Soap Without Palm Oil | List of Palm Oil Free Soap

Palm oil is a common ingredient in soap. Here’s a list of palm oil free soap and how to find soap without palm oil derivatives. Palm oil is hidden in hundreds of names. Most of them don’t include “palm” in the name. 

Bars of soap will be less likely to contain palm oil than liquid soaps. Note: Natural soap can contain palm oil. Palm oil is considered to be “natural” and not artificial.

In addition, if a company highlights that they use coconut, it doesn’t mean they don’t also use palm oil ingredients. Read labels, and learn the ways palm oil hides in many ingredients. 

What Soap Does Not Contain Palm Oil

Choose soap from these brands:

• Freedom Soap
• Kilted Suds
• Booda Organics
• Ethique 
• The Eco Alchemist (ships to USA and Canada)
• Dunnock and Hinny
• EarthSense Organic
• Unearth Malee
• Viva La Body
• Peet Bros
• Bite Toothpaste Bits
• Nude Beauty Products Australia
• Kiss My Face – They have three bar soaps without palm oil; I buy on Amazon. See below.
• Remwood Product’s Co. Grandma’s Baking Soda Soap (this exact wording); I buy on Amazon. My son uses it as soap and shampoo.

Note, these are all bar soaps. Liquid soaps contain preservatives which are typically sourced from palm oil.

Palm Oil Ingredients in Soap

Watch for these ingredients which are common in liquid and bar soap. Most everyday soap brands you see in stores contain one or more of these palm oil derivatives: 

• Sodium Palmate
• Ammonium Laurel Sulfate (ALS)
• Cocamidopropyl Betaine
• Glycerin
• Glycerine
• Lauric acid
• Sodium Cocate, Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Sodium Lauryl Sulfite, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Sodium Stearate
• Stearic acid
• Tocopherols

Also, it’s a mistake to assume you are buying palm free soap just because the label looks to be “natural,” “eco-friendly,” “plant-derived,” “healthy,” and “green.” Be aware even organic soaps often contain palm oil.

Choose soap that is certified Palm Oil Free from either the International Palm Oil Free Certification Trademark (POFCAP) or the Orangutan Alliance. In this way, you will know it is 100% palm oil free.

Soap without Palm Oil

We found these soaps without palm oil and unnecessary chemicals. However, please use this list as a starting point. They are not guaranteed unless they have earned Palm Oil Free certification. 

Kiss My Face

It’s incredible to see a mainstream brand offer three bars soap without palm oil: Pure Olive Oil Soap; Olive Oil & Lavender Bar Soap; Olive & Aloe Bar Soap. One of my children and I only use Kiss My Face Soap. 

Pure Olive Oil Soap

Ingredients are Sodium Olivate (Saponified Olive Oil), Water, Sodium Chloride (Sea Salt). Their label says it’s free from parabens, phthalates, fragrance, and added color.

This is my favorite soap. I use it exclusively since we have sought out palm oil free soaps. We bring it with us when we travel. It’s scent-free and non-greasy. They are available in 4 oz and 8 oz bars. Each lasts a long time. 

You can find it on Amazon by searching Kiss My Face Olive Oil soap. Three bars come in a pack for less than $8. The quality and value are unbelievable. I used to be able to buy it at Sprouts as well. 

Olive Oil & Lavender Bar Soap

Ingredients: Sodium Olivate (Saponified Olive Oil), Aqua, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Sodium Chloride (Sea Salt), Parfum. 

Olive & Aloe Bar Soap

Contains: Sodium Olivate (Saponified Olive Oil), Aqua, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Chloride (Sea Salt), Parfum. 

Remwood Product’s Co. Grandma’s Baking Soda Soap

Ingredients: Saponified Oils of Lard and Castor with Baking Soda.

This was the first bar soap we found that didn’t contain palm oil. It lasts a long time. We use this bar soap in our home and like it doesn’t have a fragrance. This is my son’s favorite soap. He’s been using it for four years and loves it as a shampoo and for soap. See below for review. 

I buy this soap on Amazon. Be sure you are getting this exact soap; there are many “grandma” type soaps.

