Non-Toxic Hair Care Brands: The Ultimate Guide 2024

There are SO many non-toxic hair care brands nowadays! When I began my green beauty journey in 2013, hair care in the space was limited. At this time, Whole Foods was my go-to shop for sulfate-free, phthalate-free shampoo and conditioner. The products weren’t the best, and my scalp always felt gunky, even after I double-washed. Luckily, times have changed, and so have the eco-friendly hair care brands on the market! Below I’m sharing my favorite sea salt spray, blowout balms, heat protectant, dry shampoos, and more! Enjoy my Best Eco-Friendly & Non-Toxic Hair Care Brands below!

My Hair Type

Before diving into this article, I want to clarify my hair type for reference. I have naturally wavy hair. It is dense but fine. Sometimes I wear it naturally. Sometimes I blow it out and add texture to it with a curling iron. As for color, I am a natural blonde that gets high lift highlights every four months.

Why Non-Toxic Hair Care?

When I switched to clean beauty products a decade ago, the first products I swapped out were haircare. Most conventional shampoos and conditioners contain harsh surfactants, like sulfates, that strip hair follicles of oil (and color!) This stripping can lead to frizzy hair and cause allergic scalp reactions! Phthalates are another big no-no for me in haircare, actually ANY personal care product, as they are endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors mess with our hormones and cause early puberty in girls and reduced sperm count in men. Ingredients in conventional shampoos and conditioners (think L’Oreal and Redkin) are also harmful to the environment. I use non-toxic hair care to lessen my toxic load and help the environment.

1. EVOLVh Best Non-Toxic Hair Care Brand (& Discount Code!)

My favorite hair care brand in the green beauty space is EVOLVh. I have been using their products for the last five or so years, and they are the one brand that releases versatile, salon-level haircare in the clean space. This is coming from someone who has used Aquage and BioMega for years. EVOLVh’s line is versatile because their products can be used for heat and natural hair styling. My discount code to save 15% on EVOLVh is INDIE15. Let’s talk about some of my favorite products from their line!

EVOLVh REVIEW

SmartStart Leave-In Conditioner is the ULTIMATE styling product. (I’ve emptied six bottles of this product!) This water- and glycerin-based leave-in conditioner is best applied to damp, freshly washed hair. It works as a detangler and heat protectant, making it a versatile every day haircare product. I like to use SmartStart right after towel drying my hair to detangle and prevent heat damage. Most recently, I’ve been using SmartStart to dry style and refresh my wavy texture when wearing my hair naturally. Find SmartStart, HERE.
WonderBalm Magic for Curls this fantastic hair serum makes for a great pre-blowdry and natural curl styling product! WonderBalm tames flyaways, provides heat protection, and adds shine. I’m on my second bottle, and I have loved how silky and smooth it leaves my hair WITHOUT weighing it down. I mostly use this serum as a pre-blow dry protectant, and my fine, wavy hair loves how lightweight it is and how shiny (not oily) it leaves my hair! Find WonderBalm, HERE.
TotalControl Styling Crème is a volumizing styling product. It is meant to be applied directly to the roots of wet hair and can be used with heat to create a sleeker do or without heat for natural curls with a bit more volume at the root. TotalControl is lighter than a cream but thicker than a gel, and I recommend using a tiny amount, as a little goes a long way to add volume. Find TotalControl, HERE.
SuperFinish Polishing Balm is a bit thicker in texture than Total Control. It is also to be used on the bottom half of the hair as opposed to the root. I have a mini of this that I keep in my gym bag to use after working out. I like that it has a heat protectant and tames fly away without weighing down hair or making it feel gunky! SuperFinish can be used on dry, freshly blown-out hair to tame frizz and flyaways or to heat prep damp hair and make it easier to work with while blow drying. Find SuperFinish, HERE.
SmartColor Protecting Shampoo + Conditioner is my favorite shampoo and conditioner set from EVOLVh, I have the jumbo size of these two in my shower and they have lasted me over a year! The shampoo cleanses my scalp without leaving a residue, or stripping my hair and the conditioner adds moisture without weighing my hair down. Find SmartColor, HERE.
UltraShine Moisture Shampoo + Conditioner is a close second to the SmartColor set. The UltraShine Conditioner is a bit thinner in texture than SmartColor, so I have to use more of it to get the same moisture-rich effects. UltraShine Shampoo is similar to SmartColor Shampoo, so I don’t have anything to add. It cleanses my scalp well and doesn’t strip my hair of its natural oils. Find UltraShine, HERE.

