11 Best Zero Waste Shampoos Of 2024 For Sustainable Hair Care
Pamper your fabulous tresses with just the right amount of TLC the eco-friendly way.
Lindsay Loo is a cosmetologist who has spent 10 years behind the chair in a storied salon in Chelsea. She is a certified Wella Master Color Expert and also has experience backstage at New York Fashion Week. She has a private studio and loves to make her clients feel amazing and welcomed.
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Experience: 3 yearsKirtana has a postgraduate degree in mass communication and journalism from St. Joseph’s College, Bengaluru, and 3 years of professional experience. She developed a deep passion for writing after reading the brilliant works of Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl and has chosen a career that is driven by creativity.
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Experience: 5 yearsMedha Deb is a commerce editor with a master's degree in applied linguistics from the University of Hyderabad, which has allowed her to develop a deep understanding of language and its application in various contexts. She specializes in the areas of beauty, health, and wellness and is committed to ensuring that the content on the website is of the highest quality.
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Experience: 4 yearsMonomita has a graduate degree in mass communication and video production from St. Anthony's College, Shillong, and a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the Royal Global University, Guwahati. She is also a certified skincare coach with a keen interest in skin, hair, tattoos, nail art, and lifestyle trends.
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Zero waste shampoo is the new revolution of sustainable living! We love pampering our tresses with every kind of hair care routine, but if you look into the number of shampoo bottles and sachets you discard in a year, it might make you worry about the impact it creates on the environment. Even if you keep other hair products aside, shampooing is the least you can do for your hair. With the increase in the number of products that complete your hair care, there is a dire need to make it eco-friendly. The good news is that it is possible to make all your hair products pro-environment. All the famous brands with their thinking caps on have made it possible to produce shampoos with sustainable packaging and eco-friendly ingredients. These shampoos are also made with natural ingredients to keep your hair soft and lively without producing toxic waste that burdens the surrounding. So what are you waiting for! Go through the list of 11 shampoos that are perfect for regular use and help you keep your hair nourished guilt-free! Choose your favorite one right away.
In This Article
What Does Zero Waste Shampoo Mean?
As the name suggests, zero waste shampoos mean precisely that — a way to cleanse your hair without creating unnecessary waste. These shampoos are usually in the form of bars and are mostly made of recyclable materials and eliminate the need for disposable plastic bottles in the landfill. Eco-friendly and nourishing, the good news is that most shampoo bars are also made of natural ingredients like coconut, cocoa, chamomile, charcoal, and natural oils and are free of fragrances and other harmful chemicals. They also come in travel-friendly packaging with no packaging or biodegradable paper, making them ideal for frequent travelers. So if you haven’t already, consider making the switch to a zero-waste lifestyle. Not only are you doing the environment a favor, but the better ingredients also equate to a gorgeous mane that you can flaunt guilt-free.
11 Best Zero Waste Shampoos For Healthy Hair In 2024
1. Best pH-Balanced:Ethique Solid Shampoo – Mintasy
Say hello to fresh tresses and give your hair some much-needed love with this biodegradable shampoo designed for normal to dry hair. Enriched with cocoa butter, peppermint oil, and hair-loving fair trade coconut oil, this biodegradable product will cleanse and nourish your tresses without weighing them down. Made with sustainable ingredients and 100% plastic-free, investing in just 1 of these gorgeous shampoo bars means 3 less shampoo plastic bottles in the landfill, helping greatly in waste reduction! Here’s a review video to help you get a better understanding of the product.
- 100% soap-free and pH-balanced
- Safe for color-treated hair
- Plastic-free packaging
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Available in 7 scents
- This shampoo bar might not be best suited for very oily hair.
StyleCraze Says
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
There are more than 14,131 Amazon reviews attesting to the quality of the product and endorsing its value.
2. Best For Curly Hair:HiBar Solid Shampoo – Maintain
Embrace an eco-friendly lifestyle and say goodbye to environmental waste with this plastic-free shampoo that is designed to cleanse and maintain normal-to-oily hair. Infused with honeyquat and shea butter, these cute shampoo bars are free of nasty chemicals and will add excellent shine to your hair. The compact design of this zero waste shampoo for curly hair, makes it ideal for travel, and each bar can last up to 6 months, making them a sustainable choice for the conscious consumer. Need more information? Watch this video to make an informed decision about the product.
- 100% soap-free formula
- Suitable for curly hair
- Ergonomic design
- Free of synthetic ingredients
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Available in 4 varieties
- Some might find the scent of these shampoo bars a bit unpleasant.
