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Green is the New Gorgeous: The 20+ Best Eco-Friendly Hair Care Products
Updated: Nov 4
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We've all heard the saying, "you are what you eat". But did you know that what you put on your hair is just as important? With the demand for natural, sustainable, and eco-friendly products on the rise, more and more hair care brands are taking it upon themselves to be sustainable and eco-friendly. In this article, we'll discuss over 20 brands of eco-friendly hair care products on the market. With knowledge about sustainable packaging and eco ingredients, you'll be able to make informed decisions about the products you use and be a more sustainable consumer. It's time to start taking care of yourself and the environment, one hair care product at a time.
What to look for in sustainable hair care
Ingredients
If you're looking for eco-friendly hair care products, these are some ingredients to look out for:
Natural and organic ingredients: Look for products that use natural and organic ingredients, as these are often sustainably sourced and better for the environment. Ingredients like plant-based oils, natural butters, and extracts from botanical sources are a good place to start.
Biodegradable surfactants: Surfactants are the ingredients that create lather and help to clean the hair. Look for hair care products that use biodegradable surfactants, which break down easily in the environment and do not affect our oceans.
Mineral-based pigments: If you use hair color products, look for ones that use mineral-based pigments, which are less harmful to the environment and often gentler on your hair and scalp.
Fairtrade ingredients: Some sustainable hair care products use ingredients sourced from fair trade suppliers, which helps to support local communities and promote sustainable farming practices.
Overall, the key to finding sustainable hair care products is to look for those that prioritize environmentally-friendly practices and ingredients, and have a minimal impact on the planet.
Packaging
When looking for zero waste hair care products, the packaging is a large part of how sustainable a product is. Here are some product packaging features to look for:
Recyclable or biodegradable materials: Look for hair care products that come in packaging made from recyclable materials, such as glass or aluminum, or biodegradable materials, such as bamboo or cornstarch. These materials are less harmful to the environment and can be reused or repurposed after use.
Minimal packaging: Look for products that come in minimal packaging, with less plastic or excess packaging materials. This helps to reduce waste and minimize the impact on the environment.
Refillable options: Some hair care brands offer refillable options, where you can reuse the original packaging and simply purchase a refill of the product. This helps to reduce waste and can be a more cost-effective option in the long run.
Sustainable sourcing: Some brands use packaging made from sustainably sourced materials, like recycled plastics, to minimize their impact on the environment.
Carbon-neutral shipping: Some hair care brands have implemented carbon-neutral shipping, meaning that the carbon emissions generated from shipping their products are offset by supporting carbon-reducing projects.
By looking for hair care products with these packaging features, you can make a more sustainable choice and reduce your impact on the environment.
Ingredients to avoid in eco-friendly hair care products
There are several hair care ingredients that you may want to avoid for various reasons. Here are some of the common ones:
Sulfates: Sulfates are a type of detergent that can strip the hair of its natural oils and cause inflammation of the skin. However, not all sulfates are the same. One of the harsher sulfates that should be avoided is sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).
Silicones: While silicones can make hair look shiny and smooth, they can also build up on the hair over time and make it feel heavy and greasy. Look for ingredients that end in “-cone" (such as dimethicone or cyclomethicone).
Parabens: Parabens are a type of preservative that has been linked to hormonal imbalances and other health concerns. Look for ingredients with "paraben" in the name, such as methylparaben or propylparaben.
Alcohol: Some types of alcohol, such as denatured alcohol, can dry out the hair and skin. Look for ingredients with "alcohol" in the name, such as isopropyl alcohol or ethanol.
Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde is a preservative that can cause skin irritation and can even damage DNA. Look for ingredients that release formaldehyde, such as formalin.
Phthalates are a colorless and odorless group of chemicals that are widely used in various products, including personal care items and toys. They serve as a plastic softener to prevent breakage, and as a gelling agent in shampoos and are known to affect your health. This is one of the several substances that can be used in the US but is banned in the EU.
Fragrance: While fragrance can make hair products smell nice, it can also contain a variety of skin irritation. Look for fragrance-free products.
Overall, it's a good idea to read ingredient labels carefully and avoid any ingredients that may be harmful or irritating to your hair or skin.
