19 best natural and organic shampoos for every hair concern
A new wave of the best natural shampoos is here, offering an organic (and often vegan and vegetarian-friendly) alternative to your typical hair products. And just like with regular shampoos, there's a flurry of options out there to suit every hair need, type and length, whether you're looking for something that's volume-boosting, moisturising or clarifying.
While there's no clear and settled definition as to what makes a shampoo ‘natural’, the difference often lies with their formula. As you may have already guessed, natural shampoos tend to use… well, natural ingredients and often make a very conscious effort to avoid man-made ingredients things like parabens (a synthetic preservative), silicones (a synthetic smoothing ingredient) and sulphates (which are synthetic cleaning ingredients).
For example, you might find that many plant-based natural shampoo formulas contain ingredients such as coconut oil, tea tree oil and aloe vera, which offer a perfectly viable way for cleansing hair without irritating sensitive skin or even harming the environment once the product gets washed down the drain.
Best natural shampoos at a glance – our top picks:
- Best revitalising natural shampoo: Revitalising Orange Flower Shampoo, £7.95, Neal's Yard Remedies
- Best natural hydrating shampoo: Dr. Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo, £6.99, Holland & Barrett
- Best clarifying natural shampoo: Avalon Organics Clarifying Lemon Shampoo, £7, Waitrose
- Best natural shampoo for fine hair: We Are Paradoxx Volume Shampoo, £18, Amazon
One of the biggest culprits that natural shampoos almost always avoid is sodium lauryl sulphate, more commonly known as SLS. It's an ingredient that's commonly found in shampoos, conditioners and soaps, as well as some other hygienic products, because it makes it easier for the product to lather up into suds to wash away grease and build-up. However, some say that this is not always a good thing, considering it can often rid your hair and skin of their natural oils. Plus, it's been known to irritate sensitive skin and cause itchy scalps too.
Of course, the jury is still very much out on synthetic chemicals. While preserving the environment alone is a good enough reason to avoid them, many dermatologists still stand by ingredients such as SLS since they are clinically proven to be safe. Then again, if you can avoid them by using natural alternatives, why not give it a try?
To help you make the switch easier, we've put together a full edit of the very best natural shampoos that meets all your haircare needs, whether you have thin hair, thick hair, curly hair, oily hair and everything in between. Below, you'll find bestselling products, as well as our firm favourites and some premium and affordable options too.
After more styling tools and haircare content? Check out our guides for the best hair straighteners, best curling wands and foldable travel hair dryers. We can also help you pick the best hair conditioner and best hair serums. Alternatively, you can also check out our guide for building a skincare routine.
For more shoppable beauty content from Glamour UK Commerce Writer Denise Primbet, follow her on Twitter @deniseprimbet and Instagram @deniseprimbet.
Scroll down for our edit of the best natural shampoos that your hair will love…
Best natural shampoo for sensitive skin
Green People Scent-Free Shampoo, £15, Green People
Why we love it: This contains 83% organic ingredients including green tea to strengthen hair and add shine, alongside pineapple extract to gently exfoliate any flakiness away. It's SLS-free, silicone-free, gluten-free and unscented to ensure it's super kind to sensitive scalps.
Best strengthening natural shampoo
Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Shampoo, £12.75, LookFantastic
Why we love it: The reviews for this shampoo speak for themselves. Countless users have credited it with encouraging their hair to grow quicker and stronger. Organic Shea Butter and omega-rich Jamaican Black Castor Oil, deep-clean product build-up, whilst moisturising the hair and scalp to promote healthy hair growth. Apple Cider Vinegar helps regulate the scalp's pH levels and strengthen damaged or chemically-processed hair that is prone to breakage.
Save money on your organic shampoo order with these LookFantastic discount codes.
Best natural shampoo for oily hair
Aveda Scalp Benefits Shampoo, WAS £21.50 NOW £17.20, LookFantastic
Why we love it: Enriched with burdock root, echinacea and sage, this shampoo removed excess sebum and build-up. It's great for treating both oily and dry scalps by lifting away dead skin, oils and product build-up from the roots, leaving your head feels soothed and balanced.
Save money on your organic shampoo order with these LookFantastic discount codes.
Best revitalising natural shampoo
Revitalising Orange Flower Shampoo, £7.95, Neal's Yard Remedies
Why we love it: Not only does this shampoo smell amazing, it's like superfood for your hair. Combining the properties of moringa, camellia, passion flower and neroli, it gently cleanses the scalp, while restoring the locks' brightness and bounce. And if you like the fragrance, you can even for one of their great-smelling body washes too.
Best natural shampoo for fine hair
We Are Paradoxx Volume Shampoo, £16.20, Amazon
Why we love it: Hops and nettle extract help to create volume and bounce, while Babassu oil, matcha green tea and carrageen moss extract nourish and provide that healthy looking shine. Even better, the packaging is 90% plastic free, reusable and recyclable.