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
The product has more than 1,603 reviews claiming its efficacy.
3. Best Long-Lasting:Whiff Botanicals Shampoo & Conditioner Bar – Peppermint
With recyclable packaging and biodegradable ingredients, this refreshing and soothing zero-waste shampoo bar takes being environmentally friendly to a whole new level. The concentrated formula is palm oil-free and chock-full of nourishing ingredients like cocoa butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil, and d-panthenol, which help smoothen and moisturize hair. Long-lasting and easy to use, this shampoo bar has a fantastic scent and is ideal for packing in your carry-on baggage, so you can sport gorgeous tresses while being eco-friendly on the go.
- Made with limited natural ingredients
- Infused with essential oils
- Suitable for all hair types
- Free of parabens, palm oil, and fragrances
- Cruelty-free
- This shampoo bar may contain sulfates.
4. Best Eco-Friendly:Auromere Shampoo Bar With Neem
Experience the magic of Ayurveda with this gentle and effective formula that contains organic neem and aloe vera to promote luxuriously smooth hair. This eco-friendly shampoo is also infused with wild-crafted herbs and essential oils to cleanse, moisturize, and rejuvenate hair and scalp. This all-in-1 bar can be used even as a soap or a full body wash and produces a rich lather, making it a convenient companion for traveling, camping, or even a handy essential in your gym bag. If you need further convincing, check out this YouTuber’s review.
- Rainforest-friendly
- Gluten-free and non-GMO
- Free of artificial ingredients
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Some might find the scent of this shampoo bar a bit strong.
Quick TipWhy We Think It's Worth Buying
This product has made it to our top favorite list with more than 742 rave reviews on Amazon.
5. Best Eco-Friendly:Sweet & Sassy Shampoo Bar – Sunkissed
Get the lustrous locks of your dream with this environmentally-friendly shampoo made of all-natural ingredients to gently nourish your hair. Recommended specially for people with thin, coarse, damaged, or color-treated hair, these perfume-free shampoo bars leave your hair looking impossibly silky and healthy. If this was not all, these eco-friendly shampoo bars have an irresistible citrus scent derived from tangerine, vanilla, and orange essential oils, so your hair both feels and smells gorgeously sunkissed.
- All-natural and eco-friendly
- SLS and paraben-free
- Travel-friendly
- Gluten-free
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Available in 5 variants
- Some might find these shampoo bars a bit difficult to lather.
6. Best For Color-Treated Hair:Kit.sch Nourishing Shampoo Bar
This nourishing shampoo bar offers a salon-like experience from root to tip with its unique blend of bio-based ingredients and pure essential oils. Infused with sandalwood, rose, cedarwood, and lavender, this bottleless shampoo helps balance the pH level in your hair and scalp to keep tresses strong, shiny, and soft. Ideal for dry and color-treated hair, these shampoo bars are blended with castor oil to create a rich, foamy lather that keeps your hair and scalp squeaky clean while providing much-needed moisturization.
- Formulated with pure essential oils
- Ideal for dry, color-treated hair
- Free of parabens, phthalates, and sulfates
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Might not be best suited for those with a very sensitive scalp.
7. Best Paraben-Free:Natural Essence Eco-Friendly Shampoo Bar – Green Tea
Here’s a waste-free shampoo bar that is exclusively handmade with premium ingredients to give your hair a luxurious, shiny glow. Enriched with the goodness of green tea and cacao seed butter, this natural shampoo bar gently cleanses hair, leaving it lush and camera-ready. Ideal for color-treated hair, this handmade shampoo bar works to infuse moisture-deprived and damaged locks with much-needed hydration, so you can head out with confidence and flaunt your mane without having to load it up with harmful hair products.
- Made with natural and organic ingredients
- Eco-friendly packaging
- Free of parabens and silicone
- Comes with a handy travel tin
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- This shampoo bar contains added fragrances and might not be suitable for those sensitive to scents.
8. Best For All Hair Types:D’LuxSpa Serenity Lavender Shampoo Bar
Get your hands on this zero-waste shampoo bar and delight in the calming lavender scent and the nourishing natural and organic ingredients. This long-lasting shampoo bar lathers well and rinses easily for a squeaky clean, shiny mane that is easy to manage and style. Suitable for all hair types, you can use this shampoo bar with or without a conditioner for stellar hair care without any residue weighing your hair down. What’s more, you’ll be able to see the difference in your hair texture in just a few easy washes! So don’t hesitate to try this gorgeous shampoo out, and we know you’ll be thanking us later.
