10 Nontoxic Shampoos Without Harmful Chemicals (2024)
The Good Trade editors endorse products we’ve personally researched, tested, and genuinely love. Learn more about our methodology and business model here.
I personally tried over a dozen natural shampoos and conditioners — these are my top 10 picks that use natural and organic ingredients.
Squeaky clean hair is one of my favorite feelings, right up there with clean sheets day and that first breath of fresh mountain air. And when it comes to personal care products, I feel even cleaner when I avoid shampoos and conditioners with sulfates or other harsh chemicals. But, with my oily hair, it isn’t easy to strike the right balance. I want something that isn’t stripping but still gets my hair clean enough to not necessitate another way on day two. So, I tested these shampoos and conditioners with natural and organic ingredients to make sure they’re gentle yet powerful for any hair type.
Why choose nontoxic shampoos and conditioners?
Our editors are big fans of shampoos that are free of harmful sulfates — sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), to be precise. These harsh surfactants can strip color from color-treated hair, along with your hair’s natural moisture, leaving it drier and more prone to breakage. Sulfates also have the potential to disrupt our hormones, too.
We also like to avoid parabens and endocrine-disrupting phthalates, which none of the products on this list have. In general, we like to look for formulations with simple, natural ingredients and no synthetic fragrances. A brand’s ethos and sustainability practices are incredibly important to us, too, which is why you’ll find B-Corps throughout this list, along with brands that are plastic-free or even certified climate-neutral.
To those ends, here are a few of our favorite natural shampoos without toxic chemicals on the market right now, each of which has been editor-tested and approved. Read on for more details about these natural shampoos and their conditioner counterparts, and find out which one might be right for you.
Our methodology and criteria:
The Good Trade was sent over a dozen natural haircare products to review and I personally tested them to determine the very best.
A little background: I have thin, fine, shoulder-length straight hair that gets super greasy. I have a lot of hair, but I also have breakage from years of bleaching that I’m currently reversing — I’m growing out my natural color so my hair is dyed brown on the ends and natural brown at the roots. So when I reviewed the below nontoxic shampoos, each was tested with a double shampoo, because that’s always what my oily hair needs!
Our team also scoured thousands of online reviews and drew on a decade of experience researching, testing, and corresponding with organic haircare brands. The criteria for our selections fall into the below categories, and we regularly update this list with emerging favorites.
- NATURAL/ORGANIC | Each shampoo is free of sodium lauryl sulfate and other harsh ingredients, many with certifications to back them up (like B-Corp or EWG verified).
- EFFICACY | I personally tested each product for efficacy, and you’ll find more details about exactly how each one left my hair feeling.
- AFFORDABLE | Cost is a number-one factor for a lot of folks, so we’ve included a range of price points here. They go for over $4 per ounce at the high end to less than $1 per ounce at the low end.
- SCENT | I’m a sucker for a good scent! I’ve described the scent of each shampoo below, and noted which ones might be a bit too strong for folks who are sensitive to smell.
To learn more about natural, clean beauty, check out our lists of natural skincare, aluminum-free natural deodorants, and plastic-free shampoo bars.
Best Overall | Most Affordable | Best Scent | Best Lather | Most Natural Ingredients
1. Sienna Naturals
Best For | Textured hair
Natural & Organic | Vegan, no sulfates, silicone, parabens, fillers, or synthetic fragrance
Price Range | $24 (discounted subscriptions available); $2.40/ounce
Vegan hair care line Sienna Naturals made waves when it relaunched in 2020 with a new co-owner, Issa Rae. The brand creates products for textured and curly hair that focus on hair and scalp health and that don’t include harsh chemicals. Their H.A.P.I. Shampoo is a foaming cleanser that deeply cleans while delivering moisture that helps detangle and restore natural curl patterns. The product wins award after award, including a Byrdie 2022 Eco Award and a Cosmopolitan 2023 Holy Grail Beauty Award. The brand’s matching Untangled Conditioner helps with hydration and easy detangling.
My Review | They weren’t lying when they called this a “moisture-rich foaming cleanser.” It produces a beautiful thick, rich, silky lather that feels cleansing but not at all stripping. While my hair is pretty much the opposite of this product’s target hair type, it still worked beautifully on my thin, straight locks — but its rich, velvety lather would be especially great for someone with thick, curly, or coily hair. Its spa-like lavender and geranium scent was subtle and calming.
2. Prose
Best For | Personalized formulations
Natural & Organic | Natural ingredients, no parabens, sulfates, or GMOs
Price Range | $34 (discounted subscriptions available); $4/ounce
Since everyone’s hair is different, Prose believes everyone’s shampoo should be, too. The hair care brand crafts custom formulations depending on your hair type, hair concerns, and even the environmental factors where you live, like UV exposure and humidity. The result is a formula that’s 100% yours, with your name on the label. You can opt for individual shampoos or conditioners, or invest in the complete systems, which also come with a treatment mask and oral supplements. Prose is a certified B Corp and Climate Neutral, they formulate with no harsh chemicals, and they bottle everything in their Brooklyn factory.
