Best Organic Shampoo

best organic shampoo

Thanks to the Sage Special Formula Shampoo, you know have something 100% natural to rely on. It is a complete holistic shampoo with no harsh chemicals or sulphate. Based on our testing, it is an anti-dandruff shampoo which feeds your scalp antioxidants, natural oils, and a sage, rosemary, and tea tree extract for healthy and glowing hair.

If you prefer something expensive and vegan, try the Tree To Tub Organic Dandruff Shampoo. It is free of any chemical soap or sulphate used in conventional hair care products. This also includes parabens, triclosan, DEA, silicone, and perfume. It is manufactured to give you cruelty-free, hypoallergenic and eco-friendly quality which is preferred by most consumers today. It’s the best organic shampoo on the market.

If you prefer something that’s more than half the price of our expensive pick, try the Tea Tree Peppermint Moisturizing Shampoo. It contains organic mint with jojoba oil for safe and gentle shampooing for men, women, and children. This one is a versatile pick available at a reasonable price. It also contains peppermint, rosemary oil, and tea tree oil to nourish and moisturize damaged and dry hair.

A Little Background

Healthy hair is a prized possession for many women and men. Hair that feels soft, smooth, and untangled is the true mark of a healthy lifestyle. But what this includes, as its most important factor, is the use of the best shampoo. It’s a routine to maintain short or long hair on a daily basis. It involves oiling, washing, conditioning, and grooming hair. Hair fibers and follicles are highly sensitive and prone to catching dust, infections, dandruff, and other elements either picked up from the environment or due to nutrient deficiency. However, the best, healthy shampoo can prevent that from happening. Modern day shampoos and conditioners are subjected to a number of changes; involving the use of chemicals and various ingredients to make hair look healthier and shinier faster. But that’s about to change now.

Just as how organic foods and supplements are made of ingredients that have been processed without fertilizers and pesticides, an organic shampoo is made up of natural and environmentally-safe ingredients such as organic plant extract, cleansers such as coco glucoside, herb and plant oils, plant-derived gums, and essential oils. The best part about organic shampoos is that they do not contain artificial fragrance or color. The invention of such a formula can be traced back to the 1990s. Its ingredients list contained no traces of chemicals, harmful detergents, or other conditioning preservatives. The result was naturally-glowing hair without the use of chemicals.

Shampoo comes with a simple application and that is to wash hair. It needs to be applied on the scalp right down to the tip; which needs to be massaged into the hair and washed immediately. The Organic or synthetic shampoos are made up of a variety of ingredients to removes unwanted dirt and roughness. You will also find specific products made for removing dandruff, improving hair elasticity, accelerating hair growth, preventing split ends, and so on. If you’re interested in using plant-derived and all-natural hair products, opting for an organic shampoo is your best choices.

Many cosmetic brands claim to be “healthy”, “all-natural”, and “organic” in their processing and manufacturing of cruelty-free and environmentally-friendly shampoos, but only a few meet such expectations. The most common ingredients found in synthetic shampoos are:

  • Sulphate
  • Glycol
  • Ammonium Chloride
  • Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
  • Silicone
  • Parabens (artificial preservatives)

There are no traces of any of these found in the formula list of certified organic shampoos. On the other hand, the most common ingredients found in organic shampoos are:

  • Plant-derived extracts such as aloe vera, rosemary, or green tea.
  • Essential oils and plant oils such as coconut, chamomile, eucalyptus, etc.
  • Plant-derived guns for thickening the solution.
  • Plant-derived juice such as aloe vera as a healthier substitute to water.
  • For cleansing: antioxidant-rich cleansers such as coconut, lime, etc.
  • No preservatives or colorants or fragrances.

Having good looking and healthy hair is possible without the use of parabens and other conditioning agents. During the production of synthetic hair products, harmful substances such as detergents leave behind a significant carbon footprint, which harms the environment. Plus, synthetic products promote animal testing which is another reason why you must switch to organic.

What’s In My Shampoo?

This is the most basic question a consumer would ask when given a healthier and safer alternative. Studies suggest that consumers switch to better products only when they’re given factual proof of why their previous choice is dangerous to them and the environment. Here’s a brief run-down of the most common ingredients found in synthetic shampoos today:

Detergents: Synthetic detergents, commonly known as syndets, are the most significant cleansers in shampoos. These surfactants contain molecules of two kinds of acids: lipophilic which is oil-based and hydrophilic which is water-based. These two sites or acids bind molecules of oil and water to remove from the scalp and hair follicles when washed off with water. These are the most common shampoo synthetic detergents used by hair brands.

