Natural shampoo in Canada: bars, liquids and how to switch

Natural shampoo in Canada comes in three main forms: solid shampoo bars, liquid shampoo in a bottle, and refills you pour into your own bottle. All three can clean well and leave hair soft. The right one depends on your hair type, your shower habits and how much plastic you'd like to skip.

What makes a shampoo "natural"

There's no official definition, so read the ingredient list. The natural shampoos we carry use gentle, plant-derived cleansers instead of harsh sulfates, skip parabens and synthetic fragrance, and lean on plant oils, butters and proteins for softness and shine. Many are sulphate free, vegan and safe for colour-treated hair.

It also helps to know that a shampoo bar isn't the same as a bar of soap. Soap is alkaline, and in hard water it can leave a waxy film on hair. Most of the shampoo bars we stock, including Upfront and Notice, use the same kind of mild cleansers as a liquid shampoo, pressed into a solid. Upfront's bars are pH-balanced to sit close to your scalp's natural pH.

Shampoo bars or liquid shampoo?

Both work. Here's how the formats compare.

Solid shampoo bars from Atlantic Canada and beyond

Upfront Cosmetics makes its shampoo bars by hand in Nackawic, New Brunswick, and we love having an Atlantic Canadian maker on our shelves. Alicia Sharp, the mom behind the brand, wanted quality products with ingredients you can understand. Every Upfront shampoo bar is sulphate free and silicone free, makes a rich lather, and is pH-balanced and safe for colour-treated hair. Most carry provitamin B5 (panthenol) and hydrolyzed oat protein for softness.

Notice Hair Co was founded by sisters Arden and Allison Teasdale. Their bars are colour-safe, vegan and cruelty-free, scented with essential oils, and the Hydrator set comes with two reusable travel tins and lasts roughly 50 to 75 washes. Daytona, with coconut oil, cocoa butter and a fresh orange scent, is made for normal to oily hair.

Solid shampoos also travel well: no leaks in your bag and no liquid limits at the airport. Our shampoo and conditioner bars page has the full range in one place.

Conditioner bars

A conditioner bar doesn't lather. You glide it over wet hair, mostly through the lengths and ends, and work it in with your fingers until hair feels slippery. Upfront's Hydrating Hemp Conditioner Bar has baobab extract, shea and hemp butters and leaves hair silky without the weight. The Neutral Conditioner Bar is unscented and suits light conditioning needs, a good match for fine or straight hair.

How to switch to a shampoo bar

Switching is easy once you know the technique. You don't have to change both shampoo and conditioner at once: finish the bottle you have, then try a bar when it runs out.

1. Start with really wet hair. Soak it well. Bars need more water than a liquid shampoo to get going.
2. Glide, don't scrub. Wet the bar and run it over your hair four or five times, or lather it in your hands first. Rubbing the bar hard against your scalp just wears it down.
3. Put the bar down and massage. Use your fingertips to work the lather through your scalp, adding a splash of water as you go.
4. Rinse longer than you think. Most "coated" feelings come from not rinsing enough. Wash a second time only if your hair is oily or has styling product build up.
5. Let it dry between washes. Keep the bar on a draining soap dish, out of the shower spray, so it doesn't turn soft.

Glide the bar, rinse longer than you think, and give your hair two weeks to settle in.

For more detail on bars, including soap-based versus shampoo bars, see our guide: are shampoo and conditioner bars as good as bottled hair care? If you're curious about washing with true soap, our castile soap guide covers dilutions for hair.

Liquid natural shampoo: ATTITUDE and more

ATTITUDE is a proudly Canadian company, started in 2006 when its founder's first child came along. Its Super Leaves shampoos are vegan, hypoallergenic, EWG Verified and dermatologically tested, made with watercress and Indian cress extracts, and come in a family-sized 473 mL bottle. Moisture Rich is for dry hair, Volume & Shine for fine or dull hair, and Clarifying for oily hair or styling product build-up.

Carina Organics has made its products by hand on the North Shore of Vancouver since 1972. Its Extra Gentle Shampoo gently cleanses with saponified coconut oil and vegetable glycerin and is 100% biodegradable. For the whole family, the Beauty From Bees Unscented Shampoo is mild enough for kids and works on hair, scalp and body. The Unscented Company's Daily Shampoo is made in Canada, fragrance-free, and suits fine to wavy hair.

