12 Best Natural Shampoos for Men

Cleanse. Strengthen. Revitalize. Any shampoo worth being on a shelf should be able to achieve these three things. But many of us assume that all shampoo is the same, so we don’t pay much attention to the hair care products we buy. The closest we get to actual shampoo research is scanning supermarket shelves.

But a great men’s shampoo should be able to address issues like thinning hair and hair loss by encouraging hair growth and hair coverage. The best way to get these results is through the power of nature. Harsh chemicals can do more harm than good, like accelerating hair loss and preventing natural ingredients from working at their full potential.

If you want something simple that gets the job done without the need for harsh chemicals, look no further. For your convenience, we’ve curated a list of the 12 best natural shampoos for men.

1. Blu Atlas Shampoo

Blu Atlas’s Shampoo is globally appealing. It’s simple, to the point, and gets the job done using 99% natural ingredients. This product is also phthalate-free, sulfate-free, and paraben-free—which means less harsh chemicals to compromise your scalp, causing hair loss and thinning. This vegan and cruelty-free product has the earth and your needs in mind.

But who is this superheroic team that can save your hair? This team includes the dynamic duo of saw palmetto and vegan biotin. These ingredients work together to naturally strengthen strands by increasing hair coverage and fullness. Supporting their efforts are a few old favorites in haircare, aloe vera and jojoba oil, which moisturize dry hair without oversaturating it. These ingredients soothe the scalp and reduce redness and irritation.

Blu Atlas also aims to appeal to different tastes with three scent options for their shampoo, although the benefits and properties of the product remain the same. These scents are classic, coconut and apricot. The global appeal of this shampoo and its ability to deal with many hair types is reason enough to rank it as the best natural shampoo for men. Textured hair will be easier to manage and style. Flyaways or frequent tangling will be a thing of the past. Your hair will be stronger and more supple with every wash.

2. Kiehl’s Amino Acid Shampoo

For over 170 years, Kiehl’s has been at the forefront of men’s natural personal care, from moisturizers to serums and shampoos. Kiehl’s never misses the mark. Their Amino Acid Shampoo is no exception. Kiehl’s started as an old-world apothecary in New York. They’ve evolved with the times since then and continue to use the science of natural ingredients to achieve great results in personal care.

Amino acids don’t just help you gain bulk at the gym. As the building blocks of protein, they have many uses in hair care. When amino acids are combined with a fatty acid or fatty alcohol, the result can effectively cleanse the hair and scalp of buildup and dandruff while still retaining moisture.

Fairly traded coconut oil is the next natural ingredient of note. It is well-known for its rich texture and ability to soften, hydrate and nourish. These qualities are active in Kiehl’s Amino Acid Shampoo. Hydrolyzed wheat protein adds the finishing touches of this universal shampoo, lightly conditioning the hair without stripping its oils and moisture.

Kiehl’s Amino Acid Shampoo is made for all hair types. It cleanses and softens the hair while adding body and shape to every length and texture. This shampoo has a natural creamy lather that adds to the hair care experience. All of these qualities and ingredients are what make the Amino Acid Shampoo a customer favorite for Kiehl’s, and puts it in the second spot for best natural shampoos for men.

3. Malin + Goetz Peppermint Shampoo

Malin + Goetz strives to provide simplicity at its best. Their peppermint shampoo is paraben-free and cruelty-free. The peppermint extract immediately gets to work clarifying and cleansing the scalp. This shampoo is the go-to solution for an oily scalp that needs heavy-duty refreshing. It is tough but gentle, and each use of Malin + Goetz’s peppermint shampoo goes the distance, so you won’t be forking out for a new bottle each month.

This summer, your scalp will thank you since this shampoo’s peppermint power will help keep your cool even on the hottest days. Another con of the summer heat is that it can lead to increased oil production in your hair. This shampoo will work overtime to ensure your scalp is healthy and your hair is balanced, so it’s not too dry or oily.

Some other key ingredients in this shampoo are panthenol, also known as vitamin B5, which reduces scalp irritation by decreasing inflammation and promoting healing. Another ingredient is sodium PCA, which helps your scalp retain moisture without oversaturating it, and aids in the replenishment of the scalp and hair. Despite the name, sodium PCA is a naturally occurring component found in plant tissue.

The formula creates a mild foam that doesn’t leave residue in the hair and helps preserve its natural color. All in all, Malin + Goetz’s Peppermint Shampoo is a solid choice for those struggling with an oily scalp and who want something that will cool them down this summer.

