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The 7 Best Natural Shampoos of 2024
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- Overall Best Natural Shampoo: 100% PURE Honey & Virgin Coconut Restorative Shampoo
- Best Natural Shampoos for Itchy Scalp: Derma E Scalp Relief Shampoo
- Best Natural Shampoo for Dry Hair: 100% PURE Glossy Locks Repair Shampoo
- Best Natural Shampoo for Fine Hair: Avalon Organics Therapy Thickening Shampoo
- Best Natural Shampoo for Curly Hair: Mielle Pomegranate & Honey Detangling Shampoo
- Best Natural Shampoo Bar: Odacite Shampoo Bar
- FAQs
Sulfates and phthalates and parabens, oh my! When it comes to shampoo and other personal care products, there are plenty of questionable ingredients that can make your hairwashing experience not-so-clean.
Fortunately, natural shampoos are now a commonplace sighting—you can even find them in grocery stores and just about every retail beauty aisle.
Although there’s no set definition of what qualifies as a natural shampoo, they are typically free of harmful or harsh chemicals and use vegan and plant-based ingredients derived from fruits, veggies, or herbs—typically, the ingredient list reads more like a smoothie than a shampoo bottle.
Whereas natural shampoos of the past had a hard time lathering and getting your hair clean (sulfates are what allow shampoos to foam up), the latest versions have come a long way, effectively cleansing and also being “clean” in the process.
In this article, check out our top seven picks for the best natural shampoos, including options for itchy scalps, natural shampoo bars, fine hair, dry hair, and more.
| Best Overall | Best Budget | for Itchy Scalp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product | 100% PURE | ACURE | Derma E |
| Hair Type | Normal/Dry | Oily/Buildup | Itchy/Dandruff |
| Cost | $34.00 for 13oz ($2.62/oz) Shop Now | $9.99 for 8oz ($1.25/oz) Shop Now | $10.00 for 10oz ($1.00/oz) Shop Now |
Best for: People with normal hair or dry hair looking for a nourishing sulfate-free shampoo that deeply cleanses.
100% PURE Honey & Virgin Coconut Restorative Shampoo is one of the best natural shampoos, as it has a sulfate-free lather that deeply cleanses hair of impurities.
Their name says it all—this shampoo is 100% pure and uses ingredients you could eat, including coconut oil, honey, rosemary, thyme, aloe leaf juice, kelp extract, green tea, and more.
This shampoo works for all hair types but is best for people with normal, dry, damaged, or color-treated hair.
Some of the leading ingredients in this Honey and Coconut Shampoo include:
- Coconut oil: Creates a foam that cleanses and hydrates the hair
- Honey: Nourishes hair and helps fight split ends
- Vitamin E: Protects and repairs damaged hair
- Rose hydrosol: Reduces inflammation, maintains pH balance, and controls excess oil
- Panthenol (Provitamin B5): Locks in moisture and nourishes the scalp and hair follicles for stronger and shinier hair
As a natural hair care brand, we applaud 100% Pure’s Ingredient Glossary, where you can learn more about what they use in their products—no sketchy ingredients here.
Best for: People looking for a budget natural shampoo that helps to clarify hair and fight buildup.
Loaded with extracts and oils of fruits, vegetables, and herbs, ACURE Curiously Clarifying Shampoo is an excellent budget natural shampoo you can find at a drugstore.
Clarifying shampoos are deeper cleansers for people with oily hair or anyone who needs to remove excess dirt, minerals from hard water, chlorine from swimming, or product buildup from their hair and scalp.
Even if you don’t have oily hair, using a clarifying shampoo once a week or so can still help with healthy hair growth and fight dullness or limp hair by removing product buildup and excess oil.
Some of the healthy ingredients you’ll find in ACURE Curiously Clarifying Shampoo include aloe, argan oil, sea buckthorn, pomegranate, lemongrass, rosemary, avocado oil, blackberry, and acai—yum!
Best for: Anyone with dandruff or itchy and irritated scalps who wants a natural alternative to chemical dandruff shampoos.
If you have dandruff or a chronically itchy scalp, you know that most of the anti-itch shampoos out there do not contain the healthiest ingredients.
Derma E Scalp Relief Shampoo is one of the best natural dandruff shampoos—and it also works for people who have itchy scalps, eczema, scalp irritation, scalp eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, or product buildup.
In this natural dandruff shampoo, you’ll find:
- Therapeutic Psorzema® Herbal Blend: A plant-based blend of neem, burdock, and bearberry replenishes dry, irritated, and scaly scalps, helping to promote overall scalp and hair health.
- Tea Tree and Menthol: Helps calm and cool itchy scalps and maintains scalp purity over time.
- Salicylic Acid and White Willow Bark Extract: Penetrate to remove excess flakes and surface buildup and support scalp health.
