Read labels and choose one of these palm oil free sunscreens from Badger. (Note, their SPF 25 lotions contain it.)
Empire Squid
They have confirmed all of their products, including their sunscreens, are palm oil free.
LifeGuard:
Facial Sunscreen
Organic Sunscreen – available with beeswax or vegan
Sunscreen with Red Raspberry
These are available in Original or Extra Protection. They contain zinc oxide.
The Vitamin E in these sunscreens are palm oil free and made with non-GMO soy and sunflower oil.
Sun Set After Sun Spray – contains aloe vera and zero preservatives
Kiss My Face
They have confirmed they make these two sunscreens without palm oil.
Kiss My Face Organics Kids Defense Mineral SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion
Kiss My Face Organics Mineral Face + Body SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion
Palm oil free sunscreen
It’s a good idea to wear sunscreen in the summer, on vacations, and when you will be outside for awhile. More people use sunscreen on sunny days in the spring and fall as well.
It’s really important to read labels for sunscreen. We have searched most every commercial brand, and they all contained some type of palm oil derivative. Oftentimes, they contained more than one.
Plant-derived often = palm oil
If you look on many sunscreen companies’ websites (and many products in general), companies often describe their ingredients as plant-based or plant-derived. If they aren’t explaining the source — Which plant?! — it’s often likely from palm oil.
Watch out for industry buzzwords.
Many companies who tout “plant-derived,” “natural”, “vegan”, and “organic” may still be using palm oil derivatives in their sunscreens.
Remember to read labels as companies change ingredients. This list is meant to be a starting point as a reference to help find sunscreen without palm oil.
Let us know why you choose sunscreen without palm oil. If you know of palm free sunscreens, please list them in the Comments. Thank you for being an Educated Consumer.
When you are looking for deodorant without palm oil, choose the ones with as few ingredients as possible.
In deodorant, palm oil ingredients are hidden under many names. They are prevalent in spray, wipe, and stick deodorants as well as antiperspirants.
Common palm oil derivatives in deodorant include:
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Ceteareth-25
Cetyl Palmitate
Elaeis guineensis (palm) kernel oil
Ethylhexyl
Glycerin
Glyceryl Stearate
Octyldodecanol
Palmitate
Palm Kernel Oil
Polyethylene Glycol
Propylene Glycol
Sodium Stearate
Steareth – 100
Stearic Acid
Stearyl Alcohol
Tocopherols without the source listed
Triglycerides
Vitamin E without the source
Deodorant without palm oil
It is possible to find deodorant free from palm oil derivatives. All of these companies show their ingredients easily and transparently on their websites. They have nothing to hide!
Check these out:
Ethique
Sans – Unscented Solid Deodorant
Botantica – Lavender & Vanilla
Rustic – Lime, Eucayptus, & Cedarwood
All of Ethique’s products, including deodorants, are palm oil free.
This is one of the few companies who advertises each of their products as “palm oil free” on their website. They are cruelty-free, sustainable and vegan as well. They also include minimal packaging.
Ethique’s deodorants are for all skin types. They are made with bamboo and zinc oxide. They are free from aluminum and baking soda.
We also like they have an Ingredients section on their website which explains the source of each of their ingredients.
Schmidt’s deodorants are certified vegan and cruelty free. Also, they are free from aluminum, parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol, and artificial fragrances.
Their regular deodorants contain Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda). Their Sensitive Skin deodorants do not.
If you look on their website, you will see they show the source of each ingredient. For example:
If you were to see these ingredients — without their source listed — in other deodorants, they will often be sourced from palm oil.
Our kids use the unscented, Fragrance Free deodorant. It’s easy to apply and gets the job done. Their sticks are 3.25 ounces.
Update June 24, 2019: I was thrilled to see Schmidt’s deodorant is available at our local Target and Walmart! This makes it convenient for the Everyday Consumer to purchase palm oil free deodorant.
Booda Organics
Booda Butter Cream Deodorant
This is a cream deodorant. We found this at our natural grocer. You can look online for locations in your area or purchase it online from their site.
All of Booda Organics products are palm oil free.
This handmade cream deodorant is Non-GMO verified, Cruelty-Free, and Vegan. It’s also soy, bee, wax, and gluten free.
