Happy Earth Day Curlfriends! Looking to nurture your hair and keep the planet healthy? Look no further; we’ve compiled a list of vegan and plant-based brands your crown will love.
First, let’s discuss how plant-based products differ from vegan products. Words like “clean” and “natural” may come to mind when thinking of veganism, but what does that really mean in beauty?
Vegan products do not use animal-derived ingredients. Think collagen, which comes from animal tissue; keratin, which is derived from animal hair and horns; or glycerin, which is sourced from animal fat. Instead, vegan products pull from all-natural plants like nuts or aloe. Though commonly used interchangeably, vegan and plant-based products differ. While vegan brands exclusively use ingredients sourced from plants, plant-based brands do not have to be 100% vegan.
Vegan products are typically stamped by advocacy organizations like The Vegan Society, a global charity committed to promoting veganism.
Expected to grow from $17.2 billion in 2023 to $18.6 billion in 2024, the vegan and plant-based product market has grown rapidly.
Here’s a comprehensive list of ten of our favorite vegan brands.
1. Sienna Naturals
This Issa Rae-approved brand uses earth-friendly, vegan ingredients and chemistry-based technology to promote a healthy scalp without compromising the planet. Its “from the Root” strategy focuses on repairing the hair’s health from the moment it grows. The “Wash Day Duo” is a great entry-level purchase.
2. Donna’s Recipe
Donna’s Recipe is the brainchild of Tabitha Brown, an internet sensation, author, and vegan enthusiast. Consistent with her viral vegan recipe videos, Brown partnered up with Gina Woods to curate a vegan hair care line inspired by her own ‘fro, infamously named Donna. The “recipe” includes a slew of hair products, including hair vitamins and strengthening oils.
3. Vegamour
Vegamour takes a holistic approach to haircare, using its 100% vegan bioactive ingredients to restore hair growth and care for the hair follicles from the inside out. Its formula includes Karmatin, a plant-based alternative to keratin.
Plus, the website is especially user-friendly, allowing you to shop based on hair concerns or needs. They have a plethora of styles and treatments, but the “GRO Full Routine Kit” is perfect for people looking to thicken up their strands.
4. Aveda
Aveda is a tried-and-true brand known for its salon-quality products and accessibility. But it’s also vegan! The company has used high-performing vegan ingredients with a low environmental impact since 1978. From smoothing products to volumizing ones, Aveda offers products for all hair types and needs. Their corporate responsibility initiatives are equally impressive.
5. Rebundle
This brand embodies what happens when innovation and creativity meet business. Black-woman-owned and run, Rebundle supplies plant-based, itch-free braiding hair free of harmful chemicals in other synthetic hair fibers. The hair comes in a range of tones for all hair colors, and each bundle is as long as 30 inches.
6. WonderCurl
If you want to turn to ethical brands this Earth Day, WonderCurl’s stylers, butters and treatments are a great start. Their products are crafted without harmful chemicals like silicones, parabens, and phthalates. They’re only tested on humans, and the “Moisturizing Hair Pudding” has proven to provide a great definition for curls.
7. NatureLab Tokyo
NatureLab Tokyo is another plant-powered haircare brand to have on your radar. Not only is it a fully vegan line but they are also cruelty free. The brand’s ethos intertwines Japanese beauty rituals with botanical technology to produce affordable, environmentally clean products. The “Perfect Repair” products are some of their bestsellers.
8. Nuele
Defined as “your hair is vibrant, gorgeous, & powerful” in Swahili, Nuele is owned by two black women who studied food science for over 30 years before applying their biochemical background to cosmetics. Following the “Nuele Standard,” the brand offers a collection of 100% natural, organic, and clean shampoos, conditioners, masks, and more.
9. Rahua
Rahua Oil is a ritualistic hair oil extracted from the Achiote Seed. The Quechua-Shuar tribe, an indigenous people in the rainforest of South America, inform this brand. Passed down through generations of indigenous people, the oil nourishes the scalp while also helping to retain length. Rahua, the brand, couples the oil extract with other natural ingredients to make all-vegan body and hair care products.
10. Odele
Odele takes a transparent approach to vegan haircare. Hoping to curate a safe, affordable, high-quality line of products for all hair types, the brand is very clear about what is and isn’t used in its many body care and haircare collections. The Volumizing and Smoothing Shampoo and Conditioners are some of the Bestsellers.
