Natural shampoo: what should be in it?
You reach for a shampoo with "100% natural" on the label and think: nice, I'm doing the right thing. But is that really true? The term "natural" isn't legally protected in the cosmetics world. Any brand can use it, and nobody checks. What actually goes into your shampoo is listed in the ingredients list: printed small, in a language few people speak.
Luckily, you don't need to be a chemist to make sense of it. This article explains what a natural-based shampoo really is, which ingredients you're better off avoiding and how to make a good choice for your hair and the planet.
Why do the ingredients in your shampoo matter so much?
Your hair and scalp come into contact with whatever you put on them every day. An aggressive cleanser removes not only dirt, but also the protective oils your scalp naturally produces. The result: irritated, dried-out skin that goes into overdrive and produces even more sebum. Before you know it, you're back at the sink sooner than you'd like.
On top of that, most ingredients in conventional shampoo are barely biodegradable. After rinsing, they end up in the wastewater and build up in the environment. A conscious choice for your hair is therefore also a choice for what ends up in the water after your shower.
What exactly is a natural-based shampoo?
Did you know?
A natural-based shampoo is a hair care product made from mild, plant-based and biodegradable ingredients, without synthetic chemicals such as sulphates, silicones, parabens or microplastics. The term "natural" has no legally binding definition in the EU: any brand can use it, even if the product contains just one plant-based ingredient.
Want to know whether a shampoo is truly formulated naturally? Look for certifications such as COSMOS, Ecocert or Ecogarantie. These are checked by an independent body and guarantee that the formulation meets strict standards.
Natural doesn't automatically mean vegan, either. Ingredients such as honey, beeswax or milk proteins come from nature, but they aren't plant-based. So also look for the vegan label if that matters to you.
Which ingredients are better left on the shelf?
The ingredients list of a shampoo tells you more than the front of the bottle ever could. Three categories deserve extra attention.
Sulphates versus mild surfactants
Surfactants are the cleansers in your shampoo: they loosen dirt and create lather. Not all surfactants are equal.
| Harsh sulphates | Mild, natural surfactants | |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Synthetic surface-active agents, cheap and strongly foaming | Plant-based cleansers derived from coconut or sugar derivatives |
| What is the problem? | Wash too aggressively: they also strip the protective oils from your scalp | Cleanse gently and thoroughly without disrupting the skin barrier |
| On your label | Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate | Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI), Cocoglucosides, Coco Betaine |
| Rule of thumb | If one of these is at the top of the list: keep looking | High on the list: a good sign for a mild formula |
| Extra fact | SLS is also known as a commonly used irritant in toothpaste tests | SCI is the base of the WONDR shampoo bars: derived from coconut fatty acids |
By the way, "sulphate-free" on the packaging doesn't automatically mean mild: other surfactants can cleanse just as aggressively. Look at the whole mix.
Other ingredients to avoid
- Silicones: coat the hair shaft and give a feeling of shine, but lock moisture out. A little layer builds up with every use. They are also poorly biodegradable. On your label: names ending in -cone, -conol or -siloxane (e.g. Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane).
- Parabens: preservatives that have been linked to hormone disruption and contact allergies. On your label: names ending in -paraben (e.g. Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben).
- Microplastics: tiny plastic particles that can clog the pores of the scalp and end up directly in the aquatic ecosystem after rinsing. On your label: Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Nylon-12.
- Artificial fragrances: "Parfum" or "Fragrance" on a label can be a blend of hundreds of synthetic substances, some of which are allergenic. Natural alternatives use essential oils for fragrance.
So what should you use?
A natural-based shampoo replaces all of the above with ingredients that cleanse your hair effectively without disrupting its balance.
What makes a good natural-based shampoo?
- Mild plant-based surfactants: cleanse thoroughly without drying out the scalp or throwing sebum production off balance.
- Nourishing plant oils: jojoba oil, argan oil, castor oil and sunflower seed oil nourish the hair shaft and protect the scalp without leaving residue behind.
- Active botanical ingredients: aloe vera soothes an irritated scalp, panthenol (provitamin B5) strengthens the hair fibre, and inulin from chicory root supports the scalp flora.
- No plastic packaging: a solid shampoo bar is concentrated, plastic-free and lasts, on average, as long as three liquid bottles.
The WONDR Shampoo Bars are built on exactly this foundation: SCI as a mild coconut surfactant, complemented with jojoba oil, shea butter, panthenol and inulin from Belgian chicory root. Vegan, plastic-free and made in Belgium.
Who is this especially important for?
A mild, naturally formulated shampoo is a better choice for everyone, but for some people it makes an even bigger difference.
- Sensitive or irritated scalp. Sulphates and synthetic fragrances are common triggers for itching, redness and eczema. A mild surfactant and a fragrance-free formula give the scalp a chance to recover.
- Dry or damaged hair. If you colour, blow-dry or heat-style your hair, you need more protection. Plant oils and panthenol strengthen the hair fibre without creating a synthetic coating.
- Curly hair. Curls are naturally drier and more prone to drying out from harsh cleansers. A hydrating shampoo based on shea butter or jojoba oil supports the curl pattern.
- Conscious consumers. If you want to reduce the ecological footprint of your bathroom: biodegradable ingredients and a solid bar without plastic are the most direct step.
How do you read an ingredients list in under a minute?
You don't need to be a chemist. Three steps are enough.
- Check the top 5. The ingredients at the top of the list are present in the largest amounts. If you see SLS, SLES or Dimethicone among the first five: keep looking.
- Find the surfactant. That is the cleanser. Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Coco Glucoside or Cocamidopropyl Betaine are mild, plant-based options. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is the red flag.
- Look for quality labels. COSMOS, Ecocert or Ecogarantie on the packaging means the formulation has been independently verified. A simple "100% natural" claim without a logo: beware of greenwashing.
- Check for -paraben and -cone. Is there anything ending in -paraben or -cone? Then it still contains conventional preservatives or silicones, however "green" the packaging looks.
Open any shampoo from your bathroom cabinet and try it. You'll learn more from it than any article can tell you.