4. Ursa Major Go Easy Daily Shampoo

Unsure which shampoo to choose? Well, look to Ursa Major to guide you—the brand, not the constellation. Ursa Major is a clean and natural personal care product company that uses ingredients that are cruelty-free, vegan and even gluten-free. Their Go Easy Daily Shampoo penetrates layers of hair to act quickly and provide the hydration and nourishment that your hair strands need. No matter the time of the year or the activity, this shampoo will support healthy hair and a healthy planet.

True to the name, Ursa Major’s Go Easy Shampoo is formulated to be gentle and help you achieve hair that’s healthy, soft, and manageable. Go Easy Shampoo contains macadamia that cleans the hair without stripping it of its natural oils. Macadamia is full of fatty acids that add structure and strength to hair strands. This helps to promote a healthy scalp while lightly conditioning the hair.

Ursa Major’s products are manufactured with sustainability and kindness in mind. Go Easy Shampoo includes the ingredients your hair needs and nothing unnecessary. These hair care products dive deep to provide much-needed nourishment and hydration. To top off the excellent product, Ursa Major’s Go Easy Daily Shampoo has an inviting aroma that goes beyond the standard mint of many men’s products. Rather, it’s a warm blend of ginger, balsam and fir.

5. Aesop Shampoo

Aesop was created as a way of reminding us of the joys of living a slow life and connecting to nature. Like Aesop’s namesake, their products are lessons. However, the wisdom Aesop wants to teach is about self-care and rejuvenation. Their products are ideal for men who want quality ingredients made by the power of nature instead of the power of lab-made chemicals.

Part of Aesop’s mission to bring humankind back to its roots is through simplicity and letting the ingredients speak for themselves. Aesop’s shampoo has classic black and white packaging, featuring the ingredients front and center. These ingredients include bergamot rind, which adds shine to dull hair. The fatty acids in bergamot rind make your hair silky and manageable. Antioxidants also help form a protective barrier over the strands so the hair can feel fresher and cleaner for longer.

The formula also features frankincense and Atlas cedar. The wise men were onto something by giving frankincense as a gift. This legendary tree resin helps promote blood flow to the scalp. Frankincense encourages hair growth and has a classic aroma that will never go out of style. Atlas cedar is effective for skin conditions that can affect your scalp and adversely affect hair growth, like psoriasis and eczema. It is native to the Moroccan mountains and has a woody and sweet scent.

Aesop’s shampoo is for the planet-conscious man who still wants to stand out from the crowd. The ingredients are not only good for your hair but have a great scent profile too.

6. Davines Naturaltech Renewing Shampoo

Founded in Parma, Italy, Davines has expanded into a worldwide company. They have forty years of experience in the hair care business. They started supplying haircare products to salons, and now their miracle products are available to personal buyers worldwide. Davines is a company that wants to make a difference in hair health and the planet’s wellbeing. They use natural ingredients to get the best hair care results.

Davines is also a B Corp business, meaning they are held to high standards of accountability, transparency and performance when it comes to their company practices and the ingredients they use. For many, hair loss seems inevitable. But it doesn’t have to be. Davines Naturaltech Renewing Shampoo promotes hair longevity by maintaining the health of the scalp and hair, which creates fuller, shinier and softer hair.

All shampoos in the Davines Renewing line contain their Hair Longevity Complex, which works with your scalp to protect it against factors that cause scalp and hair aging. This complex contains spinach extract, carnosine, a protein building block, and maqui berry extract. This trio of ingredients means triple the power, resulting in triple the effectiveness for protecting your scalp against the effects of aging like thinning and hair loss. It can also breathe life into hair to make it look naturally supple and full-bodied. Davines Naturaltech Renewing Shampoo is paraben-free and sulfate-free, which increases the effectiveness of the Hair Longevity Complex.

7. Hims Thick Fix Shampoo

Hims is a brand making a big impact in men’s personal care by playing it low-key. There is a lot of stigma surrounding men’s health and wellness. Hims was created to break those barriers down and show that men are allowed to take care of themselves by providing affordable personal wellness products that cater to the everyday man.

The aim of Thick Fix Shampoo is to have results “you can run your fingers through,” while preventing hair loss and improving the quality of your existing hair. Saw palmetto makes another appearance on this list as the star ingredient of Thick Fix Shampoo, which encourages fuller-bodied hair and dead hair loss by helping to block the DHT hormone, which has been linked to hair loss. This shampoo also encourages hair growth by removing excess sebum from the scalp so your hair has more room to grow strong.

As far as natural ingredients go, hims Thick Fix Shampoo is on the lower side and has 70% naturally-derived ingredients. This shampoo is also cruelty-free, paraben-free and sulfate-free. But it is still a great choice for someone who wants a shampoo that gets to the root of hair loss, so you can have fuller hair for longer. Tired of mint but still want a fresh scent? Hims shampoo has a eucalyptus scent that adds a little extra to an already stellar product.

