Nothing is better than finding the best sulfate free shampoo for your hair. Suddenly, it’s like your hair takes on its own persona. It’s a shiny, happy person bouncing around your scalp, so much so that this article deserves its own soundtrack. So let’s give it one. 




This song is clearly about how happy Kate Pierson’s hair is.

What is it about natural, organic, and non-toxic shampoos that make our hair so awesome? First off, they generally don’t contain ammonium lauryl sulfate of the notorious sulfate family, which also includes ammonium laureth sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfate. These are the surfactants, or sudsing agents that make your traditional shampoo foam up. They are also quite drying to both your hair and scalp.

Sulfate free shampoos typically use decyl glucoside as their surfactant of choice. This ingredient, which rates a zero from the Environmental Working Group, is plant-derived and biodegradable. It’s not known to have any adverse health effects.

So what’s the best sulfate free shampoo for your hair type?

1. Best for All Hair—Harmonic Shampoo by Intelligent Nutrients ($22.00 for 15 oz.)

Intelligent Nutrients was founded by Horst Rechelbacher, who also created Aveda. Consider it Aveda’s bigger and better younger sister. This shampoo is formulated without sulfates, ethoxylates, PEG, phthalates, parabens, silicones, and synthetic fragrances.

More importantly, it performs like a champ. Using only a quarter-size cap full, you get a through wash which leaves your hair feeling like it’s had a makeover. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

2. Best for Color Treated—John Masters Organics Bare ($14.50)

When you’ve already put your hair through a color treatment, you want a shampoo that’s light on harsh ingredients. This sulfate free shampoo uses organic white tea and chamomile to detoxify hair, with jojoba oil to moisturize it. Fragrance free, it also include evening primrose for an added moisturizing effect.

3. Best Medicinal Shampoo—African Black Soap Deep Cleansing by Shea Moisture ($9.99)

Excellent for regulating sebum production, this shampoo treats psoriasis, dandruff, and eczema. Containing tea tree and willow bark extract to help detoxify the scalp, it is free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates, paraffin, gluten, propylene glycol, mineral oil, synthetic fragrance and more.

It also is highly recommended for African-American hair.

4. Best Clarifying Shampoo—Lemon Myrtle by Miessence ($24.00)

A good clarifying shampoo is a great trick to have up your hair arsenal. Regular build-up from pollution, product, chlorine, and that bad shampoo you used at your cousin’s house can leave residue on your hair that weighs it down. But washing with a clarifying shampoo removes this gunk, leaving your hair lighter. You should always follow up with a good conditioner.

This product from Miessence uses moisturizing, certified organic aloe vera as well as certified organic rosemary, burdock and sage extracts to balance hair. It leaves your hair with a lovely lemon scent, and is also great for treating oily hair.

5. Best for Sensitive Scalps—Baby Shampoo by Erbaviva ($18.00)

Our scalps can be very sensitive to product, especially when exposed to pollutants and the drying agents of winter. This light, ultra mild shampoo from natural experts Erbaviva offers up a USDA organic cleansing made with gentle, nourishing lavender and chamomile oils.

6. Best for Volume—Rahua ($32.00)

Containing both organic and 100% natural ingredients, this product best serves fine, damaged hair to add a healthy bounce. Containing quinoa, coconut and shea butter, it is formulate to cleanse with minimal sudsing, leaving hair stripped of oil and bacteria but replenished with moisturizing agents.

7. Best Treatment for Dry Scalp and Hair—Neem Oil by Dr. Haushcka ($29.95)

Sure, this isn’t a shampoo. But a good scalp and hair treatment can leave your hair feeling like you just invested in a spa day. This oil from natural skincare experts Dr. Haushcka contains neem leaf and chamomile extracts for a dry, itchy scalp.

It also adds shine to your hair while encouraging healthy hair growth. Massage this into your hair and scalp to strength brittle or damaged hair. Your hair will feel light and silky for days to come.

photo credit: eflon via photopin cc

For further reading:

7 Tips to Combat Dry Hair

Why Vinegar Is So Great for Your Hair

The post A Sulfate Free Shampoo for All Tress Types: 7 Best Shampoos for Dry to Oily Hair appeared first on EcoSalon.

EcoSalon’s top beauty picks to keep you organically beautiful.