Similarly, the primary groups of detergents used for both cleansing and conditioning properties are: cationics, non-ionics, anionics, amphoterics, and natural. All the mentioned detergents have strong cleansing properties to remove dirt, oil, and excess water from the hair. Plus, they’re also manufactured for treating dandruff, colored hair, and thin, damaged hair. The most common sub-detergents belonging to this group are sulphates are effective detergent cleansers.

Natural detergents: Along with anionics, amphoterics, non-ionics, and cationics, the last type of shampoo detergent for cleansing and conditioning damaged hair is natural. Which means it contains naturally-derived compounds that clean the hair and leave it smooth and shiny. Natural detergents are used in abundances more often in organic hair products than synthetic products. That said, most synthetic products contain traces of natural detergents for fragrance and the added “natural ingredient” appeal. (1)

The most common natural detergent used in synthetic hair products is the fruit extract of soapberries or Sapindus. The main ingredient found in this fruit is saponins which act as natural syndets to clean and rejuvenate the hair. Saponins help smoothen the hair follicles while strengthening the root and conditioning them. Other plant-based detergents used since ancient times for hair care are extracts from soap bark, ivy agave, sarsaparilla, and soapwort. These plant-based detergents are best for conditioning the hair, but rank the poorest for cleansing. Still, many cosmetic hair products using synthetic detergents include traces of these plant-derived compounds to boost sales and aesthetic appeal.

Conditioners: Hair-conditioners are added in with shampoos to make hair look shinier and smoother. Many shampoo products contain both cleansing and conditioning ingredients to boost effectiveness. These are quick-to-use products that are best for damaged, thin, colored, dandruff-prone hair. The most common hair-conditioners found in synthetic hair products are glycerine, animal protein, glycol, dimethicone, and other chloride-based compounds. These substances bind with hair fibers to strengthen and prevent split ends.

Foaming agents: Foaming agents, as the name suggests, are responsible for creating foamy bubbles in the shampoo while you massage it into your hair. Contrary to popular claims, foaming agents do not cleanse the hair. It just provides good foaming which makes one think it does more than that. The most common foaming agent is cocodiethanolamide. This helps spread the synthetic detergent over the hair and scalp. It is a significant ingredient in shampoo formula as it convinces the user of the shampoo’s effectiveness in cleansing.

Thickeners: Thickeners play a role in enhancing the appearance of certain types of shampoos. They make shampoos thick, runny, and tangible. The common thickeners used to improve the viscosity of shampoos are glycol distearate, sodium chloride or salt, and PEG-150 distearate. Just like foaming agents, thickeners do not offer cleansing or conditioning properties.

Preservatives: Preservatives are responsible for preventing germs and bacterial or microbial decomposition of the shampoo. Without a chemical preservative, a synthetic shampoo is prone to attracting all kinds of germs and microbes. Which depletes the efficacy of the shampoo. Preservatives such as parabens, benzoate, hydantoin, and tetrasodium EDTA prevent accumulation of germs, bacteria, and microbes. (2)

Understanding Organic Labels

The term “organic” in the cosmetic industry has not yet been given a succinct definition and cause. Having said that, how can you know whether the hair product you’re using is true to its “organic” claims or not. In the United States itself, multiple environmental groups have filed a case against more than 25 brands claiming “organic” formulas as certified labels. (3)

According to the FDA, under cosmetic and labelling, many cosmetics with “organic” labels often contain synthetic ingredients that are used for the processing of naturally-derived compounds. These too are subjected to toxicity and harmful consequences as other chemical compounds. (4)

Having said that, if you are concerned about the use of chemicals and pesticides in the products you buy, here is a simple way to identify organic products for what they truly are:

Look for official terms such as USDA certified organic for better identification. A product with this label contains at least 95% of organic ingredients that aren’t processed using synthetic compounds and pesticides. The official seal or label for USDA certified organic is a green and white seal. Any chances of mislabelling or false labelling of this certification can result in fines that amount up to $10,000 or more, per violation. That said, some products with the same label contain ingredients that are at least 70% organic. But make sure such portions are accurately mentioned right next to its seal. (5)

