We can’t always control what the climate does to our hair, but we can control how our products affect it. Clean beauty encompasses more than just what harsh ingredients a brand leaves out of formulas, such as sulfates, parabens, phthalates, oxybenzone, and talc. It also includes the sustainable methods that go into making them. “When it comes to clean haircare, it’s not just about being effective—brands must formulate without harmful chemicals, prioritize transparency, use safer ingredients, and more sustainable packaging,” says Christina Ross, director of science and policy at Credo Beauty.
As the definition of clean beauty continues to evolve, getting down to the root of what it means for our hair products can be confusing. We consulted industry experts and our team to give you the tools to make the best decision. Below are some of our favorite clean hair brands that are good for the planet and great for your hair.
PHOTO: Sephora
Why We Love It: If Crown Affair were a typeface, it’d be Times New Roman: Polished, classy, and a universal crowd-pleaser. Its products are “ideal for easy, sexy air-dried styles,” says Sarah Brown, chief brand officer at Violet Grey. It’s true, the brand feels like your hair’s best friend as its vegan formulas provide instant nourishment. Meanwhile, its shampoos effectively scrub away grit and grime without using harsh ingredients. For example, the brand taps a coconut-based surfactant system instead of traditional sulfates. And, its editor-adored dry shampoo relies on persimmon powder, a natural deodorizer. As for the chic, recyclable glass bottles? Those are just another perk for the planet and your shelfie.
Pro Pick: Maybe it’s simply because you never get over your first love, but the first Crown Affair product I ever tried, The Leave-In Conditioner, will be with me to the end. The silky, lightweight serum can make chlorine-soaked hair look lush in five seconds flat. I’ve also recovered so many strands long lost to heat (or so I thought) thanks to fortifying air-dry products such as The Texturing Air Dry Mousse and Finishing Hair Gel, which allow my hair to thrive without help from hot tools.
PHOTO: Maria Nila
Why We Love It: Maria Nila is a Sweden-born brand that started as a close family business. Though it has expanded since the brand keeps its standards just as tight. The brand formulates every product in its pretty pastel packages alongside chemists who follow rigorous guidelines. Even its factory strives for the sustainable gold medal, featuring a solar panel roof and innovative water recycling system that generates less carbon emissions.
Pro Pick: Everything from the Curls and Coils is top-tier, especially the Luscious Curl Cream. It’s a nonsticky alternative to most holding gels, giving my deflated curls the extra pep they need to spring into action on lazy wash days. Admittedly, I think the pastel blue bottles are the prettiest among the candy-colored collection, too.
PHOTO: Prose
Why We Love It: Have you ever had a friend rave about their new shampoo only for you to try it and have the results (and your hair) fall flat? B Corp-certified brand Prose recognizes no two strands are the same, which is why it creates a custom routine for clients based on an online consultation. Your quiz results determine which Prose product—all formulated with natural ingredients like aloe vera, sea moss, kombucha, and even okra—is the best fit.
Pro Pick: “I recommend the entire Prose line,” says celebrity hairstylist Michael Dueñas. “They are clean, and have a substantial range for anyone at any skill set for their hair.” Normally we wouldn’t recommend a carte blanche option, but since Prose makes formulas specifically for you, there’s no wrong answer to which product is the best.
PHOTO: Roz
Why We Love It: If there’s anyone I trust with my hair, it’s someone who’s had their hands in Emma Stone, Olivia Wilde, and Zoe Saldana’s strands. Celebrity stylist Mara Roszak doesn’t just have exceptional clients, her haircare line is equally reputable. Between the recyclable artistic matte aluminum and frosted glass bottles, which you might mistake for a luxury perfume, and rosemary-scented formulas, every application feels like a real indulgence. Its formulas are derived from almost 100 percent natural ingredients, including moisture-rich botanical extracts such as red algae extract and macadamia seed oil.
Pro Pick: “I have 3A/3B curls that are prone to frizziness and dryness. I’ve made the situation worse by bleaching my strands for the past eight months and Roz’s haircare has been a hair-saver,” says senior beauty commerce writer Tamim Alnuweiri. “I like every product but if I had to choose one it would be the Milk Hair Serum. Once a week I very generously apply it to my strands and then brush them out with a boar bristle brush. I rinse the following day and my hair is divine—my strands are moisturized, frizz is nowhere to be seen, and my curls are defined without using a leave-in product,” she adds.
