Kiehl's Body Washes & Shower Gels for sale
Lower concern liquid soap. No known PFAS risk in formulation.
Kiehl's body washes are aqueous cleanser formulations without known PFAS ingredients or water-repellent treatments. The brand makes no PFAS claims, but the product category carries minimal inherited risk.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
water, glycerin, surfactants, fragrance
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Kiehl's Body Washes & Shower Gels for sale is made of, ingredients and materials
Kiehl's body washes are formulated primarily from water, glycerin (a humectant), surfactants (cleaning agents), and fragrance compounds. Glycerin is a non-toxic humectant that attracts moisture to skin; surfactants in rinse-off products are diluted and removed during use, minimizing skin contact time. Fragrance is the variable component in this product class and the most common source of skin irritation or allergic contact dermatitis in body washes. No known heavy metals, talc contamination, or formaldehyde releasers are documented in Kiehl's formulations.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Fragrance allergens and contact sensitization
Fragrance is a documented irritant in rinse-off cosmetics and the primary source of allergic contact dermatitis in body washes. Individual sensitivity varies; no specific allergen profile for Kiehl's formulations is publicly disclosed, but fragrance-sensitive individuals should patch-test or choose unscented variants.
What’s reassuring
Base material not linked to PFAS
The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
1,4-dioxane (contaminant in ethoxylated surfactants)
Some surfactants used in body washes can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane during manufacturing. No documented testing or recall for Kiehl's products indicates this hazard is managed or absent; standard industry practice includes purging during synthesis, but disclosure is not routine.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
No evidence that Kiehl's body washes use formaldehyde donors (e.g., imidazolidinyl urea, dmdm hydantoin) as preservatives. Water-based liquid formulas typically rely on phenoxyethanol or paraben systems, which do not release formaldehyde under normal storage.
Source, ATSDR ↗Talc contamination
Talc is not a known ingredient in Kiehl's liquid body washes; this hazard is relevant to powders and cosmetics with mineral bases, not aqueous rinse-off products.
Heavy metals
Kiehl's body washes are typically uncolored or lightly tinted with approved colorants; no documented contamination with lead, cadmium, or arsenic is on record for this brand in this category.
Source, FDA ↗How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
Kiehl's is owned by L'Oreal and markets itself as a heritage skincare brand without formal third-party certifications (e.g., no EWG Verified or Clean Beauty seal). The brand does not publicly disclose ingredient-sourcing practices or PFAS testing; however, no recalls or regulatory safety violations specific to body washes are on record. Ingredient lists are available on product packaging and the brand website, supporting informed purchase decisions.
How it compares in its category
Liquid body washes across the market share similar base chemistry (water, surfactants, preservatives, fragrance) and carry comparable low hazard profiles compared to bar soaps or exfoliating scrubs. Kiehl's products are conventionally formulated without notable omissions or additions that distinguish safety risk; they are mid-market priced and positioned for sensitive skin tolerability rather than clinical or medical claims. Unscented or fragrance-minimal alternatives may reduce allergic contact risk for reactive skin.
If you buy it
Use as directed, apply to wet skin, lather, rinse thoroughly with water. Store at room temperature away from direct heat or sunlight to preserve formula stability. Discontinue if skin irritation, redness, or itching develops, particularly if fragrance sensitivity is known. Replace when empty; body washes do not require special maintenance and have no established shelf-life risk if stored upright and capped.
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 82% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Kiehls has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
More body wash grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.