Which eco shampoos and conditioners work best?

Everyone wants to believe in the possibility of having gloriously shiny, bouncy hair like in the TV commercials*, but do we want it at the cost of our health or environment? Along with that dream in a bottle, most mainstream shampoos and conditioners contain ingredients that are known skin irritants, have been linked to chronic illnesses, or can pollute waterways. As consumer consciousness about the effects of synthetic chemical use rises, more brands are offering products with high percentages of natural or organic ingredients that biodegrade well, and reduced chemical ‘nasties’. But do plant-based products clean and protect as effectively as lab-made formulations, or are they just ‘green-washing’ our hair?

Having worked as a beauty writer for many years, and with a hairdresser as a partner, I’ve test-driven a huge number of cheap-and-cheerful products as well as top-shelf, top-dollar treatments in an attempt to get my long, fine, coloured hair to behave. For this test I tried eight shampoos and conditioners that claim to be hair-and-earth-friendly, doing a wash and one-minute condition, then combing and leaving my hair out to dry naturally. (Given that I have a nine-month-old baby who loves to grab fistfuls of hair, this was no small sacrifice in the name of consumer testing.) Afterwards, I judged how shiny, soft and moisturised my hair felt and looked.

*Not really possible without a professional hairstylist and/or digital manipulation, but we love to hope.

The nasties

Here are some ingredients we think it’s best to avoid. All of the products we tested are free of these ingredients.

• Parabens – preservatives that have been linked to hormone disruption, including male sterility, early puberty and breast tumours.
• SLS or sodium lauryl/eth – detergents/surfactants, aka foaming agents, associated with skin inflammation, breathing issues and diarrhoea.
• Petrochemicals – groundwater contaminants and potential kidney and respiratory toxins.

Kevin Murphy

Angel Wash & Angel Rinse for Fine Coloured Hair
$44.00 for 250ml

Green rating: Lists all ingredients.

Product: Formulated in Australia and made in the USA, the Kevin Murphy luxury products are found in many good salons in New Zealand. They’re paraben- and sulphate-free and contain ‘high levels’ of natural ingredients. Murphy also pioneered the Green Salon Project, which helps salons identify ways to reduce waste, greenhouse emissions and toxic chemicals.

Test: The products smell delicious – the shampoo like pears, and the conditioner like chocolate. The square bottles with the dispenser at the bottom work well, though the foil freshness seal is a battle to remove. The shampoo feels the least ‘drying’ of all those tested, and the conditioner is moisturising while being lightweight. Hair was a little limp afterwards, but shiny.

Effectiveness: 8/10

Organic Care

Colour Shield Shampoo & Conditioner
$5.85 for 400ml

Green rating: Lists all ingredients.

Product: Available in supermarkets and The Warehouse, this Australian brand seems committed to producing a good mainstream product. The range does contain palm oil, which has a bad reputation, but on the company Facebook page they go to great lengths to stress the sustainability of their supplier.

Test: The shampoo has a nice consistency, although the conditioner is quite thick and needs more than an average blob to give decent coverage. The strong vanilla scent is a little cloying. The shampoo cleans well without making my hair feel stripped, and the conditioner does the job. Hair had good volume afterwards. A serviceable low-cost brand.

Effectiveness: 6/10

ecostore

Dry, Damaged or Coloured Hair Shampoo & Conditioner
$9.99 for 220ml

Green rating: Lists all ingredients; third-party accreditation.

Product: The product is GE-free, has no parabens, SLS, dimethicone, artificial dyes or fragrances, is made in New Zealand, is not tested on animals and has a Diamond Enviro-Mark NZ certification. Available at supermarkets and selected retailers.

Test: The snap lid is easy to manage with one hand, and the products have a clean, fresh, lemon-honey scent. The instructions say “use only a little” and boy, they’re not kidding! A 10-cent sized serve of the shampoo foams lavishly. The conditioner spread easily too. Afterwards, my hair was light and shiny, though a little dry at the ends.