PHOTO: Sephora
Why We Love It: Latinx-rooted brand Ceremonia merges tradition and new ideas to deliver a haircare brand, unlike many other options. Free of silicones, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and artificial colorants, its original formulas rely on Latin American ingredients like babassu oil from Brazil and Peru-sourced patauá oil. You can delve into which ones the brand found on farms or ethically engineered in its lab. In fact, the brand is so willing to provide a clear picture of its practices it even discloses the ingredients behind its intoxicating, cult-followed scent. Talk about the best example of anti-gatekeeping.
Pro Pick: “For days when there is extra time for a deep condition, Ceremonia’s Mascarilla de Babassu is a great one,” says Ross. Its gorgeous ingredient lineup includes moisture-replenishing cupuaçu butter to soften and replenish dehydrated hair.
PHOTO: Aveda
Why We Love It: This classic brand has always been a forward-thinker, and not just when it comes to creating formulas for healthier hair. “Aveda is the ‘founding father’ of clean beauty,” says Leigh Hardges, a lead stylist at Chicago’s Maxine Salon. She adds, “The brand is known for their naturally derived plant-based ingredients and their commitment to the environment and the communities from which their ingredients are sourced.” Case in point: It manufactures its products with 100 percent wind power.
Pro Pick: Aveda may have been in the industry for a long time, but what hasn’t is the recently released Be Curly Advanced Line. Practically every editor has sung its praises to seriously repair damaged coils, leaving them soft, buoyant, and bouncy. And, if you’re serious about getting your hair back into good health, it’s worth trying the Invati Ultra Advanced Collection. The four-step system is easy to integrate into your everyday routine, allowing you to wake up one day and see those once-thinning strands restored to their natural, thick volume.
PHOTO: Ulta Beauty
Why We Love It: If you’re familiar with haircare, you might recognize Virtue from its proprietary ingredient Alpha Keratin 60ku. The science-backed, lab-made protein mimics the naturally occurring protein in our bodies. You’ll find the sustainably designed ingredient throughout all its formulas. So, whether you use its shampoos, conditioners, or hair masks, you may feel like your strands received some solid strength training. Its products also leave out synthetic dyes and colors, making them another step safer for sensitive scalps.
Pro Pick: I love my mom, but unfortunately I inherited her humidity-whipped (but beautiful!), and flyaway-prone puffy curls. While visiting home recently, we tried our luck with the Colorkick Illuminating Mask. The results: Our errant strands stayed smooth in the Alabama August heat. Plus, the mask helped her hair gloss appear brighter and more luminous, allowing her rich copper tones to shine.
PHOTO: Amazon
Why We Love It: You can shop guilt-free from all of R+CO’s hair products, knowing they are vegan (minus its hair brushes), cruelty-free, and Leaping Bunny certified, but the R+CO Bleu collection takes it one step further. This line specifically focuses on using sustainable practices through methods such as packing made of 100 percent post-consumer recycled material, aluminum, and post-consumer recycled paper.
Pro Pick: Can we say all of them? They are “Deluxe, high-performance products from a collective of top hairstylists, headlined by editorial superstar Garren,” says Brown. However, if I had to pick one, and if you’re looking for something similar to the brand’s favored High Dive cream, try the Super Style Crème that hydrates hair using vitamin E and avocado oil.
PHOTO: La Bonne Brosse
Why We Love It: You wouldn’t believe something like the statuesque gleaming La Bonne Brosse brush could be biodegradable. However, the French-owned brand mindfully designs its stunning tools, marrying aesthetics and eco-conscious efforts. Founders Pauline Laurent and Flore des Robert rely on flexible, yet sturdy, vegan bristles and cellulose acetate, an organic resin made of cotton flowers and wood beads, instead of less-friendly environmental materials. Even the 100 percent keratin boar bristles, while technically not vegan, are thoughtfully sourced from artisanal producers.
The rounded brush head and smartly placed bristles are no accident, either. The founders worked with acupuncturists and other experts to hit key energy points in your head that help provide a mini reflective, stress-relief moment.
Pro Pick: I’ve never been able to casually brush through my wind-swept hair to fix a few flyaways—normally, I just aggravate the frizzy situation. The Massaging Detangling Hair Brush is one of the rare hair tools that detangles my curly waves without contributing to static while making it noticeably shiner. Also worth mentioning: The easy-to-grip spiral curved handle and gleaming cherry red color make me feel like kicking my feet and brushing my hair with a hundred strokes each time I pick up the beautiful tool.
