Best non-toxic shampoo (ingredient-checked)
Updated · Based on 4158 screened products
Short answer: 210 shampoos in our directory list none of our watchlist ingredients. “Non-toxic” and “clean” here mean only that: no watchlist ingredient on the label, not “chemical-free” and not a performance rating. The watchlist group most relevant to shampoo is formaldehyde releasers (e.g. DMDM hydantoin), classified by IARC Monographs – List of Classifications and restricted under EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009. Looking for a shampoo a brand markets for oily hair or an oily scalp? See best clean shampoo for oily hair.
Included product types: shampoos, including shampoo bars. Not included: conditioners, 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 products, shampoo-and-body washes, dry shampoo, hair masks, pre-shampoo and scalp treatments.
What to look for on a shampoo label
On CleanGlow, “non-toxic” and “clean” mean only that the published ingredient list contains none of our 10 watchlist groups (IARC classifications and EU-prohibited or restricted cosmetic ingredients; see methodology). We do not use the label “chemical-free”: every cosmetic is made of chemicals. For shampoo, the watchlist group that shows up most often is formaldehyde releasers (for example DMDM hydantoin), used as preservatives in some rinse-off products. Formaldehyde is classified by IARC Monographs – List of Classifications and restricted under EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009. Parabens on our list are also flagged when they appear. Hazard is not risk; a classification is not a verdict on the product at normal use.
Clean shampoos with no surfactant sulfates listed
Surfactant sulfates such as sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium coco-sulfate or olefin sulfonates are not on our watchlist, and listing one does not flag a product. Of 184 clean, indexable shampoos, 67 list none of those surfactant sulfates in the published ingredients and 117 list at least one. “Sulfate-free” here is only that ingredient-list fact. Up to six of the 67 are shown.
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| # | Product | Brand | Fragrance-free | Score | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cocomino Glossing Shampoo | Drunk Elephant | ✓ | 9/9 | Amazon (brand store) |
| 2 | Free & Clear Shampoo | Vanicream | ✓ | 9/9 | Vanicream |
| 3 | Full Shampoo | Living Proof | – | 8/9 | Living Proof |
| 4 | Restore Shampoo | Living Proof | – | 8/9 | Living Proof |
| 5 | The Rich One Moisture Repair Shampoo | Fenty Beauty | – | 8/9 | Fenty Beauty |
| 6 | Nourishing Shampoo - Curly Hair | ATTITUDE | – | 8/9 | Amazon (brand store) |
Clarifying or purifying shampoos (by name)
13 of the 184 clean, indexable shampoos have “clarifying”, “purifying”, “oil-control”, “detox” or “deep clean” in the product name. That is a name match only, not a test of oil control or a scalp treatment. For shampoos that brands themselves market for oily hair or an oily scalp, see best clean shampoo for oily hair.
Affiliate disclosure: buy buttons and "View on Amazon" cards on this page may be affiliate links (rel="sponsored"). If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Commissions never affect which products pass our ingredient screen or their order. As an Amazon Associate, CleanGlow earns from qualifying purchases. Learn more.
