The Best Plant-Based Shampoo and Conditioner: My Top 5 Picks

Whether you want to avoid harsh chemicals or leave a smaller footprint on the environment, you still need products that get the job done well. The problem is that the “plant-based” label gets slapped on seemingly everything these days, from genuinely botanical-powered formulas to products that just swapped one synthetic ingredient for another.

And all too often, that comes at the cost of a product that just doesn’t work.

That’s why, as a hairdresser of 15+ years, I’ve put together a list of my top 5 plant-based shampoos/conditioners. For each one, I’ll talk about ingredients, who it’s best for, pros & cons, and the science behind why these botanicals actually work!

How I Picked My Top Plant-Based Products

The best plant-based hair products should work just as well (if not better than!) the products they’re replacing.

For me, I look at three factors to determine whether a product is not just green but also effective: 

• pH Balance: Your hair lives at about 4.5 to 5.5 on the pH scale, so you want products close to that range. Products at a higher pH can cause serious breakage, frizz, and even scalp irritation over time.
  
• Botanical Efficacy: A product can be “natural” but do absolutely nothing for your hair. I look for research-backed ingredients like quinoa protein, pea peptides, and green tea extract that have actual studies showing their impact on hair health.
  
• Real-World Testing: Does it clean your hair without stripping? Does it condition without making you feel greasy? Does it deliver on its specific promise, whether that’s thickening, repairing, or toning? These are the questions I ask when I test products.

At a Glance

	Zenagen	LolaVie	Reverie	Aveda	Innersense
Price	Shampoo: $60Conditioner: $30	Shampoo: $31Conditioner: $31	Shampoo: $38Conditioner: $40	Shampoo: $39Conditioner: $47	Shampoo: $32Conditioner: $32
pH	Shampoo: 5.5–6.5 Conditioner: 4.5–5.5	Shampoo: 4.5–5.5Conditioner: 4–5	Shampoo: 5.5–6.1 Conditioner: 4.9	Shampoo: 4.5–5.5 Conditioner: 4–5	Shampoo: 4.5–5.5 Conditioner: 4.5–5.5
Scent Profile	Bergamot tea, lemon, green grass	Floral-forward	Natural botanical	Woody, earthy	Jasmine apple
Key Plant-Based Ingredients	Green tea extract, saw palmetto, red clover	Pea peptides, B-Pro3 bond technology, superfruit complex	Pracaxi oil, babassu oil, murumuru butter	Quinoa protein, sea buckthorn oil, squalane	Rice bran oil, witch hazel, monoi oil
Best For	Fine/thinning hair	Celebrity haircare line	Detangling and smoothing	Chemically damaged hair	Toning blonde/gray/silver hair

Zenagen Revolve: Best for Fine or Thinning Hair

If you’re experiencing thinning hair and want a plant-based approach to improve scalp health, Zenagen Revolve is designed specifically for that.

At $60 for the 6.75 oz shampoo (available in both women’s and men’s formulations) and $30 for the 6.75 oz unisex conditioner, this botanical-based line focuses on creating a healthy scalp environment to support the appearance of fuller, thicker hair. 

The botanicals here are chosen based on independent scientific research and Zenagen’s own testing. For example, green tea leaf extract has been shown to promote hair growth by supporting scalp health and delivering antioxidants.

Their Women’s Revolve contains higher concentrations of ingredients like red clover, which address increased inflammation (a key hair loss factor) in women as they age and lose estrogen. Their Men’s Revolve, on the other hand, uses lower concentrations optimized for male pattern hair loss. 

Their unisex conditioner is formulated to work with either shampoo to hydrate and protect without weighing hair down.

Pros:

• Gender-specific formulations that address different hormonal patterns
• Botanical ingredients backed by research
• Lightweight conditioner that doesn’t weigh down fine hair
• 90-day money-back guarantee
• Safe for color-treated hair

Cons:

• Premium price point ($90 for the whole system)
• Requires 5-minute leave-on time for shampoo 

Best for: Anyone experiencing thinning or hair loss related to hormonal changes, stress, or genetics — or anyone who just wants a plant-based approach to better scalp health. 

