I’m pretty sure I have been testing for this post since last summer. I kid you not. I sent out a tweet about a year ago and was bombarded with products and companies claiming to have the best in haircare. I tried a great many products – some samples and some full bottles. Well loves, I think it’s safe to say, I have found the best of the best in natural haircare and FINALLY will be sharing the results of my treasure hunt with you.
I will start out by noting that I have long, straight, thick and relatively dry hair. So, keep in mind what works for me, may not work for you. BUT I have made notes throughout the post which can help different hair types find what might work best for them.
How did I select the best?
As usual, I base my reviews and selections on a series of factors:
- Purity of ingredients (no synthetic crap, obviously)
- How my hair “behaved” & looked after washing/drying
- How long I could go between washes
- How clean my hair felt after drying
- Ethical company (i.e. they source their ingredients fairly and, as always, no animals were tested upon)
- Overall scent, lather and “shower experience” (maybe I should create a shower experience factor…)
The Best Natural Shampoo & Conditioners
Now there wasn’t just one – but rather a series of products that, while had their differences, were all equally as effective and wonderful. As a result, I’ve separated them into categories instead of a numerical “list”.
Best Overall Natural Shampoo & Conditioner: Acure Moroccan Argan Stem Cell for Dry/Damaged/Curly Hair
Acure Organics knocks it out of the park with this shampoo & conditioner set. This one is a saviour for babes battling dry locks and any type of frizz. The Shampoo & Conditioner receive rankings of 1 and 2 respectively on EWG’s Cosmetics’ Database, meaning ingredients are clean and green. Acure’s products are FREE of gluten, sulfates, parabens, phthalates and cruelty, they are also vegan friendly. Further, all the ingredients are fair trade certified.
I felt with Acure’s shampoo & conditioner my hair was lighter (never, ever weighed down), and silky. The argan oil, argan stem cells plus the sea buckthorn oil were brilliant for shine and softness. I always, always, always had good hair days while I was using Acure. I can’t say enough wonderful things about this product. Oh wait, it is also SUPER affordable. At just about $9 / bottle, you can’t go wrong. Seriously. Love.
Some extra thoughts:
The lather was excellent (lots of coconut-based foam) and it smelled like almonds. It was lightweight and washed out easily, but the conditioner stayed in enough to keep the hair silky and shiny. I could go several days between washes; in fact, I went the longest in between washes using Acure’s products (4 days – yes, seriously).
*If you have oily hair or are looking for volume, you can also check out their volumizing & daily shampoos/conditioners.
Where to Buy
US & Canada: You can shop Acure Organics shampoo & conditioner on iHerb – use my code MEP206 on your first order and get $5 – $10 off :)
Shop for $8.62 USD on iHerb.
Best Natural Shampoo & Conditioner for Normal Hair: Rahua Classic Shampoo & Conditioner
Rahua does organic hair products like no one else. The combo of ingredients, scent and luxe packaging makes me swoon. Both the shampoo & conditioner score low 2’s on the EWG Cosmetics database, and that certainly does not stop them from leaving you with some of the best hair days you’ve ever had. The coconut & shea butter keep things silky and soft, but also help to remove dirt and grime.
The organic shampoo leaves you with light and clean hair and the scents from both products are light and pretty – even for the most scent-sensitive beaut. It comes from the palo santo (“hollywood”) so it doubles as an aromatherapy treatment.
My hair isn’t coloured, but this product is specifically recommended for colour treated hair, so those loves that like to treat their hair with some colour will likely find these dynamic duo perfect.
Some extra thoughts:
It lathers like salon products, smells delicate and the conditioner works wonders. I might dare say Rahua’s conditioner might be the best (from a long dry hair point of view). My hair behaved well with Rahua products, feeling light and clean. I could go about ~2 days between washes.
