Personal Care Swaps
Clean certified alternatives for deodorant, shampoo, body wash and toothpaste. What you apply to your skin and teeth every day matters more than most people realise.
The average person applies nine to fifteen personal care products before leaving the house each morning. Each product contains multiple ingredients. Many of those ingredients are absorbed directly through the skin into the bloodstream within minutes of application.
The products below are our honest recommendations. Every one carries proper independent certification, not just marketing claims.
Deodorant
Deodorant is applied daily to thin skin overlying lymph nodes. Conventional deodorants and antiperspirants often contain aluminium compounds, parabens and synthetic fragrance. Aluminium based antiperspirants work by blocking sweat glands. Natural deodorants work by inhibiting odour causing bacteria instead.
OUR TOP PICK
Fussy Refillable Natural Deodorant
B Corp Certified · Aluminium Free · No Parabens · No Synthetic Fragrance · Probiotic Formula · Vegan · Cruelty Free · Compostable Refills · Independent UK Brand
B Corp certified, probiotic-based and free from aluminium, parabens and synthetic fragrance. The refillable case lasts indefinitely and the compostable refills slot straight in. 24 hour protection with no white marks. A wide gender-neutral scent range including a genuinely fragrance-free option. Now stocked in Boots, Tesco and Sainsbury's as well as Amazon UK. Currently the standout independent UK natural deodorant brand.
Note on switching: Natural deodorant can take two to four weeks to adjust to if you have been using aluminium antiperspirant. This is normal. The sweat glands need time to unclog and the skin microbiome needs time to rebalance. Stick with it.
Find on Amazon UK →A note on Wild: Wild was a popular recommendation on this site until 2025 when it was acquired by Unilever for a reported £230 million. Unilever is one of the world's largest users of plastic and has publicly rolled back sustainability commitments. We no longer recommend Wild as our top pick as a result. The product itself remains aluminium free and B Corp certified for now, but ownership matters when it comes to where money goes and what values are supported.
Shampoo and Conditioner
Conventional shampoos rely on SLS and SLES to create lather. These strip the scalp's natural oils and increase skin permeability, making it easier for other ingredients in the product to absorb. Many also contain synthetic fragrance, silicones and parabens.
OUR TOP PICK
Faith in Nature Shampoo and Conditioner
B Corp Certified · Vegan · Cruelty Free · UK Made · No SLS · No Silicones · No Parabens · 99% Natural Origin · 100% Natural Aroma
UK made with minimum 99% natural origin ingredients and 100% natural aroma, meaning no synthetic fragrance. Available in a wide range of natural scents including coconut, argan, lavender and geranium. SLS-free, silicone-free and paraben-free. Large 5L refill packs available which significantly reduce plastic use and cost per wash. Widely available in Boots, Holland and Barrett and on Amazon UK.
Note on switching: Hair may feel different for the first two to three weeks after switching from silicone-containing shampoos. Silicones coat the hair shaft and take time to wash out fully. Once they have cleared the hair typically feels lighter and more natural.
Find on Amazon UK →Body Wash
OUR TOP PICK
Faith in Nature Body Wash
B Corp Certified · Vegan · Cruelty Free · UK Made · No SLS · No Parabens · Natural Aroma Only
The same rigorous standards as the Faith in Nature shampoo range. No SLS, no parabens, no synthetic fragrance. Available in aloe vera, coconut, lavender and geranium and several other natural scents. Gentle on sensitive skin, suitable for everyday use and significantly cleaner than most products marketed as natural.
Find on Amazon UK →THE MINIMAL OPTION
Dr Bronner's Pure Castile Soap
USDA Certified Organic · Fair Trade · Vegan · No Synthetic Fragrance · No Preservatives
Used diluted as a body wash Dr Bronner's is one of the cleanest options available. The unscented Baby version has the shortest and most transparent ingredient list of any widely available body wash. Certified organic, fair trade and biodegradable. One bottle lasts considerably longer than conventional body wash when used diluted.
Find on Amazon UK →Toothpaste
Most conventional toothpastes contain SLS as a foaming agent, artificial sweeteners like saccharin and synthetic flavourings. Some older formulas contained triclosan, an endocrine disruptor. Clean alternatives use plant based abrasives, essential oils and increasingly hydroxyapatite, a mineral that makes up 97% of tooth enamel and has growing clinical support as a fluoride alternative.
OUR TOP PICK
Truthpaste Natural Toothpaste
UK Made · Fluoride Free · SLS Free · Zero Waste Glass Jars · Vegan · Palm Oil Free · No Artificial Sweeteners · Organic Ingredients Where Possible
UK made in glass jars that are endlessly recyclable with a jar return scheme for UK customers. Formulated with neem, aloe vera and botanical ingredients with documented antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. All scents come from named essential oils with no hidden fragrance. Their hydroxyapatite formula uses 5% micro hydroxyapatite for enamel remineralisation. One 100ml jar lasts up to three months for one person. Note: Truthpaste uses organic ingredients wherever possible but has not yet pursued independent organic certification.
