Cruelty Free Shampoo: 10 Products that Really Work!

No matter your hair type, it's much easier today to find a cruelty-free shampoo that makes our hairs look healthy and amazing! With so many cruelty-free shampoo options available today, we can finally say no to brands that continue testing their products on animals and buying instead products that really work. Take a look at my top picks below! You'll find first a general reference to each of these all incredible products. A deeper review of these products comes in a second part! Please, read on.

In case you haven't, please check our article Animal Cruelty and Abuse: Facts and Stats You Need to Know

Our Top Pick for Cruelty-Free Shampoos

ATTITUDE Natural Volume Rich Shampoo

Made from active ingredients extracted from a multitude of leaves this vegan shampoo will create the perfect volumizing shampoo for fine hair! It's gentle to your scalp and no residues are left behind. Buy on Amazon

SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Shampoo

This vegan shampoo nourishes your hair and naturally restores lost natural moisture. The rich blend of certified organic Raw Shea butter and essential oils breathe new life into dry and damaged hair, making it bounce, looking healthy and shiny. Buy on Amazon

Pacifica Strong and Long Moisturizing Shampoo - Coconut Power

This mild foaming 100% vegan and cruelty-free shampoo is infused with coconut, rice and super fruits to help revive dry, damaged hair weakened by frequent washing or chemical processes. Buy on Amazon

Ginger Lily Farms Botanicals Moisturizing Shampoo - All Hair Types + Coco Mango Scent

This cruelty-free shampoo is formulated with vitamin B5, aloe and flaxseed. We particularly recommend this one for commercial use in locker rooms and home use for refills. Your pocket will appreciate it! Fair price for a moisturizing shampoo that's for all hair types. Buy on Amazon

Pharmacopia Verbena Shampoo

This vegan shampoo by Pharmacopia is created from natural, organic, or sustainable sources to nourish skin and hair. Its formula is cruelty-free and vegan: no parabens, sulfates, phthalates, or synthetic fragrances.Buy on Amazon

Purezero Coconut Milk Shampoo & Conditioner set

This shampoo is a real treasure. Zero sulfates, parabens, dyes, gluten or phosphates and heavenly scented with coconut, this product works great for color treated hair. Buy on Amazon

Avalon Organics Natural Shampoo, Nourishing Lavender

Made with plant-sourced botanicals and essential oils, the certified organic formula of this cruelty-free shampoo moisturizes and replenishes every strand while washing away impurities. Recommended for normal to dry hair. Buy on Amazon

Macadamia Professional Nourishing

This nourishing vegan shampoo hydrates, restores and locks in moisture while gently cleansing your hair. It's lightweight and non-greasy and works great for medium to coarse hair by strengthening and providing deep nourishment and moisture. Buy on Amazon

SheaMoisture Hydrate & Repair Moisture Shampoo - Damaged Hair

This hydrating vegan shampoo is perfect for all hair types, especially damaged hair. Made with Manuka Honey, Yogurt Extract, Mafura Oil and SheaMoisture's certified organic fair trade shea butter, this hydrating shampoo for dry hair and damaged hair conditions and smoothens hair cuticles like no other! Buy on Amazon

Love Beauty and Planet Volume and Bounty Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner

This product is cruelty-free, paraben-free, silicone-free, dye-free and formulated without phthalates, which are harsh chemicals for our hair and skin. It's designed to lightly moisturize fine hair while leaving it feeling strong and volumized. Buy on Amazon

With no further introduction, let's check now some of the good and the bad stuff about this particular selection on cruelty-free shampoos we made for you.

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ATTITUDE Natural Volume Rich Shampoo

1
Sustainable Warriors Score
5_5

Buy on Amazon

What I Like

  • Makes the hair look voluminous!
  • Efficient and natural formula
  • Dermatologically tested, hypoallergenic and non-irritating

What I Don't Like

  • Pricey, but worth it!

This cruelty-free shampoo manages to combine very well the best of both worlds: nature and science. ATTITUDE has managed to extract active ingredients from a multitude of leaves to create the perfect volumizing shampoo for fine hair!

Featuring soya and cranberry extract, it adds volume to your hair without weighing it down. It's also gentle enough for sensitive scalp, its septic and easy to lather and rinse while leaving your hair soft and shiny with no residue.

It is enriched with watercress, Indian cress, white tea, orange, olive and lemon leaf extracts. And it's also rich in minerals known for their remarkable regenerative and soothing powers.

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This is a really nice and affordable option to get you started with eco-friendly shampoos.

What I love the most about it is the volume that gives to my hair! The thing is that this shampoo is packed with antioxidants, soy protein and cranberry extract, known for their properties to help maximize thickness, add volume and shine, without drying out your hair.