Where to Buy:
USA: $32 USD Eco Diva Beauty
Canada: $36 CAD Eco Diva Beauty
Europe: £27.00 Love Lula
Best Natural Lightweight Shampoo & Conditioner for Thin & Fine Hair: John Masters Organics Shampoo & Conditioner
While my hair is thick, I wanted to try something lighter out, as I know a lot of gals deal with thinner hair. Trust me, the grass is always greener, babe. :)
The shampoo & detangler both receive 3’s on EWG’s Cosmetics Database, they’re a little higher mainly based on the essential oils contained which can have some allergic tendencies. That being said, they are clean and have no artificial junk. The Evening Primrose Shampoo was lovely in terms of scent (ylang ylang lovers, be ready to fall head over heels) and gentle cleansing. It is good for daily cleansing and for colour-treated hair.
The Citrus & Neroli Detangler was perfect for thinner hair since it is very lightweight. It did not weigh my hair down, and left my hair feeling clean and really manageable after drying. The scent is delicate (and as the name would suggest, “citrusy”) while the texture was creamy and lightweight.
Where to Buy
World Wide: £16.00 each (get them tax free if you’re from overseas) Conditioner Love Lula / Shampoo Love Lula
Best Thickening Shampoo & Conditioner: Calia Organic Hydrating Shampoo & Conditioner
I first found out about this brand from one of my favourite natural wellness Vloggers, HolisticHabits. Check out her YouTube channel if you are into great rawfood recipes, natural healing and of course, natural beauty. My fellow Canadian green beauty posted on this brand, and raved. I had to try it out and see for myself before I finished of my ultimate shampoo & conditioner reviews. Calia Hydrating Shampoo & Conditioner was the last shampoo/conditioner duo that I tried for this post, and I owe beautiful Sarah a big thanks for the “heads up”.
Calia’s products are probably one of the purest I’ve tried, and have to admit, my hair was left feeling voluminous after trailing out Calia. If you have hair on the limp or flat side, but still dry, this is your perfect match. It will lift your roots and leave each strand feeling thicker thanks to the added silica, so it’s great for gals with hair on the thinner side.
Some extra thoughts:
Calia is free of sulfates, DEA, sodium chloride (not an easy one to avoid, even in the natural space), propylene glycol and is vegan friendly. The shampoo’s lather is great, and its scent is a base of lavender and bergamot – light, pure and herby. The conditioner has many of the same essential oils, but are a little stronger. Any earthy babe will love the scents.
The conditioner is especially great for dry hair as it is thick and can be used a little longer as a terrific leave-in conditioner.
Where to Buy:
Canada / USA: $10.99 CAD Calia Online Shop Conditioner / Shampoo
Europe: Price list contact info@provivre.eu
Best Natural Dry Shampoo: Skinny Skinny Dry Shampoo
No shampoo & conditioner post would be complete without a dry shampoo winner. Skinny Skinny keeps it pure, pure, pure with their ingredients leaving nothing to the imagination (Organic =*Cornstarch*, brown rice powder*, white clay, horsetail powder*, baking soda, orris root powder* & essential oils)
I used the rose & black pepper and the grapefruit cardamon in between washes (usually on days 2 or 3). It soaked up excess oil and left a light earthy scent that was not invasive. They were perfect for quick fixes on days I was running late too – adding a little extra volume, while making sure everything looked clean. I preferred the grapefruit & cardamon scent, especially for summer days.
To use:
Simply dust some of the powder onto sections of your hair at the roots. Then, flip your head upside down and brush into your roots with your fingers back and forth (as if you were fluffing your hair up at the roots). The powder, while white, disappears after some finger tousling so it’s OK for any hair colour.
Where to Buy:
Shop online for $32 USD for a 4 oz container which lasts ~4 months.
Find it on the Skinny Skinny online shop: Rose & Black Pepper / Grapefruit & Cardamon. You can also shop travel size for $9 USD.
Well gorgeous gals, hope you have a beautiful weekend full of even more beautiful hair.
Love, love, love from Oslo
K