The Best Organic Conditioners That Are Truly All-Natural
If you’ve been searching for an organic conditioner, then welcome to your new favorite list (bookmark it now and thank us later)! To create this list of top organic conditioners, we began our research with over 200 “natural” products. In the end, only 17 conditioning products met our standards. In order to make it onto this list, each organic conditioner had to meet the following standards: 1) MUST actually contain organic ingredients 2) MUST NOT contain sulfates, parabens, phthalates, formaldehydes, oxybenzone, ethoxylated ingredients, polysorbates, phenoxyethanol, petrochemicals, triclosan, TEA/DEA, synthetic fragrances and colors, and anything else from our list of Bad Ingredients Commonly Found in Conditioners and 3) MUST primarily consist of all-natural ingredients. Additionally, all ingredients are thoroughly researched and checked against the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep® Cosmetics Database to ensure that they are safe.
Making the switch to an organic conditioner may take a little patience on your part. Conventional conditioners are packed with silicones and waxes. These compounds coat your hair in a plastic-like substance which gives the false appearance of being silky and slippery. Natural conditioners, on the other hand, rely on vegetable oils, vitamins, and other Great Organic Conditioner Ingredients to replenish hair from the inside out. Until you fully remove the unnatural residues left over from conventional products your hair may actually feel drier and more tangled when using an organic conditioner. To remove this build-up fast, you’ll need to conduct a simple apple cider vinegar hair detox. All you have to do is mix ¼ cup organic apple cider vinegar into 2 cups of water and thoroughly rinse your hair with this solution once per week. This will help to eliminate any residual grime left over from conventional hair products.
Looking for a great shampoo to go along with your new organic conditioner? Then check out our list of the 20 Best Organic Shampoos That Are Actually Non-Toxic. Sadly, many of the brands on our list of the best organic shampoos did not make it onto this list of the top conditioners. Why? Because they didn’t meet our ingredient standards. A brand may use totally non-toxic ingredients in one product and then turn around and use not-so-great ingredients in another product. This is why it is so important to read every ingredient label instead of putting your trust in a brand name.
Need a little help selecting the best organic conditioner for your hair type? Then, try our Ox Box! It’s a seasonal subscription box filled with the best organic skin care products hand-picked for your specific skin type and skin conditions.
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Great Organic Conditioner Ingredients for Hair
There are many fantastic organic and all-natural ingredients that can do wonders for hair growth, volume, shine, and moisture. The ingredients below are just a few of our favorites and this list is by no means exhaustive.
Shea Butter
Can help your hair grow by adding moisture and reducing scalp irritation; thus, creating a healthy environment for hair growth. Can also minimize damaged, dry, and split hair leading to healthier strands and longer hair.
Argan Oil
A great natural moisturizer and conditioner that helps to soften hair, reduce dryness, and add shine.
Horsetail Plant
A plant rich in minerals like selenium and silica/silicon which strengthens hair follicles, promotes the structural integrity of the follicle, and can help your hair grow over time.
Rosemary Leaf
Rosemary oil and rosemary leaf extract can help to treat dandruff, dry/itchy scalps, and help to prevent hair loss.
Apple Cider Vinegar
A gentle ingredient which cleanses the scalp and helps to remove dirt, oil, and product residue that may be weighing our hair down.
Castor Seed Oil
Works to remove dirt, oil, and dead skin cells from our hair follicles which may be inhibiting the absorption of nutrients needed for hair growth. Castor oil is also a potent antibacterial.
Coconut Oil
Rich in antioxidants and fatty acids which can condition your hair, help your hair to grow, and treat bacterial infections of the scalp.
Jojoba Oil
Jojoba oil is actually a wax which mimics the consistency of our natural sebum. Using products with jojoba oil can help to rebalance our scalp’s oil production and treat overly oil or overly dry scalp conditions.
Nettles
A plant that is bursting with vitamins, minerals, proteins, and chlorophyll which all have the potential to slow or prevent hair loss.
Cetearyl Alcohol
Not all alcohols are bad for your hair. Plant-derived fatty alcohols (such as cetyl, stearyl, and cetearyl alcohols) actually help to keep hair hydrated, smooth, and soft.
Bad Ingredients Commonly Found in Organic Conditioners
Just because a product is marketed as organic, doesn’t mean that it is non-toxic. We’ve seen thousands of products that contain both harmful ingredients and organic ingredients. This is why it is more important than ever that consumers take charge and investigate the ingredients in their personal care products. From potentially cancer-causing to highly irritating ingredients, we’ve seen it all on the labels of products that are supposedly safe and non-toxic. If you notice an ingredient on a label that you are not familiar with, simply pop the ingredient name into a search engine and do a little research. You’ll be surprised how fast and easy it is to find great information on just about any ingredient in the world. Below, you will find some of the bad ingredients that we look for when reviewing a product. Unfortunately, we found many of these ingredients in highly-rated “organic” and “all-natural” conditioner products. Note: only some of the ingredients below are considered toxic to human health—many of them are simply harsh, highly irritating, and should be avoided in your personal care routine.
Behentrimonium Chloride
Sulfates/ SLS/ ALS/ Sodium Coco Sulfate
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Parabens
Propylene Glycol
Phthalates
Formaldehydes
Polyethylene Glycol (PEGS)
Phenoxyethanol
Retinyl Palmintate
Polysorbates
Oxybenzone
Petrochemicals + Minerals Oils
Triclosan
Sodium Benzoate
Dimethicone/Silicones
TEA + DEA
Synthetic Fragrances + Colors
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Am seeking organic hair products which are excellent moisturizers for naturally curly hair and skin due to living in a very dry climate.