When caring for your tresses, picking the right products can mean the difference between beautiful, healthy hair and lackluster hair. Getting the basics right will get you started on the right foot, and this is why we have set out to find out the best vegan shampoos available in the market. Vegan shampoos are gentle on hair because they are based on natural formulas and contain fewer chemicals.
We have compiled a list of some of the best vegan shampoos currently available in the market, like Lice Clean's Fresh Water Hydrating Shampoo, which is gentle on your hair and cruelty-free too! You have nine other options to consider, plus a buying guide to help explain why you should give this type of shampoo a try.
Image | 1 ![]() Live Clean | 2 ![]() Tree To Tub | 3 ![]() New York Biology | 4 ![]() Whiff Botanicals | 5 ![]() Christina Moss Naturals | 6 ![]() Teadora | 7 ![]() Rahua | 8 ![]() Acure | 9 ![]() Love Beauty & Planet | 10 ![]() Baja Baby |
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Name | Fresh Water Hydrating Shampoo | Moisturizing Shampoo for Sensitive Skin | Argan Oil Shampoo | Unscented Shampoo Bar | Original Shampoo | Wild Superfood Miracle Shampoo | Voluminous Shampoo | Curiously Clarifying Shampoo | Hope and Repair Shampoo and Conditioner | Shampoo & Body Wash |
Features | Cruelty-free Botanical Shampoo for Everyday Use | The Perfect Formula for Sensitive Skin | Moroccan Argan Oil Nourishes and Protects All Hair Types | A Shampoo Bar With No Plastic Packaging | For Oily Hair and Hot Summer Days | The Best Vegan Option for Color-treated, Frizzy, or Damaged Hair | Pump Up Your Hair's Volume | You Can Still Have Great Hair on a Budget | Highly-Rated Vegan Shampoo and Conditioner Set for Damaged Hair | Relaxing Shampoo and Body Wash for Babies |
Price | $7.99 | $17.88 | $13.95 | $9.97 | $19.99 | $15.99 | $34.00 | $14.43 | $11.79 | $27.95 |
Amount | 12 oz. | 8.5 oz. | 16.9 oz. | 1 bar (16 oz. liquid volume) | 8 oz. | 8 oz. | 9.3 oz. | 12 oz. | 13.5 oz. each | 16 oz. |
Main ingredients | Vitamin E, rosemary, chamomile | Soapberry, organic argan oil, aloe vera, chamomile | 100% natural argan oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, botanical keratin | Cocoa butter, coconut oil, panthenol | Organic coconut oil, olive oil, aloe vera juice, shea butter | Buriti, acai, cupuaçu | Organic green tea leaf extract, lemongrass extract, aloe leaf extract | Argan, lemongrass, aloe leaf juice, avocado oil | Coconut oil | Organic cold-pressed hemp oil, panthenol, organic lavender oil |
Best for | All hair types | Sensitive scalp, dry, fine, normal hair type | All hair types | All hair types | Oily hair | Color-treated, frizzy, damaged hair | Fine, oily hair | Fine hair, sensitive scalp | Damaged hair | Babies, kids |
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Here are our 10 best picks for vegan shampoos. We made our choices based on the points listed in the buying guide below, as well as reviewer comments when available.
*Please note that these products were chosen after extensive research by mybest writers. The choices are not necessarily affiliated with or recommended by Dr. Lauren Levy unless explicitly stated so.
$7.99
Amount | 12 oz. |
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Main ingredients | Vitamin E, rosemary, chamomile |
Best for | All hair types |
$17.88
Amount | 8.5 oz. |
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Main ingredients | Soapberry, organic argan oil, aloe vera, chamomile |
Best for | Sensitive scalp, dry, fine, normal hair type |
$13.95
Amount | 16.9 oz. |
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Main ingredients | 100% natural argan oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, botanical keratin |
Best for | All hair types |
$9.97
Amount | 1 bar (16 oz. liquid volume) |
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Main ingredients | Cocoa butter, coconut oil, panthenol |
Best for | All hair types |
$19.99
Amount | 8 oz. |
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Main ingredients | Organic coconut oil, olive oil, aloe vera juice, shea butter |
Best for | Oily hair |
$15.99
Amount | 8 oz. |
---|---|
Main ingredients | Buriti, acai, cupuaçu |
Best for | Color-treated, frizzy, damaged hair |
$34.00
Amount | 9.3 oz. |
---|---|
Main ingredients | Organic green tea leaf extract, lemongrass extract, aloe leaf extract |
Best for | Fine, oily hair |
$14.43
Amount | 12 oz. |
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Main ingredients | Argan, lemongrass, aloe leaf juice, avocado oil |
Best for | Fine hair, sensitive scalp |
Coconut oil & ylang ylang
$11.79
Amount | 13.5 oz. each |
---|---|
Main ingredients | Coconut oil |
Best for | Damaged hair |
Lavender
$27.95
Amount | 16 oz. |
---|---|
Main ingredients | Organic cold-pressed hemp oil, panthenol, organic lavender oil |
Best for | Babies, kids |
$29.00
Amount | 8.6 oz. |
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Main ingredients | Hemisqualane, bisabolol |
Best for | All hair types |
$40.00
Amount | 8 oz. |
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Main ingredients | Hydrolyzed quinoa, baobab seed oil, keratin |
Best for | All hair types |
Maybe you don't like what you see on our list, or maybe you're wondering how we chose our products. Here are some guidelines that we followed, and you can do the same on your own search in finding the right vegan shampoo for your hair care needs.
