Have you found yourself saying ‘no’ to social functions because you are genuinely having to wash your hair? Are you simply feeling that your crowning glory is not fit for the scrutiny of others? If so, don’t go getting yourself in a lather because we’ve been trying out some fabulous products to put together this list of the best vegan shampoo and conditioner brands. Who knows, it might just help you to find the right product for your hair, and enhance your social life into the bargain.
However, if you are just using hair troubles as a reason not to socialise, you might need to find a better excuse. You know, one that’s a cut above the rest…
Vegan Mum’s Top Picks
- Best for fine hair: Chāmpo Pitta
- Best frequent use: Green People Aloe
- Best for dry & damaged: Evolve Monoi
- Best for curls: Aveda Be Curly
- Best value: Faith in Nature
- Best family use: Evolve Superfood Shine
- Best gift set: Percy & Reed
Chāmpo Pitta
Where to start with this lovely Chāmpo shampoo and conditioner? It looks and feels like (and is!) a luxurious product which belies its mid-range price. When I used it, the fragrance was glorious and seemed to last all day without being overpowering. I’d classify it as floral with a touch of sandalwood, but it is so much more than that and has a real depth.
And in addition to its volumizing properties (perfect for my fine hair), it also imparts a noticeable shine which made my hair look and feel so healthy. They do also have separate ranges to hydrate, and to care for the scalp, neither of which I have tried, but if they match the Pitta volumizing products in quality and effectiveness, I can only imagine they will be good.
Based on ancient Indian Ayurvedic principles, but using the latest in haircare technology, this range blends the best of old and new to bring you a high quality and effective shampoo and conditioner. I love it and would highly recommend it.
Green People Aloe
- Price: £9/100ml
- Type: Daily use
I really like this vegan shampoo and conditioner from Green People. It is light, smells great and a little really does go a long way. It has good ‘squeakability’ – a word I have probably just made up to describe how clean it makes your hair feel after it’s been washed – and leaves my hair soft and shiny too.
The fragrance is a subtle and lovely lavender, and quite different (in a good way!) from most vegan shampoo and conditioner products I’ve had before. And with a high percentage of organic ingredients, it also comes in plant-based packaging which is made from sugar cane and is totally recyclable.
This, together with the fact that it is quite concentrated, means that although the price might initially seem high, it is actually better value for money than you think, and therefore suitable for frequent use.
Evolve Monoi
- Price: from £4.80/100ml
- Type: dry / damaged hair
If you’ve not been treating your hair right, it can show. Over-colouring, swimming, too much washing, too much sun; all these things can dry out and damage your hair.
If this is you, Evolve’s Monoi range has been formulated especially for you! Using quinoa proteins to lock in moisture, and with flower extracts that give it a glorious fragrance, using this vegan shampoo and conditioner will put that oomph back in your hair.
With organic ingredients and recyclable plastic bottles, this is a fairly eco-friendly and sustainable option too and more reasonably priced than many others in this list too.
Aveda Be Curly
- Price: from £12/100ml
- Type: curly hair
Containing plant-based peptides, this silicone-free shampoo & conditioner range from Aveda is formulated to coat your curls and prevent them from frizzing up. Alongside the shampoo and conditioner, they also offer a curl-perfecting primer, a masque and a coil-defining gel so you have pretty much everything you need to make your hair look the best ever.
Not having any curls, I’ve not been able to try this. However, my testing team (in this case my daughter with a newly-cut trendy mullet) has tried these products and thinks they are – and I quote – wonderful and promote a lot of bounce and curl lasting for several days.
Faith in Nature
- Price: from £1.26/100ml
- Type: budget
Can there be a better, value for money, organic shampoo and conditioner range than Faith in Nature? This B Corp company manages to produce ethical products which are natural (parabens, sulphate and silicone free), largely organic and of consistently good quality.
There is a range for every hair type and a wide range of lovely scents making this a go-to brand for so many people who are looking for an everyday product. However, I don’t use this all the time and like to alternate with other products that feel a bit more nourishing, like Chāmpo which I find adds more volume back into my hair.
But if you’re looking for an unflashy, everyday haircare product that is good value for money, Faith in Nature might be just the brand you’re looking for.
Evolve Superfood Shine
- Price: from £5/100ml
- Type: family
Another good product from the Evolve brand, these Superfood Shine vegan Shampoo and Conditioner products come in 500ml bottles – great for general use by the whole family. With aloe vera, it helps sort out those tangles, and it cleanses naturally and gently using coconut and baobab proteins.
So a family-friendly, organic offering from this B-Corp brand that is also reasonably-priced, although at the top end of the ‘lower price’ category. And the branding is definitely gender-neutral, meaning anyone and everyone should be happy using it in the shower!
Percy & Reed
- Price: from £27.50
- Type: gift set
This ‘Discover something Wonderful’ haircare set from Percy & Reed would make the perfect gift for anyone. Containing shampoo, conditioner, an overnight hair mask and a wonder balm for styling it’s got everything you need and all with a lovely fresh fragrance.
I received one of these for Christmas and not having seen the brand before, had to check out its vegan credentials – all was fine with no animal-based ingredients and no animal-testing either. I particularly liked the overnight hair mask which I then washed out in the morning and my hair had a real bounce to it afterwards.
So, you may want to keep it for yourself, but it does make a nice present for someone too!
FAQs
How have we chosen which brands to include in this list?
Easy! Each product has to fulfil the following criteria, and each one has been researched and tested by us to ensure that they do just that:
free from harmful chemicals
vegan
cruelty-free
appropriately priced
deliver claimed benefits
makes reasonable efforts towards sustainability and the environment
Are cruelty-free, vegan haircare products better for your hair?
It’s fair to say that vegan shampoo and conditioner products are not always better for you just because they’re vegan. But often they are.
Of course, you still need to look carefully at ingredient lists for nasty chemicals (yes, there are vegan nasty chemicals too!), how products are made, and where they are from because they won’t always be sustainably sourced, or even environmentally-friendly.
However, there are many vegan brands out there who are going through quite stringent B-Corp accreditation processes (or that have already achieved accreditation) because ethically, they know it’s the right thing to do.
Putting together the right ingredients – vegan or not – to formulate an effective product that makes your hair look good is another thing entirely, however. Not all vegan shampoo and conditioner products do that, which is why I have produced this guide!
More vegan haircare articles
I hope you’ve enjoyed our Best Vegan Shampoo and Conditioner guide. If you haven’t found what you’re looking for, there are lots of other lovely, natural vegan shampoos and conditioners out there so take a look at some of my other guides and reviews below:
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