2. Innersense Hair Non-Toxic Hair Care Brands

One of the most popular brands in the clean hair space is Innersense. I’ve been using Innersense products for the last few years; some are hits, and others are misses (the Detox Hair Mask isn’t one I love.) After using Innersense for a bit, I’ve concluded that this non-toxic hair care brand is best for those who wear their hair naturally. Read more below for my thoughts on why!

Innersense Hair Products Reviews

Innersense Bright Balance Shampoo & Conditioner is the newest line of shampoo and conditioner from Innersense. These two are formulated to brighten and neutralize brass for those with blonde, grey, or white hair. I have liked how these wash and condition my hair. My hair doesn’t feel gunky after use but isn’t left feeling dry, either. As for the brassiness factor, that is something I’ve never struggled with as a blonde, but I have only been using these for a couple of weeks, so if I see a significant difference, I will update you all! Find the Bright Balance duo HERE.
Innersense Hair Love Prep Spray is my favorite detangler and heat protectant from Innersense. I found the Sweet Spirit Leave-In Conditioner too light for my fine yet abundant hair. I need something with more proteins in it, and Hair Love Prep Spray has Vitamin B and rice proteins for strength! Find Hair Love Prep HERE.
Innersense Hydrating Hair Mask is my favorite hair mask that I’ve ever tried. I usually don’t notice much difference between a hair mask and a conditioner, but this one is more thick and creamy. This mask is different from others because it uses glycerin in its base, which adds hydration instead of moisture. A lot of butters (moisturizers) can be too heavy by themselves. The formulation of the Hydrating Hair Mask is so well done and one of my favorite Innersense products. Find Hydrating Hair Mask HERE.
Innersense I Create Waves is a Pink Himalayan salt spray that adds texture and enhances waves; think mermaid hair. I have loved this salt spray. It draws humidity into my hair when I wear it naturally, but the salt combats frizz. It’s a different formulation than other similar products I’ve tried. (I love the scent of this because it smells fresh and has lavender oil.) Find I Create Waves HERE.

Innersense I Create Shine & Innersense Harmonic Treatment Oil; the difference between these two products is simple. Harmonic Treatment Oil is a pre-shampoo balancing product that is great for scalp massage. I Create Shine is a post-blowout oil that acts more like a shine serum. I Create Shine is formulated with cold-pressed oils and is lightweight and absorbent. It leaves hair frizz free and shiny! Find I Create Shine HERE and find Innersense Harmonic Treatment Oil HERE.
Innersense Inner Peace Whipped Creme Texturizer smells like an orange creamsicle. This is not the only reason I like this product, but it is one of them! I have been impressed with this texturizing cream because it is lightweight and doesn’t weigh down my natural waves. Inner Peace uses honey to add moisture, adding flexible definition to hair. I highly recommend this product for the curly girl method, and I have loved it myself for days I go natural. Find Inner Peace Whipped Creme Texturizer HERE.
Innersense Pure Harmony Hair Bath & Innersense Pure Inspiration Daily Conditioner is my favorite every day (or every few days because I’m not washing and styling my hair daily) shampoo and conditioner duo from Innersense. Pure Harmony Hair Bath has that orange creamsicle scent that I SO love. It cleanses my scalp and leaves my ends nourished, not dry. Pure Inspiration Daily Conditioner replenishes the hair after cleansing without adding buildup or weight. Pure Inspiration has jasmine and grapefruit as its scent, which I love less than the orange, the product overall is formulated well, but the smell is not my fave. Find Pure Harmony Hair Bath HERE & Pure Inspiration Daily Conditioner HERE.
Innersense Refresh Dry Shampoo is one of the BEST non-toxic dry shampoos for curly girls (keep in mind I have 2A/2B hair.) I love that Refresh has a water and witch hazel base (witch hazel is an astringent that helps with scalp sensitivity)but also has natural, oil-absorbing ingredients like tapioca to refresh (punny, huh!) hair. When I revive my natural style, I use watery products; I’ll use Hair Love Prep Spray to bring the bounce back to my do. So, the liquid base of Refresh is perfect for my needs! Find Refresh Dry Shampoo HERE.
Innersense Serenity Smoothing Cream is a heat-protectant blowout cream with a citrus floral scent (like an orange creamsicle bouquet mix.) I used this today to blow dry my hair, which feels silky smooth! I am impressed by this cream because it doesn’t weigh my hair down but leaves it frizz-free! Find Serenity Smoothing Cream HERE.

