Best Clean Shampoo Brands for All Hair Types

A roundup of the best non-toxic shampoo brands for every type of hair, including liquid shampoo, dry shampoo, shampoo bars, natural shampoo for babies and affordable family-sized shampoo.

Wavy, straight, colored, curly, thick or fine – we all have our own unique hair. Whether we love our hair or wish we could trade it in for a completely different set of locks, we all use shampoo to manage our hair and keep it looking its best.

But we don’t all use the same shampoo. Shampoo is personal. As I’m sure you know, it can take some experimentation to find the shampoo that works best for your own hair.

Because of that, I would never try to convince you to use one particular shampoo. Just as you wouldn’t wear the same clothes as me, I wouldn’t expect you to use the same shampoo. But I would like to convince you of this: Stop using that conventional shampoo brand you’ve been using for years and make the switch to a safe, natural, non-toxic shampoo instead.

RELATED: 4 Good Reasons to Buy Natural, Non-Toxic Products for Your Home & Life

Table of Contents

Why You Should Switch to Non Toxic Shampoo

I know, I know! Switching shampoo is hard! But here’s the thing. Shampoo is a product you use frequently – whether it’s once a day or once a week – it still adds up to a lot of shampoo over the course of time.

Traditional shampoos are a chemical soup that foam like crazy and smell strongly of something that didn’t come from nature. The chemicals that make all that happen can be harmful to you and to the environment – and in the grand scheme of things, it just isn’t worth it.

Here are some of the toxic ingredients you’ll want to avoid in shampoo – so check the ingredient list before you buy:

Sulfates – Sodium lauryl and laureth sulfates are foaming agents and can be contaminated with 1,4 dioxane, a probable carcinogen.
Certain preservatives – This includes parabens which are linked to breast cancer and hormone disruption, as well as DMDM hydantoin, which releases formaldehyde and is linked to hair loss and scalp burns, according to a class action law suit. (FYI – some type of preservatives are necessary in shampoo but safer ones exist.)
Artificial fragrances – The term fragrance is a catchall for thousands of chemicals including hormone disrupting phthalates, as well as skin irritants and allergens.
Petroleum products – Ingredients that come from non-renewable resources are not environmentally friendly.
Benzene – This cancer-causing ingredient has been found in aerosol dry shampoos, so if you use one you’ll want to check this dry shampoo recall list.

Here’s my full list of ingredients to avoid in shampoo if you are interested.

The good news is that many companies have mastered the art of non-toxic shampoo made with safe, natural and organic ingredients. Clean shampoo brands are made with plant-based ingredients and herbal and botanical extracts, and scented with essential oils or pure, plant extracts, while avoiding the harsh chemicals and artificial fragrance found in conventional shampoos.

Keep in mind that organic certification for shampoos is rare, but many are made with some certified organic ingredients. (read up on personal care certifications here)

There are so many great clean shampoo brands and because we all have different needs, I’ve split up my recommendations into the following sections:

My picks for best natural shampoos by hair type and personal needs
Best shampoo bars
Best dry shampoo brands
Best non-toxic baby shampoos
Non-toxic drugstore shampoos
Reader recommendations

Rest assured, all the shampoos listed here are phthalate free, free of synthetic fragrances, and made without the harmful chemicals found in most conventional shampoo brands. And if you are looking for shampoos without DMDM hydantoin, I’ve got you covered. My goal is to help you find the safest shampoo possible!

Best Chemical Free Shampoo Brands

I may receive commissions from purchases made through affiliate links in this article. Full Disclosure

My hair is very thick and wavy, on the dry side and yes, I do color it – so I gravitate towards clean shampoo brands that help me manage my crazy locks and maintain my color for as long as possible.

But whether your hair is curly or straight, thick or fine, colored or natural, there is a non-toxic shampoo for YOU! As you browse the recommendations below, take note of the various formulas of shampoo the company makes under each brand listing. My goal is to help you find the best natural shampoo for your needs!

(Be sure to check out the conditioners and other hair products from these brands too!)

Wellnesse

Wellnesse was founded by Katie Wells of Wellness Mama after she perfected products that are human safe, planet safe and work better than conventional alternatives. Her shampoos blend moisturizing shea butter and coconut oil with aloe vera, quinoa and herbal extracts to nourish hair.

Shampoo formulas: smoothing and cleansing
Fav product: Smoothing Shampoo
Best for: Curly hair
Price: $18 for 8-oz
EWG-Verified

Buy Wellnesse (take 20% off a haircare bundle)

EVOLVh

EVOLVh has been a pioneer in clean hair care, by creating science-based, high-performance products using natural and organic ingredients.

Shampoo formulas: UltraShine, SmartCurl, SmartColor, InstaVolume
Fav product: SMARTCURL Hydrating Wash
Best for: Curly hair
Price: $32 for 8.5 oz

Buy EVOLVh (Take 15% off with code MINDFULMOMMA)

Beautycounter

Beautycounter is an innovative B-Corporation that is committed to bringing safer beauty products to everyone.

