The Best Non-Toxic Moisturizer of 2026

We scored 15 moisturizer for PFAS forever chemicals and other hazards, then ranked them safest first. The top pick is CeraVe CeraVe Moisturizing Cream at 75/100. Every score below links to the full breakdown of what earned it.

How to read these scores. PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Each grade is a model-based assessment built from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, brand disclosures, recalls and third-party lab results where they exist. Read the full rubric to see exactly what adds and removes points.
0% of the 15 moisturizer we scored fail our PFAS and toxin screen.
PFAS Authority, September 2026. Free to cite with a link. See the full dataset.

The safest PFAS-free moisturizer we have scored

  1. 1
    CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

    CeraVe

    Moisturizing Cream

    Water, glycerin, ceramides, humectants (cream emulsion)

    PFAS Grade75Excellent
    Overall Grade67Good
    ⚠️

    1,4-dioxane (synthetic contaminant in emulsifiers)

    Limited concern

    70
    💨

    Formaldehyde / VOCs

    Limited concern

    70

    Lower PFAS concern; conventional moisturizer without known water-repellent coating or grease-resistant additives.

    ⚠Risky category by default

    Why this gradeBuy
  2. 2
    CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

    CeraVe

    PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

    water-based emulsion lotion with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin

    PFAS Grade75Excellent
    Overall Grade67Good
    ⚠️

    Preservative sensitization (phenoxyethanol)

    Limited concern

    70
    ⚠️

    Bacterial growth in pump dispenser

    Limited concern

    70

    Lower concern; standard facial moisturizer with no known PFAS triggers.

    ⚠Risky category by default

    Why this gradeBuy
  3. 3
    CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion

    CeraVe

    Daily Moisturizing Lotion

    water, glycerin, cetyl alcohol, niacinamide, ceramides (emulsion lotion)

    PFAS Grade75Excellent
    Overall Grade71Good
    ⚠️

    Comedogenicity and skin barrier disruption

    Limited concern

    70

    Lower concern, simple emulsion lotion with no known PFAS-risk ingredients or treatments.

    ⚠Risky category by default

    Why this gradeBuy
  4. 4
    LA MER Moisturizing Cream

    La Mer

    Moisturizing Cream

    Water, mineral oil, petrolatum, glycerin, wax, typical emollient cream base

    PFAS Grade75Excellent
    Overall Grade67Good
    🏷️

    Fragrance allergens and undisclosed components

    Limited concern

    70
    ⚠️

    Botanical extracts and botanical contaminants

    Limited concern

    70

    Lower PFAS concern; no water-repellent coating or water-resistant treatment typical of cream formulas.

    ⚠Risky category by default

    Why this gradeBuy
  5. 5
    La Mer The Moisturizing Fresh Cream

    La Mer

    The Moisturizing Fresh Cream

    water-in-oil emulsion with natural mineral-derived actives (seaweed, kelp ferment)

    PFAS Grade75Excellent
    Overall Grade57Good
    ⛏️

    Heavy metals

    Limited concern

    70
    ⚠️

    Fragrance allergens

    Moderate concern

    45
    🏭

    1,4-dioxane (manufacturing byproduct)

    Limited concern

    70

    Lower-concern cosmetic; no waterproofing chemistry typical of PFAS-prone products.

    ⚠Risky category by default

    Why this gradeBuy
  6. 6
    La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream

    La Mer

    The Moisturizing Soft Cream

    Oil-in-water cream emulsion with mineral oil, petrolatum, glycerin, proprietary marine complex

    PFAS Grade75Excellent
    Overall Grade67Good
    ⚠️

    Fragrance allergens and sensitizers

    Limited concern

    70
    ⏳

    Emulsion stability and preservative efficacy over time

    Limited concern

    70

    Lower PFAS concern, but La Mer provides no testing disclosure.

    ⚠Risky category by default

    Why this gradeBuy
  7. 7
    Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream

    Drunk Elephant

    Protini Polypeptide Cream

    Water-based moisturizing cream; primary actives include peptide complex, ceramides, glycerin

    PFAS Grade75Excellent
    Overall Grade63Good
    ⚠️

    Fragrance allergens and sensitizers

    Limited concern

    70
    💨

    Formaldehyde / VOCs

    Limited concern

    70
    🫧

    Eye and mucous membrane irritation from peptide or ceramide particles

    Limited concern

    70

    Lower concern; typical moisturizer formula lacks known PFAS risk factors.

