The Best Eco-Friendly Shampoo & Conditioner

Most mass market shampoos contain a long list of toxic chemicals. Hormone disruptors, suspected carcinogens, reproductive toxins, skin irritants, chemicals that can cause numerous health problems and damage our endocrine, immune and reproductive systems. The list includes formaldehyde, sulfates, parabens, triclosan, phthalates, polyethylene glycol, retinal palmitate, and synthetic fragrances, which can include any one of hundreds of unnamed hazardous chemicals. One chemical in most shampoos, sodium lauryl sulfate, SLS, is there just to make it frothy. You don’t need frothy soap on your hair. Derived from petroleum, SLS is an eye, skin and lung irritant and it’s toxic to aquatic life. It also strips hair and skin of its natural beneficial oils. Another common and dangerous foaming agent is cocamide dea. Avoid shampoos and soaps with this ingredient too. Ditch the plastic bottles of toxin-laden shampoos and conditioners. The shampoo and conditioner bars recommended here have only non-toxic and mostly plant-based ingredients, like botanical oils, and come in cardboard or paper packaging.

Shampoo Bars

  • Ethique Shampoo Bar

    Ethique's shampoo bars are cruelty-free, vegan and not tested not animals. Their natural ingredients are plant-based and fair trade and they are packaged in biodegradable and compostable cardboard. Ethique also has great conditioner bars. Among Ethique’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint is its partnership with Ecologi, which plants one tree for every purchase from Ethique. 

    Purchase here

  • The Earthling Co. Shampoo Bars

    The Earthling Co.’s natural shampoo bars are vegan and plant-based and free of sodium lauryl sulfate, silicone, parabens, artificial fragrance, preservatives and other harmful chemicals. Ingredients include coconut oil for moisture, apricot seed oil, hemp seed oil, panthenol (Vitamin B5) and glycerin. They are cruelty-free, made in the U.S. and come in cardboard boxes. No plastic! 

    Purchase here

  • Liggett's Shampoo Bars

    History isn’t sure if ‍J.R. LIggett's shampoobars were the first but they were making them long before it became popular and recognized as an eco-responsible way to wash your hair. Their vegan bars are made in New Hampshire from plant oils like coconut and almond, mango butter and aloe vera. They are free of synthetic chemicals, sulfates, fragrances and detergents. Packaged, as always, in paper.  It's the best deal in town.

    Purchase here

  • Zero Waste Store Shampoo Bars

    Shampoo bars from the Zero Waste Store are made from plant oils like coconut, hemp and jojoba, cocoa butter, lemon juice and sodium coco sulfate (different from sodium lauryl sulfate). They contain no preservatives or silicones and no synthetic coloring or fragrances. They are vegan, cruelty-free and handmade in the U.S. Packaged in a cardboard box with water-based ink. No plastic at all. 

    Purchase here

  • Dr. Bronner's versatile bar soap

    One of the most versatile bar soaps available is Dr. Bronner’s. It’s great for everything from cleaning the house to washing your face to shampooing to washing clothes. Multi-talented, it’s great for all uses. It's made with organic oils, is vegan and cruelty-free. While Dr. Bronner’s also offers liquid soap in plastic bottles, the bars are wrapped just in paper and for that reason Good as Dirt recommends the bars.

    Purchase here

  • Zero Waste Outlet Shampoo Bars

    Zero Waste Outlet rosemary and peppermint shampoo bars detoxify your scalp and strip away product build-up without removing moisture. They’re made with green clay and coconut oil along with peppermint and rosemary essential oils. They’re vegan, plant-based and free of parabens and phosphates. Each solid bar replaces three to six plastic bottles and lasts up to fifty washes. They’re plastic-free from box to bar.

    Purchase here

Conditioner Bars

  • Zero Waste Store

    Natural conditioner bars from Zero Waste Store are all handmade he U.S. and are free of silicones, parabens, and palm oil. Their packaging is plastic-free, just a good old cardboard box, with water-based ink. These bars are vegan and cruelty-free. Their all-natural ingredients include plant oils like argan, rapeseed, olive, jojoba, kukui nut and hemp. This great business is women-owned and a member of 1% for the Planet, which means it donates at least one percent of profits to environmental causes. 

    Purchase here

  • Earthling Co.

    Like their shampoo bars, the Earthling Co.'s conditioner bars are non-toxic and free of harmful chemicals, including those that can strip hair of its natural oils. They are also cruelty-free and come in cardboard packaging. 

    Purchase here

  • Zero Waste Outlet

    The rosemary and peppermint conditioner bars from the Zero Waste Outlet blend nourishing plant oils, like coconut and jojoba, with natural rosemary and peppermint essential oils to detangle and soften your hair without weighing it down or leaving waxy buildup. It’s plant-based and vegan and free of sulfates, phosphate and parabens. One bar lasts three or more months. It can be used as a rinse-out or leave-in conditioner.

    Purchase here

  • Spinster Sisters

    The plant-based vegan Spinster Sisters conditioner bars are made with hydrating plant oils, like cocoa seed butter, coconut oil and argan nut oil, along with emulsifying wax. They’re scented naturally with peppermint and rosemary oil. This conditioner bar was a 2021 NEXTY aware winner, which recognizes eco-friendly personal care and health products for their nnovation, integrity and trustworthiness. All ingredients are Fair Trade. Spinster Sisters also makes a great shampoo bar.

    Purchase here