I also like how gentle ths product is to my skin. Actually, ATTITUDE shampoos and conditioners are always dermatologically tested, hypoallergenic and non-irritating for your scalp.

A final note to get you buy it, this is truly an eco-friendly shampoo. The bottles are made with recyclable plastic and are biodegradable. All our products are vegan with the most exclusive minerals and are cruelty-free, they are never tested on animals. Highly recommended!

SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Shampoo

1
Sustainable Warriors Score
5_5

Buy on Amazon

What I Like

  • Its formula is revitalizing!
  • Keeps the hair soft and moisturized all day long!
  • Works great on curly hair

What I Don't Like

  • I wish the bottle was bigger! Very concentrated, thou

There are two main things that I love about this cruelty-free shampoo: The ingredients are truly natural and non-harmful and the price is excellent!
I recommend this for anyone who prefers more natural products and needs to retain as much moisture in their hair as possible! Let me tell you that thi friendly-budget alternative really works!

SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Shampoo nourishes your hair and restores lost natural moisture. The rich blend of certified organic Raw Shea butter and essential oils will breathe new life into dry and damaged hair, making your curls bounce with health and shine.

2
3

Pretty much I love everything about this shampoo. I love that it is all natural, truly natural. So many shampoos today have so many chemicals and harsh ingredients and more than once they made my head itch or even get a rash. Having so many options available today is really great!

Bear in mind that this product doesn't lather as a regular shampoo but you can truly feel the cleansing and moisturizing going on after a couple of washes. My wavy hair is soft and looks shiny even with no conditioner! And I don't have to spend a fortune on more expensive brands. I strongly recommend this one!

Pacifica Strong and Long Moisturizing Shampoo - Coconut Power

1
Sustainable Warriors Score
4_5

Buy on Amazon

What I Like

  • It's accessible
  • Leading brand among organic, cruelty-free cosmetics.
  • The smell is great!

What I Don't Like

  • Packaging not very well sealed

We have to say first that Pacifica is a brand that has been revolutionizing the world of organic, vegan and cruelty-free cosmetics for nearly 25 years! So you're buying quality and experience with this cruelty-shampoo for pretty much bargain. This product is a natural product in every sense of the word: from the ingredients to the packages and it's just great!

Just to mention a couple of more things I love about this Pacifica shampoo: it is suitable for all hair types, it smells like warm coconut and it's delicious. It will gently remove dirt and pollutants, a very important first step when transitioning towards vegan products. First, rinse your hair off all those chemical residues! This is a great product for that and for regular use, too! What's more, it provides weightless hydration.

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This is a perfect, not pricey option for all hair types, but particularly targeted to dry hair. It revives dry, damaged hair with a calming blend of moisturizing coconut, rice, and super fruits so you can say goodbyes to bad hair days forever! Honestly, the only reason I'm giving this cruelty-free shampoo 4 stars is because the packaging is not sealed properly and teh cap is a little bit defective so watch out for leakages. Try to always put it vertically!

But in average, this is one of the best cruelty-free shampoos I've ever used. My hair is silky and shiny for the first time in my life. I have been dying my hair for years, and this has helped it heal, I noticed it after the first wash, I am literally in love with it and I highly recommend it!

Ginger Lily Farms Botanicals Moisturizing Shampoo - All Hair Types + Coco Mango Scent

1
Sustainable Warriors Score
4_5

Buy on Amazon

What I Like

  • Good quality and very good price.
  • Smells very good!
  • Gentle to the scalp

What I Don't Like

  • It doesn't lather very easily.

Let's talk about the things that I love the most about this vegan shampoo: It's a nice moisturizing shampoo: suitable for all hair types, that's good. It will instantly smooth, restore and revitalizes dry hair with lasting moisture. Not vey shiny, thou.

Another great thing is the tropical coconut mango scent. It's a really fresh and uplifting smell -surprisingly- and it's delicious.

All of this cruelty-free shampoo ingredients are naturally derived, which is also great and they are never tested on animals. This shampoo is enriched with a special blend of vitamins, pure essential oils and botanical extracts to lock in moisture and nourish dry hair. It's formula is toxin-free in paraben, sulfate, phosphate and gluten-free, as well!

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If you are running a hair saloon, this is a really great friendly-budget product! Also great for refilling shower dispensers in locker rooms, hotels, spas or at home.Big families, why not? Or if you just want to give this product a chance, do it.

I like about this shampoo that is very gentle to the scalp, so different from regular shampoos!

I have long, curly hair and it dries so easily! This product has managed to moisturize my hair in a good - not great- way. There are better products, definitely and I won't always use this as a stand-alone product, but it's a nice option for resting your hair from products, for example.