- Calming lavender scent
- Plastic-free and eco-friendly
- Ideal for travel
- Cruelty-free
- This shampoo bar may contain SLS.
9. Best Smelling:Pacific Spirit Shampoo Bar – Apricot Dream
Here’s a shampoo bar that looks and smells so delicious that you’ll have to remind yourself not to eat it! This soap-free shampoo bar is made with a blend of hair-loving oils and is rich in the nutrients derived from apricot extract and argan oil, which help hydrate and nourish dry hair. Chicory root extract and sunflower oil prevent breakage and have anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe an itchy scalp. And don’t you think that this is all! Just one of these shampoo bars is equivalent to 3 plastic shampoo bottles, making it a suitable alternative to chemically filled shampoos. So get your hands on this sustainable plant-based shampoo and say goodbye to plastic pollution.
- Made with natural ingredients
- Contains no harsh chemicals
- Sulfate-free and soap-free formula
- 100% vegan and cruelty-free
- Some might find the scent of this shampoo bar a bit strong.
10. Best For Damaged Hair:BeNat All-Natural Shampoo Bar – Rosemary
If you’re looking for an artisanal, all-natural shampoo bar made of gorgeous natural ingredients, your search ends here. Designed especially for dry and damaged hair, these shampoo bars contain rosemary extract that helps the scalp retain its natural oils while shea butter provides extra nourishment. These environmentally-friendly shampoo bars are long-lasting and deliver exceptional results for bouncy, shiny, and always camera-ready hair.
- 100% handmade and all-natural
- Free of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates
- Contains no artificial fragrances
- Non-GMO and cruelty-free
- Ideal for dry hair
- Available in different scents
- Some might find the texture of these shampoo bars a bit soft.
11. Best Handmade :Yuve Organibar Shampoo & Conditioner Bar – Jojoba & Almond
Get fuller hair that is healthy, nourished, and strong with this vegan shampoo bar that will have your hair smelling like a tropical vacation. Infused with sustainably sourced coconut oil, sweet almond oil, and jojoba oil, this shampoo bar invigorates the scalp, repairs split ends and helps you flaunt your hair color for longer. Do both the planet and your social media page a favor with this zero-waste shampoo bar that will have your locks looking fuller, smoother, and their shiniest-best, so you’re always photoshoot ready!
- Made with natural ingredients
- Handmade in small batches
- Plastic-free and eco-friendly
- Free of parabens, sulfates, and silicone
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Might not be best suited for those with very oily hair.
Now that we’ve had a look at our pick of the 11 best zero-waste shampoos in 2024, let us look at some things to consider when picking the right shampoo bar for your mane.
How To Choose The Best Zero-Waste Shampoo
Hair type
When picking a suitable shampoo, the first thing to consider is your unique hair type. If your hair is dry and damaged, pick a nourishing shampoo bar with moisturizing ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, and almond extract. Those with color-treated hair should choose one designed specially to protect and prolong your color while treating damaged locks. If you’re dealing with an oily scalp, pick a gentle shampoo that cleanses and soothes your scalp without weighing your hair down.
Ingredient list
While most zero-waste shampoos are created to be gentle on the environment, not all are created equal when discussing the quality of ingredients used. It is best to pick a shampoo bar that is made of all-natural, sustainably sourced ingredients suitable for both your hair and the planet for daily use. As always, steer clear of nasty chemicals and additives like parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and artificial fragrances. These are detrimental not only to your health but also not very eco-friendly.
Intended use
If you’re looking for a shampoo bar that you can easily travel with, pick one which comes in its soap case so that you can easily throw it into your carry-on luggage before your work trip or vacation. The minimalist young woman in you should pick a zero-waste shampoo bar that doubles up as a conditioner to minimize the number of products on your shower rack. Pick a bottleless shampoo bar that meets all your requirements, and you’ll find it easy to ditch the plastic bottles for good!
Benefits Of Zero-Waste Shampoos
Economical
Zero-waste shampoo bars are not only economical in terms of the amount of waste generated, and they’re easier on the pocket too! A shampoo bar is long-lasting and ordinarily equivalent to 2-3 bottles of liquid shampoo, so not only are you reducing the amount of waste going into the landfill, you’ll be saving some serious moolah too!
Environmentally-friendly
Zero-waste shampoo bars are made without harmful ingredients, which pollute water bodies in the long run. Formulated with natural, hair-loving ingredients which nourish and revitalize your hair, these bars are eco-friendly and great for the environment as they do not contaminate the soil or air when released back into it!
