Women's Shampoo & Conditioner
Shop women's vegan and cruelty-free shampoo and conditioner. All products in our store are 100% free of animal-derived materials, ingredients, by-products and testing. Shop with the confidence of knowing you don't have to compromise your ethics to keep your hair healthy and looking its best.
Women's Shampoo & Conditioner
What are vegan & cruelty-free shampoos and conditioners?
The term “vegan” with regard to shampoo and conditioner, refers to products that do not contain ingredients that are derived or sourced from animals or insects. The term “cruelty-free” means a product (and its ingredients) is free of animal testing.
Please Note: On this site, we feature shampoos and conditioners that are both vegan AND cruelty-free; they contain no animal or insect ingredients, and are free of animal testing.
What animal ingredients are typically found in shampoo & conditioner?
When shopping for shampoo and conditioner, and evaluating possible purchases, most people ask the same questions; “How expensive is it?” and, “Is it colour safe?”. Not many people stop to ask a question like, “Where does the protein come from in this protein restorative shampoo; is it from a pig’s hoof?”. Fortunately, there are people out there that ask these types of questions, which means more and more information is surfacing about what’s sneaking into your shampoo and conditioner. Here’s a quick overview of common animal-derived and sourced ingredients that are found in many non-vegan shampoos and conditioners:
Biotin: This ingredient is often used as a texturizer. Biotin is found in all living cells, and in large quantities in milk and yeast. Fortunately there are many plant-based sources of this B vitamin as well, including carrots, onions, leafy greens, cabbage, and fresh berries.
Cetyl Alcohol: Found in the head cavity of whales, dolphins, and other cetaceans. Vegan alternatives include cetyl alcohol that’s plant sourced (often derived from coconut).
Hyaluronic Acid: A protein that attracts and retains water, to act as a moisturizer and lubricant in dry, lifeless hair. Also happens to be taken from rooster combs. Fortunately, there are some animal-friendly ways to get hyaluronic acid; it can be produced synthetically, and many foods such as vegetables and soy help us produce it naturally in our own bodies!
Keratin: Found in animal hooves, feathers, horns, and hair, it promises to restore damaged hair, make hair stronger, and even keep curly or kinky hair straight. As an animal-friendly alternative, many brands use plant-based amino acids in place of keratin.
Stearic Acid: This name often refers to a fatty substance taken from the stomachs of pigs, and sometimes even euthanized pets. Stearic acid has many aliases and derivatives, including Stearamide, Stearamine, Stearates, Stearic Hydrazide, among others. Fortunately for animal lovers, stearic acid can be found in many plant and vegetable fats, including coconut.
Silk Protein: Derived from silk, which is made by silkworms. Is said to improve hair’s elasticity, and resiliency. Vegan alternatives include plant-based proteins such as corn, rice, soy and wheat.
What companies make vegan/cruelty-free shampoo & conditioner?
The following companies make shampoo, conditioner and related products that are cruelty-free and vegan-friendly:
- Paul Mitchell
- 100% Pure
- Andalou Naturals
- Original Sprout
- Alba Botanica
- Giovanni Cosmetics
- Kiss My Face
- ACURE Organics
- Nature’s Gate
- ATTITUDE
- Aēsop
- Verb
- Auromère
- Avalon Organics
More to Come: An ever-increasing amount of companies are starting to respond to the increased consumer demand for cruelty-free, vegan, and chemical-free shampoos, conditioners, and other products; more companies will be listed here as we find them and talk to them.
Why buy shampoos and conditioners that are vegan/cruelty-free?
It comes down to this: when you buy a vegan-friendly and cruelty-free shampoo, you’re buying an animal-friendly shampoo. Doing so helps to put an end to the perpetual cycle of paying companies to test the cosmetic and personal care products that we use, on animals. Every type of shampoo, conditioner and any other hair care product you could want is available in a vegan and cruelty-free version.
But wouldn’t these animal by-products just be going to waste anyways?
