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Badger Balm Unscented, 2 oz tin

Reader ratings
Badger Balm Unscented, 2 oz tin

Two organic ingredients, olive oil and beeswax, in a 2 oz tin with no scent. No outside lab has tested it, FDA warned Badger in 2022 over how it makes sunscreens, and olive oil alone weakened the skin barrier in one small study.

Best for Someone who wants the shortest possible balm for dry hands, elbows or lips and does not need eczema treatment.

Our rating
Good (3.6 of 5)
Price range
Mid-range
Verified marks
USDA Organic handler listing: W.S. Badger Co., Inc. (NOP ID 5520306251, certifier QAI) lists “Badger Balm - Unscented 2oz”
Size
2 oz tin
Made in
Made in the company’s New Hampshire facility, per the maker

approx. $13.99 for a 2 oz tin

See it on Badger’s site → (opens in a new tab)

We are not affiliated with Badger. This link goes to the maker’s own page, with no tracking code. How we're funded.

Also sold at Amazon ($12), iHerb ($12), Vitacost ($12) .

Reader ratings & reviews

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    Reviews are personal experiences, not research, and they never change our quality ratings. Every review is read by our team before it appears.

    How we evaluated it

    How it scores Our rating, metric by metric Good, 3.6 of 5
    1. Ingredients 45% of the rating 5 of 5

      Two named organic ingredients, olive oil and beeswax, with no fragrance, essential oil, preservative or water.

    2. Independent testing 15% of the rating 2 of 5

      We found no independent test of this balm for PFAS, metals or other contaminants; Mamavation’s PFAS screen covered Badger’s unscented lip balm, a different product.

    3. Does what it says 10% of the rating 3 of 5

      A plain oil-and-wax balm is a sound moisturizer, but the maker’s FAQ leans on customer reports of eczema relief, and olive oil damaged the skin barrier in a 19-adult study.

    4. Trust 15% of the rating 3 of 5

      The whole list is published and we found no Prop 65 notice, open recall or lawsuit for this balm, but FDA sent Badger a 2022 warning letter over how it makes sunscreens at its Gilsum plant, and its table lists no close-out letter.

    5. Value 15% of the rating 2 of 5

      $13.99 for 2 oz is $7 an ounce ($6 at iHerb), above Kosmatology’s lotion bar (about $4.53 an ounce) and far above Vanicream’s cream (about $0.85).

    The rating, 3.6 of 5, is the weighted average of these scores. See how we rank personal care and our standard.

    Where to buy Stores and the prices we saw 3 stores
    • Amazon (opens in a new tab) approx. $12. Sold by “BadgerBalm” and shipped by Amazon. $11.99 one-time ($10.79 with Subscribe & Save, 10% off) on 2026-11-03. Listed as “Badger Unscented Hand Balm, Olive Oil & Beeswax, 2 oz Tin”.
    • iHerb (opens in a new tab) approx. $12. $11.99 ($6.00 an ounce) and in stock on 2026-11-03, listed as “Badger Balm, For Sensitive Dry Skin, Unscented, 2 oz”.
    • Vitacost (opens in a new tab) approx. $12. $11.99 on 2026-11-03; the listing shows USDA Organic, Leaping Bunny and a gluten-free certification.

    Prices as we saw them on November 3, 2026. They change often. These links carry no tracking code and earn us nothing.

    What’s in it Every ingredient, in label order 2 ingredients
    1. Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    2. Organic Beeswax
    Who tested it What each test found, and who paid for it 2 tests
    • Independent Mamavation with Environmental Health News (a different Badger product; Mamavation earns affiliate income) January 2024

      Not a test of this balm. Mamavation’s lab screened Badger’s Organic Unscented Lip Balm (olive oil, beeswax, castor oil, rosemary extract) for total organic fluorine, a PFAS marker, and found none above 10 ppm. We list it because the tin shares the olive oil and beeswax base, not as proof about the tin. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

    • Paid certification USDA Organic Integrity Database (certifier: Quality Assurance International, QAI) October 2026

      Lists W.S. Badger Co., Inc. (NOP ID 5520306251) as a certified organic handler since 31 May 2022, with “Badger Balm - Unscented 2oz” among its products. It is a company-level handling listing that the maker pays for, not a test of this tin for contaminants. The profile was updated 30 October 2026. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

    Who paid, and why it matters
    • Independent The tester took no money from the maker for it: a consumer group, a journalist, a university or a regulator.
    • Paid certification An outside lab or certifier tested or listed it, and the maker paid for that.
    • Maker’s own test A lab report or certificate of analysis the maker commissioned and published.

