List of Cruelty-Free Shampoo & Vegan Hair Products Brands

When switching all my products to cruelty-free, I was disappointed to learn that some of my favorite hair product brands like Pantene, L’Oreal, Aveeno, OGX test on animals, and most of them didn’t even offer any vegan hair products!

So, I took it upon myself to do some research, and sure enough, I discovered an extensive range of cruelty-free haircare brands offering a great selection of vegan shampoo, conditioner, and those hard-to-find vegan hair styling products and treatments.

In this guide to vegan hair products, I’ll explain what makes hair products not vegan, providing you with a list of both cruelty-free and vegan-friendly haircare brands, as well as, sharing some of the best vegan shampoo and hair products for your specific hair type.

First, let’s begin by asking what is vegan hair products?

What is Vegan Hair Products?

Conventional hair products contain animal-sourced keratin, biotin, or silk amino acids, making them not vegan. There are plenty of plant-based and synthetic alternatives to these ingredients so there’s really no need for us to continue to use animal-derived ingredients in our hair products.

In addition, most of the mainstream hair products we buy at the store are from brands that continue to test on animals.

Brands to Avoid that Test on Animals: OGX, L’Oreal, Pantene, Redken, Matrix, and Old Spice.

Vegan hair products mean they don’t contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products and the brand does not conduct, commission, or condone any form of animal testing on its ingredients or products, anywhere in the world.

Read Also: What Makes a Brand Cruelty-Free?

Cruelty-Free & Vegan Hair Product Brands

The following cruelty-free hair care brands don’t test on animals and are either 100% vegan or offer some vegan options for shampoo, conditioner, and hair styling products. For vegan hair color options, check this list instead.

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Best Vegan Hair Products

With so many amazing cruelty-free and vegan hair care brands to shop from, it can be hard to find one that works for your hair type or concern.

So we’ve rounded up some of the most recommended and best vegan hair products below whether you’re looking for vegan products that are affordable/at the drugstore or for natural and curly hair, for damaged hair, for dandruff, or for men, these are our top picks!

Affordable Vegan Hair Product Brands

Searching for vegan shampoo, conditioner, or hair styling products at Ulta, Target, or Shoppers Drug Mart that are inexpensive and budget-friendly? I’ve rounded up some of my favorite vegan drugstore shampoos in this post, including Cake Beauty, Noughty Haircare, and ACURE.

But here are some more affordable drugstore hair care options with products around $10 and under:

• ACURE – 100% Vegan
• ATTITUDE – 100% Vegan
• Avalon Organics – vegan options here
• Cake – 100% Vegan
• Dessert Essence – vegan options here
• EO Products – 100% Vegan
• Live Clean – look for “Pure Vegan” on their packaging to know if its vegan
• Noughty – 100% Vegan
• Pacifica – 100% Vegan
• Yes To – vegan options here

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Vegan Hair Products for Curly Hair

For cruelty-free hair products for curly hair, DevaCurl* and Ouidad have the best reviews for their vegan-friendly hair products for all types of curls. DevaCurl* is 98% vegan, with the exception of 2 of their products (Set it Free and Low-Poo) which contain beeswax and/or lanolin. And view here for a list of Ouidad vegan products here. Curlsmith is also another option for 100% vegan hair products. 

Some more cruelty-free hair brands with vegan options for natural or curly hair:

• OrganiGrowHairCo – 100% Vegan!
• adwoa beauty – some vegan options
• Flora + Curl – some vegan options
• Briogeo* Curl Charisma Collection – some vegan options

*Note: This brand is cruelty-free, but is owned by a parent company that does test on animals.

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Vegan Hair Products for Dry or Damaged Hair

Got dry, damaged hair desperately in need of repair and hydration? Here are some of the most recommended vegan hair products to help revitalize and restore damaged tresses.

Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3 is a concentrated at-home treatment that strengthens the hair from within, reducing breakage and improving its look and feel.

Amika The Kure Intense Repair Hair Mask for Damaged Hair is an intensive, rich weekly treatment that instantly repairs and resuscitates dry, damaged, and overstressed hair.

Playa Ritual Hair Oil is a weightless blend of natural oils like coconut, apricot, and sunflower that tames frizz, restores moisture, and imparts radical shine.

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Vegan Hair Products for Dandruff

Replace your Head & Shoulders shampoo with these cruelty-free & vegan options instead, Derma E Scalp Relief Shampoo or JASON Dandruff Relief Shampoo.

If you want to splurge, Oribe* Serene Scalp Anti-dandruff Shampoo is a favorite among many users and its 100% vegan too!

And for a vegan hair mask to help treat a dry or flaky scalp, Briogeo* Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Oil Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo is most recommended.

Note: Oribe is cruelty-free, however, they’re owned by a parent company (Kao) that does test on animals.

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Vegan Hair Products for Men

For cruelty-free and vegan hair products targeted specifically to men, we recommend trying out Every Man Jack and Method* Men.

Every Man Jack has a range of vegan shampoo and conditioner for all hair types, including their signature mint daily shampoo.

Method* Men offers a great selection of 2-in-1 vegan shampoo and conditioner for men for under $10!

Note: Method is cruelty-free, however, they’re owned by a parent company (SC Johnson) that does test on animals.

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