In the past I used to spend so much on shampoos, and NOTHING truly makes a difference. But this shampoo does it very well. It does not strip the hair at all and it's very convenient.

Pharmacopia Verbena Shampoo

4
Sustainable Warriors Score
5_5

Buy on Amazon

What I Like

  • Calms frizz + leaves hair manageable.
  • Ideal for normal to dry hair.
  • Made with high quality essential oils.

What I Don't Like

  • Pricey, but 100% worth it.

This is not only a naturally made and really moisturizing cruelty-free shampoo but it's also aroma therapeutic! That's what I love the most about this product. The aromatherapy hair care products by Pharmacopia have a citrus fragrance suitable for men and women, with essential oils of lemon, orange, mint, basil, lemongrass and cedarwood, which smell exquisite.

The nourishing power of this vegan shampoo is very effective, too. Formulated with organic aloe vera, jojoba oil and chamomile extract to naturally enhance your hair’s shine, strength and softness.

Packed only with natural and organic ingredients, this lemon verbena hair shampoo is free from sulfates, parabens, propylene glycol, phthalates, synthetic fragrance and dyes, which can cause serious damage to our skin.

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3

I first came across this cruelty-free shampoo while I was staying in a hotel and this was the shampoo they provided, I was amazed at how clean it got my hair, so I found it online. It's spendy - $25 for a 16 oz. bottle - but it's by far the best shampoo I've ever used.

The results you can get with a cruelty-free shampoo made of natural ingredients cannot be beat by any of the big names like Wella or Pantene or any other regular shampoo. If you've tried vegan shampoos already, you know that it's true! and if you are thinking about switching to organic products, do it! Your hair will appreciate it! And please consider, this product. You won't regret it.

Purezero Coconut Milk Shampoo & Conditioner set

1
Sustainable Warriors Score
5_5

Buy on Amazon

What I Like

  • Shampoo + conditioner for a good price.
  • Anti-frizz, hydrate, softness
  • Free of sulfates, parabens, dyes. 100% Vegan

What I Don't Like

  • Not very strong fragrance

The Purezero Coconut Milk Collection is something you'll love really. Especially for the price since you get a shampoo and a conditioner that really work well. The coconut power drenches your dehydrated hair and injects your locks with much needed Vitamin E, Natural Amino Acids and Chemical Free Proteins that will protect your hair from environmental stress and further damage.

The product is ideal for drier hair, particularly great for color treated hair. You know chemicals and dyes look great but they can literally kill your hair if your don't treat it carefully. This Purezero set performs as well as a saloon shampoo and provides extreme haircare all at once!

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3

I started buying this cruelty-free shampoo and conditioner at my regular market and then saw this really great online opportunity to get a 2-bottle set, so I stocked up. And I have zero regrets! No matter what happens, even if I can’t get my hair cut for a while, it looks and smells great thanks to these products.

They keep my naturally brunet hair looking smooth. If you have colored or naturally grey hair, this product is even more recommended because it will keep your color silvery (so you don’t need to use any of those purple products), and it smells lovely, too! Coconut always works for me...and this PureZero combination is perfect!

Avalon Organics Natural Shampoo, Nourishing Lavender

1
Sustainable Warriors Score
4_5

Buy on Amazon

What I Like

  • Gently cleanses and hydrates normal to dry hair
  • Certified organic formula
  • 100% Vegan and not tested on animals

What I Don't Like

  • Packaging could be better, especially to be shipped.

Made with plant-sourced botanicals and essential oils, the certified organic formula of this cruelty-free shampoo moisturizes and replenishes every strand while washing away impurities. Lavender essential oil, quinoa protein, aloe, babassu oil and vitamin E will be all working together to gently condition and seal the hair cuticle, leaving it feeling smooth, shiny and soft to the touch.

Non-GMO ingredients and no parabens, harsh preservatives, synthetic colors or fragrances, or phthalates is something really great about this 100& vegan and not tested on animals Avalon shampoo.

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3

Avalon Organics is a really great brand that I personally have come to trust, I have used their other products including another shampoo and their citrus face wash. Unlike the other shampoo (which promises and does volumize and thicken hair), this one didn't seem to add a whole lot of nourishing or moisture but probably because it's targeted to normal hair types and mine tends to be dry.

However, it does a great job cleaning your hair and smells great! Lavender is one of my favorite scents in the world because it's fresh and so relaxing! Other than not being as nourishing as I hoped, it achieved everything else! So it's a very nice set to get you started with cruelty.free shampoos, for sure!

Macadamia Professional Nourishing

1
Sustainable Warriors Score
5_5

Buy on Amazon

What I Like

  • Professional hair care
  • Great for medium to coarse hair
  • Lightweight and non-greasy!

