On the hunt for eco-friendly shampoo and conditioner? These days, there are an abundance of highly rated brands with better sustainability credentials who offer more conscious hair care options.

Whether you have dry or oily hair (or anything in between) there are environmental friendly shampoo and conditioner brands on this list that will do the trick, without leaving a stain on your conscience.

You know—shampoo bars and bottles that don’t pollute the Earth or your body.

What do we look for exactly? We look for brands who offer non-toxic and vegan (or cruelty-free as a minimum) shampoo and conditioner with ethically sourced ingredients and thoughtful, low-impact product packaging.

And we hear you, that’s not enough to be considered truly sustainable. We’re extending this consideration set to include 22 criteria covering everything from water use to climate action to product performance. We’ll be doing this through our Brand Rating System which you can learn more about here.

Now, the only thing we like teasing is our hair, so let’s flow to it.

We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.

Our Top Picks: Eco-friendly Shampoo

Everist makes the (hair)cut thanks to their waterless concentrates made from aloe vera and glycerin that take the plastic out of your ‘do’s ‘poo.

Rather than sulfates and parabens, Ethique’s eco-friendly shampoo bars ingredients include natural butters and oils, wrapped with thoughtful, plastic-free packaging.

Looking for liquid eco-friendly conditioner and shampoo?

Award-winning brand Plaine Products takes sustainable packaging a step forward with both plastic-free and refillable packaging. After testing, we can confirm that it’s super effective with excellent lathering abilities.

Index: Environmentally Friendly Shampoo & Conditioner Brands

  1. Ethique Jump to brand
  2. Everist Jump to brand
  3. HiBAR Jump to brand
  4. Plaine Products Jump to brand
  5. etee Jump to brand
  6. Conscious Skincare Jump to brand
  7. Yarok Jump to brand
  8. Acure Jump to brand
  9. Green People Jump to brand

Ethique

Ethique has not been rated.

Ethique’s Ethical Shampoo Bars

Ethique is another one of those companies specializing in eco-friendly shampoo and conditioner bars.

There are a number of options to choose from, meaning these shampoo bars have pretty much become our staple for just about everything—from those with oily hail to “touchy” sensitive scalps.

For example, if you need an eco-friendly dandruff shampoo, the Heali Kiwi shampoo bar calms the scalp with ground oatmeal and repairs dry, flaky skin with Karanja and Neem oils.

Each one is way more concentrated than regular liquid products, so they last up to six times longer—and we can confirm this is true from our own use.

You can also shop any of their “Concentrate” products, which are bars designed to be turned into eco-friendly liquid shampoo and conditioner by adding water at home.

About Ethique

Originating from New Zealand, Christchurch, Ethique’s wildly popular personal care and cleaning products (like zero waste dish soap) are now available around the world.

Everything comes as either a bar, a solid stick packaged in a compostable cardboard tube, or both.

Ethique products are super sustainable and tick each one of our boxes, being certified cruelty-free, vegan, and palm oil free.

Not only are their shampoo and conditioner bars eco-friendly in packaging and ingredients, but they’re crafted through climate-neutral operations.

Ethique also donates 2% of revenue or 20% of profit (whichever is higher) to charity.

Ethique is also available on Amazon, Holland & Barrett (UK), and Nourished Life (AU)

Everist

Everist has not been rated.

Everist’s Eco-Friendly Shampoo

According to Everist, aloe vera leaf juice, natural essential oils, and vegetable glycerin are all you need to make the best environmentally friendly shampoo.

Everist’s waterless hair concentrates are the perfect solution for people who feel stuck behind bars.

Housed in aluminum tubes or aluminum tins, these shampoo pastes can be used for 50+ washes.

According to Bluebird Climate, their shampoo has a 77% smaller carbon impact and 62% smaller waste impact than traditional, water-based solutions.

Everist’s patented, bond-repair technology and award-winning formula is not only eco-friendly, but also color-safe and suitable for all hair types. Yes, even those of you with unmanageably frizzy hair.

No surprise here, all formulas are free from havoc wreaking sulfates, parabens, dyes, and synthetic fragrances.

About Everist

Everist products are proudly vegan, cruelty-free, and mostly plastic-free.