Bite Toothpaste Bits Carbon Capture Cleanser 4 oz bar

Bite Toothpaste Bits was the first to certify their toothpaste bits Palm Oil Free with Orangutan Alliance. They’ve now created a new product (September 2022), Carbon Capture Cleanser. It’s a bar soap that they also certified Palm Oil Free.

It’s vegan, cruelty free, and plastic free as well. In addition, a percentage of sales from each bar of soap they sell goes to Carbon Capture Sea Kelp non-profits.

Ethique

What is unique about Ethique is they make all of their products without palm oil. Ethique’s products are certified Palm Oil Free through Orangutan Alliance. In addition, they use sustainable ingredients and minimal packaging, including no plastics. They offer bar cleansers, shampoo, conditioner, lotion and more.

Ethique Face cleansers:

Cleansers:

• Bliss Bar is for normal to dry skin: It’s made with Coconut, Vegetable Glycerine, (the Glycerine is from sustainably managed coconuts — not palm oil!) and Clay. It’s fragrance-free.
• In Your Face is a face and body bar. It’s made with Coconut Oil, Mandarin and Sweet Orange Essential Oils, Cocoa Butter and Sea Salt.

Cleansing balm:

• SuperStar! is a face cleanser and makeup remover. Ingredients include Cocoa Butter, Kokum Butter, Coconut Oil, Cleansing Castor Oil, and Sweet Orange Essential Oil.

Face scrub:

• Gingersnap is soap scrub for all skin types. It includes Vanilla, Cinnamon as well as Ginger.

Sample pack:

• Face Sampler – Ethique offers a Face Sampler which includes small samples of these five products:

Face cleaners:

• Bliss Bar
• Gingersnap
• In Your Face

Lotion and serums:

• The Perfector
• Saving Face Serum

(We haven’t tried their Face Sampler yet but purchased and love their Body Sampler as well as the Hair Sampler.)

Ethique Body cleansers:

Bodywash:

• Matcha, Lime & Lemongrass
• Lavender & Mint
• Sweet Orange & Vanilla
• Lime & Ginger Bodywash Bar
• Charcoal, Kaolin & Oatmeal 
• Pumice, Tea Tree & Spearmint

Body scrub:

• Mochaccino Body Polish
• Lime & Ginger Body Polish

Foot polish:

• Pumice & Peppermint

Sample pack:

• Body Sampler –  I didn’t know which to choose so I bought Ethique Body Sampler and loved it.

It comes with five samples:

• Creme Bodywash Bar
• Lime & Ginger Body Polish
• Teatree & Spearmint Foaming Bodywash
• Lavender & Vanilla Glow Deodorant
• Coconut & Lime Butter Block (moisturizer)

Each lasted a long time. Of these, I bought the full-size versions of: Creme Bodywash Bar, the Lavender & Vanilla Glow Deodorant, and the Coconut & Lime Butter Block.

Also, Ethique explains each ingredient and what it’s derived from. Because of this, you will not wonder if the ingredient is derived from palm oil.

You may see similar ingredients in other products; however, they are most likely made from palm oil. Ethique’s are palm oil free. Learn more about Ethique in our interview with the founder and CEO.

Freedom Soap Co.

Free from parabens and other synthetic preservatives, Freedom Soap Co. handcrafts their soaps in small batches. Additionally, they use natural ingredients using the cold-process method of soap-making.

They are committed to the environment using only sustainable ingredients. According to Orangutan Alliance, all of Freedom Soap Co.’s products are certified Palm Oil Free.

Their soaps include:

Activated Charcoal: Saponified Oils of Coconut, Olive, Shea Butter, Sunflower Seed, Castor, Apricot Kernel, Activated Charcoal, Cedarwood Essential Oil, and Pine Essential Oil.

Coffee + Peppermint: Saponified Oils of Coconut, Olive, Shea Butter, Sunflower Seed, Castor, Apricot Kernel, Coffee, Peppermint Essential Oil.

Eucalyptus + Mint

Lavender: Saponified Oils of Coconut, Olive, Shea Butter, Sunflower Seed, Castor, Apricot Kernel, Lavender Essential Oil, and Lavender Buds.

Lemon + Grapefruit: Ingredients: Saponified Oils of Coconut, Olive, Shea Butter, Sunflower Seed, Castor, Apricot Kernel, Lemon Essential Oil, and Grapefruit Essential Oil.

