Our goal for our haircare line is to provide effective products for beautiful hair while keeping toxins out of our bodies and waterways.  The ingredients are a mix of natural, naturally derived, and synthetic compounds, but all are vegan, readily biodegradable, non-toxic to aquatic life, gentle, and non-irritating. All products are free of sulfates, parabens, silicones, PEGs, formaldehyde (and formaldehyde-donating preservatives), phthalates, ethanolamines, artificial fragrances, and known skin irritants.

You may look at the label and think, “whoa, that’s a lot of ingredients!”  In this case, that’s a good thing!  Even the most gentle cleansers can be irritating when they comprise too large a percentage of a product, just like a meal of 100% salt is way too much of a good thing.  By using a mix of cleansers (surfactants) in low amounts, the resulting product is super gentle and won’t irritate skin.  And each has been thoughtfully researched and chosen for inclusion.  A full list of our ingredients follows, as well as detailed information about each of them.  (Based on where the ingredient is manufactured and its most common uses, the manufacturers will seek varying eco-friendly certifications.  Those are listed as well.)

Clean Conscience Shampoo & Body Wash Bar (Normal to Dry Hair): Sulfate-free cleansers: Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Foaming Apple Amino Acids, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate; Varisoft EQ, glycerin, kokum butter, herb-infused coconut oil, cetyl alcohol, EcoSil, citric acid, Leucidal SF Complete, beet & hibiscus powders, fragrance from essential oils

Clean Conscience Shampoo & Body Wash Bar (Normal to Oily Hair): Sulfate-free cleansers: Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Sodium Cocoyl Methyl Taurate; Varisoft EQ, glycerin, kokum butter, stearic acid, witch hazel, EcoSil, citric acid, Leucidal SF Complete, rosemary & nettle powders, fragrance from essential oils

Clean Conscience Conditioner & Shave Bar: Varisoft EQ, Laurel Wax, Cocamidopropyl betaine, cetyl alcohol, shea butter, Simulgreen 18-2, herb-infused coconut oil, lemon & quinoa proteins, glycerin, coco caprylate, EcoSil, Leucidal SF Complete, stearic acid, indigo powder, fragrance from essential oils

Ingredient: Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (“Baby Foam”) What it is: Surfactant (cleanser) Source: Naturally derived from fatty acids in coconut oil reacted with an acid Found in: Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to dry hair, Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to oily hair Green Cred: ECOCERT Why we use it:  SCI is one of the most gentle, ecofriendly surfactants available.  It is the primary cleanser in all our shampoo bars.  It has been shown to be safe, non-toxic, and non-irritating.

Ingredient: Foaming Apple Amino Acids What it is: Surfactant (cleanser) Source: Derived from amino acids obtained from apple juice Found in: Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to dry hair Green Cred: EU Eco-Label Why we use it:  Foaming apple is a supremely gentle cleanser.  We use it in our bar for normal to dry hair to reduce the dryness from over-cleansing your hair.

Ingredient: Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate What it is: Surfactant (cleanser) Source: Naturally derived from fatty acids in coconut oil reacted with an acid Found in: Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to oily hair Green Cred: EPA Safer Choice Why we use it:  Even though it is an ultra mild cleanser, DLS is great at de-greasing.  This is why we use it in our bar for oily hair.

Ingredient: Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate What it is: Surfactant (cleanser) Source: Naturally derived from fatty acids in coconut or palm oil reacted with an acid Found in: Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to dry hair, Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to oily hair Green Cred: ECOCERT Why we use it:  SLSa gets confused with the harsh sulfate SLS, but not to worry, it’s not a sulfate and very gentle.  It creates fabulous bubbly, foamy lather, so it’s included in all our shampoo bars.

Ingredient: Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate (“Easy Foam”) What it is: Surfactant (cleanser) Source: Naturally derived from fatty acids in coconut or palm oil reacted with an acid Found in: Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to dry hair, Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to oily hair Green Cred: Nordic Swan Ecolabel Why we use it:  Another surfactant that gets confused with SLS, but not a sulfate.  It creates a lovely, long-lasting foam in all our shampoo bars.

Ingredient: Sodium Cocoyl Methyl Taurate What it is: Surfactant (cleanser) Source: Naturally derived from fatty acids in coconut oil reacted with an acid Found in: Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to oily hair Green Cred: Cosmetics Ingredient Review, Whole Foods approved Why we use it:  Like DLS, SCMT is mild yet very effective at de-greasing, so it works great on oily hair.  It also has the added bonus of working well in the presence of hard water.

Ingredient: Cocamidopropyl betaine What it is: Surfactant (cleanser) Source: Fatty acid from coconut oil Found in: Clean Conscience conditioner bar Green Cred: ECOCERT Why we use it:  An extremely mild surfactant, it helps spread conditioner through your hair and is also an excellent conditioning and antistatic agent.

Ingredient: Varisoft EQ 65 (Distearoylethyl Dimonium Chloride (and) Cetearyl Alcohol) What it is: Positively-charged conditioner Source: Vegetable-based stearic acid, combined with cetearyl alcohol Found in: Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to dry hair, Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to oily hair, Clean Conscience conditioner bar Green Cred: ECOCERT Why we use it:  Varisoft is a great alternative to the traditional conditioner (BTMS) used for hair conditioning.  Not only is it plant based and readily biodegradable, it has a lighter, less greasy feel that won’t weigh down your hair.

