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15 Best Cruelty-Free Hair Care Brands for All Hair Types

Vote for your favorite!

Green Matters Staff - Author
By

Published March 18 2025, 12:00 p.m. ET

woman washing hair and prose hair products
Source: JescaCluffOnUnsplash_Prose

Great hair days shouldn’t come at the expense of animal welfare.

Whether you’re rocking curls, waves, or sleek strands, these 15 cruelty-free hair care brands have you covered. From Ceremonia’s nutrient-rich formulas to Pattern’s curl-defining must-haves and JVN Hair’s salon-quality shine, you can nourish your locks with products that align with your values — no compromises needed

Vote for the best cruelty-free hair care brands once a day until April 15, 2025, at 11:59 a.m. ET.

The 10 winners will be announced on April 24, 2025. Read more about our Green Matters Approved contests here.

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Aavrani

Led by Indian American founder Rooshy Roy, Aavrani designs its skin and hair care products with a combination of science, Ayurveda, and clean ingredients. The company's hair products include Scalp Detox Jelly Cleanser, Intensive Repair Conditioning Hair Mask, and Hair & Scalp Recovery Oil. All hair products are also cruelty-free, vegan, and pregnancy-safe.

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amika

Certified B Corp amika makes 11 different collections of hair care products in an effort to cater to customers with all hair types. Products include the smooth over frizz-fighting treatment mask, curl corps defining cream for curly hair, and mirrorball high shine + protect antioxidant shampoo and conditioner. amika is also certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny (and most products are vegan), Climate Neutral certified, certified Clean at Sephora, and a partner of Provenance to verify its sustainability claims.

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Ceremonia

Founded by Babba Rivera, Ceremonia is a Latinx- and women-owned hair care company guided by sustainability and Latinx heritage. Products are made with plant ingredients native to Latin America and are designed for all hair types. Hair products include the Guava Rescue Spray, Pequi Curl Activator, and Papaya Scalp Scrub. All Ceremonia products are certified cruelty-free and vegan by Leaping Bunny.

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Crown Affair

Women-own brand Crown Affair's hair products include The Finishing Gel, The Renewal Mask, and The Cleansing Scrub. The company has a "No List" of ingredients it won't use, such as sulfates and parabens. Plus, the brand is cruelty-free, and all products are vegan, except for some hairbrushes and scrunchies. Crown Affair donates 1 percent of every purchase to one of its four nonprofit partners, which you choose when you place your order.

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Donna's Recipe

donnas recipe hair
Source: Courtesy Donna's Recipe / Jacob Webster

Vegan actress and influencer Tabitha Brown famously calls her hair Donna, and in its honor, she named her hair care company, which was co-founded with Gina Woods, Donna's Recipe. The Black women-owned company is cruelty-free and vegan, and uses as many natural ingredients as possible, including silk amino acids that are derived from plant sources. Products include Edge Gel and Hair & Scalp Oil, and scents include Whipped Vanilla Cream and Sweet Potato Pie.

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Ethique

Ethique is a zero-waste, cruelty-free, and vegan company that makes hair care products (as well as other personal care products) in bar form. Products include shampoo and conditioner bars in various natural scents, designed for all different hair types. Ethique is a Certified B Corp, palm oil-free, and packages all of its products with only recyclable and compostable paper.

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Eva NYC

Eva NYC specializes in hair products that are science-backed and made with responsibly sourced ingredients. Products include the On Point Split End Mender and Mane Magic 10-in-1 Primer. In 2021, Eva NYC started packaging all products in aluminum bottles; as of 2025, the company now packages most products in plastic bottles and jars (with at least 50 percent post-consumer recycled plastic).

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Innersense Organic Beauty

Innersense Organic Beauty offers a wide variety of hair products for all hair types, and you can take a quiz on the brand's website to find your perfect products. The high-end company's offerings are made with nontoxic and organic ingredients, and products include Bright Balance Hairbath, True Enlightenment Scalp Scrub, and Elevate Shine Hair Ceremony. Innersense Organic Beauty is a Certified B Corp, a member of 1% for the Planet, Leaping Bunny certified, and Climate Neutral certified.

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JVN Hair

Hair care company JVN owned by Queer Eye star and beauty guru Jonathan Van Ness. JVN makes hair products for all hair types, and products include Complete Air Dry Cream and Complete Nourishing Shine Drops. Most offerings are packaged in recyclable aluminum or glass in an effort to be eco-friendly, and some products use post-consumer recycled plastic. All JVN products are cruelty-free and vegan, and the company is a partner of 1% for the Planet.

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Kinky-Curly

Black-owned hair care brand Kinky-Curly is all about embracing natural hair. The company has an emphasis on natural ingredients, and all products are free of ingredients like petroleum, mineral oil, and parabens. Kinky-Curly is known for its viral gel, Curling Custard, and other products include Come Clean Shampoo and Knot Today Leave-In Conditioner. Kinky-Curly is certified cruelty-free, donates a portion of proceeds to charity: water, and is a signatory of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

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Maria Nila

Stockholm, Sweden-based brand Maria Nila specializes in hair care products that are climate-friendly and designed to protect dyed hair. The family-run company's products include the Head & Hair Heal Conditioner, Quick Dry Heat Spray, and True Soft Booster Masque. Maria Nila is a Certified B Corp, products come in "CO2 compensated packaging," and certified cruelty-free and 100 percent vegan by Leaping Bunny, PETA, and the Vegan Society.

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PATTERN

Founded by actress Tracee Ellis Ross, hair care company PATTERN specializes in products for natural and curly hair. Products made by the Black-owned and Black-founded company include the Palo Santo Leave-In Conditioner, Styling Custard, and Detangling Nectar. PATTERN is certified cruelty-free, products are mostly vegan (with the exception of those that contain honey), and the company donates regularly to organizations that champion people of color, Black women, environmentalism, and more.

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Plaine Products

plaine products hair care
Source: Courtesy Plaine Products

Zero-waste personal care company Plaine Products sells products in refillable aluminum bottles, with plastic pumps available separately. The company invites customers to return their empty bottles by mail so that they can be cleaned and reused for future orders. Hair products include Shampoo, Conditioner, Beauty Oil, Styling Gel, and Sea Salt Spray — all of which are completely plastic-free. Plaine Products is certified cruelty-free and vegan, a partner of 1% for the Planet, and a Certified B Corp.

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Prose

Prose makes skin and hair care products for customers with personalized formulas, based on the results of your virtual hair consultation. You can also make specific requests for your custom creation, such as vegan, dye-free, or fragrance-free. All Prose products are cruelty-free, as well as free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates, mineral oils, and GMOs. Prose is also a Certified B Corp, and Climate Neutral certified.

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Sienna Naturals

Co-owned by actress Issa Rae, Sienna Naturals aims to make nontoxic hair products more accessible to Black women and other customers with textured hair. Products include the Dew Magic Leave-In Conditioner, Plant Power Repair Mask, and Daily Elixir Scalp Oil. The Black women-owned company is cruelty-free, 100 percent vegan, free of ingredients like sulfates, parabens, and synthetic fragrance, operates based on EWG standards, and advocates for safer standards in the beauty industry.

All Green Matters Approved nominees are chosen by the Green Matters editorial team, and winners are chosen based on reader votes. Readers can vote for each category once a day. To learn more, read our terms and conditions.

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