It’s free from propylene glycol, aluminum, alcohol, phthalates and parabens, sulfates, chemicals and synthetics.
This cream deodorant is 2.4 ounces. A little goes a long way.
They explain on their website you could also use this for bug bites and bee stings.
Food Grade Organic Natural Deodorant Kids
This is roll on deodorant. We ordered it online for our kids. They prefer solid blocks and stick deodorants so while we tried it, we didn’t repurchase.
Make your own deodorant
An even better alternative is to make your own deodorant. You can make it palm oil free by using this recipe from EdiblePerspective.com.
Once you get the ingredients, it’s easy to make DIY deodorant.
Palm oil free deodorant and antiperspirant
Know that many of the name-brand deodorants, even those advertising aluminum-free and propylene glycol free, most likely contain palm oil.
Like with bar soap, you will have a better chance finding a stick or bar type of deodorant without palm oil than finding it as a spray or wipe.
Use this list to make it easy to find. Remember, read labels.
These are many common palm oil derivatives you will find in deodorants and antiperspirants. If you know of other palm oil free deodorants, please list them in the Comments.
Please note, this list is meant to be a starting point as a reference and isn’t guaranteed. Please read labels as manufacturers change ingredients. Be sure to support companies who make palm oil free deodorant. See our list of palm oil free products.
Lip balm is not created equally. For just a little bit more money, you can buy lip balm without palm oil.
As always, the less ingredients, the better.
We looked at two lip balms from the same major manufacturer. Both definitely contained palm oil derivatives; however, one had 19 ingredients and the other contained 49!
See below for the ways palm oil is hiding in lip balms.
Check out their extensive product list. All of their balms are palm oil free. They also offer lip tints.
Booda Organics
Booda Butter Naked Lip Balm
Eco Balm:
Creamy Cocoa
Enlightened Mint
Purely Naked
Booda Butter Naked Lip Balm is a vegan balm. It’s unflavored and unscented. It’s free from tocopherols. Ingredients include sweet almond oil and wild-crafted candelilla wax.
This was the first palm oil free lip balm we found and used. We love it!
They’ve just introduced their Eco Balms. Their website describes their quality ingredients.
Booda Organics makes all of their products without using palm oil or derivatives. Their products don’t contain tocopherols or preservatives.
Dunnock and Hinny
Vegan Lip Balm
Lavender
Rose Mint
Dunnock and Hinny puts the ingredients right on top of the lip balm container — making it easy to see.
Fat and the Moon
All Salve
You can use this for more than just lips. It’s makes a great salve for burns, cuts and bites. Heals skin.
It’s organic and shelf stable without the palm oil derivatives many companies use.
Ingredients include calendula and Oregon grape leaf.
Ruby Red Tinted Balm
This is balm you can use for your lips and cheeks.
It contains essential oils of clove and sweet orange.
Fat and the Moon has a wide variety of products, all of which are palm free.
Freedom Soap Co.
Peppermint Lip Balm
Sweet Orange + Rosemary
Tea Tree
Freedom Soap Co. is another company who doesn’t use any palm oil or the hundreds of names for palm oil derivatives.
They have confirmed the Tocopherols in their lip balm is from sunflower and not palm oil.
They use raw, organic and vegan ingredients.
Hurraw! is another company who believes in the importance of making their all of their products without any palm oil ingredients.
Unearth Malee
Cocoa Macadamia Lip Balm
Lemongrass Mint
Watermelon Coconut Tinted
These are packaged in an eco-friendly, push-up paper tube.
All of Uncommon Mallee’s products are free palm oil and palm ingredients.
They have lots to say on their website about why they don’t use palm oil. It’s titled, ‘Why Palm Oil Free.’
Also, they highlight a “No Palm Oil” icon along with their “Organic” and “Vegan” imprints.
Simply Eden
Chai
Coffee Bean
Cucumber Melon
Peppermint with Zinc
Peppermint
Sinus Eze Sinus Balm
Sweet Orange Chili Pepper
Unflavored
Simply Eden has confirmed their lip balm flavors are all palm oil free.