Available in: Peppermint and Wintergreen, Fennel, Charcoal Whitening, and the hydroxyapatite formula
Find on Amazon UK →CERTIFIED ORGANIC OPTION
Green People Toothpaste
COSMOS Organic Certified by Ecocert · NATRUE Certified · 95% Organic Plant Ingredients · No SLS · No Artificial Flavours · No Synthetic Preservatives
COSMOS Organic certified by Ecocert and NATRUE certified, two of the most rigorous organic cosmetics certifications available. Contains at least 95% organic plant ingredients with no synthetic colours, dyes or fragrances. A strong choice for anyone who wants the highest level of independent certification for their oral care products.
Find on Amazon UK →Hand Soap
Hand soap is used multiple times a day on skin that is often already sensitised by water and friction. Most conventional liquid hand soaps contain SLS, synthetic fragrance, triclosan in older formulas and preservatives like methylisothiazolinone. The skin on hands is thinner than most people realise and absorbs readily.
OUR TOP PICK
Dr Bronner's Pure Castile Liquid Soap
Made with Certified Organic and Fair Trade Ingredients · USDA NOP Certified · Vegan · No Synthetic Fragrance · No Synthetic Preservatives · Biodegradable
Used diluted as hand soap this is one of the cleanest options available. A small pump dispenser filled with one part Dr Bronner's to three parts water makes an excellent foaming hand soap that lasts considerably longer than conventional products. The unscented Baby version is the purest choice. Certified organic, fair trade and biodegradable.
Find on Amazon UK →WIDELY AVAILABLE OPTION
Faith in Nature Hand Wash
B Corp Certified · Vegan · Cruelty Free · UK Made · No SLS · No Parabens · Natural Aroma Only
UK made, plant derived and free from SLS, parabens and synthetic fragrance. Available in several natural scents and widely stocked in Boots, Holland and Barrett and on Amazon UK. A genuinely accessible clean alternative to mainstream hand soaps at a reasonable price.
Find on Amazon UK →Lip Balm
Lip balm is applied directly to the lips and is inevitably ingested in small amounts throughout the day. Most conventional lip balms are made from petrolatum, mineral oil or paraffin, all petroleum derivatives. Many also contain synthetic fragrance and flavouring. Given that you are eating whatever you put on your lips, ingredient quality here matters more than most people realise.
OUR TOP PICK
Burt's Bees Original Beeswax Lip Balm
No Petrolatum · No Mineral Oil · No Parabens · No Synthetic Fragrance · 100% Natural Origin Ingredients
Made with beeswax, vitamin E and peppermint oil. No petroleum derivatives, no synthetic fragrance, no parabens. 100% natural origin ingredients that you would not be uncomfortable ingesting in small amounts. Widely available, affordable and one of the cleanest mainstream lip balm options available in the UK.
Find on Amazon UK →THE MINIMAL OPTION
Pure organic coconut oil or shea butter
Single Ingredient · Certified Organic · Zero Additives · Genuinely Edible
A small pot of organic coconut oil or raw shea butter applied to lips is one of the cleanest possible options. One ingredient, genuinely edible, certified organic. Coconut oil is naturally antimicrobial and shea butter is deeply moisturising. Both outperform most conventional lip balms for moisture retention once the skin adjusts.
Find on Amazon UK →Facial Tissues
Conventional facial tissues including most mainstream brands are made from wood pulp processed with chemical bleaching agents. An independent investigation by Mamavation found indications of PFAS in 46% of facial tissue brands tested, including Kleenex. PFAS are used in some tissue manufacturing as bleaching and wetting agents. Given that tissues come into direct contact with the face, nose and sensitive skin multiple times a day, this is worth taking seriously.
OUR TOP PICK
The Cheeky Panda Bamboo Facial Tissues
Tested PFAS Free · FSC Certified Bamboo · Dermatologically Tested · Vegan Society Certified · Leaping Bunny Certified · 100% Plastic Free · No Chemical Bleaching · UK Brand
Made from 100% FSC-certified sustainable bamboo, whitened with hydrogen peroxide rather than chlorine-based chemicals and independently tested PFAS free. Dermatologically tested and naturally hypoallergenic with less tissue dust than conventional tissues, making them gentler on sensitive skin and noses. 100% plastic free from the tissues themselves to the box they come in. Vegan Society certified and Leaping Bunny certified. Available in pocket packs and boxes on Amazon UK and direct from their website.
Find on Amazon UK →You do not need to replace everything at once. The most effective approach is to swap products as they run out, starting with the ones you use most frequently and leave on your skin the longest. Deodorant and moisturiser first. Rinse-off products like shampoo and body wash next.
One swap at a time adds up faster than you think.
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