    A certification is a floor, not a verdict: it checks what its program checks and nothing else. We weigh tests by someone with no stake in the result most.

    What people ask Worries raised online and elsewhere, and what we found 5 questions
    Can it soothe eczema and psoriasis, as customers say?
    The maker’s FAQ says customers report relief but that it cannot say the balm heals either. A Cochrane review of 77 trials (opens in a new tab) found fewer eczema flares and less steroid use with moisturizers than without, on low-quality evidence, so a plain balm can help dry skin. But in a randomized forearm study of 19 adults (opens in a new tab), neat olive oil reduced the skin barrier’s integrity and caused mild redness, which sunflower oil did not. A balm is not neat oil, and we found no study of this one.
    Is it really unscented?
    The ingredient list has no fragrance or essential oil, and the maker’s page says “Free of essential oils or fragrances”. Olive oil and beeswax have their own faint aroma, and Vitacost’s listing describes “just the delicate, natural aroma of Olive Oil and Beeswax”.
    Does it contain lead or other metals?
    We found no test of this balm. Lead Safe Mama found lead in three Badger zinc oxide sunscreens, and the likely source is the zinc (Lead Safe Mama’s sunscreen chart (opens in a new tab)). This balm has no zinc. It is two food-type ingredients, and neither the maker nor an outside lab shows a metals result.
    Has Badger had recalls, FDA warnings or Prop 65 notices?
    Recalls and an FDA warning letter, all for its sunscreens and none for this balm. The FDA’s drug recall database (opens in a new tab) lists a 2013 recall of baby and kids sunscreens for microbial contamination and a 2025 labeling recall of a sport sunscreen, both closed. FDA’s warning letter of April 12, 2022 (opens in a new tab) says an inspection of Badger’s Gilsum, New Hampshire plant found repeat violations of current good manufacturing practice for its over-the-counter drugs: processes and test methods that were not validated, and repeated out-of-specification results, some of them failed microbial limits, in sunscreens including infant ones. FDA’s warning-letter table (opens in a new tab) lists no close-out letter as of 2026-10-27, and RegDataLab (opens in a new tab), which republishes FDA inspection data, lists the plant’s 2019, 2021 and June 2023 inspections as OAI (official action indicated); we did not open FDA’s own inspection record. The letter names drugs, not this balm, which is a cosmetic, but Badger says it makes its products at the same New Hampshire facility. California’s Prop 65 notice search (opens in a new tab) has no notice under Badger’s name (searched 2026-11-03). We could not search court dockets or read Reddit.
    Is the organic claim real?
    Yes, for the company and this product. The USDA Organic Integrity Database (opens in a new tab) lists W.S. Badger Co., Inc. of Gilsum, New Hampshire as certified by QAI (Quality Assurance International) since 31 May 2022, with “Badger Balm - Unscented 2oz” among its handled products. It is a company listing that the maker pays for, not a test of this tin. Vitacost’s listing credits “NH Dept. of Agriculture” as the certifier and adds a gluten-free certification from GFCO, which we did not check.
    Why we chose it What put it on our list 4 points
    • The maker’s page, Amazon, iHerb and Vitacost all list the same two ingredients: organic extra virgin olive oil and organic beeswax.
    • The maker says it is free of essential oils and fragrances, and the formula has no water, so it needs no preservative.
    • The maker’s FAQ is candid that it is not a medicine and that it cannot say the balm heals eczema or psoriasis.
    • Amazon sells it from Badger’s own storefront, and iHerb and Vitacost carry it at the same $11.99.
    Trade-offs What to weigh before you buy 4 points
    • No outside lab has tested this balm. The only Badger result is a PFAS screen of a sister lip balm.
    • FDA’s 2022 warning letter to Badger is about how its sunscreens are made at the same plant, not about this balm, and we found no close-out letter.
    • Olive oil weakened the skin barrier in a small adult study, while sunflower oil did not. If your skin is eczema-prone, try a small patch first.
    • It costs $6 to $7 an ounce, many times the price of Vanicream’s cream (about $0.85 an ounce).
    What to know Details worth knowing first

    A balm does not get shorter than this: organic extra virgin olive oil and organic beeswax, with no water, no preservative and no scent. For dry hands, elbows and lips it is the plain moisturizer that our guide to hidden chemicals points toward.

    The gap is testing. No outside lab has tested this tin for PFAS or metals, so what we know is the label and the maker’s record. Badger’s zinc sunscreens had lead and two closed recalls, and FDA sent the company a 2022 warning letter over how it makes sunscreens. The zinc is the likely cause of the lead and this balm has none, and the letter does not name it, but the letter is why trust scores a 3.