Shampoo formulas: daily (for all hair types)
Fav product: Beautycounter Daily Shampoo leaves my hair feeling SO clean and soft. This plus the Beautycounter Daily Conditioner are a perfect pair for soft, shiny hair!
Best for: Daily use and safe for colored hair
Price: $29 for 9.29-oz (refill bottles are also available)

Buy Beautycounter (get 20% off when you sign up for their emails)

Annmarie

Annmarie Skin Care is a pioneer of plant-based, herbal and organic skin care and hair care.

Shampoo formulas: herb infused
Fav product: Sweet Sunrise Shampoo
Best for: Herbal shampoo
Price: $39 for 8-oz

Buy Annmarie

Derma E

Derma E began as a small health food store but grew into a leader in the clean beauty industry.

Shampoo formulas: nourishing, thickening, restoring, scalp relief
Fav product: Scalp Relief Shampoo formulated to soothe flaky and irritated scalp. This is a go-to for some members of my family. The Scalp Relief Treatment is great too.
Best for: Flaky or dry scalp
Price: $11.75 for 10-oz

Buy Derma E (free shipping on orders $35+)

John Masters Organics

Salon quality products made with many certified organic ingredients.

Shampoo formulas: normal, fine and dry and damaged hair
Fav product: The Deep Moisturizing Shampoo with Evening Primrose for dry hair is super hydrating and is safe for color-treated hair.
Best for: Dry hair
Price: $26 for 8-oz

Buy John Masters Organics

ATTITUDE

ATTITUDE makes affordable natural personal care products with bulk boxes available for refills.

Shampoo formulas: Nourishing & Strengthening, Volume & Shine, Moisture Rich, Color Protection, Clarifying, Curl Amplifying, Sensitive Care
Favorite product: Super Leaves Volume & Shine Shampoo
Best for: Refillable shampoo
Price: $10.95 for 16-oz, $18.95 for 32-oz and $29.95 for the 2L refill box (a great option for zero waste fans!)
EWG-Verified

Buy ATTITUDE (use code WELCOME10 for 10% off your order)

Acure

Acure is a family owned company committed to using plant science to deliver effective, natural & organic personal care.

Shampoo formulas: hydrating, smoothing, clarifying, volume, balancing and color wellness
Fav product: Acure Ultra Hydrating Shampoo with Argan Oil & Pumpkin is moisturizing and very affordable.
Best for: Affordable natural shampoo
Price: $9.99 for 8-oz ( or $7.99 at Thrive Market)

Buy Acure

Alaffia Everyday

Alaffia makes affordable, family sized shampoo made with fair trade shea butter and coconut oil, as well as other natural personal care products.

Shampoo formulas: everyday shea, everyday coconut, curl activating, authentic African black soap, kids
Fav product: Everyday Shea Vanilla Mint Shampoo
Best for: Family sized bottles
Price: $14.99 for 32-oz

Buy Alaffia

Best Clean Shampoo Bars

HiBar

HiBar is a Minnesota-based company (local to me!) making zero waste shampoo bars & conditioner bars that really work.

Shampoo formulas: Moisturize, Soothe, Maintain, Volumize and Curl (matching conditioner available for each)
Fav product: I have the Moisturize Solid Shampoo and the Moisturize Solid Conditioner they are fantastic! Love how easy they are to hold in the shower!
Price: $13.95 per bar (equivalent to 16-oz bottle of shampoo)

Buy HiBar

Ethique

Started by a student in New Zealand, Ethique has become an international, zero waste hit!

Shampoo formulas: dry, frizzy, oily, dandruff, volumizing, curly, and shampoo bars for kids
Fav product: I bought the special edition Wombar for normal hair (couldn’t resist the purple color!)
Price: $15.95 per bar

Buy Ethique

Superzero

Superzero specializes in plastic-free personal care products made with vegan and cruelty-free ingredients.

Shampoo formulas: nourishing, restoring, thickening and calming
Fav product: Restoring & Repairing Shampoo Bar
Price: $18 per bar

Buy Superzero

ATTITUDE

ATTITUDE offers plastic-free haircare products as well as liquid shampoos and conditioners.

Shampoo formulas: nourishing, volumizing, hydrating, detoxifying
Fav product: Sea Salt Detox Shampoo Bar
Price: $14.95 per bar

Buy ATTITUDE Shampoo Bars

Acure

Acure makes an affordable shampoo bar for those who prefer a bar over liquid shampoo.

Shampoo formulas: coconut and argan
Price: $9.95 per bar

Buy Acure Shampoo Bar

Looking for more natural, non-toxic products like laundry detergent, cookware or mattresses? I’ve got you covered!

Best Clean Shampoo Brands for Dry Shampoo

I’m not a dry shampoo user myself because my hair is on the dry side and has enough frizz and volume to keep it fluffy after many days. But since many of you have oily hair or rely on dry shampoo to get you through the week, I’m including some of the top-rated, natural dry shampoos that I’ve heard about.

Due to the recall of dry shampoos that contain benzene, I recommend sticking with benzene free dry shampoo powder instead of aerosol dry shampoo sprays.