Body Wash vs Bath Shower Gel: which is safer?

Irish Spring Body Wash is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

Our pick

Irish Spring Body Wash

Irish Spring

Body Wash

PFAS grade

Excellent 75/100

Overall grade

Good 67/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

aqueous surfactant solution, no known PFAS-targeted additives

Confidence

85%

PossibleFragrance allergens and undisclosed components

PossibleSkin irritation from sodium lauryl sulfate

Molton Brown Bath Shower Gel

Molton Brown

Bath Shower Gel

PFAS grade

Excellent 75/100

Overall grade

Good 63/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

water-based surfactants, glycerin, botanical extracts

Confidence

78%

Possible1,4-dioxane (synthetic byproduct in ethoxylated surfactants)

PossibleFragrance allergens and undisclosed ingredients

PossibleBotanical extract variability and contamination

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Fragrance allergens and undisclosed components and Skin irritation from sodium lauryl sulfate on the Irish Spring and not on the Molton Brown.
  • We flag 1,4-dioxane (synthetic byproduct in ethoxylated surfactants), Fragrance allergens and undisclosed ingredients and Botanical extract variability and contamination on the Molton Brown and not on the Irish Spring.
  • The Irish Spring is aqueous surfactant solution, no known PFAS-targeted additives where the Molton Brown is water-based surfactants, glycerin, botanical extracts, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.

Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

More body wash: see the full ranking