Ingredient: EcoSil (Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate (and) Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables) and Coco Caprylate What it is: Plant-based silicone alternatives Source: Fatty acid from olive and coconut oils Found in: Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to dry hair, Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to oily hair, Clean Conscience conditioner bar Green Cred: ECOCERT Why we use it:  These silicone alternatives increase hair manageability and shine.  Silicones are ubiquitous among conventional hair and skin products.  Not only are they not eco-friendly, they can build up on your hair and cause unsightly deposits.

Ingredient: Simulgreen 18-2 (Hydroxystearyl Alcohol (and) Hydroxystearyl Glucoside) What it is: Emulsifier Source: Castor oil Found in: Clean Conscience conditioner bar Green Cred: ECOCERT Why we use it:  Simulgreen is an emulsifier, which means it helps to combine oil and water based ingredients which don’t usually like to mix.  It’s non irritating and provides extra moisture.

Ingredient: Vegetable Glycerin What it is: Humectant (Moisturizer) Source: Derived from soybean, coconut or palm oils Found in: Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to dry hair, Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to oily hair, Clean Conscience conditioner bar Green Cred: ECOCERT Why we use it:  Glycerin attracts water to itself, or your hair when it’s on your hair.  This effect moisturizes and smooths your hair, which is beneficial for all hair types.

Ingredient: Laurel Wax What it is: Conditioner  Source: plant wax obtained from the fruit of the Myrica Pubescens (laurel) shrub by water extraction Found in: Clean Conscience conditioner bar Green Cred: ECOCERT Why we use it:  Moisturizes hair, increases hair combability, brings a rich creamy feel to the bar without greasiness

Ingredient: Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein What it is: Conditioner Source: Naturally derived from quinoa grain Found in: Clean Conscience conditioner bar Green Cred: ECOCERT Why we use it:  Another vegan protein that conditions and nourishes hair, helps color retention and increases shine.

Ingredient: Witch Hazel What it is: Botanical Extract Source: Extracted from Witch Hazel plant Found in: Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to oily hair Green Cred: ECOCERT Why we use it:  Witch hazel helps to close the pores that produce oil. It can also relieve itching and inflammation and helps to restore a natural pH balance on the scalp.

Ingredient: Coconut Oil What it is: Conditioner/Moisturizer Source: Cold pressed from vegetable sources Found in: Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to dry hair, Clean Conscience conditioner bar Green Cred: ECOCERT Why we use it :  Plant oils nourish the hair, add shine, and protect from styling damage.  The oils we choose are all light and won’t weigh down your hair.  We also infuse our oils with marshmallow leaf and calendula to enhance the nourishment of your hair.

Ingredient: Cetyl Alcohol What it is: Moisturizer, Conditioner Booster, Bar Hardener Source: Fatty acid from coconut oil Found in: Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to dry hair, Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to oily hair, Clean Conscience conditioner bar Green Cred: ECOCERT Why we use it:  Cetyl alcohol is a fatty, non-drying alcohol that moisturizes hair, boosts the conditioning action of other ingredients, and creates a firm, long-lasting bar.

Ingredient: Stearic acid What it is: Moisturizer, Conditioner Booster, Bar Hardener Source: vegetable fats Found in: Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to oily hair, Clean Conscience conditioner bar Green Cred: ECOCERT Why we use it:  Stearic acid is a bar hardener and helps to coat, condition, and protect the hair shaft without dulling or weighing it down.

Ingredient: Essential Oils What it is: Botanical Extract Source: Pressed or distilled from plant sources Found in: Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to dry hair, Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to oily hair, Clean Conscience conditioner bar Green Cred: ECOCERT Why we use it:  Each product has a unique blend of essential oils to enhance the action of the bar.  For oily hair, rosemary and lemongrass balance the natural sebum (oils) of your scalp.  For dry hair, lavender and sandalwood soothe dry, itchy scalps and keeps ends from drying out.

Ingredient: Citric Acid What it is: pH Adjuster Source: Naturally derived from citrus fruits Found in: Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to dry hair, Clean Conscience shampoo bar for normal to oily hair Green Cred: ECOCERT Why we use it:  pH is very important for your hair, so citric acid brings our bars down into the ideal pH 4-5 range for healthy hair.

Ingredient: Vitamin E (Tocopheryl Acetate) What it is: Humectant (Moisturizer) Source: Derived from vegetable oils, typically soybean oil Found in: Clean conscience conditioner bar  Green Cred: ECOCERT Why we use it:  Vitamin E is essential for healthy skin, and the skin of your scalp is no exception.  It creates a lipid barrier to lock in moisture, which prevents itchy scalp and adds shine.

Ingredient: Leucidal SF Complete [combination of AMTicide Coconut (Lactobacillus (and) Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract) and Leucidal SF (Lactobacillus Ferment) ] What it is: Preservative Source: Naturally derived from coconut Found in: Clean Conscience conditioner bar Green Cred: ECOcert Why we use it:  AMTicide® Coconut is created by fermenting Cocos nucifera (Coconut) fruit with Lactobacillus  and is effective at preventing the growth of fungus, specifically yeast and mold.  In addition, it can provide moisturizing and conditioning benefits in hair and skin care applications.  Leucidal SF is an eco-friendly, broad-spectrum anti-microbial preservative.  Together the complete preservative is effective against yeast, mold, and bacteria, while being completely eco-friendly.