As someone with dry and sensitive skin, I know just how hard it can be to find quality body care that works. Lotion, in particular, is crucial for keeping your skin happy and healthy. Yet, searching for a lotion with non-irritating, moisturizing, and beneficial ingredients without supporting unethical companies can be impossible. But have no fear—I’ve done the work for you and have 10 eco-friendly lotion options that are great for sensitive skin, low-impact, and cruelty-free.
First, why does shopping for sustainable body care matter?
Although not always attainable, it’s my firm belief that when possible we should shop sustainably. By that I mean we need to support ethical companies who keep the consumer and the environment in mind when creating their products. Shopping mindfully and supporting ethical options is a great way to vote with our dollar and pave the way for an equitable future.
Not only that but choosing products with ingredients that don’t harm us or the planet is also crucial. Our actions matter and by shopping for sustainable products we’re not perpetuating environmental degradation, unethical practices, and personal harm.
How can you tell if a product is eco-friendly?
Thanks to greenwashing and label confusion, it can be difficult to know what’s what if you aren’t looking for specific markers. Although I have a detailed post dedicated to my top tips on ways to tell if a product is eco-friendly, I’d like to give some quick tips that you can utilize here. The simplest way, in my opinion, to tell if the product you’re looking at is eco-friendly is to look for third-party certifications.
Third-party certifications are independent authentications of a product or company holding to a specific standard. For example, the Leaping Bunny certification is only allotted if the product, brand, or ingredients don’t use animal testing. In general, third-party certifications are a great benchmark anyone can use to tell what standards the product or brand is living up to.
Regardless of what it is, if a brand has third-party certifications, you best believe they will advertise it! Just be careful of false certifications, some brands like to use similar-looking logos to try and show they have third-party certifications they don’t actually have! If something looks off, definitely double-check to verify its authenticity.
Overall, I recommend getting familiar with the certifications that line up best with your ethics or what you’re looking for in the products you use to make it really simple when shopping around. That will make using third-party certifications an easy and quick way to spot eco-friendly products in stores in real time.
Third-party certification examples:
These aren’t the end-all-be-all certifications for any product, but these are helpful ones to look out for when looking for eco-friendly lotion or personal care!
- Cradle to Cradle
- B Corp Certified
- PETA certified vegan
- ECOCERT certified
- Fair Trade Certified
- USDA Organic
- Climate Neutral
- 1% For The Planet
- Leaping Bunny
- The Good Face certification
- Made Safe certified
What else can you use to clue you into whether something is eco-friendly?
Aside from third-party certifications, you can use ingredient labels to determine if something is eco-friendly. Resources like Yuka and EWG are great for understanding the potential impacts of product ingredients and make it easier for us to be mindful consumers. Personal care products can persist in the environment, making choosing safe ingredients super important in terms of product sustainability.
Next, you can choose alternative packaging materials that are either recyclable or compostable. Products that come in alternative packaging are typically more sustainable. That’s because of their limited plastic waste and innovative design that can cut resource use, waste, and emissions, and often contributes to a circular system. These things make a product that is packaged in alternative materials, like cardboard or glass, a great and easy-to-spot sustainable option.
Lastly, you can always look up the brands themselves to see what kind of social and environmental ethics they promote. You can figure out if a company or brand is ethically and sustainability focused by doing some digging into them and seeing how they handle their environmental impacts and social responsibility. A company that is focused on transparent sustainability metrics will, more often than not, have more sustainable product options. If not, they will at least have some company-wide protocols in place to offset their impact.
Although these three things are great clues in determining if something is eco-friendly, they aren’t always easy tools to use. After all, deceptive marketing may have you think a material is more eco-friendly when it actually isn’t, and looking up ingredients or a company’s ethos isn’t super easy to do in-store. Because of this, I would first and foremost recommend looking for those third-party certifications!
Eco-Friendly Lotion Options:
Below is an overview of each brand and some eco-friendly lotion options they each offer. Each brand is vetted and approved by me and includes a range of price points and product types, so everyone should be able to find something that can work for them! These lists aren’t comprehensive, so make sure to check out the actual brand websites for more information.
