Non-Toxic Body Moisturizers For Healthier Skin

This post has a round-up of non-toxic body moisturizers for healthier skin.

Moisturizing the skin on our body is as important as moisturizing our face, especially during the colder months. Having a layer of protection on our skin helps keep the moisture locked in, and pollutants + bacteria out. Developing a good body skincare routine is important for the health of your skin all year round.

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What Makes Body Moisturizers Toxic?

When switching to non-toxic skincare, it’s important to educate yourself on what’s in the ingredient list that can be potentially harmful to your health and bad for your skin. Here are some of the most common toxic ingredients:

Fragrance/Parfum: The ingredient “fragrance” is responsible for the scent in a product, and it can include thousands of chemicals that don’t have to be disclosed to preserve trade secrets. Some of these thousands of synthetic fragrance ingredients link to cancer, reproductive toxicity, allergies, and sensitivities.

Parabens: Used as a preservative in your beauty products or for fragrance, parabens have been linked to endocrine disruption, cancer, developmental and reproductive toxicity. When looking on the ingredient list the ingredient may start with things like ethyl-, butyl-, methyl-, etc and end with -paraben.

Petrolatum: As the name indicates this ingredient comes from petroleum. But, there is also strong evidence that this ingredient is a huge contaminant of the human body. And the worst part is, the body can’t metabolize them, so they accumulate over time. And with studies indicating possible carcinogenic links due to contamination, endocrine disruption, and more. It is an ingredient I would avoid slathering all over my body.

Phenoxyethanol: Used as a preservative. This can be confusing at times because there are clean sources of it, and it is safe if used in concentrations less than 1%. However, it can be contaminated with 1,4 dioxane (probable human carcinogen) so it is imperative that you know your product has a clean source of it.

Polyethylene Glycol (PEG): Used as an emollient in cosmetics, this is a petroleum-based compound. It is created when ethylene oxide (known carcinogen via inhalation) is reacted with other, less harmful ingredients. In this reaction process, by-products such as 1, 4 dioxane (probable human carcinogen) are created. Manufacturers could remove these but unfortunately many do not.

What Are The Best Ingredients You Can Find In Non-Toxic Body Moisturizers?

There are several ingredients that you want to look for when searching for Non-Toxic Body Moisturizers. These are non-toxic ingredients that are what make the best organic body moisturizers stand out. The main ingredients I like to look for include:

Essential Fatty Acids- The body doesn’t produce essential fatty acids on its own, so we need to absorb them either from diet or from application. Ingredients like almond oil, sunflower oil, shea butter, and avocado oil are examples of essential fatty acids.

Glycerin- Glycerin causes the skin to draw water to it. Helping to retain moisture.

Ceramides- These are liquid molecules found in the skin cells that help cells avoid moisture loss. They help restore skin barrier function, preventing moisture loss.

Peptides- These increase collagen production and improve elasticity. They also prevent bacteria from clogging pores and support the skin’s barrier.

How Do I Know If The Moisturizer I’m Buying Is Non-Toxic?

By educating yourself and being able to identify harmful ingredients, you will be well on your way to knowing exactly what ingredients to look out for. It gets a lot easier over time, I promise.

Thankfully, there are some resources that can really help out! Here are some great websites/apps:

EWG.org is an amazing resource for all things in our home. From cleaning products and laundry soap to beauty products, you’ll be able to find useful information here. They give products a number rating out of 10 and I like to look for products with a rating of 3 or less (a rating of 0 means it is EWG verified and there are no harmful ingredients). You can even search for specific ingredients to see how toxic they are,.

Yuka App. This is a mobile app where you can scan your products at the store while you shop. This app gives products a rating out of 100 (100 being the best). You can also scan food items with this app as well. I find that this app has a bigger data-base than EWG.

The Best Non-Toxic Body Moisturizers For Healthier Skin

Non-Toxic Body Oils

Body oils can really help lock in moisture. They are great for very dry skin and a little bit goes a long way. You can even use body oils ever the top of lotions or creams fo r added hydration. Here is a list of EWG verified body oils that are amazing Non-Toxic Body Moisturizers:

KORA Organics Noni Glow Body Oil

Prima Beyond Body Oil

OSEA Undaria Algae Body Oil

The Honest Company Organic Body Oil

Non-Toxic Body Creams

Body creams are going to be a bit thicker and richer than body lotion. Creams are typically formulated with ingredients like shea butter for a thicker and more occlusive consistency. Here is a list of EWG verified body creams:

Henry Rose Char Body Cream

OSEA Undaria Algae Body Butter

Lume Acidified Body Cream (unscented)

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Daily Repair Moisturizing Cream

Amazon Aware Body Cream with Vitamin E & Shea Butter

Non-Toxic Body Lotions

Body lotions are excellent for every day use. They are best when applied right after a shower on towel dried skin. They are generally affordable even with clean ingredients and they work well for mostly all skin types. Here are the best EWG verified body lotions:

Nécessaire The Body Lotion