My Review | After I took Prose’s test, my hair care system came beautifully packaged, with literature that told me about my customized products. Based on my test results, the shampoo they sent me focuses on volumizing, fiber repair, and color protection. I chose the scent Aura, a limited edition summer 2023 fragrance that I’ve unfortunately fallen in love with for its breezy, gender-neutral scent with notes of musk and florals. The shampoo lathered well and left my hair with a squeak just like Ceremonia below, but its formulation was a bit thicker. And in the days after, I definitely noticed my hair looking more voluminous than usual! The brand isn’t cheap by any means, but it’s so worth it — I love how elevated it feels while still staying moderately priced.
3. Ursa Major
Best For | A shampoo for the whole family
Natural & Organic | Vegan, certified plastic-negative
Price Range | $26; $3.25/ounce
A Good Trade fave, Ursa Major is a B-Corp based in Vermont that specializes in no-frills skincare. They have a tight lineup of bodycare products, too, including deodorant, soap, shampoo, and conditioner. The brand calls its products, infused with natural ingredients, “super refreshing,” and “wildly effective.” They’re super transparent about sustainability, too — they’re certified plastic negative, they use FSC-certified paper for most of their secondary packaging, and they produce 90% of their cartons at a carbon neutral facility.
My Review | Another beautifully scented product, Ursa Major’s shampoo smells like Christmas trees. It worked into a fairly rich lather that didn’t feel too stripping — lots of shampoos make this claim, but I think this “Go Easy” shampoo is truly designed for all hair types. It was lathery enough to remove product buildup, yet gentle enough on my fine hair, leaving it feeling bouncy and hydrated. The balsam scent was the cherry on top, making this stuff a shower staple for everyone in the family, no matter their hair type.
4. Ceremonia
Best For | Plant-based ingredients sourced from Latin America
Natural & Organic | Natural ingredients, no parabens, sulfates, or silicones
Price Range | $20; $2.35/ounce
“Growing up as a Latin American immigrant in a homogenous country like Sweden, I never found myself represented in mainstream media and the products I consumed,” says Ceremonia founder Babba Riviera on their website, so she set out to make a hair care brand that focuses on Latinx heritage. They source ingredients from Central and South America, and the brand offers three different shampoo/conditioner sets for different hair types — one for thick and dry hair, one for fine and thin hair, and one for damage repair and color protection. All products come in beautifully chic packaging with pumps.
My Review | I opted for the Champú de Yucca for Fine/Thin Hair. The formula was surprisingly runny compared to other shampoos I’ve used, but it lathered up well. And despite not having the most intense lather ever, it made my hair squeaky clean, literally — as I washed out my second shampoo, my fingers satisfyingly squeaked against my clean strands, leaving my hair feeling super lightweight. I especially loved the scent on this one: citrusy, musky, floral, and expensive-smelling, with a touch of eucalyptus.
5. 100% PURE
Best For | Plant-forward formulations
Natural & Organic | Certified organic ingredients, no chemical preservatives, artificial colors, or fragrances
Price Range | $24 – $38; starting at $2.37/ounce
California-based 100% Pure is cruelty-free and uses all-natural ingredients in their hair care formulations. They offer a range of different shampoos, conditioners, and hair treatments targeting different hair types and concerns, all with botanical-forward ingredients like a “restorative” system with honey and a “healthy scalp” set with neem. The company is Green Business Certified and offers skincare, body care, and makeup products, too.
My Review | I tested the Kelp & Mint Volumizing Shampoo, a hydrating, gently purifying formula. I loved its fresh, minty scent, and its ingredient list is super clean — it’s made almost exclusively of plant extracts and oils. It didn’t foam up as much as most cleansers, so while that made it super gentle on my hair and dye job, it might not be the best option when your hair has a ton of product in it. But I loved how invigorating its scent was in the morning, and it comes in huge, cost-effective sizes.
6. True Botanicals
Best For | Scent
Natural & Organic | Made Safe and EWG verified
Price Range | $34; $4.25/ounce
Known for their luscious, high-end, plant extract-forward skincare products, True Botanicals also makes a shampoo that you might not have heard about. The brand focuses on what it calls “bioholistic skin science,” formulating with ingredients that are as little processed as possible. They take sustainability seriously, too — they’re Made Safe, EWG, and FSC certified. Their price points are typically nothing to scoff at, but at $34, the shampoo isn’t all that bad. And it came in one of the most sustainable packaging materials on the planet: Aluminum.
My Review | Before I even applied this stuff, I knew it would take the trophy for best scent — it was citrusy and herbal, with honey notes (from the ylang ylang!), all grounded in musk to make it gender-neutral. And I wasn’t disappointed with the application. Because of the product’s slip, a little went a long way, and it worked in a rich lather quickly — in fact, it might be a little too strong for everyday use for my thin hair. The aluminum packaging is a huge plus for me, too, helping me reduce the amount of plastic in my shower. At the price point, I can’t say I’d purchase again, but I’ll definitely use up the entire bottle I was gifted.
