Best vegan hair products for cruelty free washing and styling
If Veganuary was a breeze and you are thinking of going long-term with your new lifestyle, there is far more to consider than just your diet.
As you embark on plant-based living – whether it is for environmental, health or ethical reasons – this can affect everything from you fashion choices, to your beauty buys.
But it is becoming easier than ever to swap out past favourites for items free from any animal by-products, especially in the beauty sphere. Buzzy brands everywhere are jumping on the vegan bandwagon launching makeup, makeup brushes and even haircare that are plant-based and cruelty-free.
Vegan haircare in particular has come on leaps and bounds in just a short amount of time, where the likes of Rahua, Pureology and Briogeo have entire ranges that rise to the vegan challenge as well as others such as Aveda and Davines with specific products.
Finding Holy Grail heroes that leave your hair looking clean, shiny and protected from split ends and breakages as well as being free from animal derivatives like keratin, milk, beeswax and honey need not be difficult. But it is worth noting that natural, cruelty free and vegan are not the same thing.
Committing to a vegan diet can lead to a deficit of protein which can weaken your hair and give it lower tensile strength so it is more important than ever to find long term hair care that will not strip it of its natural oil and will nourish your luscious locks.
We’ve done the hard work for you to find the best vegan haircare brands on the market at all price points and with a variety of products for all concerns, from fine and curly, to dry and damaged.
Pureology
Price: £13.95-£41.55
Pioneers in the vegan haircare movement, Pureology offers a range of no-nasties products targeted for typical concerns like dry or weak locks. The hero products include the Hydrate Colour Care range made up of a shampoo, and conditioner as well as the Strength Cure collection.
Love Beauty & Planet
Price: £2.50-£9
Vegan haircare with bang for your buck, at Love Beauty & Planet, it’s all about low cost, quality products that smell and feel incredible. The nourishing line is made up of shampoos, conditioners and the 2 Minute Magic Masques. The ranges are targeted for colour, volume, repair and hydration containing the heavenly scents of rose, coconut or Shea butter. The bottles are also made from 100 per cent recycled materials and can be recycled once they're finished.
Rahua
Price: £30-£53
The key ingredient? Rahua oil derived from deep within the Amazon rainforest using sustainable practices in tandem with the indigenous people. The nourishing oil forms the basis of the Rahua haircare label founded by renowned New York-based hairstylist Fabian Lliguin. Transforming lifeless locks into a healthy head of hair that is full of shine and bounce, the sustainable label uses only organic, Fairtrade plant-based ingredients to create its line of body and haircare. While the classic shampoo and conditioner combo are set to become your go-to, the luxurious leave in treatment and Legendary Amazon Oil deserve a place in your beauty routine.
Davines
Price: £8.50-£60.70
The Italian born label Davines takes a technical approach to its formulas. The brand began as a research lab for some of the world’s leading cosmetic companies before unveiling its own collection. The range is made up of high-end, natural ingredients with a luxury feel and speciality products for all hair types including sensitised scalps, dandruff, fine thin and curly hair. While the entirety of the line is not vegan, the majority are free from animal derivatives such as the leave-in OI All In One Milk to control frizz, LOVE CURL shampoo and conditioner and the Liquid Spell Reinforcing Bodifying Fluid to add volume to fine hair.
Briogeo
Price: £8.50-£30
Harnessing the power of natural ingredients, Briogeo was founded to give consumers honest, clear and clean products that work to detoxify, shield from stress, prevent breakages and offer remarkable shine. The inclusive product line has options for every hair type, from dull and dry, to luscious curly locks, all of which are free from sulphates, silicones, parabens, phthalates, DEA and synthetic colour. It is not entirely vegan but is gluten-free and majority are free from animal-derived ingredients. Our investment-worthy products include the Don’t Despair, Repair! super moisture shampoo, the Color Me Brilliant Mushroom + Bamboo Color Protect Primer and the charcoal + tea tree scalp treatment.
Aveda
Price: £27.50-£116.50
The Aveda products are all about holistic beauty with environmental responsibility. The sustainable label uses only organic ingredients and is committed to no waste or toxic residues in its production. The majority of the products are vegan and entirely cruelty free. Breathe new life into your tresses with the damage remedy restructuring shampoo and conditioner and protect against heat and breakages with the brilliant damage control.
Maria Nila
Price: £6-£63
Let lacklustre locks be a thing of the past with Maria Nila’s vegan and cruelty free products that also do not contain sulphates or parabens. The haircare label has six ranges designed to cover all the bases, from healing to promote growth and soft to leave you with shiny luscious locks, to volume, colour and repair that do what they say on the tin. Treat your tresses to the Quick Dry Heat Protection Spray, Head & Hair Heal Masque and the True Soft Argan Oil.
Olaplex
Price: £26
Used at some of the most famous salons around the world, Olaplex will work wonders to transform and strengthen your locks by rebuilding broken bonds. The scientifically engineered formula restores your hair at a molecular level with ranges for both consumers and professionals. The five part retail collection begins with number three or the Hair Perfector – a treatment that you leave in your hair for 10 minutes or so to reduce breakages. Maintain your tresses with the shampoo and conditioner that make up the next parts, followed by a leave-in styling cream, the No.6 Bond Smoother and the No.7 Bonding Oil that will ensure dry and brittle locks become silky smooth.
Coco & Eve
Price: £10-£59.50
Coco & Eve specialise in restorative masks that with strengthen and repair your hair in a matter of minutes. The brand is both vegan and PETA-approved, using raw virgin coconut and tropical Balinese ingredients to nourish your locks. Explore the range, including the Like A Virgin Super Nourishing Coconut & Fig Hair Masque that will hydrate and provide shine to your tresses.
Green People
Price: £8.50-£15.50
Green People are on hand to prove that you can hair luscious healthy locks while committing to a plant-based lifestyle. The cruelty-free brand uses the likes of raspberry, orange blossom and Aloe Vera with natural aromas and without the inclusion of SLS and silicones. The range includes options for sensitive skin with scent free variations, babies and all hair types, including our personal favourite, the Quinoa & Artichoke Hair Serum that contains Quinoa protein for added shine.
The Body Shop
Price: £7-£15
The Body Shop has taken an active role in the fight against animal testing and while all the products are cruelty-free, there are also a fair few 100 per cent vegan options too. Pamper yourself with the Banana Truly Nourishing Hair Mask that will nourish your locks thanks to the combination of organic banana puree from Ecuador and Brazil nut oil from Peru. The Ginger Scalp Care Conditioner is ideal for those with sensitive scalps that works to soothe and strengthen through the ginger essential oil, birch bark, white willow extracts and organic aloe vera.
L'Oréal Professionnel
Price: £12.95-£22.50
L'Oréal Professionnel’s Source Essentielle range is crafted from mostly naturally derived ingredients, is entirely vegan and for that extra level of sustainability, can be refilled in salons. The formulas are free from silicone, sulphates, parabens and synthetic fragrances but still pack a powerful punch. For normal or dry hair as well as delicate scalps, there are products to suit specific needs, each of which incorporate a particular flower that stays within the gel texture.