Refill your own bottle

Luminate Co is home to Atlantic Canada's largest all-organic bulk station, and our bulk refill section includes shampoo. Bring a clean bottle, weigh it empty at the till, fill what you need and pay by weight. Routine's shampoos are made in Calgary, Alberta, and are sulfate-free, colour safe and vegan. Carina Organics Citrus Daily Moisturizing Shampoo is there too, for hair that dries out easily.

Need a bottle to start? Routine's Dirty Hipster No. 4 comes in a refillable flask bottle made from repurposed food-grade plastic, ready to top up from the bulk section.

RoutineDirty Hipster No. 4 Shampoo, 350 mLA normalizing shampoo in a refillable flask, made in Calgary. Doubles as a body wash.Shop →

Choosing for your hair types

• Oily hair: a clarifying or balancing formula, like ATTITUDE Clarifying or Notice Daytona. Focus shampoo on your scalp and conditioner on your ends.
• Dry hair: look for butters and oils such as mango, shea or hemp. Upfront Nourishing and ATTITUDE Moisture Rich are good starting points. A little castor oil on dry ends before you wash is another option.
• Fine hair: a light formula that cleans without weighing hair down, like Upfront Invigorating or ATTITUDE Volume & Shine, with a light conditioner.
• Curly hair: moisture first. Pair a gentle, sulphate-free shampoo with a rich conditioner and leave it in for a few minutes.
• Colour-treated hair: Upfront's bars, Notice's bars, Routine and Carina Extra Gentle are all made to be colour-safe.
• Scent-sensitive: if you'd rather your hair didn't smell of anything, try Upfront Neutral, Carina Extra Gentle, Beauty From Bees Unscented or The Unscented Company.
• Kids: Upfront's Kind bar is lavender and chamomile, gentle enough for little ones.

Upfront CosmeticsKind (Kids) Shampoo BarUltra gentle, with lavender and chamomile, for babies to kids of all ages.Shop →

Questions we get a lot

Are shampoo bars actually good for your hair?

A good shampoo bar cleans just as well as a liquid shampoo. The ones we carry use mild, sulphate-free cleansers, and many people love the softness and shine. The key is the right bar for your hair and a thorough rinse.

What should I avoid in a shampoo bar?

If you have hard water or colour-treated hair, you may prefer a shampoo bar over a soap-based bar. Check the ingredient list for sulfates, synthetic fragrance or essential oils if your scalp is sensitive to them.

What are the best shampoo bars made in Canada?

We're big fans of Upfront Cosmetics, made by hand in Nackawic, New Brunswick. We'd recommend starting with the bar that matches your hair: Neutral for no scent, Nourishing for dry hair, Invigorating for fine hair.

Is ATTITUDE a Canadian company?

Yes. ATTITUDE is a Canadian company, founded in 2006.

What stores carry ATTITUDE shampoo?

We carry ATTITUDE Super Leaves shampoos at both of our stores in Bedford and Dartmouth, and online.

How long does a shampoo bar last?

Longer than you'd expect. An Upfront bar replaces up to three bottles of liquid shampoo, and the Notice Hydrator set lasts roughly 50 to 75 washes. Keeping the bar dry between showers makes a big difference.

What is the best natural shampoo in Canada?

The best one is the one that suits your hair. For a Canadian-made bar, Upfront is our favourite; for a liquid, ATTITUDE, Carina Organics and Routine are all made in Canada. Bring your questions to either store and we'll help you compare.

What is "no poo"?

"No poo" means washing hair without shampoo, using only conditioner, water or a homemade rinse. Some people with curly or dry hair like it. A gentle, sulphate-free shampoo once or twice a week is a happy middle ground for many.

Natural shampoo and shampoo bars are in the personal care aisle at both stores: 486 Starboard Drive in Bedford and 590 Portland Street in Dartmouth, open seven days. For the rest of your bathroom shelf, see our natural deodorant guide. For the rest of the shower, our natural bar soap guide covers small-batch soaps from Nova Scotia and beyond. In HRM, order by 11 am with Luminate Express for same-day delivery, or choose pickup. Anywhere else in Canada, orders over $80 ship free.

Sources: Upfront Cosmetics, About Us; Upfront Cosmetics, Meet the Maker; Notice Hair Co, About; ATTITUDE, About Us; Carina Organics, About Us; product labels.