Is Hemp Shampoo & Conditioner Good for Hair? (+ Best & Worst Brands)

We recently rated the best and worst hemp soap and body wash brands. Now, we’re talking about the other main component of your natural hemp shower routine: shampoo and conditioner!

In this article, we’re going to talk about why hemp seed oil is good for your hair, whether or not it can get you high, and other common questions. Then we’ll give you our best, okay, and worst hemp shampoo and conditioner brands.

Let’s get to it.

This article may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you choose to make a purchase. We only make recommendations that are genuine and meet our ingredient standards.

What Are the Benefits of Hemp Shampoo and Conditioner?

What does hemp oil in shampoo actually do? Let’s look at a few of the benefits:

It Can Help With Dandruff

As we discussed in the article about hemp body wash, the essential fatty acids (Omega-3 and Omega-6) in hemp oil have great anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to soothe and repair a dry, flaky scalp, therefore reducing dandruff.

It Can Help Thicken Hair & Promote Hair Growth

Not only can those essential omega fatty acids help with hair loss, but hemp oil also contains a natural source of vitamin E. Vitamin E has been shown to prevent hair loss as well as improve scalp circulation, stimulate the capillaries, and increase blood flow—all of which encourage hair regrowth.

It Can Moisturize and Strengthen Hair

In addition to the beneficial fatty acids and vitamin E, hemp seed oil contains several other minerals and phytonutrients, including:

• linoleic acid
• carotene
• chlorophyll
• calcium
• magnesium
• sulfur
• potassium
• and others

These nutrients all come with their own benefits. Together, they can help your hair follicles more readily absorb moisture as well as strengthen your hair against breakage and split ends.

Body

The Best & Worst Hemp Soap & Body Wash Brands

Let’s first answer some of your most commonly-asked questions about hemp soap and body wash. Then we’ll give you our recommended (and NOT recommended) brands.

Does Hemp Shampoo & Conditioner Have CBD In It?

The differences and similarities between hemp, CBD, marijuana, and cannabis can get a bit confusing.

You’ll notice that some shampoos and conditioners are marketed and labeled as containing “hemp,” while others are labeled as having “CBD.” So what’s the difference?

Hemp shampoo and CBD shampoo are not necessarily the same. Let’s break it down in the simplest way possible:

• Hemp and marijuana both come from the same plant: cannabis.
• Legally, the main difference between hemp and marijuana involves the THC content, which is the psychoactive component of cannabis.
• Hemp naturally contains little to no THC and therefore has no psychoactive effects. (Specifically, hemp has to have 0.3 percent or less THC content by dry weight.)
• CBD can be derived from either hemp or marijuana.
• CBD products are only federally legal in the United States if they’re derived from hemp and contain less than 0.3 percent THC.

Hemp shampoo and conditioner may or may not contain CBD. But either way, both hemp and CBD are non-psychoactive. Check the label of your hemp shampoo and/or conditioner to see whether or not there is any added CBD.

The Best Brands for Non-Toxic and Organic Hemp Shampoo and Conditioner

Like with personal care or cleaning products, it’s good practice to prioritize natural, organic, and non-toxic ingredients over synthetic chemicals. Look for brands that leave out toxicants like parabens and phthalates, and watch out for sneaky ingredients like “fragrance/parfum.” If you have sensitive skin, you may also want to avoid sulfates (more info on that here).

Bear in mind that because of marketing trends, many hemp products are marketed as “natural,” but that doesn’t always mean they don’t contain icky ingredients. That’s why we’ve rated these brands from best, okay, and not recommended.

Now, let’s get to our favorite brands for hemp shampoo and conditioner. All of these brands have been vetted for natural, organic, and/or non-toxic ingredients.

Amber’s Organics

Amber’s Organics is another handmade shop that carries natural and good-for-your-skin hemp shampoo bars and other skincare products using ingredients like castor oil, essential oils, and more.