    Be careful with expectations. A balm moisturizes, and in one small study neat olive oil weakened the skin barrier, so eczema-prone skin should start with a patch. It is also priced at $6 to $7 an ounce.

    What we checked Each claim, and how sure we are of it 6 checks
    Tested by
    None for this balm
    How Badger Balm Unscented, 2 oz tin measures up against our personal care criteria
    What we checked What we found
    Every ingredient listed Maker’s claim Organic extra virgin olive oil and organic beeswax, on the maker’s page, Amazon and iHerb.
    Fragrance-free, not just “unscented” Maker’s claim The list has no fragrance or essential oil, and the maker says “Free of essential oils or fragrances”.
    Independent contaminant test of this balm Not verified None found. Mamavation’s PFAS screen was of Badger’s lip balm, not this tin.
    Short formula Maker’s claim Two ingredients.
    USDA Organic Verified USDA’s Organic Integrity Database lists W.S. Badger Co., Inc. (NOP ID 5520306251, certifier QAI, certified since 2022-05-31) with “Badger Balm - Unscented 2oz” in its handling scope.
    Recalls, FDA warnings and Prop 65 notices Verified None for this balm. FDA recalled Badger sunscreens in 2013 and 2025 (both closed) and sent the company a 2022 warning letter about how it makes sunscreens, with no close-out letter listed; California’s notice search has no Badger entry.
    What the labels mean
    • Verified We opened an independent record that confirms it: a certifier’s listing, a regulator’s list or a lab report. It is linked under Sources.
    • Maker’s claim The maker says so on its own page or label. We read it but found no independent record.
    • Not verified We looked and could not confirm it, or the maker does not say. Treat it as unknown.
    Sources Where our facts come from 13 sources
    1. Badger Balm Unscented (maker page). Maker’s page. Ingredients, $13.99 price, FAQ and organic statements, seen 2026-11-03. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    2. USDA Organic Integrity Database: W.S. Badger Co., Inc. (NOP ID 5520306251). Certifier or regulator listing. Certified handler (QAI, Gilsum, New Hampshire) since 2022-05-31; “Badger Balm - Unscented 2oz” is in the product list; profile updated 2026-10-30. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    3. Amazon: Badger Unscented Hand Balm, Olive Oil & Beeswax, 2 oz Tin. Independent source. Subscribe & Save $10.79 (10% off) on 2026-11-03, which puts the one-time price at $11.99; sold by BadgerBalm and shipped by Amazon. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    4. iHerb: Badger Balm, For Sensitive Dry Skin, Unscented, 2 oz. Independent source. $11.99 and in stock on 2026-11-03. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    5. Vitacost: Badger Balm, For Sensitive Dry Skin, Unscented, 2 oz. Independent source. $11.99 on 2026-11-03; lists the organic and gluten-free certifications. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    6. Mamavation: Lip Balms Tested for Indications of PFAS “Forever Chemicals”. Test report. An advocacy outlet’s lab screen of Badger’s lip balm, not this tin. The article carries affiliate links. Published January 16, 2024. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    7. FDA warning letter to The W.S. Badger Company, Inc. (MARCS-CMS 622318, April 12, 2022). Certifier or regulator listing. CGMP violations for over-the-counter drugs (sunscreens) at the Gilsum plant, found in an inspection from August 30 to September 14, 2021; it does not name Badger Balm. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    8. FDA warning-letter search for Badger (FDA.gov). Certifier or regulator listing. Lists the 2022 letter with empty response and close-out columns; page current as of 2026-10-27. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    9. RegDataLab: FDA warning letter record for W.S. Badger Company, Inc.. Independent source. An independent site that republishes FDA data; lists the plant’s 2019, 2021 and June 2023 inspections as OAI. We did not open FDA’s own inspection record. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    10. FDA drug enforcement (recall) search for W.S. Badger (openFDA). Certifier or regulator listing. Shows a 2013 and a 2025 recall, both of sunscreens. Searched 2026-11-03. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    11. California Prop 65 60-day notice search: W.S. Badger. Certifier or regulator listing. No matching notices. Searched 2026-11-03. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    12. Danby et al., 2013: olive and sunflower seed oil on the adult skin barrier (PMID 22995032). Independent source. 19 adults, forearm-controlled; olive oil reduced stratum corneum integrity and caused mild redness over 4 weeks. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    13. van Zuuren et al., 2017: Emollients and moisturisers for eczema, Cochrane review (PMID 28166390). Independent source. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
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