There's an easy and visual way to tell whether a shampoo is truly vegan or not: a certification mark. There are a number of them, but the products we've listed have all been certified by either the Vegan Awareness Foundation, Leaping Bunny, and more. If you don't see a logo on the bottle, scan the ingredients or back label to see if you can find the phrase "100 percent vegan."
Admittedly, many organizations can certify vegan products based on different standards; but rest assured that many of these organizations have very high standards, even down to the kind of equipment used to produce the shampoos.
For example, the Certified Vegan Logo means that the product does not contain animal products or byproducts, now was it tested on animals. Vegans can look for this mark instead of having to go through the ingredients list.
Without all of the typical moisturizers and nourishing ingredients added to non-vegan shampoos, it can be tough to tell what's going to work for your specific hair condition whether it be oily, dry, or damaged. That's why we've broken it down for you.
The keyword in finding a shampoo for your dry, frizzy, or damaged hair is "oils." Think coconut, avocado, olive, or argan oils. These all come packed with healthy fatty acids that will nourish your hair and lock in moisture. If you suffer from an itchy scalp, products with aloe or oatmeal included may be soothing.
Essential oils that come from plants also have moisturizing effects on the hair and scalp for those with dry hair. A few examples include lavender, tea tree, rosemary, and eucalyptus. You can look for shampoo infused with these ingredients for that extra soothing effect.
Give shampoos with apple cider vinegar a try because the ingredient is said to balance your hair and scalp health with its acidic properties. Furthermore, apple cider vinegar has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which limit bacteria growth on the scalp.
Tea tree oil (in small doses), lemon peel extract, and yucca cactus are other natural ingredients you can look out for when choosing a shampoo for oily hair. They help balance your scalp's pH levels, thus minimizing sebum creation.
If you have color-treated hair, you know that shampoos can do more harm than good if you're not careful. The dyes and bleach used to color the hair could leave it extra weak, thus requiring extra attention and care.
With vegan shampoos, it's important to look for shampoos without sulfates. Plant-based ingredients like green tea also seem to effectively keep color from fading quickly without drying out your hair's natural oils.
In addition to your hair condition, you need to match the shampoo with your hair type, whether thick or fine and curly or coily. You can go for vegan shampoos infused with almond or coconut oils to help add volume and body to fine hair types.
Meanwhile, curly or coily hair needs gentle cleansing with extra taming properties. Oils like avocado, coconut, and argan, plus shea butter, could help keep your hair frizz-free and manageable while ensuring it's properly moisturized.
For thorough cleansing of thick hair, shampoo formulas infused with antioxidants and floral or citrus oils or scents keep your hair looking, feeling, and smelling clean and fresh all day.
Vegan shampoos may contain fewer additives or harmful ingredients, but it's still possible for them to be irritating depending on the condition of your hair, scalp, or allergies.
Anything that contains sulfates like sodium laureth sulfate should be discounted from your list unless you're willing to risk it. This could cause irritation and has been linked to hair loss. If you have a sensitive or broken scalp (or allergies), you may want to avoid things like added fragrances that could irritate your sensitive skin.
Many vegan shampoo brands online have plenty of customer reviews of every hair type that can attest to a shampoo's potential irritants, so read thoroughly before buying!
In addition to reviewing and commenting on our buying guide, Dr. Levy also took the time to answer some commonly asked questions about vegan shampoos.
Dr. Levy answers, "Vegan shampoos are good for hair, as long as they contain ingredients that both clean and nourish the scalp and hair follicle. Look for ingredients like argan oil or jojoba oil if you have dry or brittle hair. For oily hair, look for kaolin, which can help absorb oils from the hair."
"Many keratin and collagen products are animal-derived, which is why they may not be included in vegan shampoos," Dr. Levy explains. "Vegan shampoos contain ingredients that are not derived from animals. This means that lots of natural oils are used. Common ingredients include kaolin clays, jojoba oil, and argan oil."
Whether it's your skincare or makeup, having a full lineup of vegan products can help put your mind at ease, especially if you're just transitioning to the vegan lifestyle. Here are some of our suggestions.
Household goods
Home electronics, PC, camera
Cosmetics and skincare
Food and drinks
Kitchen supplies
Clothing
Shoes
Accessories
Kids and baby
Interior and furniture
Hobbies
Outdoor
DIY and tools
Sports and fitness
Pets
Books, CDs, DVDs
Games
Cars and motorcycles
Gifts
Housing equipment and renovation
Smartphones and mobile phones
Mobile data
Investment and asset management
Credit cards and loans
Insurance
Music
Smartphone applications