Five of the best natural shampoos

Simply Soaps Hemp Hair and Body soap   £2.79

You get a rich, creamy lather using very little water with this bar, so it's great for camping or other situations when water supply is limited. The healing hemp helps soothe skin and is kind to damaged hair, and the bar smells quite neutral – so it's ideal if you don't like strong fragrances or have sensitive skin. Simply Soaps has excellent eco credentials – it's a carbon-neutral company, using green electricity and testing products only on humans. The simple packaging is biodegradable with a card insert and compostable wrapper.

Friendly Travel Soap Hair and Body Bar*   £2.49

Solid shampoo bars are fantastic for travel, as they won't leak in your hand luggage. Carrying liquids in hand luggage can cause problems – you're only allowed a maximum of 100ml in each bottle, which is often not enough for a longer trip – so this travel-friendly bar is a great solution. The luxurious blend of lemongrass, lavender, tea tree and peppermint oils create a refreshing fragrance that provides an invigorating start to your day. As well as leaving hair soft and shiny, it works as a body soap, and creates a lather that's suitable for shaving – so it's perfect for travel. It's naturally moisturising, and doesn't dry out skin or hair. Free from SLS, parabens and palm oil – and also vegan and cruelty-free.

Updated 22/08/2022

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When you take a close look at a bottle of shampoo, you're likely to see a long list of complicated ingredients.

In many shampoos, this list may include detergents, preservatives, and artificial fragrances and colourants. Some of these are potentially harmful chemicals that could cause health problems ranging from skin irritation to headaches.

Parabens are chemical preservatives and are a common ingredient in all kinds of cosmetics. They've been used in shampoos for years – but recently have come under scrutiny by scientists and researchers, as there are concerns they could be linked to cancer.

Chemicals like parabens can be absorbed by the skin – so many people prefer to use chemical free, natural products to reduce the risk of health issues caused by toxic ingredients.

Luckily, there are some superb natural, paraben-free and organic products on the market – and many are affordable and readily available.

We've tried and tested some super natural shampoos – here are five of our favourites.

Faith in Nature Shampoo*   £6.69

Faith in Nature shampoos are made with 99% naturally derived ingredients. There's a wide range of fragrances and formulas available, from relaxing Lavender and Geranium to invigorating Lemon and Tea Tree. We particularly like the fragrance-free version, which is an excellent choice for anyone with a sensitive scalp. Faith in Nature shampoos are vegan and free from parabens. The bottles are 100% recyclable, and the company offers a refill service so you can reuse your bottles again and again. Many of the fragrances are also available in large 5l bottles.

Noughty Rise and Shine Shampoo   £6.99

This is a great everyday choice for normal to dry hair. Noughty Rise and Shine Shampoo is free from petrochemicals, parabens, sulphates and silicones – in fact 97 per cent of the ingredients are natural. It has a lovely, light scent – thanks to the blue mallow flower and jojoba oil. It produces a rich lather and leaves hair smooth and shiny. Noughty hair products can be bought online on the Noughty website – but they're also available in Superdrug – so it's easy to find while you're out shopping on the high street!

Evolve Superfood Shine Natural Shampoo   £12

Want to give your hair a treat? Evolve Superfood Shine Shampoo smells gorgeous – it contains organic pomegranate extracts, soothing aloe and strengthening baobab. The rich lather nourishes hair, leaving it full of body, tangle-free and shiny. Superfood Shine Natural Shampoo contains natural cleansers – sugar and coconut – that clean hair gently without stripping away natural oils. 98.5 per cent of the ingredients in this shampoo are natural, and 70 per cent are organic. Made in Hertfordshire in the UK, all Evolve products are vegan and cruelty free.

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