- Aloe Vera Extract: Contains enzymes and vitamins that soothe, moisturize, and promote the scalp’s blood circulation.
- Vitamins A and E: Antioxidant-rich vitamins that replenish the scalp and hair to promote manageability and shine.
- Provitamin B5 (Panthenol): Deeply hydrates and nourishes the scalp and hair follicles for shiny, stronger hair.
While many dandruff shampoos on the market have a medicinal smell, Derma E Scalp Relief Shampoo uses tea tree oil and menthol for a refreshing herbal and minty scent.
However, some ingredients—like salicylic acid and tea tree oil—may be too harsh for people with dry hair or sensitive scalps.
Best for: Anyone with damaged, color-treated, or dry hair looking for a nourishing natural shampoo to repair hair.
100% PURE is one of our favorite natural shampoo brands, and their Glossy Locks Repair Shampoo does not disappoint.
If you have dry or damaged hair—or just want to deeply nourish and hydrate your hair—this shampoo is for you.
With natural ingredients like aloe juice, hyaluronic acid, biotin, argan oil, honey, acai, and ceramides, your hair will never feel healthier—even if it’s been damaged by heat styling, sun exposure, or hair dyes.
Some of the unique ingredients in this natural shampoo include royal jelly, which acts as an emollient to coat each strand of hair, and rice bran ceramides to lock in moisture.
All of 100% Pure’s products are free of moisture-stripping sulfate detergents, harmful parabens, phthalates, PEGs, and artificial fragrances—they get a 100% grade from us.
Best for: People with fine hair or thin hair wanting a natural shampoo that increases body and doesn’t weigh down hair.
Avalon Organics Therapy Thickening Shampoo is one of the best natural shampoos for people with fine, limp, or thinning hair, as it contains ingredients to boost the hair’s body and thickness without too much weight.
Some of the thickening and strengthening compounds in this shampoo include vitamin E, saw palmetto, biotin, and quinoa seed protein.
It also is a Certified Organic shampoo, using a plant-based formula naturally scented with botanicals and essential oils.
Plus, Avalon Organic shampoos are verified by the EWG (Environmental Working Group), meaning they cannot contain any ingredients that cause health problems, ecotoxicity, or contamination concerns.
Best for: People with thick, coarse, tangle-prone, or curly hair.
Mielle Pomegranate & Honey Detangling Shampoo is a great natural shampoo for people with curly hair, but it also works for those with coarse, thick, or tangle-prone hair.
Some of the detangling, nourishing, and moisturizing ingredients in this shampoo include pomegranate extract, honey, silk protein, and murumuru seed butter, which acts as an emollient to lock in moisture.
It also contains babassu—an oil extracted from the seeds of the Amazonian babassu palm that is similar to coconut oil—to naturally hydrate the hair and scalp.
However, Mielle Pomegranate & Honey Detangling Shampoo does contain fragrance—and it’s unknown whether it’s naturally derived or not—and some reviewers report dryness after using it.
Best for: People who want the most eco-friendly natural shampoo option that eliminates plastic.
For the most eco-friendly among us, Odacite Shampoo Bar is the best natural shampoo that is also great for the environment.
Without having to go through plastic bottles every month, shampoo bars (which look just like bars of soap) contain hair-cleansing ingredients that can last you for months on end.
If you’re not familiar with the sustainable shampoo bar, you simply rub it directly onto wet hair and watch it lather up.
This shampoo bar works for most hair types (although people with fine hair people may find it too heavy), containing nourishing ingredients like argan oil, castor oil, coconut oil, and cupuaçu butter—a vitamin E-rich oil that promotes hair hydration.
Plus, it uses orange oil and coconut oil for a citrusy, tropical scent.
Although Odacite Shampoo Bar is on the pricey side at $29 per bar, it does last longer than a bottle of shampoo—typically three months or up to 80 washes.
FAQs
Why Are Natural Shampoos Better for Your Hair?
Most natural shampoos do not contain parabens, sulfates, silicones, or artificial dyes, which can either be harmful to your health—some are hormone-disrupting while others are linked to cancer—or damaging to your hair.
However, natural shampoos do not have a specific definition of what they can or cannot contain.
Should You Use a Shampoo Bar?
Shampoo bars are more eco-friendly and sustainable than regular shampoo, as they eliminate plastic waste and last longer—up to 80 washes.
We love Odacite Shampoo Bar for a natural shampoo bar.
How Often Should You Wash Your Hair With Natural Shampoos?
Experts like board-certified dermatologists typically recommend shampooing your hair about three times per week—however, this highly depends on your hair type and lifestyle.
If you sweat a lot, have fine or thin hair, exercise regularly, or live in a hot and humid climate, you may want to use natural shampoos daily or every other day.
Typically, going two to three days between hair washing can help your hair to produce its natural oils in the correct amounts—not over-producing oil or under-producing.
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