LolaVie Restorative Shampoo and Conditioner: Best Celebrity Haircare Line

When Jennifer Aniston launched LolaVie in 2021, I was skeptical. Celebrity beauty products rarely deliver on clean ingredients and performance.

But at $31 for the 8.5 oz Restorative Shampoo and $31 for the 8.5 oz Restorative Conditioner, I was pleasantly surprised to see that this duo actually backs up its promises with naturally derived formulas that include bond-building technology.

The star ingredient here is pea peptides, which can help improve hair structure and strength by plumping and thickening each strand of hair without adding heaviness or buildup, creating fuller-looking hair from the inside out. Meanwhile, the conditioner’s superfruit complex (a blend of coconut MCTs, amaranthus squalane, and açaí) delivers mirror-like shine without the greasy aftermath you often get from restorative conditioners.

Overall, I’m both pleasantly surprised and impressed by how much thought and detail have gone into these products!

Pros:

• Leaves hair smooth and bouncy without synthetic ingredients
• Bond-building technology helps prevent breakage
• Luscious conditioner means effortless detangling
• Sulfate-free, silicone-free formulas
• Pea peptides backed by research

Cons:

• Very thick; may be too heavy for super-fine hair
• A floral-forward scent that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea
• Not 100% organic (though 96% naturally derived)

Best for: Women wanting salon-quality results from a celebrity line that’s genuinely plant-based — especially if you have normal-to-thick hair and want breakage protection.

Reverie Shampoo and Conditioner: Best for Detangling and Smoothing

Reverie is a vegan line that continues to be a powerhouse in the natural hair care space. And at $38 for the 8.45 oz Balancing Shampoo and $40 for the 8.45 oz Nourishing Conditioner, this duo delivers serious detangling power thanks to science-backed botanical ingredients.

The standout ingredient here is pracaxi oil, which can moisturize, strengthen, repair, and protect hair thanks to its unique fatty acid profile. Combined with babassu oil and murumuru butter, this formula is built for smoothing and slip.

Plus, the shampoo is aloe-based instead of water-based, which means the other active ingredients aren’t watered down like in a typical shampoo. The aloe removes scalp oil and even heavy hair treatments in just one wash, which not every “gentle” shampoo can claim.

But the conditioner is really where these products really shine. It’s thick, nourishing, and has incredible slip for working through tangles and knots. As someone who often struggles with rough texture and hair that catches on itself, this conditioner transforms the detangling experience.

Pros:

• Designed by award-winning hairdresser Garrett Markenson
• Removes built-up scalp oil and hair products in one wash
• Aloe-based formula means more active ingredients
• Conditioner is exceptional for detangling and slip
• Plastic-negative brand

Cons:

• No travel sizes available
• Conditioner can feel heavy if you use too much
• You’ll likely either absolutely love or absolutely hate the scent

Best for: Anyone who struggles with tangles, knots, or rough texture and wants a plant-based formula that smooths and conditions without synthetic silicones.

Aveda Damage Remedy Restructuring Shampoo and Conditioner: Best for Chemically Damaged Hair

If your hair is extremely dry, fragile, or prone to breakage, Aveda’s Damage Remedy system is purpose-built for serious repair. 

Most repair treatments are simply too heavy, so they leave fine hair flat and greasy. But at $39 for the 8.5 oz Restructuring Shampoo and $47 for the 6.7 oz Restructuring Conditioner, this duo adds shine and detangles without weighing hair down. Speaking from experience, that’s rare to find — not just in plant-based products, but with any shampoo or conditioner. That’s why I’ve been a fan of these products for almost as long as I’ve been a hairdresser.

The key ingredient in both products is quinoa protein, which contains bioactives like amino acids that nourish hair. The end result? Tresses that not only feel soft, silky, and shiny again, but are truly protected from further damage.