- All products are vegan and certified by PETA
- National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance
- ECOLOGO certified
- Partnered with Eden Reforestation Projects and One Tree Planted
Attitude focuses on body lotions with skin-safe EWG-certified ingredients. There are several body lotion options, including several fragrances to choose from. The scent of some of their products has bothered my sensitive nose, but have never caused any skin irritation for me. They do offer unscented and sensitive skin formulas, which have the same efficacy as their regular eco-friendly lotion lines but without potential irritants for extra sensitive skin! You can also find thicker body creams and plastic-free body bars – truly an option for everyone!
- Products are 98% nature-derived
- Certified gluten-free
- Certified cruelty-free
- 100% vegetarian with many vegan products
Andalou Naturals offers several ranges of body lotions that cater to different skin types and needs. Although fragranced, their lotions are great for sensitive skin in my experience. Each lotion is packed with their fruit stem cell complex that helps nourish and maintain the skin. You can also find larger sizes for great value too. I’ve used their 1000 Roses body lotion for years and always go back to it! It has a light scent of sweet rose and soothes my dry and irritated skin so well that it’s one of my all-time favorite eco-friendly lotions.
- B Corp certified
- Partnered with Terracycle
- Focuses on agricultural practices that support biodiversity
- Certified by the Union for Ethical Biotrade
Weleda offers plant-rich body lotions and creams that are great for dry skin types because they do an excellent job of locking in moisture and protecting the skin. You can find rich body butter (in glass packaging!), the cult classic skin food, and even unscented options. I would recommend the lighter lotion options for eczema-prone skin because, although Weleda makes all-around amazing products, their richer options may be too heavy and cause irritation for those with compromised skin.
- B Corp certified
- Partnered with 1% For The Planet
- Climate Neutral certified
- Plastic Neutral certified via rePurpose Global
Nécessaire makes responsible luxury products that work and their body care is no exception. Their body lotions help strengthen the skin and are pH optimized for compromised and sensitive skin. Their eco-friendly lotions come in a few fragrances, but they have a fragrance-free option as well. You can also find body cream and body serums that are filled with healing and strengthening ingredients. Overall, the sustainable body care options you can find with this brand are all well-formulated and great for many skin types.
- Disclose yearly sustainability reports
- Carbon Neutral certified
- Certified cruelty-free and vegan
- B Corp certified
Plaine Products is an amazing company that makes waste-free products. You can find refillable body lotions in a couple of fragrances, including an unscented option. Many people swear by their lotions, and you really can’t go wrong with this ethical and low-impact company! Although this brand has fewer product options in terms of body moisturizers, Plaine Products is a great place to find eco-friendly lotion options if you want something zero-waste for daily use.
- B Corp certified
- Leaping Bunny certified and PETA animal cruelty-free certified
- Partnered with How2Recycle
- Natural Sanitation Foundation certified, all contain at least 70% certified organic ingredients
Known for their gentle yet effective skincare, Babo Botanicals has a couple of great moisturizer options. You can find a couple of fragrance options for body lotion, like this calming one, and also lotion duo deals. All the products I’ve tried from Babo Botanicals have been cosmetically elegant, and their lotions are no exception! Overall, Babo Botanicals’ eco-friendly lotion options are great picks for sensitive skin that needs lightweight and non-greasy moisturizing.
- Partnered with Global Alliance for Community Empowerment
- Leaping Bunny certified
- For Life certified by ECOCERT
- Minority Business Enterprise certified
Alaffia does clean and fair trade beauty without breaking the bank. You can find several fragrance options when looking at their body lotion, including an unscented version. Their eco-friendly lotions are light and absorb fast, but are still great for dry skin types. Their range of shea butter balms is amazing for extra dry skin that needs intense nourishment. Personally, I love keeping a bottle of their unscented body lotion by my sink to use throughout the day on my hands because of how fast-absorbing, effective, and affordable this eco-friendly lotion is!
- Partnered with Ethical Consumer to annually audit supply chain
- Vegetarian Society certified
- Many products vegan certified by Vegan Society
- Many ingredients are Fair Trade certified
Lush offers handmade products with little to no waste and a great place to find eco-friendly body lotion options for a range of skin types. For example, their Sympathy for the Skin lotion is great for dry skin and their Dream Cream is a cult classic that is great for skin that needs extra TLC. I will say if you have really reactive skin I would make sure to patch test options in-store to be safe because of their use of essential oils and fragrances.
