Quick take
Burt's Bees at a glance
Owned by
The Clorox Company
Category
personal care
**USDA Organic certification** — "Natural" is unregulated, but USDA Organic means something. Look for the actual certification, not just the word "natural" on the label
**Family or founder ownership** — Companies where the person who created the formula is still making decisions about ingredients
**Short ingredient lists** — Burt's Bees originally earned trust with simple formulas. The best alternatives maintain that simplicity without the corporate overhead
Burt's Bees is one of the great American natural brand stories. Burt Shavitz was a beekeeper in Maine. Roxanne Quimby was selling beeswax candles at craft fairs. Together they built one of the most recognized natural personal care brands in the world. Then, in 2007, The Clorox Company — the bleach company — paid approximately $913 million for it.
Neither founder remained involved after the sale. The brand that started in a Maine cabin became a Clorox subsidiary. And longtime customers launched a Change.org petition demanding a return to the original formulas after noticing changes in their favorite products.
Why People Are Switching
- Clorox ownership is a fundamental contradiction: Clorox's core business is industrial chemical cleaning products — bleach, Pine-Sol, Liquid-Plumr, Formula 409. These products represent the opposite of what Burt's Bees consumers think they're buying
- Documented reformulation: Long-term customers and ingredient analysts have noted formula evolution in certain products since the acquisition. Products have been discontinued, new SKUs added, and ingredients adjusted for mass-market distribution
- Founder departures: Both Burt Shavitz and Roxanne Quimby are long gone from the company. Once the founders leave, the mission tends to follow. Decisions are now made by Clorox executives optimizing for quarterly earnings
The Best Clean Alternatives
Dr. Bronner's
- What they make: Organic castile soaps, lip balm, body care, and personal care products
- Why they're better: Five generations of family soapmaking. USDA Organic and Fair Trade certified. They left B Corp certification in 2025 not because they lowered standards, but because they wanted to "go beyond" them. Complete ingredient transparency
- Ownership: Family-owned since 1948 — over 75 years of independence
- Price range: $$
Primally Pure
- What they make: Tallow-based skincare, lip balm, deodorant, and body care
- Why they're better: Founded with $250 and grown to a multimillion-dollar brand with zero outside investment. Uses grass-fed tallow and organic ingredients. Founder Bethany McDaniel still owns and operates the company
- Ownership: 100% founder-owned since 2015
- Price range: $$
Badger Balm
- What they make: Organic balms, sunscreen, lip balm, and body care
- Why they're better: Second-generation family ownership with B Corp certification. USDA Certified Organic products. Their balm and lip care products are direct alternatives to Burt's Bees' most popular items, but with certified organic ingredients and family accountability
- Ownership: Independently owned, second-generation family business
- Price range: $$
Cocokind
- What they make: Accessible clean skincare including balms, moisturizers, and serums
- Why they're better: Transparent pricing and ingredient sourcing. Every product page shows the full ingredient list and the function of each ingredient. Formulated without synthetic fragrances, parabens, or sulfates
- Ownership: Independently owned
- Price range: $$
Osmia Organics
- What they make: Handcrafted organic skincare, lip care, and body care
- Why they're better: Founded by a physician (Dr. Sarah Villafranco) who formulates every product. Small-batch production in Colorado. Organic and wild-crafted ingredients with complete transparency about sourcing
- Ownership: Independently owned and founder-led
- Price range: $$$
What to Look For
When replacing Burt's Bees products in your routine:
- USDA Organic certification — "Natural" is unregulated, but USDA Organic means something. Look for the actual certification, not just the word "natural" on the label
- Family or founder ownership — Companies where the person who created the formula is still making decisions about ingredients
- Short ingredient lists — Burt's Bees originally earned trust with simple formulas. The best alternatives maintain that simplicity without the corporate overhead
The Bottom Line
Burt's Bees proved there was a massive market for natural personal care. But the brand's acquisition by Clorox turned an authentic American story into a corporate portfolio play. The independent brands listed here carry forward the original promise — genuine natural ingredients, real people behind the products, and no bleach company in the background.
Burt's Bees is a registered trademark of The Clorox Company. Clean Lifestyle Directory is not affiliated with Burt's Bees or The Clorox Company.
FAQ
Questions shoppers usually ask
Why look for an alternative to Burt's Bees?
Because ownership, ingredient standards, and brand incentives can all shift over time. This page surfaces cleaner options with stronger alignment.
How are these alternatives chosen?
We combine ownership research with category-specific clean standards and link to brands already vetted in the directory.