6 Palm Oil-Free Shampoo & Conditioner Brands for a More Sustainable Haircare Routine

Palm oil sneaks its way into most shampoos and conditioners under a long list of confusing ingredient names, making it tough to avoid. But if you’re looking to cut ties with the industry responsible for deforestation, habitat destruction, and unethical labor practices, plenty of brands are stepping up with palm oil-free shampoo and palm oil-free conditioner options.

Here are six brands that have taken a firm stance against palm oil, offering cleaner, more sustainable alternatives for your haircare routine.

1. Conscious Skincare

UK-based Conscious Skincare creates palm oil-free shampoo and palm oil-free conditioner in small batches using ethically sourced, biodegradable ingredients. Their products come in reusable aluminum bottles, sidestepping plastic waste entirely.

They use organic plant-based oils like jojoba and coconut instead of palm oil derivatives and prioritize Fairtrade suppliers. Their formulas avoid sulfates, parabens, and synthetic fragrances, making them a great choice for sensitive scalps.

• Refillable aluminum packaging

• Certified cruelty-free & vegan

• No sulfates, parabens, or synthetic fragrances
  

2. Fifi Chumpú

Fifi Chumpú is a Spanish brand that formulates its palm oil-free shampoo bars with natural, scalp-friendly ingredients. They use plant-based oils like castor and olive instead of palm oil or palm kernel oil, ensuring a gentler, more sustainable cleanse.

Their bars are highly concentrated, lasting much longer than liquid shampoos, and their minimalist paper packaging helps eliminate unnecessary waste.

• Plastic-free packaging

• Vegan and cruelty-free

• Handmade in small batches

3. Ethique

Ethique has been a pioneer in palm oil-free shampoo bars and palm oil-free conditioner bars for years, creating high-performance formulas without wasteful plastic bottles. Their bars are packed with nourishing ingredients like cocoa butter, coconut oil, and lime essential oil—no palm derivatives in sight.

They’re also a carbon-neutral company, offsetting emissions while sourcing sustainable ingredients and using compostable packaging.

• Certified B-Corporation

• 100% plastic-free & compostable packaging

• Donates 20% of profits to environmental causes

4. EcoRoots

EcoRoots is an American zero-waste brand offering shampoo bars without palm oil or coconut oil, catering to those with sensitivities to common haircare ingredients. Their bars are lightweight, long-lasting, and infused with nourishing botanical extracts like nettle and chamomile.

They’re also sulfate-free, so they won’t strip hair of its natural oils, making them a great choice for those with dry or curly hair. Plus, every product ships plastic-free.

• Plastic-free & zero-waste packaging

• Sulfate-free and non-toxic formulas

• 1% of profits donated to environmental initiatives

5. Friendly Soap

Friendly Soap takes the palm oil-free soap making approach and applies it to haircare, creating simple, all-natural shampoo bars free from synthetic chemicals. Their formulas rely on nourishing plant-based oils like castor, coconut, and argan to cleanse hair without buildup.

Their bars are cold-processed, meaning they require less energy to produce, and they come in fully recyclable packaging. They’re a great choice for those looking to ditch palm oil in haircare without sacrificing performance.

• Biodegradable & plastic-free packaging

• Handmade using a cold-process method

• Certified cruelty-free & vegan

6. Superfly Soap

Scotland-based Superfly Soap creates palm oil-free conditioner bars and palm oil-free shampoo bars, designed to be as sustainable as they are effective. They use coconut and babassu oil instead of palm oil, making their formulas highly moisturizing yet lightweight.

Their bars come in compostable packaging, and their commitment to ethical sourcing ensures that no rainforest destruction or exploitative labor practices are behind their ingredients.

• Compostable & biodegradable packaging

• Handmade in Scotland with ethical ingredients

• Sulfate-free

Finding palm oil-free shampoos and conditioners can be tricky, but these brands prove that high-performance haircare doesn’t have to come at the cost of deforestation or unethical supply chains. If you’re in the market for a nourishing shampoo or conditioner free from palm-based emulsifiers, these six brands offer the best sustainable options for a cleaner, more ethical routine. Be sure to check out the Directory for more brand sustainability evaluations!