Lemongrass + Ginger

Oatmeal: Ingredients are Saponified Oils of Coconut, Extra Virgin Olive, Shea Butter, Sunflower Seed, Castor, Apricot Kernel, Organic Oatmeal, Lavender Essential Oil, plus Sweet Orange Essential Oil.

Palmarosa + Ginger

Patchouli

Peppermint

Pine + Eucalyptus: Ingredients: Saponified Oils of Coconut, Olive, Shea Butter, Sunflower Seed, Castor, Apricot Kernel, Bentonite Clay, Activated Charcoal, Pine Essential Oil, and Eucalyptus Essential Oil.

Plain Jane: Ingredients are Saponified Oils of Coconut, Olive, Shea Butter, Sunflower Seed, Castor, and Apricot Kernel.

Rose Clay: Contains Saponified Oils of Coconut, Olive, Shea Butter, Sunflower Seed, Castor, Apricot Kernel, and Rose Clay.

Sea Kelp

Sweet Orange + Cinnamon

Sweet Orange + Cloves

Tea Tree: Contains Saponified Oils of Coconut, Olive, Shea Butter, Sunflower Seed, Castor, Apricot Kernel, Tea Tree Essential Oil, Activated Charcoal, Cedarwood Essential Oil, plus Pine Essential Oil.

Sweet Orange + Patchouli: Ingredients are Saponified Oils of Coconut, Olive, Shea Butter, Sunflower Seed, Castor, Apricot Kernel, Sweet Orange Essential Oil, and Patchouli Essential Oil.

Booda Organics Booda Butter All-In-One-Soap

Their website notes that neither the spring water nor the sodium hydroxide remains after saponifying oils. They air-dry their soap for over 2 months before cutting it by hand.

They handcraft their soap from scratch.

Booda Organics makes their soap and all of their products without any palm oil or palm oil derivatives.

Ingredients: Organic & Unrefined Olive Oil, Organic & Unrefined Coconut Oil, Organic & Unrefined Fair Trade Shea Butter, Artesian Spring Water, Sodium Hydroxide.

Kilted Suds

Here’s a company who also highlights their soap as palm oil free. In addition, their products are vegan-friendly and not tested on animals. Even more, their products are free from parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), propylene glycol, and petroleum.

Check out these soaps from Kilted Suds without palm oil. They have many more and are always coming up with new combinations.

Bubblegum 

Lemon Seed

Charcoal Poppy: Contains Olea europaea (Olive) fruit oil, Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) seed oil, Cocos nucifera (Coconut) oil, Water, Sodium hydroxide, Charcoal, Papaver orientale (Poppy) seed.

Lemme Lime with Avocado

Rosemary Mint

Sea Side

Island Universe Bar Soap

Honeydew Bar Soap

Lavender Mint

Groovy Wombat with Eucalyptus & Patchouli

Blueberry Soap

Summer Forest Soap with Patchouli & Cedar

Citronella 

Eucalyptus Clove

Calm Bar Soap

Mint Coffee

Lavender Vanilla

Gardener’s Bar Soap

Unearth Malee

Unearth Malee is another company that doesn’t use palm oil in their products. It’s a huge part of their focus.

Bali Flowers

Beer Shave Soap

Black Pepper Charcoal Detox

Chai Tea Chocolate

Cilantro Mint Basil

Cucumber Mint

Dead Sea Minerals

Dragon Fruit Green Tea

Hawaiian Salt Seaweed

Himalayan Rose

Honeysuckle Rice Milk

Lavender Lotus Blossom

Plus many more!

Peet Bros.

Here is another company who is proud to be palm oil free. They explain the ingredient for each of their soaps, including the source of each, on their website.

Olive Oil Bar Soap

• Unscented
• Aloe
• Green Tea
• Lemon Thyme
• Lavender

Shea Butter Bar Soap

• Unscented
• Coconut Vanilla
• Argan & Sandalwood
• Charcoal
• African Black

Milk Relief Soap

Here is another soap company who highlights the fact they are palm oil free.

Ingredients: Whole Goat’s Milk, Organic Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Organic Fair Trade Unrefined Shea Butter, Organic Cold Pressed Unrefined Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Cold Pressed Castor Oil.

They make their soap from scratch and by hand in New Zealand.

Viva La Body

For Australian consumers, there is Viva La Body.

