The Best Organic Shampoos & Conditioners for Less Toxic Hair Care
More and more people are ditching traditional hair products for organic, environmentally conscious shampoos and conditioners. Over the past few years as people have learned about the harmful chemicals lurking in hair and skin products, the demand for organic hair care products has increased.
The more people making the swap to organic hair and beauty products, the better as this is a win for our health and the health of the planet.
This guide features a list of some great organic shampoo brands (including a few of my favorite) and explores some of the potentially harmful ingredients commonly found in traditional shampoos.
Pin this clean hair care guide for later
This post does contain some affiliate links which means The Honest Consumer may receive a commission if you decide to purchase, however, at no additional cost to you!
What Makes a Shampoo or Conditioner Organic?
An organic product is made without chemical pesticides or fertilisers and doesn’t contain synthetic chemicals. Sometimes organic products or ingredients are certified by a third party.
Other times they are just grown or created using organic practices. While some articles refer to ‘natural shampoos’ and organic shampoos interchangeably, these two words don’t mean the same thing.
As the definition of a ‘natural’ is not clearly defined, any company can proclaim to have natural shampoo, whilst in reality, they’re full of artificial chemicals.
Certified Organic Shampoos and Conditioner vs. Made with Organic Ingredients
To prove to their customers that a hair care brand is committed to being a conscious business and has the well being of their customers in mind, beauty and hair care product brands can get a USDA Organic certification.
This third party certification guarantees that the product is organic and environmentally friendly.
In order for the product to be labeled organic at least 95% of ingredients must be organic.
Some shampoos are made with certified organic ingredients, whilst their brand may not have certification. For an in-depth read on the USDA certification labels this fact sheet is very informative.
Another certification to look for is ECOCERT Cosmos Organic. A beauty care product is COSMOS ORGANIC certified only if 95% minimum of the plants it contains are organic and at least 20% of organic ingredients are present in the total formula (10% for rinse-off products)
It's also important to note that official third party certifications cost time and money that a lot of small business owners don't have.
So if you're shopping for organic shampoo or conditioner bars at you local farmers market be mindful that smaller brands might not be able to go through this intense certification process, but they might still be using organic ingredients.
It's okay to ask about their ingredient list and supply chain. Hair care brands that are using sustainable ingredients will be excited to tell you about them and happy you asked.
6 of the Best Organic Shampoo and Conditioner Brands
If you’re ready to give organic shampoo and conditioner a try we’ve made a list to make it easy. These brands are either USDA Certified Organic or using organic ingredients.
These organic brands show that they value sustainability through their packaging and supply chain.
Avalon Organics: USDA Certified Organic Shampoo and Conditioner
Price Range: $8-$20
Avalon Organics plant-based shampoos and conditioners are ‘formulated with organic botanicals and essential oils.' This shampoo and conditioner is USDA certified.
Customers can find unique scents such as lemon, apple cider vinegar, maple sap and magnolia, and more. My personal go-to scent is their lavender.
Avalon Organics is also available at Amazon and select grocery stores such as Whole Foods.
Why I Love Avalon Organics: I’ve purchased the lavender shampoo and conditioner from Avalon Organics multiple times. I really love the smell, quality, and how it made my hair feel. It’s a popular product in my household…it’s even become my husbands go-to shampoo!
Plaine Products Vegan Refillable Shampoo & Conditioners
Price Range: $6-$30
Plaine Products makes organic hair, body, and face care with organic ingredients. What makes them particularly special is that once you have used up all your shampoo, you can send the same container back for a refill.
All of their products are made with organic ingredients, vegan, and non-GMO. They’re also hypoallergenic and cruelty-free. Their shampoo contains Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, organic green tea, and more.
Their 16 oz bottles of shampoo and conditioner can be purchased for $30.
Why I Love Plain Products: I have tried their shampoo and conditioner and really loved both of these products. I think their refillable container system is very unique and shows they value sustainability.
EcoRoots Organic Shampoo & Conditioner Bars
Price Range: $12-$21
EcoRoots shampoo and conditioner bars are unisex and work great for all hair types. Their plastic free shampoo bars are Silicone Free, Phthalate-free & Paraben Free and will last around 50 washes.
The shampoo and conditioner bars are made in small batches in the USA.
Why I Love EcoRoots: I’ve tried quite a few EcoRoots products and am always impressed by the quality of their goods and their dedication to zero waste. Their shampoo and conditioner bars are exceptional!
I think they’re a great starting place for anyone curious about switching to bars. My personal favorite scent is the summer breeze!
EVOLVh’s Consciously Formulated Shampoo & Conditioner
Price Range: $8-$72
EVOLVh has been pioneering the clean beauty & hair movement since 2009. EVOLVh thoughtfully sources their ingredients for purity, safety, and environmental impact.
Their products are sulfate-free, paraben free, phthalate free, propylene glycol-free, silicone-free, gluten free, GMO free, vegan, cruelty free, and free of synthetic fragrance.
