Why adopt a vegan hair care routine?

‘Switching to a vegan hair care regime was the best thing I ever did – and here’s why I think you should try it too,’ says beauty journalist Natalie Ticehurst

I always thought my beauty routine was pretty ‘planet positive’. I’ve always rinsed and recycled my empties, shopped from brands taking sustainable strides and tried to limit my shower time to save water.

It was only when I challenged myself to do Veganuary (and no, I still can’t tell you how to successfully scramble tofu) that I realized there were a whole host of other decisions on my plate, especially when it came to my skincare.

After scouring social media and listening to countless vegan podcasts, I realized that finding vegan hair care products wasn’t always an easy task. I have what I call ‘tricky’ hair that needs a whole lot of loving. Naturally curly, fine and frizzy (plus my penchant for a DIY blow-dry) means my hair is often left crying out for a whole lot of moisture and repairative ingredients.

While I thought I needed high-performance salon products to deliver that bounce, shine and smoothness that makes me feel ready to face the day, far from leaving me with a month of bad hair days, I was surprised at how the shampoo I switched to left my hair soft, shiny and-oh so healthy. (It was the Love Beauty and Planet Sulfate Free Vetiver & Tea Tree Oil, for those taking notes.)

My hair didn’t seem to miss the animal-based, keratin-packed masque I thought was keeping it tip-top. In fact, my new, vegan hair care, enriched with natural ingredients such as Amazonian murumuru butter, seemed to stop my hair from breaking and shedding. Something my hairdresser and I have been trying to solve for months.

Not only do Love Beauty and Planet’s vegan hair care products steer clear of the obvious – honey, silk, beeswax, animal-derived proteins and amino acids – but they’re also not tested on animals, which is the big draw for me. I know hair can seem small-fry in the face of the issue we’re currently tackling as a collective, but I truly believe if we can all make tiny swaps to our daily lives, they’ll stack up. Cruelty-free, vegan and high-performance hair care that’s a little kinder to the planet? I’m not going back.

The Shampoo

Love Beauty and Planet Sulfate Free Vetiver & Tea Tree Oil Shampoo
This gave me the bountiful lather I thought I’d be missing out on when I ‘went vegan’. 93% naturally derived, it’s infused with wild shea nut butter for the hydration hit my curly hair needs.

The Treatment

Love Beauty and Planet Murumuru Butter & Rose 2 Minute Magic Masque
My hair is so dry and dehydrated that I use a masque instead of a conditioner on hair-wash days. This indulgent, buttery formula is like a big glass of water for hair, leaving it soft, shiny and smooth.

The Supplement

Love Beauty and Planet Citrus Crush Vegan Hair & Skin Dietary Supplement
2 of these a day gives me radiant hair and glowing skin, but the best part is, they're delicious.