Viva La Body has their entire product portfolio certified Palm Oil Free through Orangutan Alliance.

They offer 41 (!) natural handmade bar soaps. Here are some of them:

• Citrus Scrub
• Cedarwood Lavender & Eucalyptus 
• Activated Charcoal & Lemon Myrtle
• Sandalwood
• Rose Geranium & Pink French Clay
• Tea Tree & Eucalyptus 
• Spearmint Scrub
• Tea Tree & Cinnamon
• Rosemary & Clove
• Rosewood Lavender & Sweet Orange
• Sandalwood & Spearmint
• Cinnamon Spice
• Lavender & Oatmeal
• Cinnamon & Patchouli
• Ylang Ylang & Lemongrass
• Cinnamon Orange & Patchouli
• Coconut Cream
• Gardeners Hand Scrub
• Sandalwood & Patchouli
• Mandarin Lavender & Patchouli
• Lavender Scrub
• Lemongrass & Oatmeal 
• Peppermint & Poppyseed

Soap stand to extend the life of bar soap 

This soap holder from SoapStandle makes it easy to use bar soap. It extends the life of your soap by airing it out.

It’s a simple piece you rest your soap on. It allows the soap to dry out completely, even from the bottom. This really helps extend the life of the soap.

In addition, it eliminates the gooey mess from leaving the soap wet on the counter.

It’s really easy to use. In the past, we were always trying ways to air out the soap by propping it on different things. SoapStandle is an easy solution.

Palm oil free bar soap review

None of the soaps on this list contain palm oil derived chemicals in the form of detergents and surfactants. This means they don’t make lather and foam. We don’t miss it.

The soaps we’ve tried and use regularly from the list are Grandma’s Baking Soda Soap, Kiss My Face Pure Olive Oil Soap, and Ethique’s Lime & Ginger Body Polish, Creme Bodywash Bar, and Teatree & Spearmint Foaming Bodywash.

We love that these soaps get the job done without added ingredients and artificial fragrance.

The Grandma’s and Kiss My Face soaps contain just three ingredients. Even though the main ingredient is olive oil, the Kiss My Face Pure Olive Oil soap doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy or oily.

My son, who has a palm oil intolerance/sensitivity, loves the Remwood’s Grandma’s Baking Soda Soap. He has thick hair and uses it as a shampoo as well. It doesn’t leave his hair greasy. Another benefit is this soap lasts a long time. He uses it every day and it lasts for months. He keeps it on a SoapStandle so it’s not sitting in water.

In addition, these bars retain their composure/hardness and really seem to last longer than other soaps we’ve used. Interestingly, it’s as if they wick away water and don’t leave the soap ring.

We keep all of our bar soaps on their own SoapStandle which is a soap rest to air dry your soap. It’s among our favorite items to make it easy to avoid palm oil. 

We are looking forward to trying the other palm free soaps above as well. See list of palm oil free cleaning products.

Does Dove soap contain palm oil?

This is a popular question. Yes, Dove soap contains palm oil. We don’t like to list the companies who use palm oil; however, this is a common question.

You may see eco-friendly brands in stores and wonder if they contain palm oil. We aren’t listing those companies here but yes, they contain palm oil.

Most all the big brand soaps use palm oil. It’s also in most all liquid soap.

To the best of our research, Kiss My Face and Ethique are the “biggest brands” who don’t use palm oil in some or all of their soaps.

Palm oil is in most all soaps and detergents you will find at Target, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, grocery stores, etc.

Soap without palm oil in these types of stores is rare.

Note, some of Ethique’s products are online at Target now!

Palm oil free soap

We researched hundreds of soaps using lists with 500+ names for palm oil ingredients to find palm free bar soap. We have verified the soaps above do not contain palm oil derivatives. However, this list is not guaranteed. Please do your own due diligence.

Kiss My Face has confirmed they make their three soaps above without palm oil and palm oil derivatives.

Ethique makes all of their products, including their soap, without palm oil.

Freedom Soap Co.’s line of soap — and other products — are also palm oil free. Depending on where you live, you can find their products in stores.

Booda Organics has confirmed their products as well as their soap is palm oil free. You can find their products at natural food stores, therapeutic wellness spaces, and more.