Best natural shampoo bar
Ethique Pinkalicious Shampoo Bar for Normal Hair, £12.99, Boots
Why we love it: Ethique's shampoo bars are made using biodegradable, renewable and naturally-derived ingredients with minimal chemical processing. This means their bars are safe for the environment when they exit our plugholes. And, because they're 100% plastic free, the brand has already saved 6.5 million bottles from heading to landfill. Pinkalicious – the shampoo bar designed for normal hair is packed with organic, virgin, fair trade coconut oil and cocoa butter as well as grapefruit and vanilla oil.
Save when you shop for natural shampoos with these Boots discount codes.
Best natural shampoo for blonde hair
Klorane Camomile Shampoo, WAS £10 NOW £6.66, Escentual
Why we love it: As well as being free from SLS, this French pharmacy haircare staple is also free from parabens, colourants and silicones, while being full of naturally lightening camomile making it perfect to boost blonde shades.
Best natural hydrating shampoo
Dr. Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo, £6.99, Holland & Barrett
Why we love it: Packed with exotic ingredients, such as baobab, patchouli and rosewood, this moisture-rich shampoo is a total bargain. With an oil base, this is best used as a treatment shampoo once or twice a week if you’re prone to oily roots. But if your scalp is dry, slather it on and don’t hold back – you’ll thank us later.
Best natural shampoo for frizzy hair
Green People Quinoa & Artichoke Shampoo, £17.50, Green People
Why we love it: Love organic beauty products? This one’s for you - a great everyday shampoo that doesn’t strip your hair of moisture and leaves it feeling soft and shiny. It also contains organic artichoke, which is great for eliminating frizz and making it more manageable for styling.
Best natural clarifying shampoo
Klorane Aquatic Mint Shampoo, £9, Boots
Why we love it: This natural hair shampoo works just like a cleanser by neutralising toxins damaging free radicals from pollution particles (which can cause hair to become dull and oily). Instead, this clever plant-based formula removes oil, restores shine, and leaves hair minty fresh.
Save when you shop for natural shampoos with these Boots discount codes.
Best smelling natural shampoo
Weleda Millet Nourishing Shampoo, £15.96, Amazon
Why we love it: Infused with macadamia nut oil, try this for a strong, glossy mane. Bonus points for the delicious grapefruit and peppermint scent.
Best clarifying natural shampoo
Avalon Organics Clarifying Lemon Shampoo, £7, Waitrose
Why we love it: Enriched with Lemon Essential Oil, Quinoa Protein, Aloe and Vitamin E, this shampoo gently clarifies, removes excess oils and shifts product build-up, grease and grime.
Best natural shampoo for dandruff
Dr Organic Ant-Dandruff Shampoo, £7.99, Holland & Barrett
Why we love it: Blended with organic coffee bean extract, purifying ginger, cool peppermint oil and a clinically proven anti-dandruff active, this helps to clear flakes and gently cleanse irritated scalps. Plus the coffee, patchouli and cedarwood scent will help put a pep in your step.
Best natural shampoo for psoriasis
Odylique Gentle Herb Shampoo, £13, Odylique
Why we love it: If your scalp is easily irritated, this shampoo takes things back to basics. It's free from all sulphates, silicones, salts, fragrances and artificial preservatives and is pH balanced to soothe scalps prone to psoriasis, dermatitis or eczema. The gentle blend of strengthening horsetail, conditioning coconut oil, soothing chamomile, balancing nettle, shine-inducing rosemary and hydrating aloe vera leaves hair looking ultra healthy. Plus, it's the first vegan and organic shampoo to ever receive Soil Association approval.
Best natural shampoo for dry hair
Desert Essence Coconut Shampoo, WAS £17.70 NOW £13.05, Biovea
Why we love it: Lots of oils, plants and fruits go into these natural shampoos - a huge range for every hair type imaginable.
Best natural shampoo for damaged hair
John Masters Organics Honey & Hibiscus Hair Reconstructing Shampoo, £29, Ocado
Why we love it: This sulphate-free shampoo has perfectly creamy lather with a gorgeous Lavender and Rosemary unisex scent meaning your boyfriend can even borrow it (but hopefully not too much).
Best natural sulfate-free shampoo
Innersense Pure Harmony Hairbath, from £9, Innersense
Why we love it: Designed to leave hair soft, shiny and balanced, pumpkin seed, shea butter and coconut oils help to purify, cleanse and hydrate strands. It's free from SLS, scented with uplifting orange flower and leaves hair feeling light and full-bodied.
Best natural shampoo for hair loss
Champo Pitta Volumising Shampoo, £18, Champo
Why we love it: This Champo is specifically formulates for fine hair experiencing thinning or loss. It's infused with haritaki fruit (used in Ayurvedic medicine for strengthening and nourishing) along with coconut extract and fatty acids to help thicken hair while gently cleansing. And, the weightless formula offers an extra volume boost as well.
Best natural shampoo for coloured-treated hair
Rahua Color Full Shampoo, £36, Naturisimo
Why we love it: This colour-preserving shampoo is infused with a plant-derived colour complex to enhance coloured hair. The army of antioxidants provided by rahua, morete and flaxseed oils, alongside gardenia and lavender essences, encapsulate each strand to prevent colour fading and bestow protection for all shades of colour-treated or highlighted hair.
