Are ‘better for you’ shampoos actually better for your hair? Do ‘clean’ shampoos actually clean your hair, or condition it well?
These are some of the thoughts I was stewing on while setting up the third installment in our ‘clean’ beauty series: testing hair wash products. In the beauty consumer community and larger zeitgeist, we have become more curious about the things we put on our skin and face, from lip products to mascaras, but what about our hair? Sure, shampoo washes down the drain (and ends up in our water system…), but what is left behind on our head? And absorbed into our bloodstream?
It started with LOMA. I am like a student in the salon chair each time I get my hair done so naturally I had to ask my stylist in Seattle at the time what she was using that I could not see, but could smell. Fresh, light, and uplifting. When she mentioned she loved LOMA because they use more natural ingredients, and the line works especially well for thirsty hair, me and my dry strands were very interested.
That put me on a quest to explore more ‘better for you’ hair washing options that would tackle the main concerns of my mane. With fine but dense, curly and highlighted hair, the challenge for me is retaining moisture to hold the curls and tame the frizz, but not weigh my hair down.
Through my research, I selected three brands to test that claim to address different key issues, from moisture, to volume, and strengthening. As I did in my process for the other two articles in this series, I checked the Environment Working Group’s database to see what each product’s ranking was on a scale of 0-10, with 0 being the best. If there was no entry, I created one through the “build your own report” option.
I also wanted these brands to be in a range of accessibility, some you could pick up at the grocery, some sold at salons or online. Here are the resulting reviews, based on my hair and the lovely tresses of four of FUTURE LYNN’s community members.
Avalon Organics
Avalon Organics Strengthening Peppermint Shampoo
$9.99 – 11oz
experience rating: 7.4 / 10
The first brand put to the test was Avalon Organics. I picked both of these up at my local Sprouts, but they’re also available on Amazon. This is the ‘cleanest’ brand of the bunch, bearing the EWG VERIFIED® mark ranked at zero. This indicates “the product meets EWG’s strictest standards for health and safety” by avoiding health, ecotoxicity, or contamination-concerning ingredients and providing full transparency, including the nebulous catch-all ingredient – ‘fragrance’. And coming in at about $9.99 for 11 oz, the brand is the second most affordable of the three.
so minty fresh
This was very refreshing and energizing, like a shot of espresso for your scalp. The peppermint extract made for an addictive scent and tingly sensation. Throughout the testing period and beyond, I did both blowouts and air-dried my hair. I preferred using the shampoo before blow drying since it created this fluffy fullness, so I think it followed through with its claim to renew bounce. Strength is hard to test in a short period of time, but would buy again for the overall feel and effect.
what it’s best for: scent and cleaning power!
Best in-shower experience, brought to you by the invigorating peppermint essential oil. Especially with a double cleanse, this will be my new go-to for when I need a thorough clean and a boost of volume that isn’t as drying as a true detox shampoo.
Avalon Organics Strengthening Peppermint Conditioner
$9.99 – 11 fl oz
experience rating: 5.6 / 10
defintely no slip
However, the Avalon conditioner did not deliver at the same level. Since the shampoo was on the detox side of the spectrum, the conditioner should’ve replenished some of the moisture in my opinion. Other testers mentioned the lack of slip and that’s just what it was — it has a lightweight, waxy feel and doesn’t seem to coat the hair enough. It claims to soften, but that didn’t translate to my strands, they felt rough. Some testers noted that they had to use a lot to have an effect. I wouldn’t buy this one again because I have better options, and would pair a moisturizing conditioner with the Avalon shampoo above.
what it’s best for: … just the scent?
Curious if maybe it would work better for a different hair length and texture, I gave it to my dad to try. With a short crew cut, he didn’t think it worked any differently than his go-to but liked the peppermint oil and scent, albeit “a little strong”.
LOMA
LOMA Nourishing Shampoo
$23 – 12 fl oz
experience rating: 8 / 10
What attracted me to LOMA is that the products are free of many potentially harmful ingredients — parabens, sodium chloride, gluten, soy, sulfates, phthalates, pesticides, formaldehyde, hormones, synthetic fragrances, and synthetic colors. Despite this, the Nourishing line isn’t in the EWG database so I made a manual entry to get a ballpark understanding. The average is around a 2, with the unspecified ‘fragrance’ being the ingredient that brings up the number the most. In LOMA’s case, this fragrance is natural and not synthetic if that is an important distinction for you.
hotel toiletry vibes
What I love about this shampoo is how well it cleans and gives shape to my curls. The shampoo isn’t as detoxing or drying as Avalon, but the frizz control and softness are more apparent. I really like the pear and cranberry scent — fresh and clean, yet not too overpowering. One tester said it seems like an ‘upper end hotel toiletry’ type of product and I totally agree. It’s considered salon-grade and sold through hair professionals and LOMA’s site, so it gives that slightly elevated, yet generic feel you may expect from something stashed in the shower at a stay away from home.
what it’s best for: well-balanced clean
This is the goldilocks option for me — not too drying, not too moisturizing. That makes it a perfect everyday shampoo, no matter how I’m wearing my hair.
LOMA Nourishing Conditioner
$23 – 12 fl oz
experience rating: 8.4 / 10
all the slip!
This is a conditioner that my strands really drink up. There is more slip to it due to the use of dimethicone, a common silicone used throughout the beauty industry. Silicone comes from silica, a natural compound derived by heating sand with carbon at high temps, reaching 3,992 °F.