EVOLVh hair care meets the Credo standard and uses organic + ECOCERT ingredients. Plus, their bottles are recyclable AND they also have a recycling program for pumps and caps.
Why I Love EVOLVh: I’ve been using EVOLVh’s Ultrashine Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner for a while and it’s great! It is a lighter weight formula which has been great for my thinner hair! I also love how the scent is subtle.
Use the discount code HONEST for 15% off your order!
MEOW MEOW TWEET'S ECO-FRIENDLY HAIR CARE
Price Range: $12-$24
An all-natural vegan apothecary, Meow Meow Tweet is all about providing ethical, eco-friendly, and sustainable personal care products, including shampoo and conditioner powders and bars.
Meow Meow Tweet’s products are palm-free and Fair Trade, using ingredients that are certified organic, non-GMO, and sourced from strong or renewable plant populations. They use only raw and unrefined plant oils and butters, along with steam-distilled and cold-pressed essential oils and house-made extractions.
Why I Recommend Meow Meow Tweet: I’ve tried quite a few Meow Meow Tweet products over the years and while I haven’t specifically tried their shampoo, I know their products are high quality! I love that they prioritize organic AND fair trade ingredients.
Fat and the Moon: Small Batch Hair Care Made with Organic Ingredients
Price Range: $18-$26
Fat and the Moon creates "handcrafted, herbal body care products to those seeking nature and effective alternative to chemical-filled products.”
They have an impressive range of organic hair care including shampoo and conditioner bars, shampoo powders, dry shampoo, and day to day shampoo and conditioner in reusable containers.
Their sulfate-free, all-natural, and non-toxic formulas feature botanical elements and focus on not stripping the moisture from natural hair.
Why I Recommend Fat & the Moon: This brand uses a wide range of organic and ethically sourced ingredients in their non-toxic shampoo and conditioner products. Plus, their packaging is zero waste!
Toxic Ingredients in Regular Shampoo
The harsh reality is that regular shampoos and conditioners are pumped full of synthetic chemicals. These can not only damage your hair and cause skin irritation, but have been linked to more serious health issues, including cancer.
A few key ingredients to look out for and avoid include:
Sulfates act as a foaming agent in traditional shampoos, providing a heavy lather. However, some studies found sulfates strip your hair and scalp of their natural moisture and irritate skin cells. Studies have also found that sodium laurel sulfate and sodium laureate sulphate can cause mutations that lead to cancer. However, it’s unlikely that the limited exposure we experience whilst washing our hair is enough to cause cancer, but this is a good incentive to choose sulfate-free shampoo.
Parabens are added to shampoo and conditioner to extend their shelf life. However, studies have found they increase the growth of breast cancer cells. As a result, a growing number of paraben-free products are hitting the market. When parabens leach into the environment, they wreak havoc on marine ecosystems. They persist for a long time in bodies of water and kill coral.
Synthetic Fragrances: To create one scent, hundreds of synthetic chemicals are used, and often there’s little research into how these chemicals interact with our bodies. They commonly irritate the skin, and people with sensitive skin would be wise to steer clear of artificial fragrances.
Why Is It Important to Choose Organic Shampoo and Conditioner?
Organic shampoos and conditioners typically harness the power of sustainably grown plant based oils and herbs to create high quality hair care. A few examples of these include:
Organic coconut oil can help keep the scalp moisturized and while promoting growth.
Select organic oils such as tea tree oil can help with itchy scalp.
Cold-pressed organic olive oil is naturally rich in Vitamin E, improves hair elasticity, and moisturises hair follicles.
Plant based ingredients are biodegradable, meaning they naturally break down in the environment, causing less damage once they go down the drain unlike conventional shampoos that contain artificial ingredients.
Organic shea butter helps to ramp up your hair's natural shine and makes it's colour extra vibrant.
Aloe vera is an anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal, and excellent cleanser, leaving your hair squeaky clean.
Shampoos made with organic ingredients are typically more suitable for sensitive skin and less likely to cause allergic reactions since there are not nasty chemicals lurking in organic personal care products.
The Environmental Impact of Shampoo
The simple act of rinsing the shampoo out of your hair and down the drain spreads these chemicals. They are found in groundwater, wastewater and even drinking water.
While the water we use is cleaned and processed, the water that wildlife lives in is not. High levels of these chemicals cause hormonal changes in aquatic organisms that can damage their ability to reproduce.
Along with the shampoo going down the drain, it's important to consider the packaging. Most conventional shampoos and conditioners come in plastic bottles. It's estimated that 552 million shampoo bottles could be ending up in landfills every year.
That's a huge impact. This is why shampoo bars are a great option as these sustainable options ditch the plastic.
To protect your hair and the planet, get yourself an organic environmentally friendly, shampoo and conditioner. Not only will your hair thank you, but it’ll also help cut your carbon footprint!
Hopefully this guide has helped you learn some of the toxic ingredients to look out for in the beauty industry and pushed you to look at choosing a nourishing shampoo made with organic ingredients.
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