Shampoo & Conditioner
Suds & Co
Suds & Co. is on a mission to revolutionize the way we think about our daily routines and their impact on the environment. Our premium collection of Shampoo and Conditioner bars are created using only the finest, non-toxic, vegan-friendly ingredients, never contain parabens, dyes, synthetic fragrances, SLS, or GMOs so you can feed both your scalp and your hair with nature’s finest nutrition. By removing water from the formula and using plastic-free packaging, they are proud to offer a sustainable solution for your beauty needs with a reduced carbon footprint. Each bar keeps multiple plastic bottles out of landfills and toxic ingredients from polluting precious water resources, while also proving to be budget beneficial — as one bar is equal to 2-3 bottles of conventional shampoo or conditioner. Our intentional botanical blends gently clean without stripping and moisturize and strengthen hair without weighing it down, creating a luxurious lather with just 2-3 swipes.
Meow Meow Tweet
Meow Meow Tweet is a dynamic, sustainable skincare company that strives to bring whimsy and fun to the organic skincare world, while still being mindful of the environment. Founded by musicians Jeff Kurosaki and partner Tara Pelletier in 2009, they creatively named the company after their two cats and pet bird, and are now based in upstate New York. All their products are lovingly crafted in the US, and they boast vegan, non-toxic, plastic-free formulas. Not only that, but each month Meow Meow Tweet sets aside a portion of its profits for charitable giving to give back to the community. Although they face stiff competition, Meow Meow Tweet is determined to continue creating wonderful, sustainable skincare products with a unique and fun edge.
Plain Products
Confronted with the overwhelming reality of plastic packaging in the bathroom, two sisters created the ultimate solution - Plaine Products. Plaine Products offer chemical-free, natural, and eco-friendly hair and body care items like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion, and hand wash. What sets Plaine Products apart is their unique refill system- purchase your chosen product, use it, and then send your empty container back in the same box your new product was shipped in to get your refill. It's a one-stop shop for high-quality personal-care items with a conscience, standing against single-use plastic and helping to protect our fragile ecosystems.
HiBar
HiBar was founded by four friends, Nora, Jay, Ward, and Dion who were all trying to achieve the same goal, getting rid of excess plastic in their showers. They decided to join forces and rejected the idea that bulky, wasteful bottles of shampoo and conditioner were necessary to have a good hair day. With the help of hair care experts, the friends gave life to HiBAR, an eco-friendly hair care solution in the form of a plastic-free, teardrop-shaped bar. Each bar is formulated with deep nourishment and protection without any chemical additives. You can choose from a range of volumizing, maintaining, or moisturizing options and never look back. With HiBAR, the days of slaving to save the planet while compromising on looking and feeling good are gone!
Bestowed Essentials
Welcome to Bestowed Essentials, the ethical beauty company that is doing things a little differently. Driven by a passion for all-natural, zero-waste beauty and skincare that's handcrafted with the planet in mind. Founder Callee set out on a mission to share her eco-friendly lifestyle and zero-waste products with the world. From just 6 vegan soap bars on Etsy to the PETA Cruelty-Free Certification, and a collection of products including bath salts, face masks, shampoo bars, and more, Bestowed Essentials and her team of two have been spreading their style of eco-friendly beauty around the world.
Alpine Provisions
At 16, Joshua Scott Onysko abandoned his suburban life and bought a 1973 VW camper, setting off for Vermont and the crisp mountain air he felt he belonged in. This inspired him to create Alpine Provisions - a plastic-free, organic personal care line - to use business as a way to create positive social and environmental change. Each ingredient used in Alpine Provisions products is infused with nature's purity, respecting people, the planet, and the positive contribution each makes to the world. By inspiring these youth to explore the mountains, forests, and untamed wilderness of our planet, a new generation of conscious leaders is born - inspired by the beauty of our planet.
Plum Brilliance
Unlock your hair's hidden potential with Plum Brilliance's Natural Shampoo Bar! Made with ethically wildcrafted botanicals and oils, it contains no sulfates, parabens, additives, or chemicals and is handcrafted with castor oil and tea tree, nourishing your scalp and undoing the damage. Plus, it comes without any extra plastic packaging, arriving to you in a recyclable paper sleeve shipped with recycled and recyclable shipping materials. With Plum Brilliance's high social and ethical responsibility goals, you can trust that their palm oil supplier is a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), supporting sustainable palm oil production and harvesting. Transform your hair and get the beauty you deserve today with the Natural Shampoo Bar from Plum Brilliance!
