Brand Rating:

The Honest Company

Conscious

Coming soon

Score Coming soon

The Shifting Gaia rating evaluates brands based on sustainable practices, ingredients and materials, and social responsibility, among others. Below are a few factors influencing this brand's score:

Certifications

Leaping Bunny

USDA Organic

Our ratings are based on a scale from 1 (Avoid) to 5 (Top Choice).
See how we rate.

Rated: October 15, 2025
Category: Beauty care
Subcategory: Body Care

Overview:

Sustainability Coming soon

Non-toxicity Coming soon

Founded in 2012 by Jessica Alba, The Honest Company aims to provide eco-friendly, non-toxic household, personal care, and baby products.

Highlights

• coming soon!

Sustainability

score : Coming soon

The Honest Company's commitment to using recyclable and reusable packaging is evident in its beauty line, where products are housed in cartons made from upcycled sugarcane by-products. Additionally, the company offers refillable formats for select items, which reduces packaging waste.

The company publishes sustainability reports aligned with frameworks such as the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). These reports outline its environmental impact, carbon footprint, and progress toward its stated goals. Despite these efforts, Honest lacks concrete targets for reducing emissions or transitioning to renewable energy sources.

The Honest Company's products claim to be formulated without over 2,500 harmful chemicals; however, some of its materials, like plastic diapers, contribute to environmental waste. Efforts to improve product circularity and expand compostable or biodegradable options are currently limited.

Non-toxicity

score : Coming soon

The Honest Company markets itself as a pioneer in clean and non-toxic formulations. It claims to avoid harmful ingredients such as parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde in its products. Many items are certified by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), which verifies transparency and the absence of harmful chemicals.

However, past controversies undermine these claims. In 2016, investigations revealed that the company's laundry detergent contained sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), a chemical the brand explicitly pledged to avoid. Similarly, certain beauty products were found to include synthetic ingredients like linalool and limonene, which can trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. These incidents highlight gaps in quality control and transparency and raise questions about the brand's commitment to its non-toxic promises.