8. Brickell Daily Strengthening Shampoo

Nature provides the building blocks of life, so it is only common sense to use natural products to toughen up weak hair. That’s exactly what Brickell has done. In Brickell, Maine, (Brickell’s namesake), a men’s personal care company was born. Brickell was founded by two engineers turned personal care masters. They wanted to make a natural shampoo that was suited to a man’s more high-porosity skin and tougher hair. This applies to their Daily Strengthening Shampoo.

Stronger. Thicker. Better. This shampoo improves overall hair quality using natural ingredients like hydrolyzed wheat protein, amino acids, peppermint and tea tree oil. Hydrolyzed wheat protein is the prime ingredient that helps increase the thickness of each hair strand and its toughness. Amino acids add life to dead hair by providing shine and improving follicle volume. Essential oils like peppermint and tea tree relieve irritations on the scalp, prevent flaking skin and provide a clean, natural, and refreshing scent.

Perfect for daily use, Brickell’s shampoo is vegan and cruelty-free. Brickell is also proud to use 100% renewable energy and invest in green energy projects throughout Maine. They aim to keep it simple and sustainable with their men’s products like this shampoo, which is excellent for everyday use and all hair types.

9. Lumin Keratin Recovery Shampoo

Every day can be a good hair day with Lumin’s Keratin Recovery Shampoo. Lumin brings the salon experience to your doorstep by providing tailor-made products to suit a man’s lifestyle and needs. Their goal is to shed light on the world of men’s personal care. Men’s hair is built differently, so it needs special care using only the finest and best of what nature has to offer, combined with cutting-edge science.

Like many other shampoos on our list, this shampoo provides premium hair care. Key ingredients include the ever-popular tea tree oil, which efficiently kills bacteria and other undesirables on the scalp while soothing irritation and redness. The antibacterial properties of tea tree oil also help keep your scalp cleaner for longer. Ceramides, which are fatty acids, add a protective layer to the hair, locking in moisture. Peppermint provides further cleansing and calming properties to this recovery shampoo. Other ingredients that are rich in keratin add extra support and protection.

If you suffer from damaged hair in need of some heavy-duty treatment, Lumin’s Keratin Recovery is the shampoo of choice for you. WIth Lumin’s shampoo, your hair can be your crowning glory once again. They use potent natural ingredients and knowledge from around the world, such as skincare experts from Seoul, Korea.

10. Naturél Relax Shampoo Bar

Naturél’s ethos is all in their name. They’re a made-in-the-USA brand that makes personal care products from natural ingredients. Their Relax Shampoo Bar is made for curly and dry hair, which can be prone to breakage and needs some extra care. Naturél swoops in to lend a helping hand, so you can get some much-deserved R&R while this shampoo bar cleanses, replenishes and protects hard-to-manage curly or dry hair with natural ingredients.

Colloidal oatmeal is renowned for its ability to prevent split ends, promote hair growth and decrease hair loss. Cocoa butter and coconut oil help dry and damaged hair retain moisture, a vital step in hair care recovery. Meanwhile, argan oil further supports hair hydration to give curls fullness and volume.

Natural, convenient and easy to use, Naturél’s shampoo bar is a compact solution to a big problem: plastic waste. This shampoo bar equals two to three 16-ounce bottles of regular shampoo, depending on your usage and hair type. This bar form of shampoo means it is easy to carry and use wherever you are, whether that’s at work, at the gym or while hiking or camping.

Relax Shampoo Bar’s earthy and musky scent is an added bonus to your hair care routine that helps you stay fresher for longer. Naturél’s Relax Shampoo Bar is a natural choice if you want a product that’s long-lasting, ethical and sustainable. It's paraben-free and phthalate-free, which ensures maximum effectiveness.

11. Every Man Jack 2-in-1 Daily Shampoo and Conditioner (Tea Tree)

You’ve probably heard a partner or sister tell you to never use a 2-in-1 shampoo again. But some brands break the mold and show that there are 2-in-1s worth buying. Every Man Jack is a company whose mission is to reconnect the modern man to the great outdoors through their products. Their 2-in-1 Daily Shampoo and Conditioner is made with convenience in mind and a fresh scent that reminds you of unfiltered natural air.

The naturally-derived ingredients in this 2-in-1 were chosen to thicken and strengthen normal to thinning hair. The hero ingredients of choice are tea tree oil, aloe vera, and shea butter. Tea tree oil has well-known cleansing and antibacterial properties to aid scalp and hair health. Meanwhile, aloe vera adds much-needed moisturization and helps protect the hair from damage. For hair to become tougher, it needs extra care. Besides the hydration powers of aloe vera, shea butter is also included in this 2-in-1 to add extra hydration and protection and to condition hair.

