The hair conditioner market was valued at a whopping $8.5 billion in 2019. This is no surprise considering that conditioners are everyone’s best friend. They keep our hair lush and moisturized, sometimes even giving us more body or curls. However, not all conditioners are created equal and some are certainly not our, or the planet’s, best friend. Let’s take a look at shampoo’s softer sibling and learn what to keep an eye out for when locking in moisture in the shower. 

What to Be Wise On: 

Conditioner is a must when it comes to having luscious locks, but some common conditioner ingredients can take us from luscious to lackluster. When looking for conditioners, avoid ingredients like phosphates and sulfates – both can cause harm to aquatic life. 

TLDR: 

Here are some of our favorite conditioners based on ingredients and certifications. 

Ingredients

Sulfates 

Sulfates are a kind of surfactant, which is used to clean and create the foam we know and love. Different surfactants are used in different ratios for different hair types, and each has either a hair conditioning or cleansing quality. Unfortunately, sulfates can also cause irritation and roughness, which is not what we want for our sensitive scalps. When we use a conditioner that contains sulfates, we’re potentially causing that irritation and some unintended consequences on marine life. No, thanks!

Phosphates

Phosphates, like trisodium phosphate, are ingredients that create that luscious lathering effect in our conditioners. Phosphates can also cause eutrophication, which is the mineral over-enrichment of bodies of water. This can be a natural process that develops aquatic ecosystems, but it can also be an indication of nutrient imbalances as a result of pollution. While it might sound beautiful, algal bloom – a result of eutrophication – can be harmful to aquatic life and can contaminate drinking sources. 

Synthetic Fragrances

Certain conditioners contain synthetic fragrances. The manufacturing of synthetic fragrances uses significant amounts of water and creates wastewater pollution that can be harmful to fish and other aquatic plants and wildlife. And, some synthetic fragrances are made from byproducts of the petroleum industry…cough, cough, fossil fuels. 

Certifications

Here are some certifications to look for when shopping this category.