Good Juju
Bid adieu to the notion that achieving zero-waste living means compromising your daily luxuries! Thanks to Good Juju, you can have your cake and keep the planet too. Founded by two visionary mothers, Lisa and Alexa, Good Juju is on a mission to make sustainability convenient and accessible. Combining their knowledge in health and wellness with plant-powered ingredients, their range of zero-waste products has something for every hair type and home need. From their shampoo and conditioner bars targeting specific hair needs to their laundry sheets that ditch those bulky, plastic-heavy detergent jugs, Good Juju is here to make cutting down on plastic use easier than ever before. So don't let anyone tell you that zero-waste living means giving up the things you love - Good Juju has got your back!
Captain Blankenship
Nature is a remarkable force of beauty, bringing with it countless benefits to mental and physical health. Although it's not always possible to get out and take in all that nature has to offer, Jana Blankenship offers an alternative solution. Growing up in coastal Maine surrounded by the sights and smells of the ocean and the woods, Jana established Captain Blankenship to share her deep connection with nature with others. This small women-run company has created a direct link between people and nature through their organic beauty products crafted with all-natural ingredients, allowing them to bring the experience of land and sea into their daily routines. By shopping with Captain Blankenship, customers are guaranteed the highest quality natural ingredients that are toxin-free and locally-sourced whenever possible. Ultimately, Captain Blankenship provides a way to connect with nature even on days when it's too busy to head outside.
Hair Brushes
Redecker
Friedel Redecker was truly an inspiration, going from being a blind child in Germany to becoming a successful artisan, and eventually, starting a business that has grown to be known around the world for its sustainability. In 1935, the Redecker Company was born, and ever since, has grown to include other products such as dish brushes, toilet brushes, dusters, and even makeup and hair brushes. His resilience, patience, and love for artisanal work allowed him to create a business that was passed down to his son and daughter-in-law, who continued to uphold the values and principles of quality, sustainability, and practical design that Redecker is renowned for today. The family's commitment to natural and recyclable materials has helped to keep many plastic products out of economic circulation, thus reducing your plastic footprint while also offering high-quality products made to last for years.
Brooklyn Made Natural
From the smooth natural feel of the green sandalwood to the heavy luxurious feel that each comb has, this handcrafted comb provides a unique experience for the user. Not only does it detangle gently, with zero waste of your precious locks, but the handcrafting process provides each comb with its unique wood grain and pattern, giving it a feeling of true luxury. Advanced technology has also been used to ensure an anti-static effect and an amazing natural aroma, but the best part is that it won’t rip out any of your hair or damage it in any way. To make sure your comb lasts for a long time, we recommend treating it with natural wood oil or olive oil occasionally, which will not only help protect the comb but will also help it develop unique shades of green as it ages.
Zefiro
Since its founding in 2016 by Carley Pulford, an avid zero-waste enthusiast, Zefiro has flourished from its humble beginnings of selling beeswax wraps at Chicago local farmers' markets. Today, Zefiro offers an ever-expanding array of zero-waste-friendly home essentials, crafted using natural and sustainable materials like bamboo, sisal, and FSC-Certified wood. All of their products are thoughtfully designed to last longer and of course, be easy to mindfully dispose of when they don't. With their motto of 'where sustainability meets affordability', Zefiro's single-use swaps are a great way to live a zero-waste lifestyle without breaking your bank!
ZWS Essentials
Ready to take on your next adventure? With this zero waste and plastic-free mini hair brush, you can travel and explore with ease! Not only is it handy and perfect for tossing into your purse, but it also features natural bamboo brush pins and a rubber cushion base, plus a carnauba wax finish on its bamboo handle, giving it a comfortable and natural feel. Just like regular hair brushes, it’s sure to give you the same results you’ve come to expect – without the extra plastic and synthetic materials. The perfect companion for kids too!
Hair Ties
Terra Ties
Protect the environment and your hair with Terra Ties! These revolutionary hair ties are designed with natural rubber, organic cotton, and earth-friendly dyes, meaning that instead of having to rely on synthetic rubber and plastic ties that can cause damage when discarded or lost, you can use a product that's not only better for the environment but softer, thicker and more durable than traditional store-bought ties. Perfect for ponytails, braids, and man buns, Terra Ties are the perfect environmentally conscious choice for your hair styling needs!