Kiss My Face
Sport Lip Balm SPF 30
Kiss My Face confirmed this balm is palm oil free.
Ingredients in lip balm
Palm oil derivatives are common in lip balm. If the company doesn’t name the source, these ingredients are typically derived from palm oil. You will need to contact the company to ask.
Here are some palm oil ingredients in lip balm:
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Caprylyl Glycol
Cetyl Alcohol
Cetyl Palmitate
Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Diisostearyl Malate
Glycerin
Glyceryl Caprylate
Isopropyl Myristate
Propylene Glycol
Polyethylene Glycol
Sorbitan Stearate
Tocopherol — If it doesn’t state the source, as in Tocopherol (Sunflower), you won’t know if it’s palm derived
When companies add flavors and other characteristics — soothing, moisturizing, medicinal, tinted, sun protection, hydration, etc. — there are greater chances for them to have palm oil ingredients.
Seasonal flavors usually contain more palm oil ingredients than traditional flavors. (This is the case for food as well.)
Don’t be swayed by labeling.
Just because lip balm labeling states “coconut” doesn’t mean it’s palm oil free. Watch for labels that promote “all natural” and “plant derived ingredients.” These all can contain palm oil.
Shop at local stores and natural food stores.
Stores such as Target, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, etc. are less likely to carry palm oil free products.
Check out your Whole Foods, Natural Grocer, Sprouts, etc. for varieties of small batches. You may find them on Etsy and craft bazaars as well.
Keep away from major manufacturers, especially ones who offer many different types of lip balm.
Compare prices.
Companies use palm oil because it’s versatile and inexpensive. Generally, the more expensive the balm, the better chance it won’t have palm oil derivatives.
Lip balm is fairly inexpensive to begin with. By spending a little bit more, you will be able to avoid palm oil.
Choose balm with less ingredients.
Simply put, the less ingredients, the less chance of palm oil.
Make your own lip balm
There are many sites that show you how to make your own lip balm that is palm oil free. Here’s one that suggests using coconut, grapeseed or sweet almond oil.
Why choose palm oil free lip balms
There are many environmental reasons consumers choose lip balm free from palm oil. There are many animals now on the endangered species list because of palm oil plantations.
Palm oil is prevalent in most self-care and hygiene products. Read more if you want to support these types of products:
It was difficult to choose among Ethique’s shampoos and conditioners. Their conditioners are also palm oil free.
Ethique Hair Sampler
We were happy to see they Ethique offers a Hair Sampler pack.
It comes with five small bars: three shampoos and two conditioners.
We bought this as a way to try them. We loved each one. Each lasts a long time. And amazingly, they produce foam and lather. Having never tried a shampoo bar before, they were easy to use.
Also, the scents weren’t strong. Even better: They are natural and not made from chemicals.
The Hair Sampler is great way to try a few to see which work best for your scalp and hair needs.
Ethique’s hair products don’t leave residues on your scalp, nor will they inflame your scalp. Since the 1990s, I’ve reactive to SLS and other chemicals in shampoos. I don’t have any issues since using Ethique’s shampoos and conditioners. It’s been incredible.
Since purchasing the Hair Sampler, I bought the full-sized Heali Kiwi. I liked it but want to try another one. Now that it’s running low, I’m ordering Ethique’s Frizz Wrangler.
In addition, Ethique donates 20% of profits to organizations including: International Animal Rescue; The Orangutan Project; World Animal Protection; HUHA (Helping You Help Animals)
Note: Of all the conditioners we looked at, so far this is the only brand of conditioner without palm oil we were able to find available in the United States.
On a personal note, after using the Sampler, I chose to purchase The Guardian. I’ve used this conditioner for months; the bar lasts a very long time. My hair was always tangly after getting out of the shower but now I comb through it easily.
Fat and the Moon
Like Ethique, all of Fat and the Moon’s products are palm oil free. They offer an extensive line of products.
They have a dry shampoo without palm oil.
Lavender & Cocoa Dry Shampoo
With just four ingredients, this dry shampoo includes lavender essential oil and cleans your hair and scalp without stripping away your natural oils.
Kilted Suds
This is a company who makes all of their products palm oil free. This includes their shampoo bars, hair oils, bar soap, and lotions. They highlight that they are palm oil free.