The only plastic component you’ll find is the cap, which is needed to prevent leaks. They have experimented with several alternatives without success, but their CapBack program ensures those pesky plastic caps get a second life.

The carbon-neutral corporation is an active member of 1% For The Planet.

HiBAR

HiBAR has not been rated.

HiBAR’s Biodegradable Shampoo Bars

Wrapped in recyclable cardboard packaging and sustainable travel ready, HiBAR sets the bar high for what environmentally safe shampoo bars should look like.

Their concentrated, waterless formulas are free from parabens, keratin sulfates, silicones, soaps, and artificial dyes. Cue in color-safe and pH balanced natural ingredients like nutrient-dense coconut oil, moisturizing shea butter, and fragrant floral oils instead.

A literally outside the box invention, each teardrop shaped bar is designed to fit comfortably in your hand for easy use.

Looking for eco-friendly shampoo and conditioner for curly hair?

Try their Curl product. Babussa and pracaxi butters add definition and seal in moisture.

How about a solution for thin, fine hair? Their Volumize shampoo made with African dates and B5 takes lifeless hair out of the grave.

They also offer some of the best biodegradable conditioner for thicker, dryer hair in the form of the Moisturize sustainable conditioner bar, which locks in moisture using coconut oil and rice protein.

Each one is lightly scented using only natural fragrances derived from essential oils and plant extracts.

About HiBAR

This clean beauty brand makes all sorts of bars for your face, body, and hair. Zero waste face wash, deodorant, and more.

All which are free from parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and artificial fragrances.

Their products are all cruelty-free and leaping bunny certified and come housed in plastic-free packaging, including a fully recyclable box and compostable inner wrapping.

Since opening, they have eliminated almost five million plastic bottles.

Plaine Products

Plaine Products has not been rated.

Plaine Products’ Eco-Friendly Shampoo Bottles

Plaine Products’ shampoo and conditioner are color safe and come in your choice of unscented, citrus lavender, or rosemary mint vanilla.

Every plastic-free order comes housed in refillable bottles. Simply ship your empty shampoo and conditioner bottles back to Plaine Products, and they will refill them with more of their non-GMO, sulfate-free, silicone-free, and biodegradable shampoo and conditioner.

With vegan, plant-based, and natural ingredients (like aloe instead of water as the main ingredient), you’ll get a safe, gentle cleanse and lush healthy locks.

Their eco-friendly shampoo and conditioner have also received so many 5-star reviews.

About Plaine Products

Lindsey and Alison Delaplaine are the brilliant women behind sister-owned Plaine Products.

Not only does “Plaine” connect with their last name, but it also aligns with the brand’s mission to provide plain and simple hair and body products that are free from cruelty, animal products, chemicals, and palm oil.

For these reasons and more, Plaine Products is a Certified B Corp and recipient of Real Leaders Impact Awards.

They’re a member of 1% for the Planet, too.

My Personal Review of Plaine Products’ Shampoo & Conditioner:

“Plaine’s shampoo cleans my hair really well, and I especially like how quickly it foams. In fact, I need only a small dollop of it to completely foam my entire scalp. The conditioner — which is so effective I don’t really feel the need to use it every time I shower — leaves my hair feeling incredibly soft and smooth without weighing it down.”

Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content

etee

etee has not been rated.

etee’s Environment Friendly Shampoo Bars

With etee’s ethical shampoo and conditioner bars, you’re getting all natural ingredients and no plastic.

They took a top-performing liquid shampoo, modified it, made sure it still cleaned and nourished hair, and left the addition of water up to you, courtesy of your shower.

Adding water in the shower prevents the shipping of water from A to B and the need for a plastic bottle.

These bars come in compostable boxes, but they do offer one Deep Conditioner cream that comes in a reusable glass jar. Use this after your shower and/or blow-dry in for some long-lasting, hydrating hair-apy.

Your lush locks will: feel beautiful thanks to 100% plant-based ingredients, smell beautiful thanks to essential oils, and keep our planet beautiful since there’s no plastic, SLS, or animal testing.

Each long-lasting bar is equivalent to roughly three to four plastic bottles.

