Lush · Body Wash
LUSH Good Karma... Everybody Needs Some Shower Gel
Lower PFAS concern for shower gel; Lush does not disclose PFAS-containing inputs or treatment coatings.
Lush Good Karma is a water-based shower gel without known Teflon-family coating coatings, waterproofing, or non-stick treatments that typically carry PFAS. Lush has not published PFAS-free certifications or disclosures for this product.
Shop Lush on Amazon →Material
water-based gel formulation, aqueous solution
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
Good Karma is a water-based shower gel, meaning its bulk is aqueous solution with surfactants, humectants, and botanical extracts rather than synthetic polymers or coatings. The formulation does not rely on Teflon-type coating or ceramic/enamel coatings (unlike cookware), so thermal degradation and leaching pathways common to those categories do not apply. Lush publishes ingredient lists for this product; the formula contains sodium lauryl sulfate or similar anionic surfactants, glycerin, and plant-derived fragrances, none of which are known to pose acute toxicity in rinse-off body wash at typical use concentrations.
The brand's record and disclosure
Lush is known for transparent ingredient disclosure and avoids several restricted chemicals (parabens in many lines, synthetic musks in fragrances). The brand holds no major product recalls on public record for Good Karma or its shower gel line. However, Lush does not proactively disclose whether PFAS-containing preservatives or processing aids enter their supply chain, and has not published a PFAS reduction commitment, which is consistent with limited transparency across the personal care sector on this hazard class. No established controversies specific to formaldehyde releasers, heavy metals in colorants, or talc contamination have been documented for this product.
How it compares in its category
Most commercial shower gels are water-based formulations with similar hazard profiles. Good Karma sits in the mid-to-premium segment and carries certifications (Lush is BUAV cruelty-free certified) that many budget body washes do not. Versus truly natural or certified organic brands, Lush uses conventional synthetic surfactants rather than exclusively plant-derived ones, but this does not materially increase safety risk in rinse-off products. The main category-wide gap is PFAS disclosure; few mainstream brands in this category voluntarily test or report PFAS levels.
If you buy it
Use as directed: dispense onto a loofah or directly onto skin, lather, and rinse thoroughly. No heat exposure or storage risks apply to water-based gels as they do to cookware or plastics. Store in a cool, dry place and discard if the product shows mold growth or separation (signs of microbial contamination or formulation breakdown). For sensitive skin, patch test first, as fragrance blends in Lush products can trigger contact dermatitis in individuals with fragrance sensitivity; the brand does not guarantee fragrance allergen-free formulations.
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
Good Karma contains essential oil and fragrance components; individuals with fragrance sensitivity or atopic dermatitis may experience contact irritation or allergic reaction, though severity is user-dependent and not product-specific toxicity.
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or similar surfactant irritancy
SLS can cause skin irritation or dryness with prolonged contact or in individuals with compromised skin barrier; this is acute, reversible, and not a bioaccumulative hazard, but warrants caution for sensitive users.
Formaldehyde releasers
No formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (e.g., imidazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin) are listed in publicly available ingredient disclosures for this product.
Heavy metals in colorants or botanical extracts
No recalls or contamination reports exist for Good Karma; botanical colorants in Lush products are sourced from suppliers but are not independently tested or reported at the product level for heavy metal content.
1,4-dioxane (residual solvent in fragrance)
1,4-dioxane can be a residual contaminant in fragrance suppliers; Lush does not disclose whether distillation or purification removes it from fragrance inputs, so presence cannot be ruled out but is not documented.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 72% 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.
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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.