When it comes to the vegan lifestyle, food and clothing get the most attention. Skincare products have garnered some attention, too, lately, from beauty enthusiasts becoming aware of the impacts of their choices on animals and the environment.
However, the hair care industry is still largely overlooked.
The only product that gets some light is the shampoo. But there is more to hair care than just shampoo and those products require some thought as well.
To help you extend your vegan commitment beyond food and clothes, today, I am going to highlight some of the best vegan hair products I have discovered. Take a look to build a vegan hair care routine for yourself.
How to Know If a Haircare Product is Vegan?
If you’re new to vegan beauty, you may initially face some challenges in identifying vegan haircare products. Here are some ways to avoid/resolve it:
Look for the Vegan Label
The best way to avoid this problem is to look for vegan certification. Products, haircare or otherwise, made from 100% plant-based ingredients almost always have it stated on the packaging. The ones made for vegans also often carry certifications from various vegan organizations.
Check Ingredients
Considering that not all vegan haircare products come from certified vegan brands, it’s worth educating yourself on the ingredients that make these items non-vegan.
Some of the most common animal-derived ingredients found in hair products are:
- Keratin
- Collagen
- Elastin
- Beeswax
- Squalene
- Silk
- Lanolin
- Shellac
- Glycerin
- Casein
- Honey
- Carmine (also referred to as E120, C.I.75470, and natural red)
Some ingredients can be sourced from both animal and plant sources. However, unless specified to be taken from a plant source, they are considered non-vegan. Stearic acid is an example of such ingredient.
It’s typically taken from a sheep or pig’s stomach but can be derived from plant fat. It’s used as a softener and emulsifier in hair products.
Consider the Cruelty-Free Status
It has now become common knowledge that the terms ‘vegan’ and ‘cruelty-free’ aren’t synonymous. A product meeting the criteria for one of these doesn’t necessarily make it qualify for the other label. Simply put, a vegan product isn’t always cruelty-free, and vice versa.
When you’re committed to veganism to the point that you’re choosing vegan hair products, it only makes sense to consider both criteria.
However, it’s a personal choice, and some people do not mind using products that have been tested on animals. If you’re one of them, looking for the vegan label or checking ingredients would suffice.
But if you want to truly embrace veganism, consider the cruelty-free status of your haircare products. Here’s how you can do that:
- Check the packaging for the cruelty-free logo. The products that carry this logo are cruelty-free certified. Leaping Bunny and Choose Cruelty-Free are the two most respectable cruelty-free certification organizations.
- See where it’s manufactured. Internationally, Mexico, Australia, India, Turkey, the UK, New Zealand, South Korea, Norway, Taiwan, Switzerland, Iceland, Colombia, Israel, Guatemala, EU countries, and several states in Brazil have banned cosmetic animal testing, so any hair product coming from these places will be cruelty-free.
In the US, the majority of the states still allow animal testing; only nine have banned animal testing of beauty products. These include California, Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Maine, Louisiana, Nevada, and Hawaii).
Best Vegan Hair Products
Here’s a brief list of hair products that meet both the vegan and cruelty-free criteria:
1. Acure Shampoo (LINK)
Acure is a 100% vegan beauty brand on a mission to redefine the hair and skin care industry with products that are equally good for humans and animals. It’s also Leaping Bunny certified, which means it neither tests on animals nor uses any ingredients that have been tested on animals.
Acure products are also free of a range of harsh chemicals widely used in haircare products. These include mineral oils, parabens, sulfates, formaldehyde, and petrolatum.
