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Badger Classic Lip Balm, Unscented, 0.15 oz stick

Reader ratings
Badger Classic Lip Balm, Unscented, 0.15 oz stick

Four organic ingredients, no scent: olive oil, beeswax, castor oil and rosemary extract. A lab screen found no PFAS marker; no metals test exists. FDA warned Badger in 2022 over how it makes sunscreens, not balms.

Best for Anyone who wants a lip balm with a four-item list, no flavor or scent, and a small independent PFAS result behind it.

Our rating
Good (4.0 of 5)
Price range
Budget
Verified marks
USDA Organic handler listing: W.S. Badger Co., Inc. (NOP ID 5520306251, certifier QAI) lists “Unscented Lip Balm .15oz”
Size
0.15 oz (4.2 g) stick
Made in
Made in the company’s New Hampshire facility, per the maker

approx. $3.99 for a 0.15 oz (4.2 g) stick

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 ($14 for a 4-pack), iHerb ($3.56), Vitacost ($3.56) .

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, 4.0 of 5
    1. Ingredients 45% of the rating 5 of 5

      Four named organic ingredients (olive oil, beeswax, castor oil, rosemary extract) with no flavor, fragrance, essential oil, petroleum or sweetener.

    2. Independent testing 15% of the rating 3 of 5

      Mamavation’s lab found no organic fluorine, a PFAS marker, above its 10 ppm limit in this balm; no metals or other contaminant result is public.

    3. Does what it says 10% of the rating 4 of 5

      A plain oil-and-wax balm only moisturizes, and the page claims no more than that, with no SPF or healing claims for this version.

    4. Trust 15% of the rating 3 of 5

      Every ingredient is named 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 3 of 5

      $3.99 for 0.15 oz is about $26.60 an ounce, the same as Dr. Bronner’s organic stick ($3.99 for 0.15 oz); iHerb and Vitacost sell it for $3.56 and Amazon’s 4-pack works out to about $3.50 a stick.

    The rating, 4.0 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. $14 for a 4-pack. A 4-pack of the same 0.15 oz Unscented stick, about $3.50 each: $12.59 with Subscribe & Save (10% off) on 2026-11-03, so about $13.99 one-time. Sold by “BadgerBalm” and shipped by Amazon. The Amazon listings we found are multi-packs, not single sticks.
    • iHerb (opens in a new tab) approx. $3.56. Single 0.15 oz stick, Unscented; $3.56 and in stock on 2026-11-03. The page says iHerb guarantees the product is authentic.
    • Vitacost (opens in a new tab) approx. $3.56. Single 0.15 oz stick, Unscented; $3.56 with an add-to-cart button on 2026-11-03. Says it buys from brands or authorized distributors.

    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 4 ingredients
    1. Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    2. Organic Beeswax
    3. Organic Castor Oil
    4. Organic Rosemary Extract
    Who tested it What each test found, and who paid for it 2 tests
    • Independent Mamavation with Environmental Health News (Mamavation earns affiliate income from Amazon links) January 2024

      Sent 20 lip balms from 18 brands to an EPA-certified lab for total organic fluorine, a PFAS marker with a 10 ppm detection limit. “Badger Organic Unscented Lip Balm” was non-detect and is in Mamavation’s “best” group; the lab opened the product, so packaging was not tested. Mamavation bought some balms itself and readers donated others, between 2021 and 2023; it does not say which applied to Badger and gives no sample count or lot. Its arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury results sit behind a free sign-up that we did not use. 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 “Unscented Lip Balm .15oz” among its products. It is a company-level handling listing that the maker pays for, not a test of this stick 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
    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 “Unscented Lip Balm .15oz” among its handled products. It is a company listing that the maker pays for, not a test of this stick, and the label marks all four ingredients organic. Vitacost’s listing also shows Certified B Corporation.
    Badger’s zinc sunscreens had lead. Does the lip balm?
    We found no metals test of the balm, so we cannot say. 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 contains no zinc. Its ingredients are olive oil, beeswax, castor oil and rosemary extract.
    Has Badger had recalls, FDA warnings or Prop 65 notices?
    Recalls and an FDA warning letter, all for its sunscreens and none for lip 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 lip 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.
    Can PFAS get into a lip balm, and was this one clean?
    PFAS are widespread in cosmetics: one 2024 estimate for California (opens in a new tab) put the organic fluorine in cosmetics sold there in a year at 370 to 37,000 kg. Mamavation’s screen of this balm found none above 10 ppm. That cannot rule out smaller amounts, and the sample is up to five years old.
    Is Mamavation’s ranking independent of the brands?
    It is independent of Badger, as far as we can tell: the lab test was paid by donations and affiliate income, not by Badger. But Mamavation earns affiliate commission and shows discount codes for some of the other balms it ranks. We saw no code beside Badger’s balm.
    Why we chose it What put it on our list 4 points
    • The maker’s page, iHerb and Vitacost all list the same four ingredients, each marked organic: olive oil, beeswax, castor oil and rosemary extract.
    • Mamavation’s lab found no organic fluorine (a PFAS marker, 10 ppm limit) in this balm and put it in its “best” group of the 20 lip balms it tested.
    • No scent, flavor, sweetener or petroleum: the maker says it is “never made with any petroleum, artificial colors, or sweeteners”.
    • It costs $3.56 to $3.99 a stick (about $3.50 each in Amazon’s 4-pack), the same as Dr. Bronner’s organic balm.
    Trade-offs What to weigh before you buy 4 points
    • No metals or other contaminant result is public for the balm, and Badger’s zinc sunscreens carried lead. The balm has no zinc, but we cannot show it was tested.
    • 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.
    • Mamavation’s sample was bought or donated between 2021 and 2023 and its lot is not given. A later batch could differ.
    • The 0.15 oz stick is small, so the price per ounce is high even though each stick is cheap.
    What to know Details worth knowing first