It’s important to note that dimethicone itself is not classified as a PFAS, or “forever chemical” that stays in the body, and the classification of ingredients I’ve been investigating throughout this series. However, the fluorinated form, perfluorononyl dimethicone, is a PFAS because perfluorononyl is the PFAS component of the polymer. Still with me?
The cleanest of the ‘clean’ hair products are silicone-free, like Avalon is. For some, you might feel strongly about avoiding silicones, for the silky coating dimethicone provides can lead to product build up and reduce bounce. But depending on your hair texture, you may miss some of that slip that silicone provides.
TLDR: it really comes down to personal preference and hair type. For me, this debate is also in the specific formulation and product performance, and personally LOMA fits the bill. And rotating products helps limit build-up — more on that in the wrap-up.
what it’s best for: versatility and silky hydration
Same as the shampoo, this conditioner is a great everyday option that hydrates and smooooothes strands, but doesn’t weigh it down. This is what I wish the Avalon conditioner could do!
NATIVE
Native Moisturizing Shampoo
$4 – 3 fl oz
experience rating: 6.6 / 10
Bought by P&G in 2017, Native is the megacorp’s foray into ‘clean, simple, effective’ products, as the tagline reads. This is your ‘clean’ grocery and convenience store option, the most affordable option at $4 for 3 fl oz and $10 for 16.5 fl oz. Vegan and cruelty-free, the assortment is free from sulfates, parabens, silicones, and dyes. The EWG ranking is a 3, due mostly to that unspecified ‘fragrance’, if that’s a concern for you. I’m still deciding how I feel about it myself, and in what quantities.
coconut-powered clean but so-so scent
The shampoo really activated my natural texture, since curly hair needs moisture to keep it happy. The testing crew mentioned they loved the suds action, which is due to cocamidopropyl betaine, a synthetic fatty acid made from coconuts. I’ve noticed shampoos with this ingredient clean well and leave my hair with some texture, which helps my curls but might be too drying for straight hair types, as noted by one tester.
The scent does not provide the elevated experience the other brands had and was a turn-off for some testers. I love warm and sweet gourmands so I chose the Coconut & Vanilla, but it’s an artificial candied kind of coconut. If the shampoo itself intrigues you, but this scent does not, there is an Ocean & Timber with notes of bergamot, cedarwood, and musk which may be more up your alley.
what it’s best for: moisture and texture
This is a good everyday shampoo for when I wear my hair curly since it cleans but moisturizes. One time I actually forgot to use the voluminizing conditioner afterwards and my hair was not as dry as it would’ve been using another shampoo. And even though I ranked it 6.6, I would buy it again in the travel size for trips. Looking online, I see there’s a curl care coconut milk and turmeric shampoo that I might like even more.
Native Volumizing Conditioner
$4 – 3oz
experience rating: 5 / 10
fluffy volume
I was intrigued by a shampoo that moisturizes and a conditioner that gives volume, when often it’s the other well around. When I’m after volume, I want lift at the roots where my hair can get flat. The roots are not where you apply conditioner, though. That being said, this did give some more fluffy volume from the mid to ends, which can be helpful for fine hair.
Overall, the group preferred the Cucumber & Mint scent (only available in the Voluminizing line) to the Coconut & Vanilla, but didn’t think either scent experience matched the other brands.
what it’s best for: voluminous blowouts
The consensus is that while slightly better performance than the Avalon conditioner, this is not the most hydrating pick, as some testers noted that their hair felt on the dryer side. I agree, and thought it’s better to use before a blowout. Wearing my hair naturally after conditioning lead to looser, drier curls. But conditioning then blowing dry created more of that fluffy volume. All in all, I thought this was an okay conditioner. I wouldn’t buy it again since I’ve got better, more versatile options.
So… do ‘clean’ shampoos actually clean your hair, or condition it well?
It depends.
Across our testing group, LOMA was ranked the best brand for overall performance. While we learned it’s not the cleanest of all ‘clean’ products by EWG standards due mostly to the inclusion of silicone, the shampoo and conditioner’s usage of natural and key synthetic ingredients make it a high-performing and reliable pick.
Avalon’s Strengthening Peppermint shampoo is the most natural option of the bunch with the EWG certification, and also provides a satisfying clean and powerful in-shower experience.
And if you don’t mind the added fragrance and scent options available, Native’s Moisturizing shampoo line is very affordable and cleans hair with wave and curl decently well.
After our test, these were the four products I landed on personally for now. Your best bet: pick two brands, and rotate them. As several testers noted, and I wholeheartedly agree, hair likes a little variety. Using a silicone-free shampoo like the Avalon intermittently with something like LOMA’s Nourishing shampoo limits silicone build-up while hydrating.
Should we avoid all products with ‘fragrance’ and silicone, and only choose the Avalon’s of the world? If the conditioner performed better, I would consider a full convert in the hair wash department. I don’t doubt there’s more brands and products at the intersection of high-performing and health-preserving, and I’m intrigued to discover them.
What about you?
all opinions are our own; no free products or compensation were received from manufacturers for these mentions.
Do you have any follow up questions or comments? Or do you have your own favorite product recommendations to share? Please send an email to feedback@futurelynn.com. Would love to hear from you. 🖤
Alexandra Porter is an editor, trend strategist, and artist who enjoys many creative vantage points. Writing is the thread running through her experiences, from crafting stories in kindergarten to her BFA thesis collection of hand-sewn, poetry-inspired garments chosen to showcase at the 2018 SCAD Fashion Show. When she is not pondering life’s mysteries, Alexandra is often found at the gym, snuggling her mini dachshund, or connecting with friends old and new. She is guided by this phrase: Think with dimension, Create with invention, Live with intention.