What I Don't Like

  • The pump system is not very practical (as it's usually the case with thick products in pump bottles)

Macadamia Professional Nourishing Repair Shampoo is big word. It's pricey but the bottle size is pretty OK and you can rest assure that it will work! This cruelty-free shampoo will hydrate, restore and strengthen while cleansing your hair like a pro.

This professional shampoo features the exclusive Pro Oil Complex which is a blend of therapeutic Macadamia and Argan Oils for healthier and stronger hair. The formula is lightweight and non-greasy with no build-up, which I love. It's particularly targeted to medium to coarse hair to provide deep nourishment and moisturizing.

It gently cleanses, nourishes, repairs, and protects hair from future damage while providing body and volume without weighing hair down. I really like this product!

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Believe me when I say that this is a perfect scorer game changer. The Macadamia Professional Nourishing Moisture shampoo is indeed a moisturizing shampoo, that doesn't weight down my fine hair.
The consistency of the shampoo is not very thick and a little goes a long way to produce tons of lather. I do find the formula sort of `balancing`, as it cleanses the hair very well, without stripping the hair too much. It's over the top moisturizing!

I love also the nice luxurious smell, which to my liking doesn't linger in my hair afterwards.
On a final note to get you try it! I have sensitive scalp and this shampoo proved super gentle with no rushes or allergic reactions. Highly recommended product!

SheaMoisture Hydrate & Repair Moisture Shampoo - Damaged Hair

4
Sustainable Warriors Score
5_5

Buy on Amazon

What I Like

  • Affordable; recommended for dry or brittle hair
  • Deeply moisturizing and nourishing!
  • Fine natural ingredients

What I Don't Like

  • It's a small bottle, but the price is fair.

Honestly, this sulfate free vegan shampoo by SheaMoisture is a favorite to me. I've used SheaMoisture before because I have hard times sometimes finding really nourishing products; but this cruelty-free shampoo is a great moisturizing shampoo for damaged hair that works alone to gently cleanse hair and strengthen strands from root to tip. If you can get te conditioner, too you'll get even better results!

The powerful nature of its ingredients replenishes moisture to dry, brittle strands, while promoting a healthy shine. This shampoo is made with Manuka Honey, Yogurt Extract, Mafura Oil and SheaMoisture's certified organic fair trade shea butter, which makes it ideal for dry hair and damaged hair conditions.

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A 100% recommended product and a perfect scorer! First, because it's a very good product for the price you pay. Second, because of the quality of its ingredients. I’m a stickler for quality in a product and for a while, I’ve been trying to find a natural, cruelty/sulfate/paraben/artificial fragrance-free shampoo that is high-quality and decently affordable.

I bought this on a whim, and after two months of use, it has proven itself to be a great purchase. Using this shampoo, a little truly goes a long way - I can rely on a thorough clean with LESS THAN a dime size of product.

I love the formula that replenishes and maintains moisture without making my hair feel or look too greasy or weighed down. So, if you have this dry, brittle hair, stop buying those toxic chemical regular shampoos and go get this great cruelty-free shampoo!

Love Beauty and Planet Volume and Bounty Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner

1
Sustainable Warriors Score
5_5

Buy on Amazon

What I Like

  • Safe to use on all hair types, including color-treated hair
  • Ideal set for volume hair!

What I Don't Like

  • Not great coconut smell.

Love Beauty and Planet Volume and Bounty Coconut Water & Mimosa Flower Shampoo and Conditioner Hair System are a cruelty-free shampoo and conditioner, paraben-free, silicone-free, dye-free and formulated without phthalates. All of this is without harsh chemicals that promise to help you out but they make thing worse!

It's designed to lightly moisturize fine hair while leaving your hair feeling strong and volumized.

The Natural Coconut Oil for Hair is my favorite feature. Because coconut always works for dry hair! This oil literally locks in moisture and let your strands flow strong and free. Besides, this product is 100% vegan and cruelty-free certified by PETA.

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3

I absolutely love this cruelty-free shampoo conditioner. It is simply amazing. I have thin and dry hair, not dyed now but it was not long ago... so my hair still recovering. And I found here a very affordable product that is shielding very good results so far...

The first time I used it I thought it was fluke because my hair was so soft. Second, third, fourth same result every time. It makes my hair look so soft and flowing, it doesn’t look greasy because with thin hair it definitely gets greasy quick but none of that. Personally, I'd like that the coconut scent was stronger (personal taste) but it's highly highly recommend!

Fortunately, we provided you with enough information on some of the best cruelty-free shampoos available online. There's a variety of prices and results among the products we reviewed so that you can make an informed purchase and hopefully find the one that works for you!

See you next time, warrior! Keep it sustainable!

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Gisela Possetto

Copywirter, Cats + Tattoos + Music Lover

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