    Lip balm is a product you eat a little of, so the short list matters. Badger’s unscented stick is olive oil, beeswax, castor oil and rosemary extract, all marked organic, with no flavor, scent, sweetener or petroleum.

    Its outside check is a PFAS screen: Mamavation’s lab found no organic fluorine in it and put it in the “best” group of the 20 lip balms it tested. That is a screen at a 10 ppm limit on a single stick, run by an advocacy site that earns affiliate income, so it is a reassurance and not a guarantee. We found no test for metals.

    Badger’s zinc sunscreens had lead in independent tests, but this balm has no zinc. FDA also sent Badger a warning letter in 2022 over how it makes its sunscreens. It does not name the balms, but it is why trust scores a 3. See our guide to hidden chemicals for what else to check on a label.

    What we checked Each claim, and how sure we are of it 7 checks
    Tested by
    Mamavation’s EPA-certified lab (PFAS marker screen only)
    How Badger Classic Lip Balm, Unscented, 0.15 oz stick measures up against our personal care criteria
    What we checked What we found
    Every ingredient listed Maker’s claim Organic olive oil, beeswax, castor oil and rosemary extract, on the maker’s page, iHerb and Vitacost. No fragrance or flavor line.
    Fragrance-free and flavor-free Maker’s claim The list has none, and the maker calls it unscented.
    Independent PFAS screen Verified Mamavation’s lab found no organic fluorine above 10 ppm in this balm (published January 2024).
    Independent metals test Not verified None public for the balm. Mamavation’s metals data sits behind a free sign-up that we did not use.
    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 “Unscented Lip Balm .15oz” in its handling scope.
    Short formula Maker’s claim Four ingredients.
    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 14 sources
    1. Badger Classic Lip Balm, Unscented (maker page). Maker’s page. Ingredients, $3.99 price and USDA organic, solar-power and New Hampshire statements, seen 2026-11-03. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    2. Mamavation: Lip Balms Tested for Indications of PFAS “Forever Chemicals”. Test report. An advocacy outlet’s lab screen for total organic fluorine (10 ppm limit); the article carries affiliate links. Badger Organic Unscented Lip Balm is in the non-detect “best” group, with no discount code beside it. Published January 16, 2024. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    3. 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; “Unscented Lip Balm .15oz” is in the product list; profile updated 2026-10-30. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    4. Amazon: Badger Unscented Classic Organic Lip Balm, Sensitive Lips, 4 Pack. Independent source. Subscribe & Save $12.59 (10% off) on 2026-11-03, sold by BadgerBalm and shipped by Amazon; 4 x 0.15 oz. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    5. iHerb: Badger Lip Balm, Unscented, 0.15 oz (4.2 g). Independent source. $3.56 and in stock on 2026-11-03, with the same four organic ingredients. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    6. Vitacost: Badger Lip Balm, Unscented, 0.15 oz (4.2 g). Independent source. $3.56 on 2026-11-03; lists Certified Organic by QAI, USDA Organic and Certified B Corporation. 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 lip balm or 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. Total Mass of PFASs in California Cosmetics (Environ Sci Technol 2024; PMID 38935436). Independent source. A modeling estimate of PFAS in cosmetics sold in California, not a test of any product. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    13. Dr. Bronner’s Naked Unscented Organic Lip Balm (maker page). Maker’s page. $3.99 for 0.15 oz, seen in the maker’s product feed on 2026-11-03. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    14. Portland Bee Balm lip balm 3-pack (maker page). Maker’s page. $12 for a 3-pack, seen in the maker’s product feed on 2026-11-03. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
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