Their ingredients are easy to find on their website.
In addition, their products are Leaping Bunny certified cruelty free and vegan friendly. Even more, they don’t use parabens and sulfates.
They make four different shampoo bars, 3.5 ounces each.
All hair types:
Shampoo Bar with Shea Butter & Apple Cider Vinegar
Beach Hair Shampoo Bar
Thick hair and curly hair: Citrus Shine Shampoo Bar
Dandruff prone; oily scalp: Not a Flake Shampoo Bar – made with tea tree oil and lime oil
Unearth Malee
Based in California, Unearth Malee is a palm oil free company.
Their products are also vegan and organic. And, they advertise they are palm oil free on their labeling.
These bars are between 4.5 oz and 5 oz.
Normal to Dry hair:
Agave Nectar Aloe Shampoo Bar
Coconut Milk Thai Lime Shampoo Bar
Dry scalp: Rosemary Mint Green Tea Shampoo Bar
Shampoo for thin hair: White Orchid Ginseng Shampoo Bar
They give back to non-profits, including Orangutan Foundation International.
Available in Australia, Viva La Body makes their products palm oil free.
Natural Balance Bar shampoo
In addition, their shampoos and conditioners are all Certified Palm Oil Free with the Orangutan Alliance trademark. They also advertise being palm oil free on their website.
They have palm oil free shampoo bars and conditioner bars. These bars are highly concentrated so a little goes a long way.
In addition to being certified palm oil free, their products are vegan, silicone free, completely plastic free, and biodegradable.
There are many palm oil derivatives in shampoos as lather-builders. Consumers like lather and suds.
Stabilize ingredients
When companies are combining ingredients — and there are many in most commercial shampoos — they need a stabilizer to keep the ingredients together so they don’t separate.
As a preservative
Some palm oil derivatives work to keep contaminants out. These ingredients also:
Remove oil
Clean
Moisturize
Condition hair
Make the product easy to smooth through hair
Finding palm oil free shampoo
Most shampoos contain palm oil. Oftentimes, shampoos contain more than one palm oil ingredient.
Common palm oil derivatives in shampoo include:
Ammonium Laureth Sulfate
Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
Cetyl Alcohol
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cocamide MEA
Glycerin
Glycol Distearate
Propylene Glycol
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Stearyl Alcohol
Soap stand for shampoo and conditioner bars
We’ve found SoapStandle to be an easy and convenient way to air out our shampoo bars and conditioner bars.
By resting the bar on the stand, the bars can dry completely and not disintegrate from sitting in water. This solution allows air to dry out the bottom of the soap as well.
This stand is easy to use and easy to clean. It’s a great counterpart to use with your eco-friendly soap, shampoo, and conditioner bars.
Palm oil free shampoo
Most likely, whatever shampoo you are using has palm oil in it. Like with most self-care products, when something has less ingredients, it’s usually better.
In order to find shampoo without palm oil, you absolutely have to be a conscious consumer. Most shampoo has several palm oil ingredients.
Please support these brands of palm free shampoos and palm oil free conditioner. Have you found others? Please add them to the Comments so we can check them out. See our lists of Palm Oil Free Products.
We have posts with specific self-care and hygiene products as well:
Over-the-counter medicine without palm oil is difficult to find. Palm oil derivatives are common in capsules, tablets, pills and liquid medications.
We seek out palm oil free medications because our son has negative reactions to palm oil. In the past, we didn’t realize the antihistamines and other medications were making him worse due to the palm oil derivatives in them.
He would get sore throats from them.
Palm oil free medication
Recently, we found a palm oil free solution for antihistamines, allergy medications, fever reducers, etc. We have these over-the-counter (OTC) medications without palm oil.
Please note, this is not medical advice. Discuss with your healthcare provider what medications you should take.
Here we are sharing our experience. This is the way we were able to acquire palm oil free medicine.
Medicine without palm oil
First, it’s important to know some of the common palm oil derivatives in medications. They include:
Calcium Stearate
Glycerin
Magnesium Stearate
Medium Chain Triglycerides
Polyethylene Glycol
Polysorbate 80
Propylene Glycol
Stearic Acid
Read the labels for the vitamins, supplements, and medications in your home.