While Acure makes a range of hair care products, its shampoos are particularly popular for their quality, effectiveness, and variety. Acure vegan shampoos come in several different varieties, targeting various hair concerns and offering different benefits. Your options include:
Acure Vegan Shampoos – Regular
- Curiously Clarifying Shampoo
- Ultra-Hydrating Shampoo
- Simply Smoothing Shampoo
- Vivacious Volume Shampoo
- Buildup Balancing Hemp & Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo
- Daily Workout Watermelon Shampoo
- Juice Cleanse Supergreens & Adaptogens Shampoo
Acure Vegan Color-Protecting Shampoos
- Wave & Curl Color Wellness Shampoo
- Unicorn Shimmer Shampoo
- Ionic Blonde Color Wellness Purple Shampoo
- Detox-Defy Color Wellness Shampoo
Acure Vegan Shampoo Bar
- Coconut & Argan Shampoo Bar
Acure Vegan Dry Shampoos
- Dry Shampoo – For All Hair Types
- Dry Shampoo – For Brunette to Dark Hair
Does dry shampoo always leave you with a white cast? Check out the following video to know how to prevent that and learn the right way to use dry shampoo…
2. Griffin Remedy Deep Hydration Restorative Conditioner (LINK)
With a gentle formula made with proven natural ingredients, including macadamia nut oil, jojoba oil, lavender oil, aloe vera, and shea butter, Griffin Remedy vegan conditioner offers both immediate and long-term benefits.
Your hair will feel noticeably soft, shiny, and more manageable after just one use. In the long run, the vegan conditioner will help repair damaged hair and strengthen and nourish the follicles to prevent hair breakage and improve elasticity.
Suitable for all types of hair, including chemically-treated and colored hair, Griffin Remedy’s Deep Hydration Restorative vegan conditioner is an excellent option to reinvigorate dull, dehydrated, damaged hair.
3. Maria Nila Structure Repair Hair Masque (LINK)
The chemicals and pollution we’re continuously exposed to aren’t just bad for your skin; they can take a toll on your hair, too, leaving them dry, dull, and damaged.
You can’t completely prevent hair damage, but you can certainly fix it with a good hair mask. Treat your locks with Maria Nila’s Structure Repair vegan hair mask to restore their health and shine without contributing to animal abuse and suffering.
Maira Nila Structure Repair Hair Masque, as the name tells, penetrate deep into the scalp and hair follicles to repair damage and strengthen, moisturize, and soften the hair while also protecting them from UV damage.
Your hair will not only look and feel better but also smell of rose, vanilla, and jasmine. The vegan hair repair mask also helps with brittleness and static electricity.
4. Moroccanoil Treatment Hair Oil (LINK)
The age-old haircare remedy of oiling has been passed down through generations and has been proven to be one of the best ways to fix hair problems.
Whether you’re struggling with rough, dry, dull, or damaged hair, a good oil can fix it all, leaving you with soft, silky, deeply nourished, healthy, and shiny hair (with consistent use).
If you’re searching for a good hair oil to incorporate into your vegan haircare routine, Moroccanoil’s Treatment Hair Oil is an excellent option.
With argan oil and essential fatty acids, the oil helps protect the hair from UV damage while also conditioning the shafts to smooth the frizz, improve shine, and soften the hair. It’s also known to help fix split ends.
The best part? It’s leave-in hair oil, meaning you don’t have to shampoo your hair after applying it. Just use a few drops of it on your hair, applying from the middle to the ends, and style as you want.
Some More Vegan Hair Care Brands
Here are some more haircare brands that you can check to find vegan and cruelty-free hair products:
- Pacifica Beauty
- IGK
- SuperZero
- Rahua
- Gloss Moderne
- BKind
- Pureology
- Cake
- REVERIE
- EO Products
- Cot Hair
- Beachwaver Co.
- The Wonder Seed
- Sukin
- Sudsatorium
- Curlsmith
- HEMPZ
Conclusion
Vegan hair care may not have gained as much attention as vegan food, clothing, or skincare, but it’s gaining momentum slowly and gradually.
Start your vegan haircare regimen with these basic products, and then you can build it up with your choice of items as you learn more about the industry, companies, and products.
Want to learn more about vegan hair products? Check out my article Best Vegan Hair Dye Brands to color your hair guilt-free.
