7 of The Best Vegan AND Cruelty Free Shampoos (VZ 316) - a podcast by Vickie Velasquez & Larissa Galenes

What is cruelty-free, and is it the same as vegan?

Before we talk about shampoos, let’s explain the difference between a “cruelty-free” product and one that is considered “vegan.” 

 

A product can be both or only one of these, but they are not the same. For a product to be “cruelty-free,” neither the finished product (nor any of its individual ingredients) were tested on animals. A “vegan” product contains no animal-derived ingredients. 

 

An example of something that could be cruelty-free but not vegan would be a lipstick or balm which was not tested on animals but contains beeswax (byproducts of bees are not considered vegan). 

 

For more on cruelty-free certifications, check out our past episode “Cruelty-Free 101“.



You can listen to us discuss cruelty-free vegan shampoos here or continue reading for a high-level overview.

 

7 Vegan and Cruelty-Free Shampoos

 

1. Jason Volumizing Lavender Shampoo and Conditioner

We’re starting with Jason products because we have a LOT of personal experience with them. Larissa uses Jason Volumizing Lavender shampoo and conditioner. Vickie’s used them on occasion as well. 

In the About section on their site, Jason states that they started their brand in 1959 after becoming disenchanted by big companies and big chemicals. They say that they “harnessed their free-spirited California mindset” to create products that use simple, safe, and gentler ingredients.

 

They also have a “code of honor” on their site that lists the ingredients they don’t use. These include:



Parabens

Harsh Sulfates

Petrolatum

Phthalates

Artificial colors

Saccharin

GMOs

Plastic Microbeads

MEA, DEA, TEA

PEG Derivatives

Formaldehyde Donors

Animal Testing



 

To expand on “animal testing,” they state that for skin irritation, they use human volunteers and will “never, ever, conduct these or any other tests on animals.”

 

2. Lush Big Shampoo

Lush is another brand that we are personally familiar with. In fact, every three weeks when Vickie goes to the mall to get her hair cut, she stops by the Lush store to pick up something new to try. One week she picked up a sample of Big Shampoo, which she LOVED (read on to learn why)! 

 



 

First, the smell is amazing! Next, the base for this shampoo is over 50% sea salt, which helps volumize and degrease hair. The sea salt gives the shampoo a gritty consistency but no worries, your hair won’t be gritty! The sea salt is balanced with coconut oil, citrus juices, and a seaweed infusion. Finally, it lathers very well, which made Vickie’s hair feel squeaky clean, even after spending the morning doing laps in a chlorinated pool. 

 

To add to their appeal, a couple of things on the Lush website caught our attention.

 

First, they had a tab dedicated to Pride Month–super cool! It’s great to see more companies fearlessly embracing diversity and inclusion. 

 

They also have a section for “Ocean Inspired Faves.” It is wonderful seeing an entire section dedicated to ocean-themed products,

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