Eco-friendly hair care brands are on the rise! In the past decade, the beauty industry as a whole has made a dramatic shift towards sustainability, but not all brands are created equal. If you’re looking for products that will enhance your hair’s natural beauty while protecting the planet, you’re in the right place. In this article, I’ll break down the top 12 affordable and sustainable hair care brands that deserve a spot in your hair care routine.
What is Sustainable Hair Care?
It all starts here! A commitment to eco-friendly formulas, ethical sourcing, responsible packaging, and cruelty-free practices. Read up on each of these core sustainable practices below.
Eco-Friendly Formulas
Sustainable hair care products use natural, organic, and plant-based ingredients, such as plant extracts, essential oils, and botanicals. Plus, they steer clear of harmful chemicals (such as sulfates, parabens, and silicones)––a win-win for your hair and the environment.
Ethical Sourcing
Next, they prioritize ethically sourced ingredients, which fall in line with fair trade practices. Fair trade standards, according to Fair Trade USA, include: 1) Sustainable production and farming practices, 2) Improved working conditions, 3) Better prices and wages for farmers and workers, and 4) Transparent trade practices.
Responsible Packaging
Sustainability extends to packaging with eco-conscious brands opting for recyclable or compostable materials, such as FSC-certified and mostly 100% recycled paper. Sustainable brands amay go a step further, embracing refillable containers to reduce waste.
Cruelty-Free Practices
We support brands that pledge to cruelty-free practices. In other words, their products are not tested on animals! If you’re curious to learn more, check out Leaping Bunny, PETA, and Choose Cruelty-Free––three brands that certify cruelty-free products.
Sustainable Hair Care Brands
Let’s dive into 10 affordable and sustainable hair care brands that deliver real results. These performance-driven hair products make beautiful hair attainable for all hair types and budgets. All the products listed below are under $75!
1. Aveda
Aveda (a B Corp™ and Cruelty-Free Certified company) is all about plant-powered hair care. Their 100% vegan and naturally-derived products are packaged in PCR PET––the most eco-friendly packaging on the market. Best of all: Aveda actively partners with 100+ nonprofits and NGOs on clean water projects. To date, they have raised over $70 million!
2. Gisou
Gisou is based on a six-generation beekeeping heritage. Each product is made with the finest, sustainably sourced ingredients from their very own Mirsalehi Bee Garden! Browse their bee-loving products, and learn more about their sustainability promise.
3. NatureLab Tokyo
Ready to try out Japanese hair care? Start with NatureLab Tokyo’s curated line of clean, innovative haircare products. Lucky for you, their performance-driven products are at an affordable price point! Plus, they offer eco-friendly refill pouches containing 85% less plastic than two full-size bottles.
4. OUAI
OUAI’s FINE, MEDIUM, and THICK Shampoos and Conditioners are vegan and cruelty-free. Their bottles are also made with PCR (post-consumer resin) which are recycled materials from existing PET bottles and other plastics. For eco-friendly refills, check out their refill pouches, which use 60% less plastic than rigid bottles.
5. Attitude
An ECW-certified brand with natural shampoos and conditioners crafted with naturally sourced ingredients to keep your hair happy and healthy. Discover their Eco-Refills, an eco-conscious alternative to disposable bottles.
6. Viori
All Viori products contain the same, ritually-prepared Longsheng rice water used by the Red Yao. Learn more about their commitment to ethical, sustainable, and fair trade sourcing here. Long story short: Viori shampoo bars are sulfate-free, paraben-free, phthalates-free, pH-balanced, natural, 100% vegan, plastic-free, sustainable, cruelty-free, and ethically sourced.
7. SheaMoisture
SheaMoisture is the legacy of Sofi Tucker, who sold Shea Butter, African Black Soap, and homemade beauty preparations in Sierra Leone in 1912. All SheaMoisture hair products for women are ethically traded, sustainably produced, and cruelty-free. Plus, they contain no silicones, no sulfates, no parabens, no phthalates, no mineral oil or petrolatum.
8. Love Beauty and Planet
I love this brand! Their award-winning, sustainably sourced, and naturally derived haircare products are packaged in recycled bottles. Plus, they’re super affordable.
9. Briogeo
Brigeo’s 6-Free™ haircare means no harsh sulfates, silicones, parabens, phthalates, DEA, or artificial dyes. They develop all packaging with recycled materials. Best of all, their formulas are for every hair type and texture!
10. Paul Mitchell
Clear the way for Paul Mitchell’s Clean Beauty products. They’re cruelty-free, made of 77% to 92% natural origin ingredients, and packaged in recyclable, bio-based packaging made from 90% sugarcane. You won’t find any parabens, sulfates, phthalates, mineral oil, DEA, drying alcohols, or gluten in their formulas either.
11. Renpure
Renpure’s naturally derived shampoos and conditioners will bring your hair to life! The highlights? Plant-based ingredients. Biodegradable formula. Animal Test Free (PETA). Packaging made from 100% recyclable and post-consumer recycled plastic.
12. Pureology
Pureology is at the forefront of sustainability! I love their 100% vegan formulas. Also, their cruelty-free hair care products are packaged in PCR bottles and use concentrated formulas that lessen water usage.
It’s time to elevate your hair care routine! Contribute to a brighter, more ethical future for the hair care industry by investing in more sustainable products. For more ideas on how to build a sustainable beauty routine, click here.
Comments +