Kooshoo
Kooshoo was born out of a passionate belief that business can be a powerful vehicle for social change. While many people strive to make positive changes in their own lives, we chose to create a purpose-led brand that could have a real, far-reaching impact. Our goal is to break the mold of unsustainable living and create something beautiful and meaningful - something that could become a cultural shift towards a more sustainable lifestyle. Combining style, quality, and comfort with eco-friendly, plant-based materials, Kooshoo's hair accessories leave out all the plastic waste, proving that fashion can be sustainable and still look great.
Styling
Elleada
Revitalize your scalp and boost your hair follicles with Elleada's Hair Strengthening Serum. This plant-derived blend of herbs, essential oils, and botanicals is an all-natural, lightweight, oil-free serum designed to nourish hair and scalp health with vitamins, minerals, and natural nutrients. Whether you're suffering from stress-related hair loss, postpartum hair loss, scalp imbalances, trichotillomania, dermatitis, dandruff, itchy and dry scalp, scalp acne, folliculitis, premature balding, or even just want your hair to grow back quickly from a haircut, Elleada's Hair Serum is the perfect product for you.
Seed Phytonutrients
Tired of wrestling with your frizzy hair? Let Seed Phytonutrients' Natural Anti-Frizz Hair Smoothing Cream take the hard work out of fixing it! Offering 98% natural origins ingredients, such as jojoba seed oil, coconut, guar beans, and sunflower seed oil, this vegan formula strengthens and protects unruly hair, while nourishing it with a pleasant aroma from parsley and orange flower. Best of all, it's sulfate-free and biodegradable, so it won't damage our planet (or your hair!).
Seed Phytonutrients is the realization of a long-held dream for a family-run small business with a deep-rooted foundation. Fueled by the mission to craft clean and trusted formulas with minimal environmental impact, Seed Phytonutrients passionately pursues sustainability while prioritizing the power of plants, specifically the potency of seeds.
Fat and the Moon
What's better than treating your tresses to the goodness of cocoa and lavender? Create gorgeous, voluminous hair with our special concoction of natural dry shampoo! Cocoa powder adds shine and body without looking dull or powdery, while arrowroot starch and kaolin clay absorb oil and provide lift. Use this delicious dry shampoo in between regular washes, or anytime your hair needs a pick-me-up. The best part? It works on all hair colors, invisibly blending with every shade so everyone can get in on the action! Just dip a makeup brush into the powder, tap off the excess, and apply to the oiliest sections. Then brush through upside down to ensure even coverage and added volume.
Earth Harbor
Ali Perry-Hatch is a certified toxicologist, herbalist, and beach wanderer who grew up on St. Simons Island, Georgia, instilling a love for nature in her from an early age. As a young girl, she created potions from natural ingredients like marsh mud and sea salt which eventually evolved into a passion for protecting our environment from toxins and synthetic chemicals. After an off-the-grid treehouse adventure, a near-fatal car accident, and the discovery that she was pregnant, Ali committed to living a toxin-free lifestyle and founded Earth Harbor, a small family business with high-quality maritime products that offer an indulgent yet natural and synthetic-free skin and hair care system. Her passion and dedication can be seen in every product.
Lumi
Revive your locks between washes, after the gym, or when you want to switch up your style with Lumi's Dry Shampoo Powder. Chemicals and aerosols are a thing of the past - their all-natural ingredients work overtime to absorb oil, add texture, and feed your scalp with proteins to prevent breakage and promote hair growth. With a choice of three formulas tailored to your exact hair type and color, you'll never experience a chalky, heavy, or sticky feeling - just a clean and refreshed head of hair without any white cast or residue!
Steam to Sea
Spending quality time in the sun and sea can be great for our well-being but can be damaging to our hair. Stream2Sea's Leave-In Hair Conditioner is here to help restore your hair's natural shine and luster after exposure to the elements. Packed with a potent antioxidant blend of green tea, tulsi, wakame, and olive leaf and nourishing proteins, this light, non-greasy formula helps protect hair from color fading due to harmful UV rays, detangle knotty hair without causing hair loss and replenish moisture levels so you can enjoy soft and manageable hair. For best results, comb a small amount through damp hair then don't rinse.
As we wrap up this exploration into eco-friendly hair care brands, let's remember the power each choice holds. By supporting these conscientious brands, we not only care for our tresses but also contribute to a greener, more sustainable future. Every purchase becomes a vote for a planet where beauty thrives in harmony with nature. Let's continue to champion these eco-conscious initiatives, because together, our small actions can create waves of positive change in the beauty industry and beyond.
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