- Climate Neutral certified
- Leaping Bunny certified
- Partnered with SeaTrees
- 100% vegan products
OSEA creates simple and holistic skincare products and their nourishing body care never seems to disappoint. Their body lotion is lightly scented, but you can also find an unscented option too. For those with dry skin, their body butter is a great ultra-nourishing option. But if you need extra hydration without the weight of the body butter, their body serum or body oil are amazing options that are perfect for layering. Overall, OSEA is a great place to find luxurious yet eco-friendly lotion and body care options.
- NSF/ANSI 305 Standard certified, all products contain at least 70% organic ingredients
- Leaping Bunny certified
- Certified biodegradable products
- Most products packaged in bottles made from 100% post-consumer resin
Avalon Organics takes a deep-rooted approach to body care that highlights the nourishing and therapeutic qualities of botanicals. Their firming body lotion is my personal favorite from this brand, it’s ultra-moisturizing without being heavy and improves the look of my skin when using. But you can also find several other fragrance options including an unscented body lotion. All of their body lotions are lightweight yet help restore the skin’s lipid balance – an all-around great choice for any skin type.
- Certified USDA organic
- Regenerative Organic certified
- Fair for Life fair trade certified
- Leaping Bunny certified
Dr. Bronner’s is known for making high-quality eco-friendly products that work. This brand has a ton of certifications because they understand that the best way to ensure their products meet their ethical and sustainability goals is through third-party testing. They offer a really light and non-greasy body lotion option that is great for warmer months or if you have an oilier skin type. For drier months or drier skin types, there’s the Organic Magic Balm which is an amazing multi-purpose balm that I love using as a lotion when my skin needs extra TLC.
- Leaping Bunny certified
- Certified B Corp
- Low-waste packing such as compostable tubes
- Certified Plastic Negative
One of the best low-impact beauty brands on the market, Meow Meow Tweet focuses on ethical and natural personal care at an accessible price point. Everything is small batch and made by hand in California. Their body lotion is lightweight and lightly scented, perfect for sensitive skin that can’t handle heavy products. For more heavy-duty moisturizing, you can try their Skin Cream, although I would recommend layering this product with a serum or body oil because it’s pretty thick. Speaking of body oil, you can also find a beautiful body oil from Meow Meow Tweet! Overall, Meow Meow Tweet is a great place to support if you’re in the market for eco-friendly lotion.
- Certified cruelty-free
- Partnered with Trees for the Future
- Recycled or recyclable packaging, they also have an in-store recycling program
- Focus on biodegradable ingredients
100% Pure focuses on producing the purest and healthiest products while striving to be as environmentally and ethically sustainable as possible. 100% Pure has a decent range of body care products in various scents. The body creams are full of antioxidants and nourishing ingredients which, along with their body butters, are great for deep daily moisturizing. For damaged skin, I would recommend their Intensive Nourishing Balm which is thick but readily absorbed and great for calming skin issues like eczema.
- Transparent about ingredients, find their ingredient glossary here
- Leaping Bunny certified
- LEAF’D certified green business
- Made in USA
Earth Tu Face believes minimizing environmental impact informs all decisions made. As such, they offer herbalist-formulated skincare that has sustainability in mind. Their body care list is quite limited, but that’s only because they are a small batch and handmade operation in California. The body lotion offered is full of soothing botanicals and is great for daily moisturizing for all skin types. Earth Tu Face also has a body butter option that is rich and great for ultra-dry skin, a little of this goes a long way though so be mindful of how much you use! I’ve also used their face balm on extra dry and damaged patches of skin with amazing results too.
- Recyclable glass packaging and FSC-certified paper packaging
- Leaping Bunny certified
- 100% vegan ingredients, certified by PETA
- Partnered with many nonprofit organizations
Youth To The People makes high-performance skincare using low-impact yet high-quality ingredients. One of my favorite skincare brands, their body care is of course included in this list! Another limited selection, but the products they do offer are some truly great ones. Their body lotion is lightweight yet packed with antioxidants and other nourishing ingredients to soften and soothe skin. Their body butter is luxurious and rich and, again, filled with skin-healing ingredients. The scents are on the stronger side, so I wouldn’t recommend if you’re really sensitive, although I tend to be sensitive to scents and they have never bothered me particularly.