Chances are, you will see at least one of these ingredients listed on each bottle or package because there are many palm oil uses in medicines.
Ingredients such as Propylene Glycol keeps liquid medications shelf-stable.
Manufacturers use stearates such as Magnesium Stearate to help lubricate capsules and tablets. Also, stearates help ensure the tablets don’t stick to the machine
Polysorbate 80 helps bind ingredients together and to improve the consistency in gel caps.
There are many other reasons as well, including using them as stabilizers and fillers.
Using a compounding pharmacy
If you have a compounding pharmacy in your area, you may be able to get medicine without palm oil. You will need a prescription from your doctor.
First, know what OTC medications you are trying to replace. Next, call the compounding pharmacy to ask if they have the active ingredient available.
Ask the compounding pharmacy for approximate pricing before you call your doctor’s office to ask for a prescription.
Most likely, the compounding pharmacy will not accept health insurance. Therefore, you will be paying for the medication out of pocket. It’s important for you to know the charges before you order the medicine.
Find out as much as you can before you call the doctor’s office to minimize questions later.
Read below to learn our experience buying four compounded prescriptions without palm oil:
Pain medication in the form of Ibuprofen
Cough medicine
Two antihistamines (Claritin equivalent and Benadryl equivalent)
Pain medication without palm oil
We didn’t realize the OTC children’s liquid Ibuprofen we were giving our son had palm oil derivatives.
We wanted a palm free option on hand to be able to give him for fevers or pain relief. Because every label we read in the stores contained palm oil derivatives, we called a compounding pharmacy.
We asked if we could have the Ibuprofen itself — the active ingredient in these OTC medicines — in some form.
The person at the compounding pharmacy said we could with a prescription from our physician. They explained if it was a liquid, it would only last for 30 days (without the palm oil derivative-type of ingredients such as Propylene Glycol).
In order for it to be shelf-stable longer than 30 days, we asked about them making it into a capsule form.
After speaking with the compounding representative, I called my son’s pediatrician’s office. I explained what I wanted.
The doctor was able to write and prescribe 400 mg of Ibuprofen in capsule form with additional notation on the prescription to include “hypoallergenic medicine.” The doctor added “not to include Propylene Glycol and Magnesium Stearate.”
Ibuprofen in veggie cap with no filler
We now have 90 capsules, each with 400 mg of Ibuprofen, to have as the need arises.
The receipt / label states: 90 CAP IBUPROFEN (NO FILLER) (VEGGIE) 400MG CAPSULE
Talk to the pharmacist
It’s essential you talk to the pharmacist once he/she has the prescription from your doctor. Our compounding pharmacist called us after she received it.
You have to clarify what the pharmacy will make the capsule with.
Originally, when I spoke with the rep, she said it would be derived from pine bark.
Upon pressing further in the conversation with the pharmacist, I learned the capsules would contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate as well.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is often made from palm oil.
After much consulting with the pharmacist, they were able to make it without the Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.
(Note, I should have asked the doctor to include “no Sodium Lauryl Sulfate” on our other prescriptions. This is something you may want to do. If you don’t, remember to tell them you don’t want Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in the medication.)
Again, this is not medical advice. At the store, the pharmacist said to be sure we give him food when we give him Ibuprofen (adults too). She suggested a banana or yogurt, even if it was at night. She said the medicine is hard on the stomach.
Cough medicine without palm oil
During the calls for the Ibuprofen, with the compounding pharmacy and doctor, I also asked for a palm oil free cough suppressant medicine.
Cough medicine without palm oil
The doctor wrote a prescription for Dextromethorphan. They didn’t have it in stock and had to order it. The minimum they would fill was 90 capsules.
Based on my son’s age and weight, the doctor prescribed 30 mg capsules.
I picked up the Ibuprofen and asked about the capsule for the cough medicine. The representative again assured me it would be made from pine bark.
After I pressed further, she said they would need to add a filler because each capsule was only 30 mg. It was too small an amount to fill with only the Dextromethorphan. If they did it by hand, it would be time-consuming and cost more.
After discussing the options, we agreed upon baking soda, Sodium Bicarbonate, as the filler.