Every Man Jack is the everyday choice for men who want thicker and stronger hair the natural way. This shampoo and conditioner combo is paraben-free and cruelty-free. No animal testing, no problems. Their bottles are also made of 50% post-consumer recycled plastic. Every Man Jack's products are American-made and have sustainably in mind as well as the needs of men’s hair.

12. Avalon Organics Thickening Shampoo

Avalon Organics was inspired by a quote from a Welsh cleric, Geoffrey of Monmouth, who once wrote that the fields of Avalon “have no need of the plows of the farmers, and all cultivation is lacking except what nature provides." The idea that "nature provides all that you need" forms the basis of their products, including their Thickening Shampoo.

Hard work and the fruits of labor haven’t been lost with the disappearance of Avalon. Even though most men don’t spend the day plowing fields, their hair can still be damaged by the elements and daily stressors of life. Now, we have the resources to solve this problem.

By combining old remedies with new innovations in hair care, Avalon Organics’ Thickening Shampoo contains biotin, saw palmetto, quinoa protein, and vitamin E to strengthen the hair. These ingredients work together to clean and nourish your hair so it can become stronger, more balanced, and healthier overall.

True to their mission, Avalon Organics has taken a pledge to fight climate change and supply only the most natural ingredients in their products. Their Thickening Shampoo is paraben-free, phthalate-free and cruelty-free.

Frequently asked questions

What should I look for in natural shampoos?

Natural shampoos = majority natural ingredients. These ingredients could be essential oils, plant extracts, fruit extracts, or other naturally-derived elements. Natural shampoos also avoid using synthetic chemicals that can damage the hair like sulfates, parabens and phthalates. These chemicals have been linked to dry hair that is prone to breakage and can interfere with the body’s natural systems. They can also damage the ecosystem when they get flushed down the drain and enter waterways, disrupting the natural balance of the environment.

When buying a natural shampoo it is important to find out how ethically the ingredients were sourced. Brands that use animal testing and unethical sourcing practices won’t be able to sustain their business in the long run. It’s safe to say that a company that doesn’t care about how their products are made is not likely to care about the well-being and hair of their customers.

What shampoo is right for my hair?

You have to know what your hair type is to answer this question. Is your hair fine, thinning, normal, thick, wavy, curly, color-treated, or balding? Let’s take a look at what kind of shampoos work for each type of hair.

Fine

This hair type goes by many names: flat, thin, dead or limp. Fine hair is usually hard to style. Styling gels, mousses, and sprays only provide a temporary solution. If you want to get to the root of the problem, pick a shampoo that is high in nutrients that build strength and shape the hair, like amino acids, keratin, fatty acids, and vitamins.

Thinning

Thinning hair can happen at almost any age, from your early twenties to the twilight years. A good thickening shampoo will increase the thickness and diameter of each hair strand when used consistently and according to instructions.

Normal

Not too thin and not too thick. Normal hair still needs care, though. With this type of hair, you won’t have out-of-the-ordinary problems, and a mild shampoo with good nutrients should keep your hair healthy.

Wavy

Wavy hair is all about moisture. Too much and your hair can look greasy; too little and it can be dry and frizzy. Many shampoos suited for curly hair that contain aloe vera, coconut oil, and other hydrating ingredients can work well for wavy hair. Heavy-duty moisturizing shampoos should be avoided.

Curly

There is some crossover between wavy and curly hair. But hair that is very curly needs heavy-duty moisturizing agents like a combination of shea butter and moisturizing oils like coconut oil. It helps prevent frizziness, drying out and split ends.

Color-treated

To preserve the colors in your hair and to prevent fading, choose shampoos with high moisturizing properties that can also repair damaged hair. Bleaches and dyes can strip away at the layers of hair strands, so it's a fine balance between maintaining the color of your hair while keeping it healthy. A great shampoo for color-treated hair would also even out overly bright or unnatural tones in the hair.

Bald/balding

Even if you’re on your way to looking like Walter White, your head still needs some care. Moisturizing shampoos can prevent flaky skin and dandruff. Regular shampooing and conditioning keeps the scalp healthy in the early stages of male pattern baldness.

Are retail or salon shampoos better?

How much you want to spend on shampoo all depends on you. But the rule of thumb is that more expensive shampoos are better quality. A little goes a long way with salon shampoos, so one bottle lasts longer than a retail shampoo. Salon-quality shampoos also have higher quality ingredients that would be more pure and at higher concentrations.

Shampoos you often find on supermarket shelves have less beneficial ingredients and more harmful ones. These ingredients can irritate the scalp, or make hair dry and prone to splitting and falling out. Many shampoos include sulfates, which can dry out the hair and create a thick lather. While that can make the hair care experience a little nicer, it is not an indicator of a high-quality product.