exact bottle to its EWG Verified listing, and read the label if you avoid sulfates: the formula in our record includes sodium coco sulfate.

View product on Amazon

At a glance Family size

9/10

Ingredient score

Independent Ownership

Format: 3-in-1 soap in a 32 oz family-size bottle
Certification: EWG Verified options
Price tier: $

Read our Everyone by EO review →

The shower as a ritual

Bathing Culture

Mind and Body Wash, Cathedral Grove, glass bottle

Bathing Culture was founded by Tim Hollinger around a simple idea: a daily shower can be a ritual rather than a chore. Its flagship Mind and Body Wash is made from saponified organic oils and sold in a reusable glass bottle.

The ingredient list is short: our record lists saponified organic coconut, olive and sunflower oils, an essential-oil blend and rosemary extract. That makes it a castile-style soap, closer to Dr. Bronner's than to a conventional detergent wash. The signature Cathedral Grove scent is earthy and forest-forward. It polarizes people, and the essential oils that create it may not suit sensitive skin.

Bathing Culture is the premium pick on this list. Organic oils, glass packaging and small-batch production are part of what you pay for.

The company is founder-owned and privately held, with no corporate parent.

Check before choosing

Compare the exact formula and scent with your needs. The Cathedral Grove scent is strong and earthy; skip it if essential oils bother your skin.

The price. It sits in the highest price tier here. If you are on a budget, Everyone by EO offers EWG Verified options at a lower price per ounce.

View product on Amazon

At a glance

9/10

Ingredient score

Independent Ownership

Base: Saponified organic oils
Scent: Cathedral Grove, from essential oils
Price tier: $$$

Read our Bathing Culture review →

The original, still family-owned

Dr. Bronner's

Pure-Castile Liquid Soap, Peppermint

If you have set foot in a natural grocery store in the last 50 years, you know Dr. Bronner's. The label is famously covered in tiny text about unity and cosmic philosophy. The product inside is a pure-castile liquid soap made from organic coconut, olive, hemp, and jojoba oils. It works as a body wash, a shampoo, a face cleanser, a household cleaner, and about a dozen other things if you read the label closely enough.

Dr. Bronner's has been family-owned since Emanuel Bronner started the company in 1948, and his grandsons David and Michael Bronner run it today. Its soaps are certified organic and Fair Trade certified, and the company caps executive pay at five times its lowest-paid position.

For body washing, use a few drops on a wet washcloth or dilute it first; the soap is concentrated. Several scents are sold, including an unscented baby version, so check the scent on the exact bottle.

Why we like it

Decades of family ownership, certified organic and Fair Trade ingredients, and a concentrated soap that serves several uses. Because you use a little at a time, compare the cost per use rather than the bottle price.

Check before choosing

Because it is a pure castile soap, it can feel "squeaky" on skin if you use too much or do not dilute it. Castile soap also reacts with hard water, which can leave a slight film. If you have very hard tap water, you may want to follow up with an apple cider vinegar rinse or choose a formulated body wash like Everyone by EO instead.

View product on Amazon

At a glance

10/10

Ingredient score

Independent Ownership

Type: Concentrated castile soap; dilute before use
Certification: USDA Organic, Fair Trade
Price tier: $

Read our Dr. Bronner's review →

Founder-owned, face care first

Cocokind

Milky-Soft Face and Body Cleanser, 13.5 oz

Cocokind was founded in 2014 by Priscilla Tsai, who still owns and runs the company. Our brand record found no documented venture or private-equity round and no corporate parent.

Its formulas lean on gentle, barrier-supporting ingredients such as ceramides, squalane and niacinamide. Check that the cleanser you choose is labeled for body use.

If you avoid fragrance or essential oils, read the exact label; our score describes the catalog record, not every product in the line.

Check before choosing

The body wash line is smaller than the skincare line. Cocokind is primarily known for face care. If you are looking for a wide range of body wash scent options, Everyone by EO or Dr. Bronner's will have more variety.

View product on Amazon

At a glance

8/10

Ingredient score

Independent Ownership

Use: Labeled for face and body
Price tier: $$

Read our Cocokind review →

EWG Verified options

ATTITUDE

Sensitive Skin Body Wash, unscented

ATTITUDE is a Canadian brand founded by Jean-Francois Bernier. It offers EWG Verified products, including body washes. Verify the exact product and scent in EWG's directory rather than assuming the certification covers every item sold by the brand.

Ingredient lists vary across the body-wash range. Check the current label for the ingredients and scent you want to avoid. Environmental claims and ingredient certifications address different questions.

ATTITUDE has body-wash ranges for adults, children, and babies. Choose a product labeled for the intended user and compare its size and current price with the alternatives.

ATTITUDE is family-owned and privately held, and it is based in Montreal.

Check before choosing

An EWG Verified listing gives you a defined set of ingredient and disclosure criteria to check. You still need to compare the exact formula with your own needs.

