Ever caught yourself standing in the shampoo aisle, overwhelmed by choices and wondering which bottle won’t just make your hair shine, but also align with your values? You’re not alone!
Cruelty-free beauty is more than just a trend — it’s a movement that’s reshaping the cosmetics industry. The cruelty-free cosmetics market is booming, hitting a whopping $14.84 billion in 2023 and showing no signs of slowing down. And to help you out, we’ve listed 10 of the best cruelty-free shampoos that are great for your hair. Let’s dive in!
1. Innersense Organic Beauty Refresh Dry Shampoo
On those days when “washing your hair” feels like a distant dream, meet your new bestie: Innersense’s Refresh Dry Shampoo. This foam-to-powder wonder effortlessly absorbs oil, boosts volume, and leaves zero white residue. Crafted with organic ingredients like tapioca starch and witch hazel, it gently cleanses your scalp while preserving your hair’s natural moisture balance. Plus, its unique blend of bitter orange and pullulan delivers a refreshing scent and flexible hold, making it perfect for all hair types.
2. LifeVantage TrueScience Invigorating Shampoo
Give your hair the nourishment and protection it needs with LifeVantage’s TrueScience® Invigorating Shampoo. Formulated with Nrf2 ingredients and amino acids, it strengthens and protects hair from environmental stress while keeping it smooth, soft, and healthy. Free from harsh chemicals, it cleans gently and leaves your hair feeling revitalized with a refreshing green tea, peppermint, and thyme scent. For best results, pair with the TrueScience Nourishing Conditioner and Scalp Serum.
3. Rocky Mountain Soap Co. Rosemary Mint Wild Kindness Shampoo
With just ten simple, natural ingredients — like soap nut, flaxseed, and plant-based amino acids — this shampoo is a no-fuss, all-care kind of product. It’s free from harsh chemicals, so you can use it every day without worrying about stripping your hair’s natural strength. The invigorating rosemary mint scent? Think of it as a wake-up call for your scalp, turning each wash into a refreshingly rejuvenating moment that might just make you skip the coffee.
4. NIUCOCO Hydrating Shampoo
Packed with the goodness of coconut oil, NIUCOCO’s hydrating shampoo is your go-to for locking in moisture while keeping frizz in check. Its sulfate-free formula is packed with plant extracts like watermelon, camellia, orchid, green tea, and rosemary leaf — basically, a whole garden of nourishment for your hair. A quick shake before use unlocks its unique texture, making each wash as fun as it is effective — because who said hair care can’t have a little personality?
5. Plaine Products Refillable Shampoo, Rosemary Mint Vanilla
Plaine Products combines a powerhouse formula with sustainability, proving you can save the planet and have great hair at the same time. Their refillable aluminum bottles ditch the single-use plastic while offering a sulfate-free shampoo that’s perfect for all hair types (even colour-treated strands get the VIP treatment). Infused with aloe vera and plant-based oils, it’s as nourishing as it is gentle, and the rosemary mint vanilla scent? A little indulgence in every wash — because your hair deserves a touch of luxury, too.
6. Bounce Curl Pure Silk Moisturizing Shampoo
Introducing Bounce Curl’s Pure Silk Shampoo, designed to hydrate and nourish both your hair and scalp. Infused with safflower oil and essential fatty acids, this shampoo gently cleanses without stripping natural oils, promoting healthy, shiny hair. It soothes and calms the scalp, reducing dryness and flakiness, while softening and minimizing breakage. Perfect for dry, damaged, or thick, curly hair, it’s free from sulfates, silicones, and parabens, and is vegan and colour-safe. With a revitalizing citrus scent, this shampoo leaves your hair feeling fresh and your scalp balanced.
7. Dermazen Cleansing Dandruff Shampoo
Dermazen’s cleansing shampoo is a cruelty-free hero for dandruff and irritated scalps, saving you from flakes and redness while encouraging healthy hair growth. Its dermatologist-approved formula is as gentle as it is effective, so you can say goodbye to harsh chemicals and hello to a calmer scalp. Perfect for anyone who wants to treat their hair right — without any drama.
8. Ingreendients Daily Shampoo
Go beyond plant-based and step into the future of hair care with Ingreendients Daily Shampoo — the ONLY 100% plant-powered shampoo on the market. Detox your routine with this sulfate-free, betaine-free, and silicone-free formula that’s safe for colour and chemically-treated hair. It delivers a rich, creamy lather that strengthens cuticles and strands, leaving your hair as healthy as it is happy. Plus, it’s cruelty-free, gluten-free, and vegan — because your hair deserves the best, and so does the planet.
9. Viori Citrus Yao Shampoo Bar
A fresh, citrus-scented shampoo bar straight from the fruit baskets of Red Yao — Viori’s Citrus Yao Shampoo Bar is handcrafted using Longsheng Rice, natural ingredients, and beauty rituals passed down by the Red Yao for centuries. This shampoo bar is sulfate-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, pH balanced, 100% vegan, and plastic-free — basically, it’s doing all the good for your hair (and the planet). It moisturizes, strengthens, rejuvenates, volumizes, increases shine, repairs, and gently cleanses your hair and scalp — proof that ancient beauty rituals are still the best.
Embrace Ethical Beauty
Choosing cruelty-free shampoos doesn’t mean sacrificing performance. These options prove you can have shiny, healthy hair while supporting ethical practices. Whether your hair is straight, curly, or somewhere in between, there’s a perfect cruelty-free shampoo for you.
And here’s the best part — you can find all these shampoos (and more!) on the Think Dirty app, available for both Android and iOS. The app makes it easy to shop with confidence, checking product ratings, ingredients, and certifications right at your fingertips. Want even more perks? Unlock the full benefits with a Think Dirty Premium subscription, where you’ll gain exclusive features to make your clean beauty journey even smoother.
Download the Think Dirty app today and make the switch — your hair, the planet, and the animals will thank you.
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Top 9 Cruelty-Free Shampoos for Luscious Locks was originally published in Think Dirty on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.