Also equally important to the clean beauty movement—and particularly to those of us looking to scoop up products from it—is a company’s ethos or its approach to sustainability as a whole. For years, women have used products like apple cider vinegar to cleanse their hair. Some have even used Castile soap to clarify hair too. Both are two of the best natural shampoo options out there—if you’re going to DIY in your kitchen, that is.
The Best Natural Shampoos
Browse our editor favorites for every single hair type, problem, and concern. While the definition of natural shampoo depends on the expert you ask, we’ve taken the approach that products concocted with natural ingredients and brands promoting positive sustainability efforts are worth earning our seal of natural shampoo approval.
1. TRESemmé Botanique Hemp Hydration Sulfate-Free Shampoo
The hero ingredient in TRESemmé Botanique Hemp Hydration Sulfate-Free Shampoo is oh-so-buzzy hemp oil. Derived from the hemp plant’s seeds, the lightweight oil instantly hydrates strands weightlessly, leaving even the most fine-haired, dry-stranded ladies with luscious locks after one wash.
2. SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo
SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo is not only free of sulfates but is so incredibly hydrating thanks to the 100% all natural shampoo hero ingredient, shea butter, which helps repair dry, damaged, or over-processed strands. This natural shampoo is perfect for those with 3C, 4B, and 4C curls who are transitioning from chemically-treated hair to natural.
3. TRESemmé Botanique Coconut Nourish Shampoo
For those with curlier strands, using a shampoo that’s rich in coconut oil will help you not only find a natural shampoo you love but also smooth strands and manage frizzies as well. Free of sulfates, TRESemmé Botanique Coconut Nourish Shampoo formula is infused with the heady, floral scent of jasmine and made of 92 percent natural ingredients.
4. SheaMoisture Sugarcane Extract & Meadowfoam Seed Miracle Multi-Benefit Shampoo
Comprised of an innovative blend of sugar cane, meadowfoam seed, marshmallow root, and phyto-proteins, the safe-for-colored-strands SheaMoisture Sugarcane Extract & Meadowfoam Seed Miracle Multi-Benefit Shampoo will leave those with curly or wavy hair noticeably smoother and healthier-looking after the first wash.
5. Love Beauty and Planet Murumuru Butter & Rose 2X Concentrated Sulfate-Free Shampoo
With literally twice the impact of a traditional shampoo formula, Love Beauty and Planet Murumuru Butter & Rose 2X Concentrated Sulfate-Free Shampoo requires you to use 50 percent less per wash, saving you from spending more and the environment from more waste. Here, the murumuru butter protects colored hair from damage while also moisturizing to create a healthy-looking gloss.
6. SheaMoisture Purple Rice Water Strength & Color Care Shampoo
Just because a formula’s natural doesn’t mean it can’t pull serious weight in the repair department. Take SheaMoisture Purple Rice Water Strength & Color Care Shampoo, which helps to clarify residue from colored strands while utilizing the rice’s protein and orchid extract to build strength from within each strand. This is easily one of the best natural shampoos for color treated hair.
7. Nexxus Clean & Pure Nourishing Detox Shampoo
Although pretty much anyone can benefit from a good hair detox from time to time, Nexxus Clean & Pure Nourishing Detox Shampoo does wonders at making dull, lifeless, or oily strands look like you came straight from the salon instead of your shower.
8. Love Beauty and Planet Black Tea Kombucha & Red Ginger Sulfate-Free Shampoo
It’s important to strip greasy strands with a good cleanser—but one that’s gently formulated, too. That’s where Love Beauty and Planet Black Tea Kombucha & Red Ginger Sulfate-Free Shampoo comes in: Kombucha is packed with vitamins B and C, which assist in cellular turnover, while the red ginger provides that tingly feeling of having freshly rinsed strands.
9. The Good Stuff Gentle Shampoo
If you’re looking for a do-it-all, works-for-everyone shampoo, look no further: The Good Stuff Gentle Shampoo is your solution. The clarifying, sulfate-free formula gently cleans hair of dirt and residue while prepping it for The Good Stuff’s companion, no-rinse conditioners.
10. Suave Cactus Flower Shine Shampoo
With 94 percent natural ingredients, this cleansing rinse gives all hair types an instant boost of shine thanks to the prickly pear extract, which also hydrates along with coconut and palm extracts too. Try using Suave Cactus Flower Shine Shampoo in place of a clarifying rinse once a week if your strands run on the drier side or several times weekly if you’re oilier.
11. Love Beauty & Planet Delightful Detox Charcoal & Bergamot Shampoo Scrub
Scalp cleansing is all the rage right now for a good reason: A healthy scalp is directly related to healthy hair. And thanks to natural shampoo formulas like Love Beauty & Planet Delightful Detox Charcoal & Bergamot Shampoo Scrub, you can now cleanse and scrub your scalp in one simple step. In this naturally derived formula, the activated charcoal helps to remove buildup and grime, while bergamot provides an energizing scent that’ll uplift your senses mid-scrub, too. Bergamot oil for hair also is a great anti-frizz solution and smooth hair cuticles.
12. SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Rhassoul Clay Shampoo Bar
Shampoo bars are amazing because of their eco-friendliness, avoiding using water in their formulation, and minimizing the amount of packaging used. The SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Rhassoul Clay Shampoo Bar lifts impurities away from even the thickest, curliest strands. Pro tip: Use the corner of the bar to work the lather into your scalp for the best results.
13. Love Beauty and Planet 2-in-1 Coconut Water & Mimosa Flower Shampoo and Conditioner Bar
At the other end of the natural shampoo bar spectrum is the Love Beauty and Planet 2-in-1 Coconut Water & Mimosa Flower Shampoo and Conditioner Bar, which offers one-step washing in a clean, eco-friendly package. Plus, it’s formulated for fine strands, with coconut water helping to pump up hair’s volume.
14. Suave Professionals Natural Refresh Dry Shampoo
Finally, although dry shampoo isn’t technically shampoo proper, it’s nice to know there are natural dry shampoo formulations available. Suave Professionals Natural Refresh Dry Shampoo not only works wonders on a variety of hair types but also helps to provide in-between-wash hydration with 100 percent, all-natural argan oil, too. Are you thinking about trying out one of these natural shampoos? Be sure to share the results with us over @AllThingsHairUS!
