Organic Body Serum

Susanna Cellucci

BySusanna Cellucci

Updated Oct 12, 2026

Conventional Body Serums

Avoid conventional body serums; they are made with synthetic, cheap and chemical ingredients, petroleum-derived, and fragrances. They can contain toxic and controversial ingredients: 

 

  • ❌ Parabens (methylparaben, propylparaben): Used as preservatives; known to disrupt hormone function and linked to possible long-term health issues.
  • ❌ Phthalates: Often added to help fragrances last; these are endocrine disruptors associated with hormone imbalance and developmental toxicity.
  • ❌ Formaldehyde: (quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea): Used as preservatives; formaldehyde is a carcinogen and skin irritant, with some related compounds slowly releasing small but cumulative amounts.
  • ❌ Sulfates (sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate): Emulsifiers that can strip natural oils, leading to dryness, irritation, increased sensitivity, and even breakouts.
  • ❌ Synthetic Fragrances: Contain undisclosed chemical mixtures that may include allergens, hormone disruptors, and respiratory irritants.
  • ❌ Silicones (dimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane): Temporarily smooth, non-biodegradable, contributing to environmental pollution.
  • ❌ Mineral Oil/Petrolatum: Petroleum-derived ingredients that can clog pores and disrupt the skin’s natural barrier.
  • ❌ Methylisothiazolinone: A preservative associated with significant allergic reactions.
  • ❌ 1,4-Dioxane: A contaminant/by-product from ingredient processing, often present where ingredients like sodium laureth sulfate or PEGs are used

Greenwashing Body Serums

Avoid greenwashing body serums made by brands that pretend to be “eco, safe, organic, and green” when they are not. They use misleading marketing tricks to convince you to buy their products. Avoid too many ingredients and harsh preservatives:

 

  • ❌ Questionable Claims: claim  of “clean,” “green,” and “natural,” without certification are suspicious. They may still use organic or natural ingredients mixed with controversial ingredients.
  • ❌ ​Sodium Benzoate: Benzoic acid and vitamin C mix can cause cancer. Capable of causing contact urticaria
  • ❌​ Potassium Sorbate: considered a skin, eye, and respiratory irritant. 
  • ❌ Ethylhexylglycerin: highly relevant, sensitizer in ‘hypo-allergenic’ cosmetics. To report on 13 patients who presented with allergic contact dermatitis caused by ethylhexylglycerin.
  • ❌ Phenoxyethanol: preservative classified as an irritant, toxic, and harmful. Can have adverse effects on the central and peripheral nervous systems, linked to allergic contact uritica and dermatitis. Made by the reaction of corrosive phenol with carcinogen ethylene oxide. Exposure to phenoxyethanol has been linked to reactions ranging from eczema[2] to severe, life-threatening allergic reactions.[3] Infant oral exposure to phenoxyethanol can acutely affect nervous system function.[4]
  • ❌ Citric Acid lab made: conventional cheaper lab-made citric acid AKA Manufactured citric acid (MCA) is derived from a mold. “Approximately 99% of the world’s production of MCA is carried out using the fungus Aspergillus niger, a known allergen, identified merely as “citric acid” in ingredients lists. The FDA has generally considered it safe, but no scientific studies were performed to evaluate the safety of MCA when ingested in substantial amounts and with chronic exposure.” Depends on which citric acid method a company wants to use.  A synthetic option or a natural one. Synthetic is cheaper. You can ask a company which processes they use: Certificate of Authenticity COA.

​Organic Body Serums

💖Choosing “Certified Organic” body serums matters because too many companies in the cosmetics industry are selling us their not-so-clean products made with cheap and controversial ingredients with a lack of transparency. That’s why we need to pick products that are certified organic.​ By switching to Organic skincare, we show the greenwashing companies they have to do better. Also, our skin, beauty, and health will be finally at their best, and we feel good by making a difference for the planet.

 

The Best Organic Body Serums are made by responsible brands using only organic and natural ingredients. Usually, oils don’t need preservatives, and they don’t contain additives or fragrances. I prefer glass packaging as well to preserve the purity of the products and to reduce unnecessary plastic use released into the environment. 

 

  • ✅ USDA-Certified Organic 
  • ✅ Organic Ingredients 
  • ✅ 100% Natural
  • ✅ Food Grade
  • ✅ Sustainable Packaging 
  • ✅ Regenerative agriculture ingredients

The Best Organic Body Serum Brands 

🌸 Here you will find the best Organic body serum brands on the market!

Approved Organics Serum Brands that meet my criteria of eco-responsibility, transparency, and safety.

My favorite and number one organic serum brand recommendations are:

 

  • ​🌿 Luxe Beauty  It makes one of my favorite anti-aging serums
  • 🌿 Earth Harbor 15% off code: PRETTYORGANICGIRL
  • 🌿 Evanhealy  15% off link regenerative organic certified serums
  • 🌿 Intelligent Nutrients 10% off code: PRETTYORGANICGIRL. I have been using it for years. 

 

Shop with my links to support my research! 💖

toner day cream night cream eye cream beauty mask vit c serum
Luxe Beauty the best organic luxury skincare review and promo code
Intelligent Nutrients Logo

10% off code: PRETTYORGANICGIRL

Evanhealy logo

15% off link

earth harbor logo review and promo code

15% off code: PRETTYORGANICGIRL

Susanna Cellucci

About the founder

Susanna Cellucci

Susanna Cellucci is the founder of PrettyOrganicGirl and a NASM Certified Nutrition Coach based in Beverly Hills, California. Since 2016 she has researched organic and non-toxic products ingredient by ingredient, and today the site covers more than 6,000 products and 700 organic brands across skincare, makeup, food, clothing, home and baby care. Every page is written by Susanna herself, and the site is 100% ad-free and independent. She holds a Master's in Marketing from the Milan Academy of Luxury, studied business and digital marketing at UCLA, and is Green Business Certified. Global companies including Chanel, Walmart and the Four Seasons have reached out to her about greener practices, and her push for titanium-dioxide-free makeup led several clean beauty brands to reformulate. Originally from Italy, she shares her picks with promo codes so that organic shopping can be for everyone.

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