The brand aesthetic is more functional than luxurious. If you are looking for a premium shower experience with a distinctive scent, Bathing Culture is a better fit. ATTITUDE is about substance over style: the ingredients are excellent, but the product itself is designed to be practical rather than indulgent.

View product on Amazon

At a glance

10/10

Ingredient score

Independent Ownership

Certification: EWG Verified on specific products
Scent: Unscented version linked
Price tier: $

Read our ATTITUDE review →

Side by side

The full comparison

All five brands at a glance. Everyone by EO, Dr. Bronner's and ATTITUDE sit in the lowest price tier with high ingredient scores.

Swipe the table sideways to see price tiers and both scores.

Brand	Ingredients	Independence	Price	Both scores
Everyone by EO	9	10	$	Strong
Bathing Culture	9	10	$$$	Strong
Dr. Bronner's	10	10	$	Strong
Cocokind	8	9	$$	Strong
ATTITUDE	10	10	$	Strong

Ownership research

Who to avoid

These brands market themselves as natural, rugged, or heritage body care. Both are owned by Unilever.

Dr. Squatch Unilever 2025

Nubian Heritage Unilever 2017

Unilever completed its acquisition of Dr. Squatch in September 2025. Its 2025 financial statements put the price at €1,243 million for 98.7% of the shares. The brand's identity was built on being the anti-corporate body wash company: its ads mocked big brands. Unilever now owns the brand and also owns Dove, Axe, and Degree.

Nubian Heritage built a loyal following around African-inspired body care formulas. Unilever acquired Sundial Brands (Nubian Heritage's parent) in 2017. The cultural story remains on the packaging. The ownership does not.

For more body wash options, check our body wash category page where we have scored every brand we have reviewed.

Method

How we chose these brands

Every brand on Trusted Labels is evaluated on two axes:

Ingredient Safety (1-10): Cross-referenced against EWG Skin Deep, verified for third-party certifications (EWG Verified, USDA Organic, Made SAFE), and evaluated for overall formulation quality. We scrutinize surfactant systems (plant-derived vs. synthetic sulfates), fragrance sourcing (essential oils vs. "natural fragrance" vs. synthetic), and preservative choices. Ambiguity costs points: if a brand cannot clearly explain what "natural fragrance" means in their product, the score reflects that.
Independence (1-10): Researched through Crunchbase, SEC filings, acquisition press releases, and corporate records. Founder-owned with zero outside investment earns a 10. VC-backed with founder in control gets 7-9 depending on dilution and board composition. Acquired by a multinational gets 1-3.

For this roundup, we started from the body-wash and multi-use soap brands in our catalog, left out corporate-owned brands, and used each brand's existing scores. Every brand here scores at least 8 on ingredients and 9 on independence. We ordered them by who each one suits best rather than by raw score, so the everyday pick leads.

We earn affiliate commissions on some products linked in this article. Our commissions do not influence our scores. See our affiliate disclosure for full transparency, and our scoring methodology page for details on how every number is calculated.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

What makes a body wash "natural" vs. conventional?

A genuinely natural body wash uses plant-derived surfactants (like coconut-based cleansers) instead of synthetic sulfates such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). It avoids synthetic fragrances, parabens, phthalates, and petrochemical-derived ingredients. The word "natural" on a label means nothing legally: it is not a regulated term in personal care. Look for third-party certifications like EWG Verified or USDA Organic rather than relying on front-of-label claims. If a body wash says "made with natural ingredients" but does not carry an independent certification, check the full ingredient list yourself.

Is Dr. Bronner's actually good as a body wash?

It can be, with caveats. Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Liquid Soap is built on organic coconut, olive, hemp, and jojoba oils, and the company markets it for skin, hair and household cleaning. You do need to dilute it: a few drops on a washcloth or loofah is enough for a full-body wash. Undiluted, it can feel drying because the formula is highly concentrated. It also reacts with hard water, which can leave a slight film. If your tap water is very hard, a formulated body wash like Everyone by EO may be a better daily choice.

Who owns Dr. Squatch?

Unilever completed its acquisition of Dr. Squatch in September 2025. It did not disclose terms at the time; its 2025 financial statements later put the price at €1,243 million for 98.7% of the shares. Despite the independent, outdoorsy branding and viral ads that mock corporate body wash brands, the company is now owned by Unilever, the same corporation behind Dove, Axe, and Degree.

Are sulfates in body wash actually bad?

Sulfates like SLS and SLES are effective surfactants: they create foam and remove oil from skin. Some people find them drying or irritating, and milder surfactants are available. If your skin feels tight or irritated after showering, a gentler cleanser is worth trying, and a dermatologist can help if it persists. Not every brand here is sulfate-free: the formulas in our records for Everyone and ATTITUDE include sodium coco sulfate, so read the label if you avoid sulfates.