    ⚠Risky category by default

    Why this gradeBuy
  8. 8
    Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Firming Moisturizer 1.69 fl oz

    Drunk Elephant

    Protini Polypeptide Firming Moisturizer 1.69 fl oz

    Water-based cosmetic emulsion (moisturizer cream)

    PFAS Grade75Excellent
    Overall Grade71Good
    💨

    Formaldehyde / VOCs

    Limited concern

    70

    Lower PFAS concern for standard moisturizer, though Drunk Elephant offers no transparency.

    ⚠Risky category by default

    Why this gradeBuy

Every moisturizer that passes, side by side

Sorted by score. Higher is safer. Scored against 3 hazards that apply to this category.

#MoisturizerScoreRatingMade of
1CeraVe CeraVe Moisturizing Cream75ExcellentWater, glycerin, ceramides, humectants (cream emulsion)
2CeraVe CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion75Excellentwater-based emulsion lotion with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin
3CeraVe CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion75Excellentwater, glycerin, cetyl alcohol, niacinamide, ceramides (emulsion lotion)
4La Mer LA MER Moisturizing Cream75ExcellentWater, mineral oil, petrolatum, glycerin, wax, typical emollient cream base
5La Mer La Mer The Moisturizing Fresh Cream75Excellentwater-in-oil emulsion with natural mineral-derived actives (seaweed, kelp ferment)
6La Mer La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream75ExcellentOil-in-water cream emulsion with mineral oil, petrolatum, glycerin, proprietary marine complex
7Drunk Elephant Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream75ExcellentWater-based moisturizing cream; primary actives include peptide complex, ceramides, glycerin
8Drunk Elephant Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Firming Moisturizer 1.69 fl oz75ExcellentWater-based cosmetic emulsion (moisturizer cream)

The moisturizer we would skip

Lowest scoring in this category, worst first.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

CeraVe

Moisturizing Cream

Water, glycerin, ceramides, humectants (cream emulsion)

PFAS Grade75Excellent
Overall Grade67Good
⚠️

1,4-dioxane (synthetic contaminant in emulsifiers)

Limited concern

70
💨

Formaldehyde / VOCs

Limited concern

70

Lower PFAS concern; conventional moisturizer without known water-repellent coating or grease-resistant additives.

⚠Risky category by default

Why this gradeBuy
CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

CeraVe

PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

water-based emulsion lotion with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin

PFAS Grade75Excellent
Overall Grade67Good
⚠️

Preservative sensitization (phenoxyethanol)

Limited concern

70
⚠️

Bacterial growth in pump dispenser

Limited concern

70

Lower concern; standard facial moisturizer with no known PFAS triggers.

⚠Risky category by default

Why this gradeBuy
CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion

CeraVe

Daily Moisturizing Lotion

water, glycerin, cetyl alcohol, niacinamide, ceramides (emulsion lotion)

PFAS Grade75Excellent
Overall Grade71Good
⚠️

Comedogenicity and skin barrier disruption

Limited concern

70

Lower concern, simple emulsion lotion with no known PFAS-risk ingredients or treatments.

⚠Risky category by default

Why this gradeBuy

What we check on moisturizer

  • Endocrine disruptors. Chemicals that interfere with the body’s hormone system. NIEHS
  • Parabens. Cosmetic preservatives studied for weak hormone activity. FDA
  • Phthalates. Plastic softeners studied for endocrine effects. ATSDR

Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.

The moisturizer brands that will not say

4 of the brands here publish nothing about PFAS at all. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is why none of them score well on disclosure.

CeraVe, Drunk Elephant, La Mer, Neutrogena.

Common questions about PFAS-free moisturizer

Is moisturizer PFAS free?

Mostly not. Of the 15 moisturizer we have scored, 0% fail our PFAS and toxin screen, which leaves 15 that pass. The highest scoring is CeraVe CeraVe Moisturizing Cream at 75 out of 100. The lowest is CeraVe CeraVe Moisturizing Cream at 75.

What is the safest moisturizer you have scored?

CeraVe CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, at 75 out of 100, which we band as Excellent. It is water, glycerin, ceramides, humectants (cream emulsion). The runner up is CeraVe CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion at 75.

Which moisturizer should I avoid?

The three lowest scoring we hold are CeraVe CeraVe Moisturizing Cream at 75, CeraVe CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion at 75, CeraVe CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion at 75. The problem with the first is that made from ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber with no PFAS risk.

How can you tell if moisturizer contain PFAS?

In this category we check for endocrine disruptors, parabens, phthalates. Chemicals that interfere with the body’s hormone system. Language like stain resistant, water repellent or easy release usually means fluorinated chemistry even when PFAS is never printed on the box.

Which moisturizer brands will not say whether they use PFAS?

4 of the brands we scored in this category publish nothing about PFAS at all, including CeraVe, Drunk Elephant, La Mer, Neutrogena. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.

Do you lab test moisturizer?

No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.

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