The label reads: DEXTROMETHORPHAN HBR (SOD BICARB-VEGGIE) 30 MG
We are very relieved to have these medicines on hand for the times our son is sick.
Update: I am happy to report the Ibuprofen and cough medicine both relieved his symptoms and didn’t cause additional problems and reactions as medications have in the past.
It is a huge relief to have these medications. We threw away our other OTC pain and cough medicines so we wouldn’t give them to him in error.
Antihistamines without palm oil
A week after we picked up the above medicines, I ordered allergy medications.
The OTC children’s liquid allergy medications we had in our medicine cabinet all had what-seemed-to-be palm oil derivatives in them. When my son took these medications, he would get a sore throat.
(The companies have yet to respond to my email inquiries asking them to confirm if the ingredients in question are derived from palm oil.)
Benadryl equivalent
First, I wanted a stripped-down Benadryl equivalent. The active ingredient in Benadryl is Diphenhydramine, a histamine-blocker.
Allegra equivalent
Second, I wanted an OTC allergy medication for typical allergy symptoms. I was hoping to get the active ingredient in Allegra. We had never used Zyrtec or Claritin.
I called the same compounding pharmacy I used to get the Ibuprofen and cough medicine to ask if I could get these antihistamines. They had the active ingredient in Benadryl which they could make for me with a prescription.
However, they were unable to get Fexofenadine, the name of the active ingredient in Allegra. The pharmacy rep said they could use the active ingredient in Zyrtec which is Cetirizin. She explained, however, “it would be expensive,” and dissuaded me from it.
She needed to verify and call me back to see if they could get Loratadine, the active ingredient in Claritin.
Calling another compounding pharmacy
While I was waiting, I called another compounding pharmacy in our area. This second compounding pharmacy had the Benadryl equivalent, Diphenhydramine, in stock.
They too were unable to get the Fexofenadine. However, they did have the Claritin equivalent, Loratadine, in stock.
From this second pharmacy, I was able to acquire these antihistamines without palm oil.
I phoned my son’s pediatrician’s office and explained exactly what I wanted in the form of these two medications. The pediatrician called me back. He was able to write the prescription like he did for the other two medications.
When the pharmacist had the prescriptions, he called me to clarify and confirm what I wanted. We had a detailed conversation to ensure there wouldn’t be any palm oil derivatives in the capsules or as fillers.
The labels read:
DIPHENHYDRAMINE (DYE/LACTOSE FREE) 25 MG CAP
LORATADINE (DYE/LACTOSE FREE) 10 MG CAP
Now with four common OTC medications being palm oil free, we feel much better about giving these to our son when it’s necessary.
Cough drops without palm oil
Typically, the cheaper the cough drop, the more likely it contains palm oil.
Many store brand cough drops include these palm oil derivatives:
Glycerin
Medium Chain Triglycerides
Name brand cough drops often contain Glycerin.
Unless you contact the company directly to ask them the SOURCE of these ingredients, you won’t know if they are derived from palm oil.
However, generally, companies are looking for inexpensive ingredients, and palm oil is cheap.
We have not yet researched cough drops without palm oil. However, a brand to consider may be Halls Cough Drops. If you are at the store, you may want to keep this brand in mind.
We found these cough drops without Glycerin or Medium Chain Triglycerides and use them exclusively:
Young Living Essential Oils Thieves Cough Drops
The active ingredient is 8 mg of menthol.
Ingredients include 100% pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils. Also, they are free from preservatives, dyes, artificial flavors, and sugar.
Talk to your doctor
If you are seeking medicine without palm oil, it’s important to speak with your doctor. Most medications contain fillers, lubricants, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and more.
In order to get a “stripped down” version, you will most likely need to go to a compounding pharmacy.
Talk with your doctor about options for medicines.
For us in our situation, it’s been reassuring to know we can give our son these palm oil free medications when he needs them.
Many people avoid palm oil due to the environmental issues. Once you know names for palm oil derivatives, it may surprise you to learn how prevalent palm oil is in everyday products.
Read labels. Be an educated consumer. See our list of palm oil free products and support them when you shop. What’s in your medicine? Please leave a note in the Comments.