7. Ethique
Best For | Shampoo bar, minimal packaging
Natural & Organic | B-Corp certified, plastic-free, cruelty-free, palm oil-free
Price Range | $16
New Zealand-based B-Corp Ethique is revolutionizing the haircare space with a full lineup of plastic-free bar shampoos and conditioners, and their sustainability initiatives don’t stop there — they plant a tree for every online order, and they donate 2% of their sales to charity. They offer shampoo bars for all sorts of concerns, from frizz to oil to curls, and they carry some face and body products, too, like deodorant, body wash, moisturizers, and lip balm.
My Review | This was my first-ever shampoo bar experience, and it didn’t disappoint. I’ve always been worried a shampoo bar wouldn’t give me enough lather to thoroughly cleanse my oily hair, but this one absolutely did. It took a minute or two of rubbing between my hands, but it was all worth it when it worked up a rich, citrus-smelling lather that fully refreshed my hair — a little too well, actually, since it left that squeaky feeling some hard bar soaps leave on your body. A little goes a long way with this one, and note that it also has sodium coco-sulfate. But some of their other bars don’t have sulfates, giving you a more balanced, moisturizing cleanse at a super affordable price and with no plastic.
8. Vegamour
Best For | Stimulating hair growth
Natural & Organic | Vegan
Price Range | $38; $4.75/ounce
A holistic haircare brand, Vegamour uses only the highest quality ingredients in their shampoos, conditioners, and serums. Their products are not cheap, but they formulate with a science-driven approach, using ingredients that can be effectively absorbed and synthesized by the body. The products are 100% vegan, and they often use Karmatin, a vegan alternative to keratin. All products are clinically tested, so you know they really work, and they target different concerns like hair growth, hair damage, and dandruff. Don’t just take my word for it — our other editor also reviewed and loved Vegamour for hair regrowth.
My Review | I was pleasantly shocked at how much this one lathered up! The bubbles were silky and smooth, and it has a gorgeous floral scent that’s powdery and jasmine-y — not everyone will love it, but I definitely do. It had a funky screw cap that did make dispensing a tiny bit difficult, but they’ve updated that in more recent versions. It also gave a little too much lather for comfort, which checked out when I realized it uses the same cleansing agent as the clarifying shampoo I use every few weeks to reduce buildup. As much as I loved this one, it’ll be a special occasion-only product for when I want a luxurious scent and squeaky clean locks — or to treat specific concerns around hair loss.
9. Innersense
Best For | Organic ingredients, refill pouches
Natural & Organic | No parabens, silicones, sulfates, or synthetic fragrances
Price Range | $9 – $64; starting at $2/ounce
Innersense is based around one simple principle: to formulate organic products that put your health first. The family-run brand was started by a husband and wife team — Joanne is a former salon stylist, and Greg is a clean formula expert who’s worked for some of hair care’s top brands. Now, they make a huge lineup of clean, affordable shampoos, conditioners, treatments, and styling products. They make a purple shampoo, a hydrating cream shampoo, and a hypoallergenic clarifying shampoo, among others, and they always formulate without synthetic fragrances or “questionable ingredients.”
My Review | I opted for Innersense’s Color Awakening Hairbath, designed for medium texture and/or colored and damaged hair to help protect my hair’s color. It lathered up well and left my hair feeling healthy and hydrated. It’s formulated with raw coconut, shea butter, and avocado and pumpkin seed oils, making a rich shampoo that’s a touch too much for my thin hair. But it would’ve been the ticket back when my hair was super damaged from regular double processing. And the scent was delicious — it smelled exactly like those orange lollipops you’d get from the doctor as a kid!
10. Attitude
Best For | Most affordable
Natural & Organic | Vegan, EWG-verified
Price Range | $12; $0.75/ounce
Known for their EWG-verified laundry detergents, Attitude has ventured into the space of cleaning your hair, too. The brand creates high-performance cleaning products and personal care products that run the gamut from air purifiers to toothpaste to face serums, and much of their packaging is designed to reduce plastic. The most affordable products on this list (by far!), their shampoos are still made with 98% naturally sourced ingredients, and you can usually find their products at places like Whole Foods and Walmart.
My Review | This is pretty much your standard drugstore shampoo, but with a fresh, invigorating orange scent and 98% natural ingredients for peace of mind. It has a thick formula that was easy to apply (unlike those runnier ones) and it foamed up a ton. Note that it’s not sulfate-free — it uses sodium coco-sulfate, which is a milder alternative to the common sodium lauryl sulfate, but it’s still not a product I would use on my hair every day. This is a great affordable, basic option, as long as you don’t use it every day or have super dry or damaged hair.
Natalie Gale is a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade. She is a Boston-based freelance journalist. When she’s not writing about art, food, or sustainability, you can find her biking to the farmers’ market, baking, sewing, or planning her next Halloween costume. Say hi on Instagram!
