Washing our hands has soon become more important than ever. But washing your hands loads, can take a toll on your skin and make your hands look older than you really are. To prevent your skin from drying out, we went on the look for the best cruelty-free hand washes. Liquid hand soaps that not only do a good cleaning job, but prevent it from stripping and nourish the skin at the same time. Enter the world of cruelty-free hand wash. These 8 winners leave your hands clean, soft and smelling divine. 6 of them are vegan too.
Index
- Molton Brown – Orange & Bergamot Hand Wash (VEGAN)
- Puracy – Natural Liquid Hand Soap Lavender & Vanilla (VEGAN)
- Dr. Bronner’s – Organic Sugar Soap Baby Unscented (VEGAN)
- Aveda – Rosemary Mint Hand & Body Wash
- Aesop – Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash (VEGAN)
- Method – Pink Grapefruit Hand Wash (VEGAN)
- Cowshed – Refresh Hand Wash (VEGAN)
- Mrs. Meyer’s – Clean Day Liquid Hand Soap Lemon Verbena
The Best Cruelty-Free and Vegan Hand Washes
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1/8
Molton Brown* – Orange & Bergamot Hand Wash (vegan)
Shop at Molton Brown | $$$
Fragranced with orange oil, bergamot and neroli, this hand wash is so uplifting. The zesty and unisex scent lingers on your hands all day long. The soap itself lathers well, cleanses gently and isn’t dehydrating at all. Skin feels clean and nourished.
Free of: paraben, animal (by)products, gluten
Ingredients: Water / Aqua / Eau, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Laureth-7 Citrate, Glycerin, Coco-Glucoside, Fragrance / Parfum, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Polyquaternium-7, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Peg-18 Glyceryl Oleate/Cocoate, Limonene, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Amyl Cinnamal, Eugenol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tocopherol, Sodium Phytate, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Yellow 5 / CI 19140
*Note: Molton Brown is owned by KAO, a company that is not cruelty-free.
2/8
Puracy – Natural Liquid Hand Soap Lavender & Vanilla (vegan)
Shop at Amazon | $
No matter how many times you wash your hands, this budget liquid soap will leave your hands soft and smooth. It is 100% plant-based and contains lots of skin-loving ingredients such as vitamin E and Aloe Vera. The combination of Vanilla and Lavender essential oil deliver the most soothing aroma. Since this soap is all natural, we do need to be realistic about the amount of lather we can expect.
Free of: sulfates, paraben, animal (by)products, gluten
Ingredients: Purified Water, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate (Coconut-Based Cleanser), Lauryl Glucoside (Coconut Oil-Based Cleanser), Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate (Coconut-Based Cleanser), Decyl Glucoside (Vegetable-Based Cleanser), Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate (Coconut-Based Cleanser), Coco-Glucoside (Coconut-Based Cleanser), Glyceryl Oleate (Plant-Based Skin Softener), Citric Acid (Citrus-Based Preservative), Benzisothiazolinone (Biodegradable Preservative), Lavender Essential Oil, Vegetable Glycerin (Plant-Based Skin Softener), Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Sodium Citrate (Plant-Based Water Softener), Himalayan Pink Sea Salt, Vanillin ex Vanilla Bean (Natural)
3/8
Dr. Bronner’s – Organic Sugar Soap Baby Unscented (vegan)
Shop at Amazon | $$
Besides from ticking all the boxes in regard to healthy ingredients, this Australian made plant-based soap has many uses. It can also be used as a face wash, body wash and even as a shampoo. Dr. Bronner uses a combination of fair trade organic sugar and shikakai powder to keep skin nourished and hydrated. The bottles are made from recycled plastic. The soap comes in the essential oil scents Lavender, Peppermint, Lemongrass Lime and Tea Tree and there is a Unscented option especially for the babies and other sensitive skins.
Free of: sulfates, paraben, alcohol, animal (by)products, gluten
Ingredients: Organic Acacia Concinna (Shikakai) Extract, Organic Sucrose, Organic Grape (Vitis Vinifera) Juice, Saponified Organic Coconut Oil, Saponified Organic Olive Oil, Organic Glycerin, Organic Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Organic Zea Mays (Corn), Starch, Citric Acid, Tocopherol (Vit. E), ( Certified Fair Trade By Imo)
4/8
Aveda* – Rosemary Mint Hand & Body Wash
Shop at Amazon | $$$
Very soothing creamy formula, so you can wash frequently without drying out your skin. With energizing spa scent of peppermint and rosemary that will linger on your hands long after you turned the tap off. Bonus points for the sustainable packaging.