Kilted Suds verified they make all of their bar soaps and all of their products without palm oil.

Peet Bros. confirmed they make all of their bar soaps and products without palm oil ingredients.

Viva La Body confirmed they make all of their soaps and other products without using palm oil and related derivatives.

Depending on your skin type — normal, oily, dry, acne-prone — you can find a soap without palm oil.

Use these soaps throughout your home. Keep one at each sink in your kitchen and bathoom. Keep another bar by your shower or bath. 

Find palm oil free soap

It’s typical for soap manufacturers to use palm oil as an ingredient in soap. Why? It’s inexpensive and binds the soap together.

Learn about palm oil uses.

Companies use ingredients such as Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate — all common in soap and typically made using palm oil — to create foam, lather and suds.

Other common palm oil derivatives in soap include Sodium Palmate, Glycerin, or Glycerine.

Why use palm free soap

Many people choose to avoid palm oil for environmental reasons. In addition, some consumers avoid palm oil for health reasons.

If palm oil makes you sick when you ingest it, you may want to discuss with your physician if you should avoid it in personal care products as well. Please note, we are not medical professionals. 

See the list of personal care products my son uses with his palm oil allergy or palm oil intolerance.

Palm oil in soap is common. Chemical and ingredients in soap and from other topical products may be absorbed into your skin, the body’s largest organ.

Palm oil is inexpensive and prevalent in soap. Soap manufacturers use it in many ways in order to save money. Learn how to use less palm oil each week.

Finding soap without palm oil

If the soap you are using doesn’t say palm oil, palm kernel oil, or red palm oil, it still may contain palm oil. Sodium Palmate is made using palm oil.

Consumers seek out “All Natural” and other types of trending, healthy-seeming soaps. However, when you read the ingredients, often you will find they contain palm oil and palm oil derivatives, including Sodium Palmate, Citric Acid, Tocopherols, and more.

For instance, these types of soaps still often contain palm oil ingredients:

• Castile soap – Read ingredients before you buy castile soap. Even leading brands contain palm oil and palm oil derivatives.

• Coconut soap

• Goat milk soap

• Glycerin soap – If it’s not spelled out on the ingredient label, you will have to check with the manufacturer to know the source of the glycerin.

• Handmade soap

• Lavender soap

• Natural soap

• Oatmeal soap

• Organic soap

• Shea butter soap

You may be stunned to read the ingredients to find they are usually made with sulfates, and other ingredients, most of which are derived from palm oil.

Liquid soap without palm oil

We have yet to find a liquid soap without palm oil.

I am updating this post because I just returned from an Oils party. Guests could pay to make different products. I went with the sole purpose of buying a palm oil free liquid soap.

The hostess instructed us to use a few drops of essential oil, Glycerin and Castile Soap.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t make the soap because there was a bottle of Glycerin with no ingredients listed other than “Glycerin.” When I arrived home and researched the company, I learned their glycerin derived from palm oil.

Additionally, the Castile Soap, with it’s gleaming, healthy-seeming bottle, contained multiple palm oil derivatives.

Deodorant without palm oil

Choose certified Palm Oil Free soap

The only way to ensure a product is 100% palm oil free is if it has been certified by Orangutan Alliance or the Palm Oil Free International Certification Programme (POFCAP). Look for Palm Oil Free labeling on products and on companies’ websites. Support these products!

Palm oil free soap

Many people may want to make their own soap without palm oil. With a few soap making supplies, you can get started. There are recipes.

You can find palm free soaps which exfoliate and detoxify. Some are therapeutic and/or antibacterial. Some are unscented. There are options for acne-prone skin. You have choices, no matter what your skin type.

With this list, you can find soap for your hands, face, and body… all without palm oil.

If you know of other palm oil free soaps, please list them in the Comments so we can research them and include them on this list. See our current list of palm oil free products to help making find them easier.

Please support these companies who make soap without palm oil. It’s always great to find palm oil free products.

Please note, the information above is based on our own Internet research, reading labels, and reaching out to companies. We are always updating our posts.

Please note, we are not medical professionals. Consult with your physician or health provider if you are seeking medical advice.

As we find more soap without palm oil, we update this list. Always read labels as manufacturers change ingredients.

Why do you choose palm free soaps and products? Have you found others? Please Comment below so we can all learn.