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In recent years, mindful consumers have set their sights on natural, organic, ethical, and sustainable beauty options—and ditching junky, cheap, low-quality, products. The organic personal care market value is projected to reach $25.11 billion by 2025, according to a report by Grand View Research, Inc.
The report stated:
“Growing awareness regarding various benefits of organic products as compared to their synthetic counterparts has resulted in an upsurge in their demand over the last few years … This has prompted manufacturers to introduce new products and to focus on research and development. Growing demand has resulted in an increase in the availability of these products across various distribution channels such as supermarkets, malls, and drugstores. In addition, [the] rise of [the] online market … is expected to remain a key contributing factor for growth. E-commerce channels give consumers the opportunity to gain access to products that would otherwise not be available in their local stores and malls …”
Though the clean beauty trend has been continuously growing, it’s not always easy to navigate the sea of products available and find some that really work. That’s why the Moxie Beauty Co Clean Beauty Brigade (no, we don’t really call ourselves that) decided to put products to the test—so we can share our fabulous finds with you! First up: hair care! Because, well...duh.
Our favorite clean hair products: shampoo and conditioner
Reef Repair Shampoo Bar
The highlights: The Reef Repair Shampoo Bar is not only safe for coral reefs, but it's also a great option for your kiddos!
Pros: All Reef Repair hair and skincare products are made from 100% natural, human-safe, reef-safe, environmentally friendly, and biodegradable ingredients (and packaging materials!). It worked well on Abby's color-treated hair and is super nourishing.
Cons: Crumbles if you’re not gentle with it. Becomes harder to use as it gets smaller.
Unwrapped Life Conditioner Bar - The Fixer
The highlights: The Fixer is a super earth- and hair-friendly shampoo bar that nixes the need for wasteful plastic bottles.
Pros: This bar smells AMAZING, softens hair, and leaves no residue behind!
Cons: Much harder to apply/coat hair than traditional cream conditioner. It’s also worth mentioning that the primary ingredient, Behentrimonium methosulfate, may bother you. But according to NaturallyCurly, Behentrimonium methosulfate is an example of a quaternary ammonium ingredient that contains a sulfate compound. However, due to it being a cationic surfactant, the chemical process to produce this ingredient is less irritating and creates a more neutral/stable compound. The ingredient has great conditioning properties to the hair by increasing slip and aiding in closing the cuticle due to its cationic nature.
Beautycounter Daily Shampoo and Conditioner
The highlights: Beautycounter’s daily purifying shampoo gently breaks down buildup but never strips the hair or dry it out. The hydrating conditioner nourishes hair and smells like juicy, delicious grapefruit.
Pros: Leaves hair light, bouncy, super soft, and shiny. Plus, you only need a tiny bit.
Cons: Not great for people with super dry hair or bright blondes—they need more hydration. For freshly colored hair I recommend using this after a week or two. Some may see some color fading.
Hairstory New Wash
The highlights: Hairstory's New Wash is a co-wash (conditioning cleanser) that uses naturally derived ingredients and essential oils without stripping hair and scalp of its natural oils.
Pros: People with curly hair, wavy, or all-around frizzy hair find relief with its super hydrating ingredients. Earth warriors will especially love their refillable packaging—plus, fancy stainless steel bottles look great in your shower.
Cons: Shampoos without detergents and sulfates take some getting used to—some people won’t like cleansing without a lot of lathery bubbles.
Our favorite clean hair products: dry shampoo
Acure Dry Shampoo Powder
The highlights: Acure Dry Shampoo Powder is an easy-to-use, fast-acting dry shampoo that absorbs oil and removes grime without the use of an aerosol spray.
Pros: Acure dry shampoo is paraben-free, Sulfate-free, Mineral oil-free, Petrolatum free, Formaldehyde free, cruelty-free, and 100% vegan!
Cons: The dispenser. Not unlike a bottle of baby powder, this container has a tendency to make a mess. But fear not! You can buy a beautiful, plastic-free dry shampoo powder dispenser to avoid a lung full of cornstarch dust.
Our favorite clean hair products: styling products and treatments
Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask
The highlights: The Don't Despair, Repair!™ deep conditioning mask has ingredients like rosehip and sweet almond oils, vitamin B5, and biotin to nourish dry, damaged hair.
Pros: In a clinical study, hair treated with the Deep Conditioning Mask showed a 75% reduction in breakage after 3 uses compared to untreated hair. It's become an instant classic thanks to its proven results!
Cons: It's a little pricy, but oh-so-worth-it.
Innersense I Create Hold
Highlights: I Create Hold is a styling gel perfect for even the thickest, curliest, unruliest of locks. It's made with Certified Organic honey (which acts as a natural resin), rooibos tea, and nettle and rosemary extracts.
Pros: Abby has been following the Curly Girl Method for wavy hair and loves the shiny hold this gel delivers.
Cons: Like any styling gel, it can get a little sticky if you use too much (or don't distribute the product evenly). It might take a few tries to get it right!
Stay tuned for more clean beauty!
We've got more where that came from! Up next is clean skincare, so be on the lookout for our next blog. For questions, email Brittany directly and ask away!