I’ve tried dozens of non toxic shampoos over the last decade, and I’m finally sharing my curated favorites. The best clean shampoos are full of hair nourishing botanicals and made without harmful ingredients like harsh sulfates, parabens, silicones, synthetic color or chemical fragrance.

Ingredients to avoid in shampoo

• Sulfates (sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate): strip natural oils, dry out scalp
• Parabens (methylparaben, propylparaben):hormone disruptors, absorb through scalp easily
• Fragrance: irritates scalp, triggers allergies and contact dermatitis
• Phthalates: often hidden in fragrance, linked to hormone disruption
• Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (DMDM hydantoin, quaternium-15): irritating, potentially carcinogenic
• Polyethylene Glycol (PEG): can strip moisture and may be contaminated with harmful byproducts
• Silicones (dimethicone, cyclomethicone): coat hair and cause buildup, can suffocate scalp over time
• Synthetic dyes: irritate sensitive scalps, no benefit to hair health
• Triclosan: antibacterial agent linked to hormone disruption
• Cocamidopropyl betaine: common allergen, can cause scalp irritation and dermatitis

I tried Rahua Classic Shampoo & Conditioner

Rahua was one of the first all natural shampoo brands I tried a decade ago and it’s what got me hooked on the world of organic hair care. The shampoo is this thick hydrating gel that gives a good medium lather and does a great job at cleansing my scalp without stripping it. The conditioner I find to be quite thin, so not the best for dry or damaged hair. I much prefer using their Omega Mask as a conditioner instead. I love that all their products feature a unique Amazonian ingredient called Rahua oil, which is sustainably harvested from a fruit and helps strengthen strands and scalp health. The ingredients are mostly organic and feature rainforest botanicals, quinoa and pantheon. Their shampoo and conditioner both have a strong, grounding palo santo scent.

Great for: thin, fine, normal hair
Price: Shampoo $38 for 9.3 oz / Conditioner $40 for 9.3 oz
Refills: Yes

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I tried Acure Shampoo and Conditioner (under $10!)

Acure’s Ultra Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner was the first clean shampoo I tried and it still remains the best option under $10! It may not be luxurious, but clean does not have to break the bank. Their vegan, sulfate free formulas are gentle and cleanse my scalp and hair without stripping it of its natural moisture. It’s got TONS of botanical oils and extracts like Argan oil, Pumpkin Seed Oil, Blackberry Fruit Extract, Acai Fruit Extract, Dog Rose Fruit Extract, Pot Marigold Flower Extract, Rooibos Leaf Extract, Pomegranate Extract, Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, and Sweet Almond Seed Extract. The conditioner is on the lighter end, but if I leave it on long enough with the hot steam in the shower it does moisturize my dry hair. They have a wide variety of natural shampoo for different hair concerns like a volumizing shampoo, clarifying shampoo, smoothing shampoo, bonding shampoo and even one for people who workout daily.

Great for: all hair types, especially dry hair
Price: $9.99 for 8 oz
Refills: No (jumbo size available)

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I tried Necessaire Rosemary Shampoo and Conditioner

I’ve tried all of Necessaire’s shampoo and conditioner products over the years and love their advanced yet gentle formulas using plant surfactants and no harmful ingredients. The shampoo is great for dry, sensitive scalp and has a very thick gel consistency that lathers well. Even though it’s not technically formulated for oily scalp, I feel like this would actually be good for those who have oily scalp because it does an extremely thorough job at cleansing. My scalp gets oily very quickly and this seems to reduce the number days in between washes. My favorite is their Rosemary Shampoo for thinning hair, which has Pure Rosemary in Oil, Extract, and Water form, Plant Proteins, and Ceramides. There’s no SLS/LES, Silicones, Phthalates, Parabens and PEGs. Absolutely love the spa-like scent of rosemary, cedar and jasmine.

I went through the Necessaire conditioner SO fast. It’s too thin for me to use on my dry and damaged hair, so I used this along with a hair mask for two conditioning sessions. I’d say their conditioner is suited to fine and normal hair.

Great for: thinning hair
Price: $32 for 8.4 oz
Refills: No (jumbo size available)

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I tested Lolavie Shampoo and Conditioner for a few months and am impressed to say the least. I love that they refuse to use any water in all their products, which is so rare in this day and age. Instead, they use bamboo essence. The Restorative Shampoo is chock full of fermented essential minerals, botanical extracts, natural polymers derived from chia seeds and a “longevity complex” of niacinamide, panthenol, biotin, melatonin, and caffeine. Plus every product has the line’s proprietary bond technology. The shampoo has a creamy hydrating gel consistency and I find it to lather very well. I also noticed that the scent is very subtle and great for people who are sensitive to scents. Overall, it does a good job at cleansing my hair without leaving it feeling stripped.