3. Rahua Non-Toxic Hair Care Brands

Rahua was one of the first clean haircare lines I lusted after. I loved the idea of hair products with ingredients from the Amazonian Rainforest! Sadly, I was disappointed by the first shampoo and conditioner set I tried from them, the Classic line because it dried my hair. I waited a bit and then tested their Hydration line, which I liked MUCH more. I haven’t tried a ton of Rahua products, and the few I have tried are hit-and-miss, but they have a few jewels that I want to share below.

Rahua Reviews

Rahua Voluminous Dry Shampoo is a very well-designed product! It’s a non-aerosol dry shampoo that works by squeezing the tube at the bottom, and the dry shampoo comes out through the top and sprays lightly. The shampoo is a powder formulation; it smells like vanilla and is very lightweight. It does add volume at the root and absorbs oil to keep hair going past day 2. Find Voluminous Dry Shampoo HERE.
Rahua Hydration Shampoo & Conditioner is my favorite cleansing and nourishing line of Rahua. The Classic Line dried out my hair, and The Color Full line was better than the Classic but nothing that shocked me. The Hydration line cleansed my scalp and nourished my hair so that my hair felt refreshed after cleansing and also soft and manageable. Find the Hydration Duo HERE.
Rahua Enchanted Island Shampoo is a new one to me. I have been using this for the last couple of washes, and I like the scent of guava and coconut fusion. I also like how it cleanses my scalp; my hair doesn’t feel gunky at the roots, and my strands aren’t dry. Find the Enchanted Island Shampoo HERE.

4. Captain Blankenship Review

I tried quite a bit of Captain Blankenship‘s Sailor line (a Target exclusive) a few years back. I will link the video below. They relaunched their main line in 2022, and I got their newly re-formulated Shampoo, Conditioner, and Sea Salt Spray. I’m sharing my thoughts on this line below!

Captain Blankenship Non-Toxic Hair Care Brands

Captain Blankenship Sea Salt Spray is my favorite hair product from the line. It has a fresh, sea-like scent and feels lightweight on the hair. It has an aloe and glycerin base, so this Sea Salt Spray is SO hydrating for the hair. It doesn’t make my locks dry or stiff, but it holds my waves in place and combats frizzes. I also use this on dry hair to lock in my style. Find the Sea Salt Spray HERE.
Captain Blankenship Shampoo & Conditioner is not my favorite line for cleansing and moisturizing my tresses. The packaging is lovely as it is an aluminum bottle, which can be recycled infinitely. My issue with the shampoo is that it is too thin in texture and dries out my hair. The conditioner is also too light to add much hydration after shampooing. I can see someone with really fine and thin hair liking this, and it has a lovely lemongrass and vanilla scent, but my fine thick hair wasn’t a fan. Find the Shampoo & Conditioner HERE.

5. Drunk Elephant Hair Care Review

I was interested in Drunk Elephant’s Hair Care because of the PACKAGING! It is modern and trendy! That is, sadly, the downfall of their haircare line. Due to the weird (stylish) shape of their shampoo and conditioner bottles and the thick formulations of said products, it is nearly impossible to get the product out to use them! They are just sitting in my shower, hoping to be used, but I can’t get the dang shampoo or conditioner out of there. So, I like only two products from the hair care line. Please read below to discover what they are.

