Caress · Body Wash
Caress Glowing Touch Silkening Body Wash
Lower concern, liquid body wash formulations rarely require PFAS; buy with baseline caution.
Caress Glowing Touch is a standard liquid body wash with no known PFAS-triggering ingredients (no Teflon-family coating coatings, water repellency, or nonstick treatments required). The brand makes no PFAS disclosure either way.
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aqueous surfactant blend, emollients, preservatives (typical body wash)
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
Caress Glowing Touch is an aqueous surfactant blend, primarily anionic detergents that remove oils and dirt, combined with emollients (silicones, glycerin) for skin feel and preservatives to prevent bacterial/fungal growth. The "silkening" claim refers to conditioning polymers and emollients that coat skin temporarily; these are cosmetic actives, not therapeutic. Body washes lack the coating and heat-stress risks of cookware or the microplastic shedding concerns of some textiles, making the hazard profile narrower than many consumer products.
The brand's record and disclosure
Caress (owned by Unilever) does not publish detailed ingredient-level transparency or independent safety certifications for this product line. The brand has not faced documented recalls or safety controversies specific to this body wash. Unilever has faced broader scrutiny on PFAS use in cosmetics but has not publicly disclosed PFAS content in Caress products, placing the brand in the "silent" posture flagged in the PFAS assessment. No third-party dermatological certifications (e.g., hypoallergenic, fragrance-free) are marketed.
How it compares in its category
Body washes are a commodity category with minimal differentiation on safety. Caress occupies the mainstream middle, no specialized claims around preservative systems or rare ingredient sourcing that would set it apart. Products marketed as "natural" or "fragrance-free" may carry lower fragrance allergen risk; sulfate-free alternatives may reduce irritation for sensitive skin. Caress Glowing Touch makes no such claims and relies on conventional formulation, placing it squarely in typical risk profile for mass-market body wash.
If you buy it
Use as directed; body wash does not require special storage beyond cool, dry conditions away from direct sunlight (standard for all surfactant products). Do not ingest. If you have sensitive skin or fragrance allergies, patch test on a small area first; discontinue if irritation develops. No special replacement triggers exist beyond normal use; replace when empty. The product itself poses no heating, leaching, or off-gassing hazards typical of cookware or furniture.
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 and sensitizers
Caress Glowing Touch contains fragrance (undisclosed specifics in marketing materials); fragrance is a known trigger for contact dermatitis and respiratory sensitivity in susceptible individuals. No hypoallergenic or fragrance-free claim limits this risk class.
Preservative irritation (contact dermatitis)
Body washes require preservatives (typically parabens, phenoxyethanol, or methylisothiazolinone-class compounds); these are generally safe at regulatory limits but can trigger sensitivity or irritation in a small percentage of users, particularly with prolonged or repetitive contact on compromised skin.
1,4-dioxane (indirect contaminant)
If Caress uses ethoxylated surfactants or certain emulsifiers, 1,4-dioxane may be present as a manufacturing byproduct at trace levels (typically <10 ppm in rinse-off products). Regulatory limits exist; FDA does not require disclosure. Rinse-off exposure is lower risk than leave-on products.
Microplastic content
No microbeads are evident in Caress Glowing Touch formulation based on publicly available ingredient descriptions; microplastic bans have removed visible beads from most body washes since 2015. Synthetic polymers (silicones, acrylates) used for conditioning are not classified as microplastics.
Heavy metals in colorants or mica
The product's aqueous surfactant base and marketed benefits do not indicate use of mineral-based colorants or mica that would introduce lead, cadmium, or arsenic. No established contamination record for Caress body wash products.
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 Body Wash
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Lower-concern choice; simple castile soap formulation carries minimal PFAS risk.
⚠Risky category by default
Dr. Bronner's
Pure-Castile Liquid Soap
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Lower PFAS concern, uncoated liquid soap with no water- or stain-resistant treatments.
⚠Risky category by default
Dr. Bronner's
Dr Bronner's Baby Unscented Pure Castile Liquid Soap
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Lower PFAS concern, pure castile liquid soap has no typical vector for forever chemicals.
⚠Risky category by default
More body wash 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.