Top picks at a glance
RahuaRebalance ShampooShampoo✓ No watchlist ingredients foundSee ingredients →
ATTITUDEExtra-Gentle ShampooShampoo✓ No watchlist ingredients foundSee ingredients →
Drunk ElephantCocomino Glossing ShampooShampoo✓ No watchlist ingredients foundSee ingredients →
ATTITUDEVolumizing & Shine Shampoo - Sensitive SkinShampoo✓ No watchlist ingredients foundSee ingredients →Buy at Amazon (brand store) Buy at ATTITUDE
Full ingredient check: Volumizing & Shine Shampoo - Sensitive Skin →
RahuaClassic ShampooShampoo✓ No watchlist ingredients foundSee ingredients →
Living ProofFull ShampooShampoo✓ No watchlist ingredients foundSee ingredients →
Living ProofRestore ShampooShampoo✓ No watchlist ingredients foundSee ingredients →
Fenty BeautyThe Rich One Moisture Repair ShampooShampoo✓ No watchlist ingredients foundSee ingredients →Buy at Fenty Beauty Sephora Ulta
Full ingredient check: The Rich One Moisture Repair Shampoo →
How we ranked
Every pick is a clean product in our directory: its listed ingredients contain none of our 10 watchlist groups, which are based on IARC Monographs – List of Classifications classifications and EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 prohibitions/restrictions (see methodology). Clean products are ordered by a data score (max 9):
- Full ingredient list on file (5+ INCI entries): +2
- Ingredient list from the brand's own product page (not a crowd-sourced database): +2
- Verified direct buy link (brand product page or Sephora page verified in Sephora's sitemap): +2
- Fragrance-free by our INCI check (no parfum/fragrance/aroma, no essential oils, no labelled fragrance allergens): +1
- Official product photo: +1
- Any product photo: +1
Products with the same score are ordered by, in turn: (a) the number of buy links we can offer, where a verified brand or Sephora product page counts double an Amazon brand-store link or a retailer search link; (b) whether we have an official product photo; (c) the length of the ingredient list, shorter first. Item (c) is only a neutral ordering signal to keep the order stable; it says nothing about safety or quality. Only if all of these are equal do we fall back to alphabetical order by brand and product name.
To keep the list varied, the top 3 are always three different brands and no brand appears more than twice in a table, so a lower-scoring product from another brand can appear above a higher-scoring one from a brand that is already listed.
The score only measures how complete and verifiable our data is. It is not a rating of performance, and we did not test products, collect reviews or compare prices. Affiliate commissions never affect inclusion or order.
FAQ
What does “non-toxic” or “clean” shampoo mean here?
It means the published ingredient list contains none of our 10 watchlist groups. It is not a safety rating, a medical claim, or a “chemical-free” label, and it says nothing about how well the shampoo cleans or how it feels.
How many shampoos did you check, and how many pass?
We hold 210 clean shampoos (no watchlist ingredients) in this product type, shown above. Across every shampoo in the category, the counts are in “All shampoos we screened” below. The most relevant flag group for this type is formaldehyde releasers.
Do you rank sulfate-free shampoos?
Sulfates are not on our watchlist, so they do not change the clean/flagged result or the order of this list. Of 184 clean, indexable shampoos, 67 list no lauryl, laureth, myreth or coco-sulfate and no olefin sulfonate in the published ingredients. That section is an ingredient-list count only.
Where is the shampoo for oily hair or an oily scalp?
This page is the full clean-shampoo list. Shampoos that brands themselves market for oily hair, an oily scalp or oily roots are on best clean shampoo for oily hair. We do not judge oil control ourselves.
Do you have a list for dry or damaged hair, or for curly hair?
Yes: best clean shampoo for dry, damaged hair and best clean shampoo for curly hair, both limited to recorded brand claims, and best clean conditioner and hair care.
All shampoos we screened
Across every shampoo in our directory (all product types in the category), 299 of 369 (81%) from 45 brands list none of our watchlist ingredients. 9 list formaldehyde / formaldehyde releasers, the group most relevant to this product type. See all 299 clean shampoos →
What got other shampoos flagged
| Watchlist group | Products flagged |
|---|---|
| Titanium dioxide | 36 |
| Butylphenyl methylpropional / Lilial | 25 |
| Formaldehyde / formaldehyde releasers | 9 |
| Parabens | 6 |
Sources: IARC Monographs – List of Classifications; EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009; ingredient data from Open Beauty Facts and brand pages.
Related
- Best clean conditioner & hair care
- Best clean shampoo for curly hair
- Best clean shampoo for dry, damaged hair
- Best clean shampoo for oily hair
- All clean shampoos
Hazard is not risk. An IARC classification says whether a substance can cause cancer under some conditions (e.g. titanium dioxide is classified for inhaled powder), not that a cosmetic containing it is harmful at normal use. EU restrictions set use limits. This page is informational, not medical advice; talk to a dermatologist about your own skin.