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The best plastic-free body lotion & balms
Lotion almost always lives in a plastic pump bottle. Glass jars, metal tins, and solid lotion bars carry the same moisture without the bottle — and this is exactly the category where we caught a “bio-resin” tube that was just sugarcane plastic.
What to look out for: Glass jars, metal tins, or lotion bars; “plant-based” packaging can still be polyethylene.
Quick answer: Our top pick for plastic-free body lotion & balms is the Weleda Skin Food Original Ultra-Rich Cream ($16.31). Best on a budget: the Ethique So Cocoa Nourishing Lip Balm ($8.50).
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Common questions
What replaces the plastic pump bottle?
Three formats: lotion in glass jars, balms in metal tins, and solid lotion bars that melt on skin contact. All three carry the same moisturizers without the pump.
Is “bio-resin” or sugarcane packaging plastic-free?
No — sugarcane “bio-resin” is polyethylene made from a different feedstock. It's still plastic, and it's exactly the kind of claim we caught and rejected in this category.
Are lotion bars greasy?
They go on richer than pump lotion — a little goes a long way. Warm the bar in your hands, apply, and give it a minute to sink in.
15 vetted plastic-free body lotion & balms
Skin Food Original Ultra-Rich Cream
A cult classic ultra-rich cream for face, hands, and body sold in a recyclable aluminum tube instead of a plastic bottle or pump.
Why we trust it · 2 independent sources
Aloe Lotion
A creamy, unscented aloe lotion for sensitive, itchy, or sun-exposed skin that works on both face and body.
Why we trust it · 1 independent source
Body Lotion (Refillable Aluminum Bottle)
A lightweight, fast-absorbing aloe-based lotion in a refillable aluminum bottle: when it's empty you mail it back and it gets sanitized and reused.
Why we trust it · 3 independent sources
Vegan Lip Balm - Coconut Cacao
A jumbo vegan lip balm in a compostable paper push-up tube that smells like coconut and chocolate.
Why we trust it · 3 independent sources
Botanical Butter
A deeply moisturizing whipped body butter made with just five ingredients on a solar-powered Tennessee goat farm.
Why we trust it · 2 independent sources
So Cocoa Nourishing Lip Balm
A double-size cocoa butter lip balm in a home-compostable cardboard push-up tube from the New Zealand-born plastic-free pioneer.
Why we trust it · 2 independent sources
Lavender Herbal Lotion Bar
A solid lotion bar infused with calendula and comfrey that melts on skin contact, replacing a plastic lotion bottle entirely.
Why we trust it · 2 independent sources
Tangerine Hand Lotion Bar
A six-ingredient solid lotion bar aimed at dry, hardworking hands, sold in a reusable tin with naked refill bars to follow.
Why we trust it · 2 independent sources
Lotion Bar
A vegan solid lotion bar made with plant butters and candelilla wax that you warm between your hands and smooth on like lotion.
Why we trust it · 2 independent sources
Repair Balm
A head-to-toe balm stick for dry, chapped, or cracked patches, housed in a jumbo compostable paper push-up tube.
Why we trust it · 2 independent sources
NIVEA Creme Body, Face and Hand Moisturizing Cream Tin
The iconic all-purpose moisturizing cream in a fully metal blue tin with a metal lid and no pump, dispenser, or plastic shell.
Why we trust it · 1 independent source
Undaria Algae Body Butter
An ultra-rich seaweed and shea butter body butter with ceramides that comes in a frosted glass jar rather than a plastic tub or pump bottle.
Why we trust it · 1 independent source
All Cream
An herbalist-formulated rich cream for face and body, made for genuinely thirsty skin and free of essential oils.
Why we trust it · 1 independent source
Naked Body Mousse
A fluffy, unscented whipped shea body mousse from a doctor-formulated Colorado brand, safe for eczema-prone skin, pregnancy, and babies.
Why we trust it · 1 independent source
Everything Balm Moisturizer
An herbal-infused multipurpose balm that stands in for body lotion, hand cream, and cuticle salve all at once.