Drunk Elephant Non-Toxic Hair Care Brands

Drunk Elephant Wild Marula Tangle Spray is a detangler and heat protectant. This has a light sweet almond scent, but I was most impressed with the formulation. It did help to soften my hair after washing and detangling without leaving any residue. Find the Wild Marula Tangle Spray HERE.
Drunk Elephant TLC Happi Scalp Scrub is a thoughtfully packaged scalp product! I love how the Happi Scrub tip makes it easy to directly access the scalp and place the product, so it is easy to spread. It did exfoliate my scalp, and I recommend this! Find the TLC Happi Scalp Scrub HERE.

6. Lovesong Beauty Hair Review

Lovesong Beauty is an independently owned and operated line of beauty and haircare that launched in 2020. The first two products I tried from them were their Weightless Leave-In Conditioner and Invisible Dry Shampoo Gel. Please read below for my thoughts on these two popular products and the rest of the line!

Lovesong Dry Shampoo Gel + More!

Lovesong Evergreen Shampoo smells like a spa. It has a decadent eucalyptus scent. I like this formulation because it is thick and suds up enough to lift the sweat and oil from my scalp, but it uses nourishing ingredients in the formulation that are non-stripping. I also love the aluminum infinity recyclable bottle it comes in! Find the Lovesong Evergreen Shampoo HERE.
Lovesong Ultralush Conditioner also smells like a spa. The formulation of this conditioner is thick and creamy, making it almost like a daily hair conditioning mask (not that I wash my hair daily, but you get the picture.) My hair is nourished after using this conditioner, and I don’t need a detangler! Find the Lovesong Evergreen Conditioner HERE.
Lovesong Invisible Dry Shampoo Gel is an innovative dry shampoo in the clean space. This is an invisible, fast-drying gel to be applied to the scalp. Invisible Dry Shampoo isn’t like Aussies’ alcohol-ridden gel. It has nourishing ingredients like aloe, green tea, and algae. It also has a sweet floral scent that leaves hair smelling fresh. Find Lovesong’s Invisible Dry Shampoo Gel HERE.
Lovesong Weightless Leave-In Conditioner is a post-hair wash, leave-in product. Weightless Leave-In provides locks with hydration, combats frizz, detangles, and offers heat protection. It has the same floral scent as the Dry Shampoo Gel, and I have liked this for one-and-done wash-and-go days! Find Lovesong’s Leave-In Conditioner HERE.

Non-Toxic Hair Care Brands

I want to end this non-toxic hair care brands post talking about products that don’t fall under one brand’s category. The brands mentioned above are purely hair care and body care brands. There have been a few fantastic hair care products launched by skincare lines and small independent lines that only have one or two products. Below I’m sharing my thoughts on these singleton products!

Dae Signature Shampoo & Signature Conditioner is a Clean at Sephora line I discovered while perusing the aisles one day. I was impressed by the tangy yet sweet grapefruit scent. I picked up their mini sizes to try them out on my locks, and I was pretty impressed! The Signature Shampoo is nourishing, yet cleansed my scalp well. The Signature Conditioner is equally as nourishing and left my tresses moistured but not weighed down. Find the Signature Shampoo & Conditioner HERE.
Bathing Culture Kelp Forest Shampoo & Good Seed Conditioner is a new set featured in the January 2023 Beauty Heroes Discovery. I was happy to try these because shampoo and conditioner are tricky to formulate, but Bathing Culture hit these out of the park! These have a unisex forest and herb scent. The shampoo is bubbly and cleanses very well; no stripping here! The conditioner is nourishing and moisturizing without being too heavy. Find Bathing Culture Shampoo & Conditioner HERE.
Goop Beauty G. Tox Himalayan Salt Scalp Scrub Shampoo is my favorite scalp scrub. This guy has a refreshing peppermint scent and is super invigorating. I was most impressed with this because many scalp scrubs are too thick, don’t have any slip, and don’t cleanse the scalp well; this does. I can feel it exfoliating my scalp! Find Goop Beauty G. Tox Scalp Scrub HERE.
Kaia Naturals The Takesumi Detox Overnight Dry Shampoo comes in two tints, blonde for light hair and brunette for dark hair. I have loved the fresh scent of the blonde-tinted dry shampoo. Takesumi is lightweight and not too gritty. Although the brand claims it’s an overnight product, I have no problem using it in the daytime as it absorbs oil without leaving a chalky finish because it is tinted. Find Kaia Naturals Dry Shampoo HERE.

