Burt's Bees · Hand Soap
Burt's Bees Wild Honeysuckle Foaming Hand Soap
Lower concern, typical foaming soap with no known PFAS vectors, but brand makes no public commitment.
Burt's Bees Wild Honeysuckle Foaming Hand Soap is a water-based liquid soap with no nonstick, water-repellent, or stain-resistant coating that would typically trigger PFAS use. The brand does not disclose PFAS testing or make PFAS-free claims. No third-party PFAS certification or lab detections are publicly documented.
Shop Burt's Bees on Amazon →Material
water-based surfactant blend, natural essential oils
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
Burt's Bees Wild Honeysuckle Foaming Hand Soap is a water-based surfactant blend using plant-derived cleaning agents rather than synthetic petroleum surfactants, plus essential oil fragrance (honeysuckle) and minimal preservatives. The foaming action comes from standard soap surfactants, not fluorinated compounds or stabilizing agents that carry known contamination risk. Absence of synthetic thickeners and reliance on natural preservatives (typically honey extract or vegetable glycerin) reduces exposure to common irritants in conventional foaming soaps.
The brand's record and disclosure
Burt's Bees publishes full ingredient lists on product pages and packaging, and maintains USDA Organic and leaping Bunny certifications for most personal care lines, indicating third-party auditing of ingredient sourcing and manufacturing. The brand has no documented recalls or safety violations for hand soap products in public databases. While Burt's Bees does not make explicit public statements on PFAS avoidance, their reliance on botanical surfactants and absence of Teflon-family coating coatings or aqueous film-forming additives means PFAS vectors are not inherent to this product type.
How it compares in its category
Foaming hand soaps vary widely in safety profile. Mass-market brands often include synthetic fragrance blends with undisclosed allergen compounds and antimicrobial agents (triclosan, parabens) that Burt's Bees avoids. This product sits in the lower-risk segment due to transparency, organic certification, and use of essential oil rather than fragrance mixes. However, it is not chemically simpler than bar soap, and foaming soaps in general are not inherently safer, just different in surfactant concentration and format.
If you buy it
Use as directed on hands and rinse thoroughly. The foaming dispenser should be cleaned periodically to prevent bacterial biofilm buildup inside the pump mechanism, especially if left in warm humid environments (bathrooms). Once opened, use within 12 months for optimal freshness and to prevent oxidation of essential oils. If skin irritation occurs, discontinue and rinse; the product is not formulated for sensitive or compromised skin, despite the natural positioning.
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.”
Fragrance allergens (essential oil)
Honeysuckle essential oil and other botanical fragrance components can trigger contact dermatitis or respiratory sensitivity in susceptible individuals. No specific allergen warnings are documented for this product, but essential oils are not hypoallergenic and may cause reactions in sensitive skin or when used on damaged skin.
Formaldehyde releasers in preservatives
Burt's Bees typically uses gentler preservative systems (honey extract, vegetable glycerin) rather than formaldehyde-releasing agents common in conventional foaming soaps. No public records indicate use of DMDM hydantoin or imidazolidinyl urea in this formulation.
1,4-dioxane contamination
This hazard arises primarily from ethoxylated surfactants used as processing byproducts. Burt's Bees' emphasis on plant-derived and certified-organic ingredients reduces likelihood of contaminated precursor materials, though independent testing of finished product is not publicly available.
Microbial growth in dispenser
Foaming soap dispensers can harbor bacteria and mold in the pump mechanism if not regularly cleaned or if refilled with contaminated water or product. This is a maintenance issue specific to the format, not the soap itself, but relevant to actual use.
Heavy metals in botanical ingredients
Natural and organic certification typically requires testing of raw botanical materials for lead, cadmium, and arsenic. No recalls or contamination reports exist for Burt's Bees hand soaps, and USDA Organic status implies supplier vetting, though finished-product third-party heavy metal testing is not independently published.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 82% 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 Soap
Ecos
Orange Hand Soap
Plant-based surfactants, water, essential oils (orange)
Lower concern, solid plant-based formula with credible third-party oversight; no PFAS-prone materials.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
Seventh Generation
Hand Wash, Free Clean
aqueous surfactants, botanicals, water-based formula
Lower PFAS concern; buy with confidence if skin-sensitivity is a priority.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
Seventh Generation
Liquid Hand Soap Free & Clean
Water-based liquid soap formulation
Lower-concern choice; no PFAS expected in liquid soap format, but verification limited to brand claims.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
More hand soap 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.