Lolavie Conditioner is surprisingly rich, perfect for thick, dry or coarse hair types! It’s a heavy duty conditioner that isn’t watered down to be thin and light like many other natural conditioners I’ve tried. I love how concentrated it is and how it can aaaalmost work as a deep conditioning mask. It’s packed with a vegan keratin complex, coconut alkanes and long-chain carbohydrates derived from jackfruit. I would definitely repurchase this conditioner.

Great for: shampoo for all hair types, conditioner for thick / dry/ damaged hair
Price: Shampoo $32 for 8 oz / Conditioner $32 for 8 oz
Refills: No

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I tried 100% Pure Kelp & Mint Volumizing Shampoo

100 Percent Pure’s shampoos are all natural, organic and cruelty-free and great for all hair types. It’s a hydrating gel consistency and has the cleanest formula with an organic aloe vera leaf juice base and botanical extracts like neem, kelp, oregano and thyme. This gives a good gentle lather and cleanses and purifies my scalp well without weighing down my hair. They’ve got eight different types of shampoos to choose from, so there is one for every hair concern and type. Overall, I feel their shampoo is great for dry scalp over oily because they’re so hydrating.

Great for: for all hair types
Price: $24 for 8 oz
Refills: No (jumbo size available)

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I tried Jupiter Anti Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner

Jupiter makes the best anti-dandruff shampoo I’ve tried that’s clean, vegan, and free from sulfates, parabens, phthalates, dyes, BHTs, and MITs. There was a period when I could not get rid of my dandruff, and after the first time I used Jupiter I noticed less flakes with my dandruff completely gone after a few weeks. It’s got a creamy consistency that provides a good medium lather and has the most therapeutic scent ever that smells like a Finnish sauna. It’s great for both oily and flaky scalp because it fights dandruff, removes excess oil, and rebalances the scalp. I love the targeted formula with 1% zinc pyrithione to fight flake-causing yeast and botanicals like garlic bulb extract, apple fruit extract and rosemary leaf extract.

Great for: dandruff, flaky, oily, itchy scalp
Price: $25 for 14 oz
Refills: No

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I tried Ceremonia Color & Damage Protect Shampoo and Conditioner

This shampoo is the best for a dry scalp and damaged hair! I have to warn you though, that the scent is super strong and not all natural. But if you love a fragrant tropical scent, this may be up your alley. It’s got a very light, moisturizing consistency. It really does rehydrate my scalp while still adequately cleansing. I love that it protects hair from further damage from chlorine, salt water and UV. They source ingredients from Latin America like Guava Leaf Extract, Guava Fruit Extract, and Aloe Vera Leaf Powder. The conditioner has got a medium consistency that’s not too light nor rich. It absorbs well into my strands and my hair feels softer. My mom has extremely brittle hair and loves this one.

Great for: dry, damaged and colored hair
Price: $26 for 8.45 oz
Refills: No

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I tried Living Libations Shampoo

Living Libations makes one of the most underhyped natural shampoos in my opinion. This one is so good and made with the most vibrant plant ingredients. It gives a very mild lather from the combination of coco-protein and yucca root and is packed with botanicals like Calendula, Red Clover, Oatstraw, Horsetail, Coltsfoot, Stinging Nettles, Peppermint, sage and rosemary. I love the truly clean, botanicals formula and how gentle yet effective it is. If the price tag doesn’t sway you, I definitely recommend checking out Living Libations hair products.

Great for: all hair types
Price: $35 for 4 oz
Refills: No (jumbo sizes available)

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I tried John Masters Orgaics Shampoo for normal hair

John Masters Organics makes natural and nontoxic shampoos made of at least 70% organic ingredients. I find that they are best for fine to normal hair. Both their shampoo for normal hair and scalp shampoo have a thin, runny consistency. I appreciate that the formula begins with a base of Organic Aloe Vera Leaf Juice and includes naturally derived gentle surfectants and a boatload of botanical extracts that are amazing for hair like Horsetail Extract, Nettle Root Extract, and Comfrey Leaf Extract.

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