Last year, we brought you some of our favorite online shops for green beauty. Since then new products arrived, the Environmental Working Group released new findings and Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database got a makeover. Also, we discovered some great new beauty boutiques. Here’s a look at our updated findings, complete with our classic favorites, to help you freshen up your green makeup bag.

Futurenatural
Voted Treehugger’s 2011 Best Beauty Store, Futurenatural offers shoppers to “Live well. Do Good. Look Gorgeous.” According to their mandate, “Our passionate endeavor is to only represent brands that have no petroleum derivatives, no parabens, no synthetic colors or fragrances, dibutyl pthalate, sodium lauryl sulphate, formaldehyde, or any other known harmful ingredients, and absolutely none of the products are tested on animals.” The site also provides an excellent glossary to help its shoppers through the many ingredients and labels on its site.

Lilou Organics
This Canadian boutique offers up fantastic lines such as Revolution Organics, Weleda, Pangea Organics and more. Owner Lisa Schmidt personally tests each product on the site, promising effective, high quality ingredients. They also offer free samples with each order.

Saffron Rouge
All the products sold by Saffron Rouge contain certified organic or certified biodynamic ingredients and claim to be free of questionable, synthetic or potentially toxic ingredients. They designed their own certification program using a black list and a green list. If a product contains anything on the black list, they will not carry it.

The Nature of Beauty
Want clean, green products? Founder Dr. Terri Bly has promised that she has “read every label, researched every ingredient, and maintain regular contact with the manufacturers to ensure their business practices and values are fully aligned with the objectives of her company.” Should you also be in the neighborhood of St. Paul, Minnesota, you can also check into their spa.

Eco Style Shopper
This site, formerly known as Upurea, is perhaps better for the already savvy eco shopper as it takes an extra few clicks to get to your ingredients information. But if you already know your favorite brands, they offer up a diverse (and large) selection.

Spirit Beauty Lounge
This boutique offers the soothing balm to its readers as “A place where you can shop safe, knowing we’ve done the research for you.” All of their products ship with free sample kits that you can choose to add onto your order.

Beautorium
Beautorium, known for their great sales and promotions, offers up trusted lines such as Juice Beauty and Dr. Hauschka. Most of their products are certified natural, organic and/or vegetarian by the independent third party organizations.

Nature’s Basin
This site promises “natural, organic and mineral based products [which] are formulated with ingredients from natural sources, such as plants, flowers, fruit, vegetables, etc. We select products that do not contain any synthetic chemicals, including parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, fragrances, or dyes.” They also offer an impressive list of eco-certifications for many of their products, including USDA Organic and BDIH (Germany).

Mint and Berry
Perhaps the coolest thing about Mint and Berry is that the shop will not offer any products that rate higher than a 2 on the EWG’s Skin Deep database. This means their products must have earned some of the lowest possible hazardous ratings possible. What’s more, much of their products are quite affordable.

Organic Beauty Now
This site, called the “green and glam beauty center,” provides some of our favorite lines such as Primitive, A Perfume Organic, skinnyskinny, and Vapour. They also offer a separate category for vegan shoppers.

Organic Glow
Organic Glow is specific to Miessence, the Australian company as the first organic beauty product in the world to achieve organic food certification. The site offers body, hair, face, cosmetics and baby products. Further, you can email founder Alison with any questions you might have about organic beauty.

Strawberry Hedgehog
True, this site also only carries one line, but their handmade eco-friendly bath and body works are not to be missed. These 100% vegan soaps and lotions are made with natural, safe ingredients and arrive in recycled, minimal packaging.

John Masters Organics
Another single brand site, you can find a complete line of fantastic skincare products at John Masters Organics. Often made with cold-pressed, non-GMO plant oils, it’s a luxury line well worth the money.

Lavera
Want the high standards of European certifications in your green products? Then take a walk through the Lavera site, which offers up some of the highest rated skin and body products on the market.

Jane Iredale
Finally, if you want high-performing, well-crafted safer makeup, consider the Jane Iredale site. This mineral line of makeup offers makeup that contains no talc or parabens and are cruelty-free.

Image: Dominique Godbout

The post 15 Best Online Boutiques for Eco Beauty appeared first on EcoSalon.