Free of: paraben
Ingredients: Ingredients: Water\Aqua\Eau, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Propanediol, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Hydroxypropylsulfonate Laurylglucoside Crosspolymer, Babassuamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Origanum Majorana Leaf Oil, Menthol, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Glycerin, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Glycol Distearate, Acrylates Copolymer, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance (Parfum), Linalool, Limonene, Isoeugenol, Sodium Phytate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate <ILN43582>
*Note: Aveda is owned by Estée Lauder, a company that is not cruelty-free.
5/8
Aesop – Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash (vegan)
Shop at Amazon | $$$$
This luxury hand wash is one of Aesop’s bestsellers and we understand why. The aromatic blend of Orange, Rosemary and Lavender turns your bathroom into a mini spa. It also effectively cleanses without stripping away the moisture, no matter how of an obsessive hand washer you are. Instead it leaves hands smooth and smelling amazing. Plus, this bottle looks so lush on your bathroom sink.
Free of: paraben, alcohol, animal (by)products, gluten
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Sodium Chloride, Cedrus Atlantica (Cedarwood) Bark Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Citric Acid, Limonene, Linalool
6/8
Method* – Pink Grapefruit Hand Wash (vegan)
Shop at Amazon | $
No more sore hands with this liquid hand wash. It is gentle on the hands, and still potent enough to leave them squeaky clean. Environmental – and wallet friendly as you can buy refills. It comes in many lush scents, of which the Pink Grapefruit is our favorite.
Free of: paraben, phthlates, animal (by)products, gluten
Ingredients: water (aqua), ethanol, glycerin, sodium chloride, sodium citrate, sodium lauryl sulfate, citric acid, tocopheryl acetate (Vitamin E oil), aloe barbadensis extract, colorant, fragrance (parfum), decyl glucoside, lauryl glucoside, cocamidopropyl betaine, cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, methylisothiazolinone, methylchoroisothiazolinone
*Note: Method is owned by S.C. Johnson, a company that is not cruelty-free.
7/8
Cowshed – Refresh Hand Wash (vegan)
Shop at Amazon | $$
No more sore hands with this gentle yet effective hand wash from the English brand Cowshed. Formulated with nourishing vitamin E for a pampered look and feel. The refreshing mix of essential oils of Grapefruit, Bitter Orange and Lavender leave your skin lightly scented.
Free of: paraben, sulfates, silicones
Ingredients: aqua (water/eau), lauryl glucoside, sodium cocoamphoacetate, glycerin, sodium chloride, sodium cocoyl glutamate, sodium lauryl glucose carboxylate, gluconolactone, sodium benzoate, citric acid, parfum (fragrance), coco-glucoside, glyceryl oleate, isopropyl alcohol, *lavandula angustifolia (lavender) flower oil, *citrus aurantium amara (bitter orange) peel oil, *citrus grandis (grapefruit) peel oil, calcium gluconate, hydrogenated palm glycerides citrate, tocopherol (vitamin e), **linalool, **limonene, **hexyl cinnamal, **geraniol, **hydroxycitronellal, **citronellol, **butylphenyl methylpropional, **hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde, **alpha-isomethyl ionone. *essential oils **potential allergens
8/8
Mrs. Meyer’s* – Clean Day Liquid Hand Soap Lemon Verbena
Shop at Amazon | $
Made with 98% plant based ingredients such as olive oil and aloe vera, this hand soap won’t dry out your skin, even when you wash your hands loads. Instead this soap keeps them soft and smooth. Available in a variety of interesting fragrances (Rhubarb, Parsley, Geranium), but Lemon Verbena is the internet’s (and our) absolute favorite.
Free of: paraben, gluten
Ingredients: Deionized Water, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Lauramide DEA, Essential Oils, Fragrance, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Aloe Barbadensis Gel, Olive Oil, Isostearmidopropyl Morpholine Lactate, Polyquaternium-7, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Diazolidinyl Urea, Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid
*Note: Mrs. Meyer’s is owned by S.C. Johnson, a company that is not cruelty-free.
More cruelty-free skin care:
– The best cruelty-free hand creams
– The best cruelty-free body washes
– The best cruelty-free mineral-based sunscreens
– The best cruelty-free + non-toxic nail polishes