My only real complaint here is that the conditioner comes in a smaller 6.7 oz bottle compared to the 8.5 oz shampoo, so you’re almost guaranteed to run out of conditioner before shampoo. 

Pros:

• Systemic brand commitment to the environment (100% wind power manufacturing)
• Quinoa protein that delivers research-backed repair and strength
• Works well for fine, damaged hair (rare for repair formulas)
• Gentle cleanser removes buildup without stripping
• Safe for color-treated hair

Cons:

• Premium pricing
• Conditioner is smaller size (6.7 oz vs 8.5 oz shampoo)
• May not be intensive enough for very coarse, extremely damaged hair

Best for: Color-treated, chemically processed, or heat-damaged hair that needs strengthening and repair without being weighed down. Especially effective for fine hair types that can’t handle heavy repair treatments.

Innersense Bright Balance: Best for Toning Blonde, Gray, or Silver Hair

For blonde, gray, and silver hair that needs its brass neutralized, Innersense Bright Balance delivers plant-based purple power without harsh chemicals. At $32 for the 10 oz Bright Balance Hairbath and $32 for the 10 oz Bright Balance Conditioner, it’s my favorite toning plant-based combo. 

But what is purple shampoo?  

First, you should understand that your hair contains color molecules (red, yellow, and blue) in specific amounts that create your natural shade. When hair gets lightened or bleached, those color molecules don’t all disappear at the same time — red and yellow stick around, which is why blonde hair looks “warm” or “brassy.” This is important because gray, silver, and white hair has lost most of its color molecules, which creates a blank canvas that absorbs environmental brassiness from pollution, smoke, or even just city living.

Purple is opposite yellow on the color wheel, which means that purple pigments neutralize those yellow tones and create a more neutral look — i.e. a more even gray/silver or a cool-toned blonde. This saves you quite a bit of money versus salon touch-ups every 2–3 weeks.

The key ingredient here is rice bran oil, which can moisturize, strengthen, repair, and protect hair thanks to its high concentration of antioxidants. The formula also includes witch hazel, apple extract, and monoi oil with antioxidants, as well as vitamin E to improve elasticity (another weak point for bleached and naturally gray hair). 

I find that using it once a week is perfect to maintain most tones; more often than that, and you risk over-toning into lavender territory.

Pros:

• Rice bran oil provides moisture that lightened/gray hair needs
• Custom pigment blend neutralizes brass effectively
• Larger 10 oz size means it lasts longer
• Hydrating formula, not drying
• pH 4.5–5.5 (ideal range)

Cons:

• Can over-tone if used too frequently
• Not a daily shampoo (use only once a week)
• Purple pigments may stain shower or light-colored towels

Best for: Those with blonde, gray, silver, or white hair and are looking to neutralize brass and maintain cool or neutral tones between salon visits — especially if you want a plant-based toning system that doesn’t dry out your hair.

How to Choose the Best Plant-Based Shampoo and Conditioner for Your Hair

Choosing the right plant-based shampoo and conditioner comes down to matching the formula to your specific hair needs:

• If you’re experiencing thinning or hair loss, Zenagen’s botanical approach to scalp health addresses those concerns through gender-specific formulations.
• If you have normal to thick hair and want celebrity-backed clean beauty with bond-building power, LolaVie delivers strength and shine without synthetic ingredients.
• For anyone battling tangles and rough texture, Reverie’s detangling prowess comes from botanicals like pracaxi oil that create serious slip.
• If your hair is damaged, color-treated, or chemically processed, Aveda’s quinoa protein repairs and strengthens without weighing down even fine hair.
• If you need to neutralize brass in blonde, gray, or silver hair, Innersense’s toning system delivers purple power while hydrating your strands.

All five of these options deliver on their specific promises with botanicals backed by research, so think about what your specific goals are. 

One last thing to keep in mind is that most of these brands offer a decent amount of variety in their offerings. If one product’s specific scent profile or purpose isn’t what you’re looking for, don’t be afraid to explore a bit and find your perfect match!