Non-Toxic Hair Care Brands: The Ultimate Guide 2023

Maya Chia Power Fol Advanced Multi-Correctional Scalp and Hair Treatment is a non-toxic Rogain (it smells WAY better too!) Power Fol is not just a lightweight treatment. It is formulated to add volume to existing hair to create a fuller effect. The formulation includes: peptides, amino acids, vegetable collagen, and fermented minerals to nourish hair follicles. Ginseng and caffeine stimulate the scalp to support maximum hair growth. Maya Chia has an accompanying guasha tool for the scalp that works with Power Fol to promote hair growth. Find Maya Chia’s Scalp and Hair Treatment HERE.
Ranavat Fortifying Hair Serum is a pre-shampoo Jasmine-infused treatment oil. This hair serum is medium weight and is not intended to be a styling product (obviously, if it works that way for you, great!) I have been using this as a hair mask, massaging it into my scalp, down to my ends, letting it set for 20 minutes, and washing my hair as usual. My hair is left feeling soft, hydrated, and smelling amazing. Find Ranavat Fortifying Hair Serum HERE.
True Botanicals Shine & Protect Hair Cream Oil is an emulsion hair styling product. This cream oil has a glycerin and green tea leaf water base, which provides lightweight hydration and style retention. It also uses avocado oil and olive oil, which provide heat styling protection. Shine & Protect has a beautiful floral scent with lavender, ylang, and neroli notes. Find True Botanicals Shine & Protect Hair Cream Oil HERE.
Agent Nateur & Dara Kaye Soft Hydrating Hair Serum can be used on wet or dry hair. I prefer to use this on dry hair as a lightweight finishing product. It makes my hair shiny but not weighted down or greasy looking. The ingredients deck includes French Silk Peptides, Hyaluronic Acid, and Monoi. The scent is DELICIOUS using ylang-ylang and warm amber. Find Agent Nateur’s Hair Serum HERE.

Where to Shop Non-Toxic Hair Care Brands (+ Discount Codes!)

Aillea carries: Rahua, Captain Blankenship, and Innersense. Save 15% on your first Aillea order with code REAGAN15 by shopping HERE!
Beauty Heroes carries: Innersense, Evolvh, Maya Chia, Captain Blankenship, and MORE! Shop Beauty Heroes Hair Section HERE!
Credo Beauty carries: Kaia Naturals, Innersense, Evolvh, Ranavat, True Botanicals, and MORE! Shop Credo Beauty’s Hair Shop HERE!
EvolvH is one of my favorite haircare lines from above! Save 15% with code INDIE15 by shopping HERE!
Integrity Botanicals carries: Rahua, Innersense, Captain Blankenship, and Evolvh. Save 15% on your first Integrity Botanicals order with code REAGANHART by shopping HERE!

Resources

Breaking: The First U.S. State Just Banned Harmful Chemicals In Beauty Products. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/california-bans-chemicals-in-beauty-products-with-new-law
Clear Shampoo: an Important Formulation Aspect with Consideration of the Toxicity of Commonly Used Shampoo Ingredients. http://cosmeticsciencetechnology.com/companies/articles/1871.pdf
Estimated Exposure To Phthalates In Cosmetics And Risk Assessment. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15287390490513300
Shampoo and Conditioners: What a Dermatologist Should Know? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4458934/

FTC: I do have affiliate links in this, Non-Toxic Hair Care Brands, blog post. If you purchase something from my link, I will receive a small commission from the sale. This comes at no cost to you, but is paid by the company. I do not take becoming an affiliate with any company lightly. If I am, it’s because I believe in the company and their product.