Natural Shampoos Are Easy on Your Scalp, and the Planet

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Switching to a natural shampoo can be quite intimidating. Firstly, you’ll need to come to terms with the fact that the shampoos you have been using for years—and most of the available options at your drugstore—may be bad for the environment and bad for your hair and scalp. Common shampoos often contain parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and other chemicals that are not readily biodegradable, and can strip away your natural oils creating dryness. Additionally, such chemicals can cause irritation or allergic reactions for those with sensitive skin or allergies.

Secondly, it may seem like you have to be an actual chemist to read the ingredients labels on shampoo bottles to understand which are harmful chemicals and which are naturally derived. The heavy marketing language on shampoo bottles doesn't help, either. “There are no regulations regarding natural shampoos, and any company can claim their shampoo as natural while still using harsh chemicals,” Board-certified NYC cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Michele Green told Men’s Health.

Lastly, choosing which natural shampoo is right for you can be overwhelming in itself with a plethora of options available. We don’t expect everyone to understand it all, so to help you make the move to a more environmentally friendly, cruel-free, healthier and natural shampoo, we’ve compiled this list of the best natural shampoos you can buy.

Shampoo for Moisture and Control

If you have thick curly or coily hair, Oribe Shampoo for Moisture & Control should be your choice. Recommended by certified trichologist Penny James, Oribe because, “all ingredients used are high-quality and user-friendly,” Oribe is free of parabens, sulfates, and sodium chloride.

The brand has variations for other hair types, but this option is designed to get your tresses, curls, and kinks under control with added moisture.

GRO Revitalizing Shampoo

If you’re trying to not just avoid harmful chemicals, but also encourage new hair growth, VEGAMOUR GRO is your best shampoo option. As its name suggests, this shampoo is vegan with active ingredients such as red clover to help improve hair follicle growth, mung bean that also supports hair growth and prevents breakage, and karmatin to give your hair a silk-like shine.

After testing VEGAMOUR for a few months of consistent use, Men’s Health confirmed the shampoo does help hair become stronger and more lustrous, but we didn’t notice significant hair growth.

Read more: Best Hair Thickening Shampoo

Curiously Clarifying Shampoo

If you’re in need of a clarifying shampoo for a deeper way to remove excess oil, dirt, and product buildup from your hair and scalp, consider Acure Curiously Clarifying Shampoo. It’s a natural shampoo that is designed to boost shine and replenish moisture, and recommended by Dr. Green.

“Its formulation is vegan and free from formaldehyde, mineral oil, parabens, petrolatum, and sulfates,” the cosmetic dermatologist said. “This shampoo contains lemongrass and argan oil to cleanse the hair from excess dirt and oil without stripping natural oils or coloring from the hair.”

All-Natural Shampoo Bar

Natural shampoos are not only healthier for the users, but also better for the environment because of their biodegradable ingredients. If the eco-friendly aspect is what does it for you, then consider J. R. Liggett's All-Natural Shampoo Bar. Shampoo bars are concentrated, which means they do not contain 70-80% water like most liquid shampoos; each 3.5 ounce-bar of J.R. Liggett's is the equivalent of about 24 ounces of liquid shampoo. Additionally, shampoo bars come in minimalist packaging, which means less plastic than other alternatives.

Aside from the environmental benefits, J.R. Liggett's is considered one of the best shampoo bars you can buy, and for good reason. Handmade with a blend of natural oils including coconut oil, argan oil, tea tree oil, olive oil, castor oil and hemp oil, the shampoo is gentle and safe for those with allergies and sensitivities. The bar lathers up nicely when you apply it directly on the scalp (instead of rubbing it between your palms), and gives hair a noticeably soft and silky feel.

Conditioning Shampoo and Body Wash

If you and your family live an active lifestyle, the best natural shampoo option is Stream2Sea Conditioning Shampoo and Body Wash. The 3-in-1 shampoo, conditioner, and body wash is reef safe for beach and ocean swimmers, and ideal for other outdoor activities like camping and backpacking. It is made with green tea, tulsi, wakame, and olive leaf with a unique sweet scent of fig and grapefruit.

Glossy Locks Glossing Shampoo

Non-natural shampoos will often strip out the oils in your hair and scalp. If your hair is typically oily, switching to a natural shampoo may be challenging because the aggressive harmful chemicals in typical shampoos are not there. If that’s you, consider 100% PURE Glossy Locks Glossing Shampoo, which is designed to gently wash away buildup.

It is made with seaweed collagen to boost your collagen production, ginger to reduce hyperpigmentation, and sea buckthorn for moisture. Other natural ingredients include apple cider vinegar, avocado butter, and sake.

Read more: Best Natural Deodorants

Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo

Apple cider vinegar is a natural ingredient you want to find in your shampoos because it adds a protective layer to your hair’s protein and moisture, and naturally clarifies buildup. WOW Skin Science Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo goes another step further for those struggling with hair loss or dandruff. The shampoo is also made with sweet almond oil to strengthen and add shine, and nettle leaf extract, which has anti-inflammatory properties to soothe the scalp.

Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Shampoo

This natural shampoo, while designed for textured hair, will benefit anyone with dry hair, as well. SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Shampoo is packed with organic and fair-trade ingredients. Jamaican black castor oil provides moisture and supports hair growth, shea butter moisturizes and conditions hair and scalp, and peppermint to help prevent hair loss. It also has apple cider vinegar, which adds a protective layer to your hair’s protein and moisture.

Read more: Best Natural Soaps

Strengthening Shampoo

Is natural shampoo new to you? Native Vegan Strengthening Shampoo is a great entry product to help you make the switch because of its budget price. Don’t allow the price to fool you. This natural shampoo is specifically designed for those with damaged hair. Like other natural shampoos, it is free of parabens, silicone and dyes. However, it also does not include some of the natural ingredients typically found in other options like apple cider vinegar, coconut, or argan oil.

Custom Shampoo

We don’t all have the same hair type or concerns, making a one-size-fits-all shampoo—even natural ones—quite challenging for many users. Prose solves that problem by designing a custom shampoo for each of its customers. After taking a questionnaire about your hair, lifestyle, and environment, the company will create a personalized shampoo based on dozens of factors. Prose is safe for those with color treated hair, and—like other natural shampoos—avoids harmful ingredients like sulfates, parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, and alcohol.

Shampoo

Reverie is made with sugar cane and coconut designed to give you a thick lather while shampooing your hair, while also not stripping out the hydration non-natural shampoos tend to do. It also has added amino acids and almond oil to strengthen and moisturize your hair.

Like other natural shampoos, Reverie is free of sulfates, silicones, parabens, and phthalates. It also does not have any artificial fragrances, artificial coloring, animal derivatives, or other harmful chemicals.

What Are the Benefits of Natural Shampoos?

According to Dr. Green, “Natural shampoos are great for individuals with sensitive skin, allergies, and dry and colored hair. Natural shampoos do not contain harsh chemicals such as sulfates, alcohol, and parabens, which “can strip the hair of natural oils and coloring, leading to irritation, dryness, or dandruff on the scalp,” the NYC-based dermatologist added.

Additionally, by reducing perfumes, sulfates, and other harsh ingredients from a shampoo will help keep the hair soft from drying out, Penny James told Men’s Health. “Natural shampoo often has hydrating effects on the scalp. It can help balance the microbiome of the scalp,” the trichologist said.

Natural shampoos are also better for the environment. “Since they do not typically contain

polluting chemicals, the residual soap that travels down the drain will not harm oceans or waterways,” Dr. Green said.

Are Natural Shampoos for Everyone?

While the benefits of natural shampoos are an abundance, it may not be for all hair types. Because natural shampoos are gentler, they might not create as strong of a cleanse as sulfate-containing shampoos,” Dr. Green told Men’s Health. “Natural shampoos may not be able to clarify all of the oil or buildup in those with oily hair or those who sweat excessively.”

As for who should use natural shampoos, James recommends it to her clients with rosacea (facial redness, rash on the face, and eye irritation) at her trichology center in New York.

“Due to the high sensitivity of the epidermis, avoid sulfates in shampoo and stay with one with natural ingredients.” The certified trichologist added that natural shampoos are also recommended for those with “other skin problems like psoriasis and dry skin on the scalp with scales.”

Which Ingredients Should You Avoid in a Natural Shampoo?

Natural shampoos by definition only include natural ingredients and avoid chemicals that are harmful to your skin, scalp, and the environment.

“Some ingredients to avoid in shampoos include formaldehyde, formaldehyde-releasers, and phthalates,” Dr. Green said. “While the levels of formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers in shampoos are minimal, they can still lead to irritation, contact allergies, or dermatitis. Phthalates are a man-made chemical used in shampoos as a binding agent.”

All of the natural shampoos in our list are sulfate-free. “When you have skin problems,” James told Men’s Health, “sulfates can irritate and cause more inflammation.” She also added that parabens, which typically are not in natural shampoos, “should be avoided to dry the hair shaft. Phthalates are a form of plastic and unsuitable for the hair or skin; even though it will

give the hair flexibility, the chemical builds up on the hair shaft.”

What to Do if Switching to a Natural Shampoo Doesn’t Help?

Depending on your issue or concern—whether it’s hair loss, thinning, dryness, irritation, or oily hair—you may be testing the wrong product altogether. “Caring for your scalp and hair involves seeing a trichologist for a scalp analysis,” James, a trichologist herself recommends. A trichologist can “help determine if you need a medicated shampoo or one that you can get online.”

Meet the Experts

• Dr. Michele Green, MD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist based in New York City.

• Penny James, a board-certified trichologist based in New York City.

How We Selected the Best Natural Shampoos for Men

Ehab Zahriyeh is a seasoned commerce writer and editor with over a decade of experience. For this story, he consulted with experts like Dr. Green and James on what to look for in the best natural shampoos. Our Grooming Editor Garrett Munce also provided his expertise for this story, as he's tested more than 30 natural shampoos in the past year alone.

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