PHOTO: Violet Grey
Why We Love It: This Hair of Mine challenges that science and scalp health aren’t sexy. Seriously, what sounds cooler than the apple stem technology, which the brand formulated to cease skin irritation? Alongside pea protein and pomegranate enzyme, it’s part of the innovative formula that makes its scalp serum soothe skin inflammation, banish flakiness, and promote hair growth.
And, in addition to the brand’s sustainability practices and organic ingredients, there’s even more reason to feel better about your purchase. The founder, Cyndia Harvey, is a universally-recognized hairstylist and recipient of the British Fashion Council’s Changemaker Prize and a Vogue Business ‘100 Innovator’ honouree.
Pro Pick: While This Hair of Mine currently only offers a scalp serum, it does so with one product which usually takes several to achieve. “The multitasking scalp serum is from one of Britain’s top editorial stylists, created for all hairstyles, but especially with textured hair in mind,” says Brown.
PHOTO: Maya Chia
Why We Love It: Chia seeds are quite the powerhouse protein, and Maya Chia thoughtfully capitalized on their powers to nourish weakened hair. It uses chia oil throughout its shampoo, conditioners, and serums. Beyond that, the brand sources raw ingredients as close to their original sources as possible. For instance, Maya Chia works directly with growers in regions close to the equator (where the “most nutrient-dense chia seeds are grown,” per the brand) to ensure each one is harvested without harmful pesticides.
Pro Pick: Ross recommends the Maya Chia Power Fol Multi-Correctional Scalp and Hair Treatment, noting “Everyone can benefit from paying a little extra attention to their scalp.” To achieve this, the formula taps sustainability sources pea peptides, ashwagandha, and vegetable collagen.
PHOTO: Credo Beauty
Why We Love It: Gray hair, thinning, shedding, and brittle strands are all signs of hair aging. Arey strives to make hair healthy at every point in your life with a science-forward approach. It relies on clinical studies, vegan and gluten-free formulas, and key research to lessen the appearance of gray hairs while building hair strength from the inside out.
Pro Pick: “One of the most unique products I have seen lately is The Calm It Down Scalp Repair by Arey. This is the first ever clinically-proven scalp treatment for post-chemical treated hair—it soothes and nourishes the scalp after hair dye or processing,” says Ross.
PHOTO: Necessaire
Why We Love It: In the days of yore, hypoallergenic and sensitive-skin-friendly products were, frankly, unexciting and unsexy. Nécessaire is a recent innovator who works with dermatologists to deliver irritation-free products with naturally scented (but fragrance-free) formulas. The B Corp-certified company donates one percent of its profits to environmental causes, is climate-neutral certified, and partners with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and recycle programs to lessen its packaging’s environmental impact.
Pro Pick: Considering that the Rosemary Shampoo and Conditioner smells like a verdant Mediterranean coastline, it’s hard to imagine this hardworking formula is doing all the gross work for me. The rosemary oil gently exfoliates my skin, breaking up the days of dirt, old product, and dandruff. Each wash gives my scalp a fresh feeling, and although it’s fragrance-free, it has a delicious rosemary scent.
PHOTO: Olaplex
Why We Love It: Olaplex has always been innovative, especially when you want to help save the planet and your hair from over-bleaching. It has been Leaping Bunny certified since 2021 and uses cruelty-free, viral vegan products that continue to stand up against TikTok reviews and harsh ingredients. You won’t find sulfates, phthalates, or phosphates in its formulas. Although its products come in plastic packaging, the brand limits its use of secondary packing. Olaplex also participates in sustainable methods that save gallons of water, help prevent the emission of greenhouse gasses, and save trees from being cut down.
Pro Pick: While many Olaplex products work best as a set, I often call in two stand-alone products when my hair is firing out smoke signals for rescue. The clarifying shampoo sloughs away days of sweat and grime, becoming a saving grace when my hair is loaded with buildup after wearing too many slicked-back buns. Additionally, the bonding oil is the only shield that can protect a fresh blowout from frizz during a rainy NYC day (of which there are many).
