I’ve bought from this brand off and on for years, even when there has been a better or cheaper alternative, because they seem to share my ethical values. But increasingly, I’m finding that I want to use them because of the price and quality of their products too. As a result, I’ve become quite a big fan of their haircare products and have been using them more regularly again over the last 3 months. Read my Faith in Nature Shampoo Review to find out why I like them, but also why I still think they have room for improvement.
Pros
- lovely fragrances
- good range
- ethical
- natural
Cons
- use of plastic
My experience of Faith in Nature Shampoo
The Faith in Nature brand has been around a long time, and so have I! And having held strong values about the environment and animals for most of my life, I have often used this brand’s products over the years because of their commitment to the environment and to being plant-based. But in doing so, I thought their products could lack that more luxurious feel for those times when I wanted to spoil myself a bit more.
However, I think that has changed appreciably in the last few years and recently, they sent me a bottle of their Rosemary shampoo & conditioner to try. And I like it very much. The first thing I noticed was the scent, and it really does smell like the rosemary plants I grow in my garden! I guess I shouldn’t be surprised because they use natural ingredients and this product contains that new wonder ingredient everyone’s talking about – rosemary oil. Does it promote hair growth? Maybe, I really don’t know, but I love using it because of the smell!
It is quite a strong fragrance though and may not be to everyone’s taste. The other scent that I have tried in the last few months is their Lavender & Geranium which is very lovely, and not so potent. Like many of their shampoos, it still contains rosemary oil if that’s something that’s important to you, but without its obvious smell.
There is something very soothing and refreshing about massaging this rosemary shampoo into my head though – maybe it’s the essential oils – and it makes my hair squeaky clean (I’m not sure that everyone likes that squeaky clean feeling, but I really do). And I find the conditioner then combs through really easily and leaves my hair light and tangle free. This is great for me because I have fine hair and anything heavier can really weigh it down and make it look greasy very quickly.
But if I’ve got a beef with this brand (if I can use that term as a vegan!) it’s their use of plastic and frankly, I find their array of metal containers, pumps and refills a bit confusing. It makes me feel like it’s an area they haven’t thought through very well, which is a shame for a brand that is so thoughtful in other ways. Anyway, I go through that in more detail, along with the many positives about these Faith in Nature shampoos too.
What fragrances are there?
Faith in Nature shampoos (and their matching conditioners) come in a range of natural fragrances and I like the fact that they dare to be different too. And the names tell you exactly what they are, so you don’t have to second guess what it might be implying! You can visit their online store to see the full range, but the best-selling shampoos according to their website are:
And they have plenty more fragrances including the intriguing Dragon Fruit, Seaweed & Citrus, and Wild Rose to name but a few. So, there are certainly some more scents that I’m going to be trying in the future! They also claim that their fragrances are completely natural, referring to their use of essential oils and ‘100% natural origin aroma’.
Which is the best Faith in Nature shampoo?
They have a comprehensive range, so it will probably depend on your hair type. This brand recommends the following products based on that:
- Dry – Coconut or Jojoba
- Oily – Grapefruit & Orange or Dragon Fruit
- Curly – Shea & Argan
- Normal – Rosemary or Lavender & Geranium
However, I tend to pick my favourite smell rather than anything else! Fortunately for me, the two I like the most (Rosemary and Lavender & Geranium) also happen to be the most appropriate.
They do now have a good range of shampoo bars if you prefer. I have tried the Lavender & Geranium shampoo bar which was great, but I haven’t tried any of the conditioner bars yet.
Is it an ethical company?
As far as any company can be, they seem pretty ethical to me. They have never tested on animals, they use only plant-based ingredients and they talk about the fact that they recently appointed ‘Nature’ as one of their directors. That risks sounding like a bit of a gimmick, but I assume it means that whenever they consider their products and associated processes (whether that’s manufacturing, transportation etc) they also assess potential impact on the environment and their obligations as a business.
I don’t like their use of plastic, something I point out later on, but they are trying to improve on that and everything they currently use is at least largely recycled and recyclable.
How clean are Faith in Nature products?
Faith in Nature states that its products contain none of the ingredients people are often concerned about like parabens, silicones, SLS or SLES – these last 2 are surfactants that make products foamy (Sodium Lauryl Sulphates). Whilst they are generally considered safe providing they don’t stay in permanent contact with the skin, they also tend to appear as an ingredient in cleaning products so are often eyed with suspicion.
When people talk about clean ingredients, they are often referring to the use of chemical vs natural ingredients (although I’m not sure it’s that clear cut). But this brand states that its products are 99% natural, and that sounds good to me. I accept that some chemicals are normally required i.e. the 1% that isn’t ‘natural’, and I’m sure that not all chemicals are ‘unclean’ either. In fact, there are some natural ingredients that aren’t so great!
But overall, instinct tells me that ‘natural’ will often (but not always) be the best option, and I believe this brand tries to make its products as clean as possible. My caveat on that? They use a lot of plastic. Read on for more detail.
Why are they still using plastic?
For a company that takes sustainability and the environment so seriously, it doesn’t feel to me that they have a coherent strategy for introducing alternative packaging materials. Yes, they have some metal containers, but:
- some products are available in metal containers, some aren’t
- I can buy a generic empty metal container from them to refill, but it won’t be obvious from the outside what it contains unless I stick a label on it
- their refill bottles are a huge 5 litres – fine if you’ve got the space – and they’re still plastic
With so much innovation going on in the personal care space on packaging, it seems a shame that Faith in Nature haven’t taken a lead. For examples of packaging that I think are better, take a look at Wild’s body wash with their outer aluminium case and bamboo bottle refills that slot in and are then home compostable when finished.
Anyway, I hope this is something they’re working on.
My verdict on this Faith in Nature Shampoo review
In my opinion, Faith in Nature shampoos are a good, honest product. They are reasonably priced, particularly in comparison to some of their competitors, although probably a little more expensive than the average supermarket brand. However, I believe you are getting a very natural, good quality product from a company that seems to care more than most, and you can refill them. I do save a bit of money by buying the shampoo and conditioner set, and the 1 litre bottles are more cost effective too, although personally I find them a bit big to have in the shower.
There’s a great range to choose from, all with lovely natural scents, and I’ve found all their shampoos that I’ve used to be effective and kind to my hair. And whilst I don’t think it’s a high-end luxury product, it is one that I happily use on a regular day-to-day basis. When I’m feeling more self-indulgent though, I’ll go for something like Chāmpo to add some more volume and gloss – you can read my Chāmpo Pitta Shampoo review for more on that – but bear in mind that with luxury comes a higher price!
I’ve been using Faith in Nature shampoos for many years, and have stuck with them for good reason. I think they’ve come a long way with their products, but I just hope they sort out their use of plastic soon. In the meantime, if you’re looking for a shampoo that’s going to make you hair clean, smell nice, and keep it healthy then I would still recommend you give them a try.
More vegan haircare articles
I hope you’ve enjoyed my Faith in Nature shampoo review. Did you know they make products for your pooch too? See my vegan dog shampoo guide for more info.
If you don’t think these products are for you, there are lots of other lovely, natural vegan shampoos and conditioners out there so if you’d like to find out more, take a look at my other guides and reviews below:
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