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Acure

Often available at big box stores like Target, Acure is a brand that makes safe and non-toxic skin and hair care products that work. Their Buildup Balancing Hemp & ACV Shampoo combines apple cider vinegar, which is a great natural ingredient for hair that’s been exposed to a lot of chemicals (like chlorine) and needs a reset. Hemp oil then works to repair and restore the hair.

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Yarok

This shampoo combines hemp seed oil with vitamin-infused water and organic, Fair Trade African Black Soap.

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J.R. Liggett’s

If you’re a fan of tea tree oil, you might want to try this hemp shampoo bar. It also has castor seed oil, almond oil, olive oil, and other nourishing plant-based ingredients.

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Dr. Bronner’s

You probably know of Dr. Bronner’s and their crazy, colorful labels. Their safe, natural, and eco-friendly castile “magic” all-purpose soap is made with organic hemp oil sourced from the U.S. Although Dr. Bronner’s can technically be used as shampoo, some people don’t prefer it because it’s not the same as the typical shampoo. But if you want to, combine it with their hair rinse and give it a try!

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P.S. You’ll notice that there are several brands of castile soap recommended here. It’s led some people to ask: does all castile soap have hemp? Not necessarily! All castile soap is made from plants, nuts, and/or vegetable oils. Most commonly, those are coconut, hemp, almond, and/or walnut oil (or some combination of those). So while a lot of castile soaps do use hemp oil, they don’t all use hemp.

The Okay Brands for Hemp Shampoo and Conditioner

These hemp shampoo and conditioner brands are pretty good, but they have a few ingredients that give us pause.

Jason

Jason’s Men’s 2-in-1 Shampoo + Conditioner For Dandruff Relief contains a lot of safe and certified organic ingredients. Although it does have a few iffy ingredients, it’s free from the worst parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and artificial colors.

Love Beauty & Planet

This brand that made a splash at Target is pretty good. The biggest concern is that it contains unspecified “fragrance.”

Herbal Essences bio:renew

Not all Herbal Essences’ products are non-toxic, but their bio:renew Hemp + Aloe Sulfate-Free Shampoo & Conditioner (available at many stores like Target and Walmart) is surprisingly not terrible. It’s got several different ethoxylated ingredients which is not great, but it’s all been EWG- Verified to ensure everything meets usage restrictions.

Shea Moisture

Shea Moisture (also available at Walmart and Target) is a brand that’s generally better than most but sometimes contains a couple of problematic ingredients, such as unspecified “fragrance.”

RenPure

This is yet another hemp haircare brand you get in big box stores like Walmart that is not terrible, but also not great. It contains unspecified “fragrance” as well as several different ethoxylated ingredients.

Nubian Heritage

This is a pretty good brand that uses some organic and/or fair trade ingredients, but does contain some questionable ones, too (like “fragrance”).

Tresemme

Like Herbal Essences, this is also a brand you can likely find at big box stores like Walmart. Many of their products contain potentially toxic ingredients, but their Hemp Hydration Sulfate-Free Shampoo is pretty good. Not surprisingly, the main concern here is unspecified “fragrance.”

Brands We Don’t Recommend for Hemp Haircare

These brands that make hemp body wash and soap contain more than a handful of toxic and/or potentially harmful chemicals, and we recommend you stay away from them. (Notice that some of these brands market themselves as “natural!”)

some of these brands make the okay cut for body washes

Hempz

Suave

Aussie

Every Man Jack

Giovanni

Paul Mitchell

Old Spice

Hemp Code

Vivo Per Lei

Marrakesh

Malin & Goetz

Pharm to Table

Luseta

Zatural (their hemp bar soap is good, but not the shampoo/conditioner)

Conclusion

Hemp can be beneficial for your hair in so many ways. Just be sure to watch out for greenwashing and use one of the recommended natural and non-toxic brands listed above.

Do you see any brands we’re missing? Let us know, and we’ll rank it!

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Image Credits: Sarah Chai