PHOTO: Briogeo
Why We Love It: Get ready for takeoff—Briogeo has a TSA-approved no-fly list for what it won’t allow in its formulas, like silicone, aerosols, or microplastics. Bonus: Briogeo’s product bottles, tubes, jars, and caps are 100 percent recyclable. Beyond this, Brigeo partners with Soul Fire Farm, a nonprofit organization and Afro-Indigenous-centered community farm with a mission to uproot racism through the food system.
Pro Pick: Hardges recommends the Curl Charisma line, which she says contains superfood ingredients such as quinoa, avocado, and cold-pressed oils “optimal in reducing frizz while building the hair’s tensile strength.”
What to Keep in Mind
Ingredients: Clean beauty products typically won’t include ingredients such as parabens, sulfates, silicones, or formaldehyde. A simple guideline to follow is to look for ones that are familiar and easy to pronounce. Hardges tell us to keep our eyes peeled for plant oils like argan, jojoba, safflower, and grape seed, as well as root extracts like burdock or yarrow. Additionally, “A brand must be fully transparent about what goes into their products by providing a clean and comprehensive ingredient list, with no hidden or potentially harmful substances,” says Ross. “This goes for fragrance ingredients, too,” she adds.
Sustainable Packaging: Sustainability may sound like a buzzword, but seeking out brands that take actionable steps to limit their carbon footprint is the first step. “Brands should be committed to understanding the sources of their raw materials and using recycled plastic packaging or alternatives to plastic whenever possible,” says Ross.
Certifications: As research constantly evolves, so does what we consider safe versus unsafe. We know it’s overwhelming to keep up, but you can look for a few trusted labels when choosing a clean beauty product. “Sometimes, certifications help to show a brand’s commitment to clean beauty, including certifications like USDA Organic, Leaping Bunny, and ECOCERT, can help to demonstrate a dedication to organic farming, cruelty-free practices, and overall sustainability,” says Ross. A Leaping Bunny Certification, for example, is the only internationally recognized symbol telling us that the brand did not conduct any animal testing. If a brand says it’s B Corp Certified, that means they meet high standards for social and environmental performance. Most retailers list their standards for what they consider clean, but be wary of greenwashing—nice-sounding claims that don’t actually mean the product is environmentally friendly or “clean.”
Your Questions, Answered
What makes a product “clean”?
Unfortunately, there’s no fast and easy definition, because the beauty industry doesn’t have regulations for what specifically makes a product clean. The FDA only banned 11 chemicals in cosmetics for the United States, so it’s up to the brand and consumers to determine whether or not a product meets clean beauty standards.
“I think most of these labels aren’t very useful anymore since there is so much murkiness, ‘nasties’; lists continually change, and there are no clear streamlined industry guidelines,” says Brown. Sound discouraging? Don’t give up hope quite yet. “The good news is that most modern companies eschew suspect ingredients, and practices (pipeline, sustainability), in favor of more conscientious choices,” adds Brown.
Do clean beauty products work as well as non-clean ones?
Absolutely. Today, there are plenty of plant-based silicone and sulfate alternatives, known as surfactants, that give your hair an effective scrub and clean feeling. “One thing you may notice is the sulfate alternative doesn’t foam as much but cleans just as well,” says Dueñas. Additionally, “Most clean formulations actually feel creamier and better in your hands as they have more beneficial ingredients to compensate for the lack of silicone,” he says. Since silicone coats the hair, natural formulas rely on botanical oils and moisturizers to give the product a more luxe feeling. “These ingredients are not necessarily organic, but they are derived organically,” he says.
Hardges adds that sometimes a clean beauty product may require more “elbow grease” on our part. She explains, “It’s like the difference between cleaning with vinegar versus Windex. You have to do a little more physical activity to achieve the desired results.”
Why do people choose to use clean beauty products?
You might also opt for a clean beauty product if you’ve reacted negatively to fragrances, emulsifiers, or preservatives. Also, clean hair products can help reverse damage from heat or frequent bleaching. Since they don’t contain sulfates and many use hydrating plant-based ingredients, you could see the health of your hair improve after using a clean hair product.
Why Shop with Us
Irene Richardson is a beauty and fashion commerce writer on the InStyle Evergreen team. For this article, she tapped the InStyle editorial team for their recommendations and consulted the following experts:
Sarah Brown is the Chief Brand Officer at Violet Grey. Christina Ross is the Director of Science and Policy at Credo Beauty.Michael Dueñas is a celebrity hairstylist, whose clients include Emma Roberts.Leigh Hardges is a lead stylist at Chicago’s Maxine Salon.
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