Method body wash is generally considered safe to use during pregnancy. It’s free of several ingredients that major medical organizations flag as concerns for pregnant people, including parabens, phthalates, and triclosan. That said, it does contain synthetic fragrance, which is the one ingredient worth a closer look.
What’s Actually in Method Body Wash
Looking at a typical Method body wash (their Coconut Milk formula), the ingredient list is relatively short: water, glycerin, sodium chloride, sodium coco sulfate, citric acid, aloe extract, a conditioning agent, fragrance, and a handful of mild surfactants and preservatives. The preservative system uses benzyl alcohol and dehydroacetic acid rather than parabens, which is a deliberate choice Method highlights on their packaging.
Method markets their body washes as “made without parabens, phthalates, or bad vibes.” While the last part is obviously marketing, the first two claims are meaningful during pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists specifically recommends avoiding products containing phthalates, parabens, oxybenzone, and triclosan. Method body wash contains none of these four.
The Fragrance Question
The one area where Method doesn’t fully align with ACOG guidance is fragrance. ACOG recommends looking for products marked “fragrance free,” and most Method body washes are scented. The ingredient list includes “fragrance (parfum),” which is a catch-all term that can represent dozens of individual chemical compounds. Companies aren’t required to disclose the specific ingredients that make up a fragrance blend, so there’s no way to know exactly what’s in it from the label alone.
The concern with synthetic fragrance during pregnancy isn’t that it’s been proven harmful. It’s that the umbrella term can sometimes hide phthalates or other chemicals used to stabilize scents. Method states they don’t use phthalates, which offers some reassurance, but “fragrance free” products eliminate this uncertainty entirely. If you want to stay on the cautious side, Method does make a “Free + Clear” line of household products, though their scented body washes are what most people have in their shower.
Sodium Coco Sulfate vs. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
You might notice Method uses sodium coco sulfate as its main cleansing agent rather than sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which is the harsher surfactant found in many conventional body washes. The two are chemically related, but sodium coco sulfate is a less processed version derived from coconut oil and is typically gentler on skin.
This matters during pregnancy because your skin often becomes more sensitive, drier, or more reactive due to hormonal shifts. SLS at high concentrations can irritate skin and strip moisture. Sodium coco sulfate still produces a good lather but tends to be less drying. Method also includes glycerin and aloe extract, both of which help counteract any drying effect from the surfactants. For most pregnant people, this combination is unlikely to cause irritation.
Preservatives in Method Products
The preservatives in Method body wash, benzyl alcohol and dehydroacetic acid, are a mild pairing commonly used in products marketed as “clean” or “natural.” Benzyl alcohol occurs naturally in some fruits and teas and is widely regarded as safe in the small concentrations used in rinse-off products like body wash. Dehydroacetic acid serves as a gentle antimicrobial to keep the product from growing bacteria on your shelf.
Neither of these preservatives appears on any major list of ingredients to avoid during pregnancy. They replace the more controversial options like parabens (which can mimic estrogen in the body) and methylisothiazolinone (a potent preservative linked to skin sensitization that some body care brands still use).
Practical Considerations
Body wash sits on your skin for a very short time before being rinsed off. This matters when thinking about ingredient safety because the actual exposure is minimal compared to leave-on products like lotions, serums, or sunscreens. Even ingredients that might raise flags in a leave-on product pose far less concern in something that’s on your body for 30 seconds.
If you’re already using Method body wash and enjoying it, there’s little reason to switch based on the ingredient profile alone. The product avoids the four specific chemicals ACOG calls out, uses a gentler surfactant system than many drugstore alternatives, and relies on a mild preservative blend. The only meaningful improvement would be choosing an unscented body wash if you want to fully eliminate fragrance exposure, which is a reasonable but not urgent step. Your skin’s comfort matters too. If a product isn’t causing irritation, redness, or dryness, that’s a good sign it’s working well with your changing skin chemistry.