Another significant alliance responsible for labelling products free of harmful chemicals and synthetic products is Soil Association Organic. This alliance is responsible for calling out products that contain potentially cause harm to the environment and humans. (6)

According to this alliance, the use of the following substances should not be used in shampoos and other cosmetic products:

CHEMICAL NAME

USE

SIDE-EFFECTS

Octinoxate

To resist UVB and UVA rays

A potential allergen

Not environmental-friendly

Homosalate

UVB protection

A potential allergen

Can cause endocrine damage

Ethyl Hexylsalicylate

UV protection

A potential allergen

Not environmentally-friendly

Sulphate

Shampoo lather

Hair loss

Scalp sensitivities and irritation

Dryness of hair and scalp

Imidazolidinyl urea

Moisturizer

A potential carcinogen

Our Best Pick

The Sage Special Formula Shampoo is an organic vitamin and anti-dandruff treatment pick for most people. It aids an itchy scalp, dryness, scalp sensitivity, and hair loss. If you want something that uses natural ingredients such as sage, rosemary, and tea tree oils to treat dry and damaged hair, go for this pick. It contains no harsh chemicals, but in fact contains anti-bacterial tea tree oil which helps promote blood circulation in the hair follicles for faster hair growth. Such ingredients are essential for removing dead skin cells on the scalp while also promoting better hair shine, growth, and bounciness.

Flaws But Not Dealbreakers

You must use the shampoo in small quantities and only 3-4 times in a week. Daily use can lead to dryness of hair since it’s an anti-dandruff shampoo. If you wish to use it every day, you can use it with an organic conditioner to soften the blow.

Our Best Step-Up Pick

The Tree To Tub Organic Dandruff Shampoo comes from a reliable and reputable brand. This product contains natural olive leaf, gotu kola, and chamomile extracts. On the plus side, it also features a perfectly balanced pH level for your hair follicles. So, you don’t have to deal with dryness of scalp, hair, or split ends. Olive leaf is best for moisturizing dry hair; gotu kola for decreasing dandruff and itchiness; and chamomile to treat sensitive skin. For hair and scalp that is prone to inflammation, this best organic shampoo is a blessing. It even works for people with skin conditions such as eczema. It contains no harsh parabens, silicone, or sulphate. Lastly, the shampoo has a good lather and goes a long way to keep your hair healthy and smooth.

Our Best Budget Pick

The Tea Tree Peppermint Moisturizing Shampoo is an interesting choice for many reasons. For starters, it is the best pick for boosting hair follicles health. With therapeutic-grade ingredients such as tea tree, rosemary, peppermint, and other non-toxic elements, this organic shampoo is best for all types of hair. It promotes softness, thickness, and vibrancy. It’s also best for fighting against hair thinning and dandruff problems. Nothing about this pick is eco-unfriendly and inflammatory. The ingredients replenish the scalp with the right nutrients required for hair growth and shine. You will notice a difference in your hair volume in just a few days of using this product. It’s that effective and organic!

Our Best Keratin Shampoo Solution

The Baebody Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo is the best organic shampoo for men and women. It comes with argan oil which is best for treating thin and damaged hair. It’s also best for short and long hairstyles. If you have frizzy, dry, and brittle hair, this is your solution. The organic keratin extracts soften the hair follicles from root to tip. And since it contains no sulphate solution, it keeps your hair hydrated and soft. For eco-friendly processing and packaging, this brand is cruelty-free. We highly recommend this pick to anyone looking for an affordable, effective, and long-lasting solution.

Our Best Shampoo Solution for Oily Hair

The Avalon Organics Biotin Shampoo is NSF certified with 70% organic ingredients. It’s the best shampoo for people with an oily scalp. It contains natural fragrances such as tea tree, mint, eucalyptus, and chamomile. And with vitamin E, biotin, palmetto, and quinoe protein, this best organic shampoo helps strengthen weak hair roots. The lather is smooth and consistent. Plus, it helps clean out any other hair products you’ve had on your hair for a while. For oily hair, the best cleansing hair product is much needed. And that’s precisely what this product has to offer. It washes away all the bad oils from your scalp, leaving some good oils needed for nourishment and hair growth.