Natural and eco-friendly
The best part about zero-waste shampoos? They allow you to be eco-friendly without compromising on shiny, lustrous locks. Made with all-natural and nourishing ingredients, shampoo bars are the way to go for sustainable hair care!
How To Use Zero-Waste Shampoo Bars
Step 1 – Wet your hair and scalp with lukewarm-to-cold water.
Step 2 – Gently rub the shampoo bar along your scalp and use your fingertips to work up a rich lather.
Step 3 – Rinse thoroughly and repeat if necessary. Follow with conditioner.
Step 4 – Store your shampoo bar in a draining soap dish till your next use.
And voila! With just a few easy steps, you have a squeaky clean scalp and gently nourished hair. Lindsay Loo, a cosmetologist, says, “Shampoo bars are great. When purchasing your next shampoo bar, follow the instructions on application. Some bars can be a touch aggressive with friction and pulling depending on your texture and density.”
Infographic: Common Ingredients In Zero Waste Shampoos
Zero waste shampoos use eco-friendly ingredients for boosting hair health and prioritizing sustainability. These ingredients offer all-around protection to your scalp and stimulate healthy hair growth. Check out the infographic below to find seven such potent ingredients that enhance the benefits of these shampoos.
Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
The Bottom Line
With the world shifting towards sustainable beauty and conscious consumerism, it is no wonder that the hair care industry has followed suit. With a vast array of products available, it has become effortless to be eco-friendly and mindful of waste. Beautiful, lustrous locks are now possible without polluting the environment, and what better way is there to flaunt your gorgeous mane than to do it guilt-free. The Ethique Solid Shampoo – Mintasy is perfect for dry and damaged hair, while the HiBar Solid Shampoo-Maintain is ideal for curly and oily hair. But if you want something for coarse, thin, or color-treated hair, try the Sweet & Sassy Shampoo Bar-Sunkissed. Our carefully curated list of the 11 best zero-waste shampoos in 2024 is designed to help you navigate this new, environmentally-friendly trend with confidence so you can sport shiny, strong, and healthy hair effortlessly.
Why Trust StyleCraze?
As an author closely following all the latest haircare trends, Kirtana Divakar maintains a passion for all things hair. She believes zero waste shampoo represents the future of sustainability and is here to stay. She has compiled this list of the best shampoos after conducting extensive research and analyzing numerous online reviews. She lays out what you need to know about buying, using, and caring for these eco-friendly, natural shampoos in this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should you use a zero-waste shampoo?
Switching to zero-waste shampoos is a great way to do your bit for the environment without compromising on the quality of your hair care. Eco-friendly and made without harmful chemicals, they’re the perfect way to reduce your carbon footprint while ensuring your locks are gently cleansed and nourished. What’s more, they’re also more pocket-friendly as the concentrated formula of shampoo bars means a little goes a long way in keeping your hair healthy and strong.
Are traditional shampoos bad for the environment?
Traditional shampoos often come in disposable plastic packaging which is non-biodegradable and difficult to recycle. Also, a lot of these shampoos contain chemicals like sulfates, which when washed down the drain, tend to pollute the water and are toxic to aquatic animals. These are some of the factors due to which the use of traditional shampoos is not always ideal for the environment.
What are environmentally-friendly alternatives?
Something as easy and routine as washing your hair shouldn’t have a negative impact on the environment, but alas, regular shampoos are guilty of causing a significant amount of harm. Some great environmentally-friendly alternatives include zero-waste shampoo bars, rye flour, and some homemade recipes with kitchen staples like baking soda and apple cider vinegar.
How to care for your zero-waste shampoo bars?
Some simple and easy to follow steps will ensure your shampoo bars last longer and work better. Firstly, ensure your shampoo bar stays dry between washes and avoid letting it sit in a puddle of water. Use a good soap dish or fabric bag to store your shampoo bar to increase its shelf life. Also, it is good practice to keep it away from direct sunlight as this can cause your zero-waste shampoo bar to melt.
What is the best zero-waste shampoo for dry and damaged hair?
If you are dealing with dry and damaged hair, don’t despair! There are plenty of good-for-you and eco-friendly shampoo bars to choose from. Pick a shampoo bar designed specially for dry hair which is enriched with nourishing and moisturizing ingredients like cocoa butter, shea butter, and vitamin E. Steer clear of ingredients like parabens and sulfates as these can tend to dry your hair out and cause unnecessary damage.
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