In many cases, animals are killed specifically for their by-products. For example, a United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization report lists more than 50 shark species are fished for their oil, several of which are currently listed on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List. It should also be noted that even if the ingredient is a by-product of an animal being slaughtered for their meat, and would otherwise ‘just be going to waste’, not supporting the slaughter by-product industry helps reduce the profitability of slaughtering operations. In other words, if they can’t sell the by-products because people won't use them, they will make less profit from killing, which will hurt their ability to continue to slaughter for profit.
Are vegan and cruelty-free shampoos and conditioners expensive?
In general, vegan and cruelty-free shampoos, conditioners and related products are not any more expensive, or any less-expensive, than products that contain animal/insect derived ingredients, or that have been tested on animals. Just like their non-vegan/non-cruelty-free counterparts, prices for these products can vary based on differences in the quality and the availability of the ingredients used, differences in the manufacturing processes employed, different brand names behind various products, and other factors.
I’ve just turned vegan, should I get rid of my old non-vegan products?
Deciding what to do with your old non-vegan (and non-cruelty-free) products is without a doubt one of the more challenging aspects of adopting a vegan and cruelty-free lifestyle. There really is no right or wrong way to go about it; ultimately, it comes down to what you’re no longer comfortable using, which old products you can afford to replace immediately with vegan/cruelty-free products, and what you feel can be given away in a hygienic manner. Your best options might be to give away any unused or gently used products to friends and family, or to use products (if you’re comfortable doing so) until they have run out or otherwise outlived their usefulness.
How do you choose which shampoos and conditioners to list?
We maintain a growing list of companies that we find, or that are suggested to us, that make shampoos and conditioners that are rumoured to be vegan-friendly and cruelty-free. We contact these companies to find out straight from them if they abide by cruelty-free practices, including:
- Not testing their final products or ingredients on animals
- Not paying someone else to test on animals for them
- Not sourcing ingredients that are tested on animals
- Not selling their products in countries wherein animal testing is required by law, such as mainland China
Any vegan-friendly products made by companies that pass this cruelty-free test and that are sold on Amazon are listed here for your shopping convenience.
Why are some products you list only available in Canada or the United States?
We try our best to find vegan and cruelty-free shampoos & conditioners that will ship to Amazon customers across the globe. However, some products don't ship outside of the country in which they’re being warehoused due to excessive taxation on certain products, onerous importing fees, or any other number of possible reasons.
Similar product categories
If you’ve found this page on vegan shampoo & conditioner helpful, check out similar product categories to learn or shop more:
For companies that make vegan & cruelty-free shampoo & conditioner
If you make vegan and cruelty-free shampoo, conditioner, or anything other hair care product for that matter, we’d love to feature you and your products on the “Brands We Love” section of our site! Contact us at - info(at)getitvegan(dot)com - to get started!
Sources
Some of the information for this mini guide on vegan/cruelty-free shampoo & conditioner was compiled from the following sources:
- Skin Care Myths: “13 Animal Products in Cosmetics.” Lorraine Dallmeier (n.d.). Herb & Hedge Row. Retrieved April 18, 2017. http://www.herbhedgerow.co.uk/animal-products-in-cosmetics/
- Articles: “Is My Shampoo Vegan? A Guide to Vegan Hair Products.” (June. 11, 2013). The Vegan Woman. Retrieved April 18, 2017. http://www.theveganwoman.com/is-my-shampoo-vegan-a-guide-to-vegan-hair-products/
- Shark Feed: “There’s Shark in Your Lipstick: Everything You Need to Know about Shark Liver Oil.” Danny Clemens (July 3, 2015). Disocvery. Retrieved April 18, 2017. http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/shark-week/shark-feed/theres-shark-in-your-lipstick-everything-you-need-to-know-about-shark-liver-oil/
- Articles: “All About Different Types of Proteins in Hair Products.” Nikisha Brunson (March, 2015)). Urban Bush Babes website. Retrieved June 6, 2017. http://urbanbushbabes.com/all-about-different-types-of-proteins/