Our Best Shampoo Solution for UV Protection

The Alba Botanica Coconut Hawaiian Conditioner makes a best shampoo and conditioner. It is not like other shampoos or conditioners because it contains vegan ingredients. It’s free from any formaldehydes and sulphates that damage hair follicles. Instead, it contains fatty acids, protein, and coconut milk. It even contains certain tropical oils such as aloe vera and calendula to protect hair from UV rays, stress, and pollution. If you really want to know, we think this is the best organic shampoo for outdoor protection. It cleanses hair follicles while strengthening the cuticles to reverse split ends. Plus, the natural oils prevent damage from using hair products such as hair spray or mousse, so it prevents daily hair stress.

Our Best Baby Shampoo Solution

The Nature’s Baby Organics Shampoo is a coconut and pineapple blend with hypoallergenic and all-natural properties. It is an organic and vegan choice for kids. It contains no synthetic chemicals, no harsh additives or dyes, and no silicone or sulphate. Unlike conventional baby shampoos, this one doesn’t irritate the eyes or cause tears. Most baby shampoos often dehydrate the hair follicles causing skin irritation. But this organics shampoo is different. With coconut and pineapple, it is best for sensitive skin. You will enjoy the texture and smell of this pick for your baby or young infant or teenager.  

Our Best Shampoo Solution for Colored Hair

The Acure Mega Moisture Shampoo is silicone-free, sulphate-free, and chemical-free. It contains the kind of ingredients best for maintaining color treated hair. If you have colored hair, you know how difficult it is to maintain them with the best shampoo. And excessive use of chemicals in conventional shampoos damage hair vibrancy and smoothness. This pick is one of the best and most affordable shampoos on the market. It has a smooth lather that leaves the hair smooth and shiny. Plus, you get to wash dirt and oils from your hair without putting excess chemicals on your hair and body. This is what makes this hydrating shampoo reliable and longer-lasting.

Our Best Shampoo Solution for Damaged Hair

The DermOrganic Daily Conditioning Shampoo is best for conditioning dry and damaged hair. It is best for longer hair as it contains argan oil. Argan oil for hair helps in healing as well as strengthening of hair follicles. It is a popular organic choice for many hair care products as it leaves your hair thick and shiny. Apart from the basics, it also contains keratin protein, antioxidants, and seed extracts for soft hair. All these ingredients have been processed using no harsh chemicals or methods. They’re cruelty-free, vegan, and free of paraben, sulphate, and silicone. These shampoos work as the best healing hair products for damaged hair roots and split ends.

Our Best Shampoo Bar for Travelers

This is the best way to experiment with what you use for daily hair care. The J.R. Liggett’s Old Fashioned Shampoo, if you didn’t notice, is best for travellers. It comes in a soap bar form which you can take with you for camping or even road trips. You can use it as both a hair shampoo and body soap. It is available in a variation of organic ingredients such as coconut oil and argan oil, jojoba and peppermint, and tea tree and hemp oil. It shows the best hair results with no traces of harsh chemicals and artificial scents. This product works best on short and long hair.   

The Competition

Getting started with the best organic shampoo isn’t easy. The best cleansing and conditioning shampoo should be free of parabens, sulphate, silicone, and other similar chemicals. Non-toxic beauty products are essential if you want to get rid of chemical residue on your hair and body. The best products we chose are globally certified, 100% natural, and free of such harsh chemicals. Take our advice and overthrow conventional hair products that do nothing but weaken your roots and damage your hair.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why do we use shampoo?

A. The use of organic shampoo, or shampoo in general, is also associated with different types of hair.

For people with normal hair: Going organic means using chemically untouched ingredients. This produces best results for cleansing as well as conditioning. Synthetic hair shampoos use a common substance such as lauryl sulphate which offers better cleansing than conditioning properties. However, for organic ingredients, the use of plant-driven extracts are ideal.

These shampoos are best for daily washing.

Deep cleaning shampoos are used by those who use hair spray, gel, and other such cosmetic hair products. The molecules and polymers present in hair sprays and gels often stick to the surface of the hair follicles as well as the scalp. And the build up of such compounds due to consistent use can make the hair rough, dry, and damaged. Hence, a deep cleansing shampoo can prevent such damage.