About etee

etee may have got their start with reusable beeswax wraps, but their offerings are now comprehensive.

With items like laundry detergent and hand soap, they tackle many of our daily needs

In doing so, they have prevented more than 100 million single-use plastic products from being manufactured.

While not all products are vegan, they offer plenty of vegan options. While they don’t use palm oil directly, their Coco-glucoside and hydrogenated vegetable oil may be derived from palm oil depending on sourcing.

etee personally make everything they sell in Toronto, Canada in a factory powered by renewable energy.

They also regularly support a range of charities, like The Mississauga Food Bank, Mask Match, and Hue Man Race.

My Personal Review of etee’s Lavender Chamomile Shampoo Bar & Deep Conditioner:

“I’ve tested a lot of shampoo bars, but etee’s is definitely my top pick. I like to wash my hair minimally, and too often, the high concentration of butters and oils in other shampoo bars leaves my hair looking greasy after a couple of days. Not so with etee’s, which keeps my hair looking fresh until at least day three.

I rarely use conditioner because I usually find natural shampoo bars alone rich enough for my short hair when combined with a weekly ACV rinse. But sometimes, my hair needs a little more love, and for that, etee’s Deep Conditioner, which I’ve been using as a pre-shower hair mask once every couple of weeks, is perfect. After just one use, my hair felt noticeably softer, smoother, and much easier to manage, and I’ve found my ends haven’t started splitting as soon as they usually do after a haircut.”

Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content

Conscious Skincare

Conscious Skincare has not been rated.

Conscious Skincare’s Eco Shampoo

Don’t like the slippery, sliding shower performance of plastic-free bars?

Conscious Skincare has killer plastic free liquid shampoo and conditioners

In their hair care lineup, they offer eco-friendly conditioner, shampoo, an argan oil hair treatment, and a gift pack containing all three.

These hair care products (which all have rave reviews) are organic, palm oil free, cruelty-free, and (mostly) vegan.

The eco shampoo and conditioner is made from a special formulation that contains a number of hair-loving essential oils, including Cypress, Sage, and Lavender. Not only can you help Mother Nature, but now you can smell like her too (mimicry is the sincerest form of flattery.)

While the key active ingredients in the conditioner are moisturizing coconut oil and shea butter, the shampoo is made with a base of volumizing vitamin b5, inulin, and jojoba oil.

Both formulas are suitable for all hair types and come housed in a fully recyclable glass bottle with an optional plastic dispenser.

About Conscious Skincare

Founded by Rebecca who so kindly took the time to write us a detailed breakdown of the brand’s ethos, Conscious Skincare is a very impressive organic shampoo and skincare brand from an ethical standpoint.

Whilst their packaging is not zero waste, they have put a lot of thought and care into it:

“Our packaging from start to finish is recyclable or made of recycled materials as much as possible; including; Jars, Bottles, Lids, Dispensers, Paper (packaging and letters) and Outer protective packaging.”

Refills are available for some products for UK residents and others, like their face serums, come in reusable glass dropper bottles.

Their award-winning product range is worth checking out and sharing with your friends and family (eco-warriors or not)!

Yarok

Yarok has not been rated.

Yarok’s Eco Conditioners & Shampoos

Each Yarok product caters to a different appetite with their Feed Your Moisture and Feed Your Volume sustainable shampoo and conditioner.

The former is especially recommended for hair that is thick and curly or dry and damaged.

The entire range is made of all natural and mostly organic ingredients and is free of alcohol, parabens, sulfates, chemicals and gluten.

Instead, natural oils and herbal infusions take their place in finished products that are vegan, cruelty-free, sulfate-free, and palm oil-free.

About Yarok

Founded by Mordechai Alvow who is many things including a Certified Aromatherapist and Celebrity Hairstylist, Yarok specializes in natural haircare.

These eco-friendly hair products are “formulated exclusively from organic, wild crafted and otherwise responsibly harvested plant ingredients that are handpicked for their medicinal and sensory benefits, and are sourced from pristine locales around the world”.

Their packaging is not plastic-free, but is reusable and recyclable.

A full 3% of all Yarok’s profits go directly to benefiting Pachamama Alliance and protecting the Amazon Rainforest.

