7 Palm Oil Free Hair Products Under £15, Because Ethical Haircare Can Be Affordable

Palm oil: it's the ingredient we have come to believe we cannot buy products without. Derived from the fruit of the palm oil tree native to West Africa, palm oil is most commonly used as an emulsifier and surfactant, as well as to extend the shelf life of products including beauty items like skincare and shampoo. The reason it is so often used is because it is one of the cheapest vegetable oils worldwide to source. But contrary to popular belief, it absolutely is possible to buy things like beauty products without palm oil, you just need to know where to look. I sourced some palm oil free shampoos and conditioners in the UK to get you started.

There are many reasons why we should be looking to reduce our usage of palm oil. "Whilst palm oil is not an animal by-product, the harvesting of palm oil is damaging in the greater context of the environment," explains Sean Patrick Harrington, founder of Previse skincare. Indeed, as GreenPeace reports, animals and communities are often negatively affected by the production of palm oil, largely because in order to grow and harvest it, huge areas of forests need to be cleared. These forests are home to whole eco-systems, including beautiful animals like orangutans. It is pretty devastating to read that Greenpeace reports that in Indonesia alone, an area the size of a football pitch is lost every 25 seconds to palm oil production.

With this in mind, it is worth searching for products that use alternatives rather than palm oil. Disappointingly, the options are pretty few and far between in the beauty industry. But they are there, if you know where to look. I searched for the best shampoo and conditioner options that have no palm oil in and that are shoppable within the UK. Take a look at the best seven I found below.