Burt's Bees · Hand Sanitizer
Burt's Bees Aloe & Witch Hazel Hand Sanitizer
Lower PFAS concern, liquid hand sanitizer with common natural ingredients; no documented risk.
Burt's Bees Aloe & Witch Hazel Hand Sanitizer is a liquid cosmetic with straightforward botanical and glycerin ingredients, with no known use of Teflon-type coating, Teflon-family coating, or intentional PFAS additives in formulation. The brand makes no PFAS claim.
Shop Burt's Bees on Amazon →Material
Water, aloe vera, witch hazel extract, glycerin, alcohol denaturant
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Category baseline
cosmetics is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement about PFAS in this product.
Safe base material
Made from a material with no inherent PFAS use (ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber).
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
This is a water-based hand sanitizer with aloe vera gel, witch hazel extract, glycerin, and alcohol denaturant as primary ingredients. The formulation avoids synthetic antimicrobial agents (like triclosan) that carry endocrine concerns and instead relies on alcohol and plant extracts for antimicrobial activity. Glycerin serves as a humectant to prevent skin drying, a real concern with frequent sanitizer use. No heavy metals, formaldehyde releasers, or phthalates are documented in the ingredient list.
The brand's record and disclosure
Burt's Bees is owned by Clorox but markets itself on natural and minimal ingredient transparency. The company has published ingredient lists and maintains general safety certifications without major recalls for hand sanitizers. Burt's does not publicly emphasize PFAS avoidance in marketing, which is typical for natural-ingredient brands that rely on water-based formulas without fluorochemical coatings. No documented safety controversies exist for this specific product.
How it compares in its category
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers with plant extracts occupy a middle ground: safer than antimicrobial soap (which often contains triclosan-class compounds) but functionally equivalent to generic 60%+ ethanol gels. Burt's avoids synthetic fragrance allergens common in drugstore brands, reducing contact dermatitis risk. The aloe and witch hazel add skin-conditioning benefit, though efficacy data is limited compared to plain alcohol formulations.
If you buy it
Apply as directed (typically a dime-sized amount to dry hands) and allow 20-30 seconds to dry. Store away from heat and direct sunlight to preserve botanical extracts. Check the bottle periodically for separation or cloudiness, which may indicate ingredient degradation; replace if appearance changes. Avoid contact with eyes; if you have sensitive skin or eczema, apply moisturizer afterward, as even plant-based sanitizers can be drying with frequent use.
Beyond PFAS: other things we checked
Established hazard classes for this product type, assessed from public information. These never change the PFAS grade; a Likely flag caps the Verdict at “Buy with care.”
Alcohol skin irritation and dermatitis
Hand sanitizers with 60%+ alcohol can cause dryness, irritation, and allergic contact dermatitis with repeated use, especially on sensitive or compromised skin. Burt's inclusion of aloe and glycerin mitigates but does not eliminate this risk.
Fragrance allergens (if present)
Burt's Bees markets this product with minimal synthetic fragrance; aloe and witch hazel extracts are not known sensitizers at typical concentrations. No documented allergic reactions reported for this specific formula.
Heavy metals in botanical extracts
Plant-derived aloe vera and witch hazel can bioaccumulate metals from soil, but Burt's Bees sources controlled-grade botanical ingredients. No heavy metal contamination has been documented in third-party testing or recalls for this product line.
1,4-dioxane (contaminant of processing)
This hazard is relevant to products using ethoxylated ingredients or certain emulsifiers. Burt's simple water-alcohol-aloe formula does not rely on ethoxylated surfactants, so 1,4-dioxane risk is negligible.
Ingestion risk (especially in children)
All alcohol-based hand sanitizers pose toxicity risk if swallowed; FDA has issued warnings against high-alcohol gels for household use near children. Keep out of reach of young children and pets; seek medical attention if ingested.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 78% confidence. It is not a lab result.
No independent PFAS lab test is on record for this exact product. A lab test could move the score in either direction.
The brand has not made a specific, verifiable PFAS-free statement, so part of this score reflects that missing disclosure rather than a confirmed material.
Formulations and coatings change between production runs. Always check the current label before buying.
Safer alternatives in Hand Sanitizer
Seventh Generation
Hand Wash Natural Seventh Generation
water-based surfactants, plant-derived ingredients
Lower-concern choice; MADE SAFE certification and plant-based formula reduce PFAS risk significantly.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
Seventh Generation
Hydrating Antibacterial Hand Mist
Water-based cosmetic spray (alcohol, water, plant extracts, preservatives)
Lower-concern choice; hand mist format and brand transparency reduce PFAS risk, though no dedicated lab testing published.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
Honest Company
The Honest Company SANI SPRAY-2OZ-GRAPEFRUIT
Water-based formula (spray disinfectant)
Lower-concern buy; transparent brand with third-party backing on PFAS.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
More hand sanitizer 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.