Medicinal shampoos are used by those who have specific, dermatologist-diagnosed hair problems. This can be dermatitis, bacterial infection, or other diseases. The kind of activated compounds and chemicals present in medicinal shampoos reverse such symptoms. They include corticosteroids, sulfur, salicylic acid, chlorinated phenols, and other substances. Some 2-in-1 shampoos contain silicone as a conditioning agent to prevent dryness of scalp. Plus, silicone also produces the best foam to increase viscosity of the formula.

Professional shampoos are often the most expensive hair products on the market. They are recommended and used by professional hair stylists and cosmetologists. The most common use of professional shampoos can be seen in salons before and after cutting and styling hair. It can also be used before you bleach or dye your hair. The fact is that such shampoos contain activated and strong compounds such as concentrated forms of anionic acid and other detergents. These substances can weaken the hair follicles with time. Plus, they leave behind residues that may seem plausible and effective in the beginning, but have harmful side-effects if you use it consistently.

Q. What are the different types of specialized shampoos?

A. Organic shampoos is one of the specialized shampoos to use. The other main types being baby shampoo and wheat- or gluten-free shampoo.  

Baby/Infant Shampoos

Are organic shampoos safe for infants? The correct answer to this question is in the question itself. By understanding the composition of cosmetic hair products, can you know the advantages and disadvantages of using baby hair products. Having said that, consider the following factors:

  1. The pH level of such products is higher than the pH value for skin care products.
  2. The use of surfactants or detergents in such products should be less irritating than that of other shampoos.
  3. If, by chances, the shampoo should come into contact with the eyes, it should not cause any kind of irritation or burning sensations.
  4. Such products use non-ionic compounds to reduce skin and eye irritation when massaged into the baby’s head.

Baby care is important especially for first-time parents. The following criteria are often met by cosmetic standards for manufacturing baby shampoos and other best baby products. Here’s what you need to look for when buying organic shampoo for your baby.

Free of harmful substances: The use of harmful chemicals and toxins has a much greater effect on infants than on adults. Avoid shampoos that contain sodium lauryl sulphate, as that is a potential allergen and a carcinogen.

Read the certified labels correctly: Look for products that are certified organic which means they’re reviewed and tested according to industry standards. While checking the labels, reading the ingredients list carefully. A certified organic hair product will have limited number of ingredients and 70% to 95% of them must contain plant-derived compounds.

Free of preservatives and fragrances: To add fragrance and color, cosmetic brands use preservatives, parabens, and other harmful substances. These substances may seem and look appealing, but they can cause skin and eye irritation.

Gluten-free or Wheat-free shampoos

Eczema is a serious condition for which the use of wheat-free shampoos are necessary. The reason why the need for a wheat-free shampoo is essential is because wheat or gluten contains protein which is the primary cause of the disease. Similarly, people often prefer gluten-free hair products when they’re on a gluten-free diet. This is because the shampoo is most likely to enter the mouth, especially for infants.

Q. What is the difference between organic and herbal shampoos?

A. Organic shampoos are shampoos that are prepared using organic means. No use of chemicals, toxins, and other harmful substances have been used in the processing and manufacturing of the formula. This also includes no pesticides and fertilizers during the preservation of the shampoo formula. Manufacturers of such organic cosmetics products come with an “organic certified” label along with its details.

Herbal shampoos, on the other hand, are only prepared from plants based on their applications. Many herbal shampoos have specific medicinal properties. The plants used for herbal shampoos are grown using chemicals and/or organically.

All herbal hair products are not organic and not all organic hair products are not herbal. Herbal products can use chemicals and fertilizers to grow the plants. So, when you buy herbal shampoo for dandruff, it is possible that the plants used in the shampoo are grown with the help of chemical pesticides. The advantage of using herbal is that it doesn’t contain any chemical, preservative, or toxin, unlike synthetic shampoos. They use only plant species as the ingredients.

Wrapping it Up

We loved the Sage Special Formula Shampoo for its honest and longer-lasting results. When we used this best organic shampoo, it lathered up nice and smooth with no harsh scent or texture. Now, it’s become our full-time organic shampoo pick for men and women. After you use this product, you’ll understand how good it is for your hair. It takes care of your hair better than professional hair products filled with artificial chemicals. After hours of researching and testing, we think the Sage Special Formula is best enough to replace your old shampoos and conditioners. It’s also one of the most reasonably priced shampoos on the market. So, what do you think?