Effectiveness: 7/10

Sans Ceuticals

Nourishing Hair Wash & Volumising Hair Hydratant
$38.00 to $42.00 for 250ml

Green rating: Lists all ingredients.

Product: This is a luxury range, made in New Zealand, and uses “active vitamin technology”. All ingredients are sustainably harvested, not tested on animals, and the products are free of artificial fragrances, sulfates, silicones, petrochemicals, parabens, and artificial dyes or colours. Sans is French for ‘without’. Available at selected salons.

Test: The products have an unusual, attractive lemon verbena and vanilla scent. The shampoo is a little lower-foaming than most, but leaves my hair literally squeaky clean. A little goes a long way with the conditioner. After my hair dried it felt fantastic – silky and moisturised, but also full at the roots. This product really delivers, but the price reflects that.

Effectiveness: 9/10

Earthwise

Rose & Almond Coloured Hair Shampoo & Conditioner
$7.49 for 400ml

Green rating: Lists all ingredients.

Product: The New Zealand-made products are paraben- and colourant-free, not tested on animals, and nothing alarming leaps out of the ingredient list. The package carries suggestions to “be energy and water smart”. Available widely in supermarkets.

Test: The products have a mild rose scent, and are thick, with a pearlescent shine. The recommended two teaspoons of product was way too much for my fine hair and afterwards it felt quite weighed-down, though soft. These would be better for someone with thicker or drier hair.

Effectiveness: 6/10

Trilogy

Refresh & Shine Shampoo and Smooth & Nourish Conditioner
$24.90 for 250ml

Green rating: Lists all ingredients; third-party accreditation.

Product: Keracyn, from artichokes, is the magic ingredient listed for this New Zealand-made range, as well as Trilogy’s signature rosehip oil. It’s certified as organic by BioGro, contains no SLS, GMO ingredients or parabens, and is not tested on animals. Available at selected retailers.

Test: The shampoo and conditioner have a light, herbal scent (bergamot and rosemary, according to the packaging). The shampoo foams well and leaves hair squeaky clean. The conditioner feels very lightweight when applied and I wonder if it will be sufficiently moisturising, but the results are very good – smooth, but with volume.

Effectiveness: 8/10

Living Nature

Balancing Shampoo & Conditioner
$32.00 for 200ml

Green rating: Lists all ingredients; third-party accreditations.

Product: With ‘kumerahou and kelp extract’ these products look quintessentially New Zealand-made. They’re not tested on animals, and don’t make any claims on the packaging about excluded ingredients, but don’t have any of the key ‘nasties’. It’s certified as a natural product by BDIH, the Association of German Industries and Trading Firms. Available at selected retailers.

Test: The shampoo has a sharp, tea-tree-like smell, and the conditioner has a clean, almost marine-salty smell. The shampoo does feel quite astringent, and my scalp tingles a little afterwards. The conditioner spreads well but my hair is a little hard to untangle, and looks a bit frizzy. For an expensive product, the performance was disappointing.

Effectiveness: 5/10

Holistic Hair

Sensitive Shampoo & Conditioner
$23.20 for 250ml

Green rating: Lists all ingredients.

Product: Describing itself as ‘Nature’s Hair Care’, formulated by a trichologist, and “98 per cent natural” this New Zealand-made range contains no SLS, parabens or propylene glycol (a petrochemical). The description of the main ingredient as “pure living water” seems to be pushing the boat out in terms of marketing-speak though. Available at selected retailers.

Test: Both the shampoo and conditioner have a very appealing sweet, floral scent. The shampoo only requires a tiny amount, and cleans well. The conditioner also required a very small amount, which, unusually, seemed to thicken or foam slightly as it spread through the hair, giving better coverage. Hair was slightly tangled on combing through, but looked good when dry.

Effectiveness: 7/10