Acure

Acure has not been rated.

Acure’s Eco-Friendly Shampoo & Conditioner Liquids

Acure Organics makes environmentally safe shampoo from (you guessed it) organic ingredients.

Their shampoos are available in a wide range of specific options to suit different hair types and styling needs, such as full body, clarifying, ultra hydrating, smoothing, volume, natural dry shampoo, and brunette-specific options.

We’ve tried the Ultra Hydrating body wash and shampoo combo range, and it’s as good as the name suggests. After all, no one can really go wrong with hydrating argan oil and pumpkin seed.

Except maybe those of you with already oily hair to begin. You should probably try their oily hair shampoo made with watermelon fruit extract and blood orange instead.

Since their liquid shampoo tubes are recyclable but not zero waste, the Coconut & Argan shampoo bar is a better head-to-toe solution for our zero waste warriors out there.

It also works as body and hand soap—because don’t you know we love a good 3-in-1 action!

About Acure

Based in the USA, Acure Organics is a family owned business specializing in skincare (think organic face moisturizers, deodorant, and more).

Their products are cruelty-free, vegan and palm oil free. Many of the ingredients they use are USDA certified organic.

They also source ingredients from fair trade suppliers where possible.

Some of their charitable partners include Unite For Her, a breast cancer non-profit, and Turning Green, a student-led environmental advocacy movement.

Acure is also available on Amazon | Nourished Life (AU)

Green People

Green People has not been rated.

Green People’s Eco-Friendly Shampoo And Conditioner

Green People has a huge range of hair care, the entirety of which are SLS free and mostly organic.

When we say huge, we mean like REALLY huge. The likes of not only generic liquid shampoo, but also men’s shampoo, baby shampoo, and eco-friendly shampoo bars.

We can’t speak for all of their paraben free shampoos, but we’ve personally tried (and loved) the Organic Quinoa and Artichoke Shampoo and Conditioner. The strengthening quinoa protein boosts shine while smoothing artichoke shields against UV damage.

A wombo combo for healthy hair growth!

All of their products are certified organic, cruelty-free, and vegan.

The sugar cane PE packaging and PP plastic cap can be recycled curbside.

About Green People

Green People specialize in organic, chemical-free beauty products that include haircare, skincare, and makeup.

They have created over 400 organic formulas that have received over 44,000 5-star reviews and over 270 awards.

No surprise considering they are PETA and Soil Association certified, and source Fairtrade ingredients wherever possible.

While some of their products contain palm oil, they state their palm oil is sustainably sourced from countries where there are no native orangutans.

They support a variety of charities from children’s hospice to marine conservation.

Why Choose Eco-Friendly Shampoo & Conditioner?

Did you know that in the United States alone, 550 million empty shampoo bottles are thrown away every year?

It’s safe to assume that globally, that number reaches billions.

Recent studies show that 50% of all plastic bottles are collected for recycling, and only 7% of those bottles are actually recycled. Since all the different components and materials are tedious to disassemble, many recycling facilities just don’t find it worth it.

While you may think you’re making waves by chucking that shampoo bottle in the recycling bin, chances are it still ends up in a landfill or the ocean.

When it comes to pollution and hair care products, plastic isn’t even the biggest issue.

Ingredients matter too. Traditional shampoos contain no shortage of sulfates, parabens, TCS (which turns into the carcinogen chloroform), and formaldehyde. All which are used to prolong shelf life at the sake of our health.

The problem with these toxic chemicals is that: 1) They suck for our bodies; and 2) they suck for our planet.

Sulfates and TCS can form carcinogens linked to kidney disruption and hormone damage, parabens have been linked to breast cancer, and formaldehyde has been shown to cause or worsen asthma.

All while also killing corals, acidifying surface water and soil, and polluting the air (supposedly as much as cars!).

By switching to environmentally-friendly shampoo and conditioner, you can eliminate these daily toxins and save the health of your body and the planet from a world of troubles.

We hope this resource gives you some new ideas when deciding which eco-friendly shampoo or conditioner is right for you.

If it did, we ask you to share with your loved ones, so everyone can have an earth-happy hairdo.