9 Nontoxic Hair Sprays And Gels To Keep Your Style In Place
The Best Eco Hair Sprays & Gels
You’re having the best hair day, with just the right amount of curls or your hair is falling exactly as you want it to. And then, after a few hours, your hairstyle falls out completely. We get it; we’ve been there.
Most hair sprays and gels use chemicals we wouldn’t want to ingest or put on our skin—so why do we allow it for our beloved locks? We don’t have to! Instead, consider these natural hair sprays, eco hair gels, a few creams, and sustainable waxes. All of the hold, less of the worry (and environmental impact).
For a fully eco-friendly routine, consider these plastic-free hair brushes or packaging-free shampoo bars!
1. Innersense
Standout Nontoxic Ingredients | Organic aloe vera gel, organic honey, organic rosemary & nettle extracts
Ethics | Certified B Corp, nontoxic & USDA certified organic ingredients, eco-friendly packaging, climate- & plastic-neutral, Leaping Bunny certified, gives back
Ships To | US (or via stockists)
Price Range | $22–$28 for 10 oz
Started by two beauty professionals who trusted their own “inner senses,” Innersense is a certified B Corp focused on nontoxic professional quality hair care. Its line of prep sprays, smoothing creams, and our favorite, the I Create Hold gel, are made with certified organic ingredients through and through. For a style that seriously stays, you can thank the formula’s blend of organic honey, rooibos, and herb extracts.
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2. Josh Rosebrook
Standout Nontoxic Ingredients | Organic brown rice extract, organic orange peel & essential oils, organic yucca starch
Ethics | Certified organic & plant-based ingredients, vegan, cruelty-free, made in the USA
Ships To | Worldwide
Price Range | $30 for 4 oz
For hair that won’t budge all day long, we turn to Josh Rosebrook’s Hair Spray. This spray is specifically designed for a firm hold—without the “crunch”—all made possible by the organic brown rice extract and yucca starch. The essential oils and plant extracts ensure that your hair won’t be damaged along the way, instead supporting continued hair growth. Light, effective, and nontoxic…what’s not to love?
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3. Alaffia
Standout Nontoxic Ingredients | Fair trade oils, aloe vera, yarrow & comfrey extracts
Ethics | Fair trade & sustainably sourced ingredients, cruelty-free, made in the USA, eco-friendly packaging, gives back
Ships To | US
Price Range | $9.99–$14.99 for 8–12 oz
For type 2-4C hair, you may want to try Alaffia! This social enterprise specifically supports indigenous practices and sustainably sourced ingredients from West Africa; proceeds go back to serve those same communities. Its Styling collection contains a curl-defining cream, edge styler, everyday texturizing spray for curly hair, and more—at extremely affordable prices. Nourish your natural hair with natural ingredients.
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4. R+Co
Standout Nontoxic Ingredients | Aloe leaf, ginger root extracts, soy protein
Ethics | Vegan, cruelty-free, eco-friendly packaging, supports global reforestation efforts
Ships To | Contiguous US
Price Range | $12–$77
R+Co’s haircare is all about natural, vegan, and cruelty-free ingredients as much as possible. Every formula is crafted without parabens, sulfates, mineral oils, or petrolatums. With more than 60 options to choose from, you can take the R+Co Hair Quiz to find the best styling product for your tresses. And if you’re not ready to commit, you can try a mini first to see how beautifully R+Co products hold.
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5. Lovett Sundries
Standout Nontoxic Ingredients | Jojoba oil, cocoa butter, beeswax, bentonite clay, arrowroot powder
Ethics | Natural ingredients, made in small batches, made in USA, eco-friendly packaging
Ships To | Worldwide
Price Range | $16 for 2.8 oz
A styling clay that works with just five natural ingredients? It’s possible! Lovett Sundries’ Unscented Styling Clay is a wonderful alternative to petroleum-based hair care products, with standout ingredients like jojoba oil and cocoa butter. This will hold your hair in place all day long, without the crunch or grease. A little goes a long way!
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6. Qēt Botanicals
Standout Nontoxic Ingredients | Himalayan pink salt, organic essential, seed, & flower oils
Ethics | EWG verified, responsibly sourced & organic ingredients, made in USA in small batches, vegan, cruelty-free
Ships To | Worldwide
Price Range | $24 for 2.7 oz
Qēt Botanicals’ Natural Sea Spray is pretty impressive: It’s EWG verified, made with fair trade-sourced ingredients, and actually all-natural. Crafted simply with distilled water, Himalayan pink salt, and a mix of oils, this sea salt spray is perfectly lightweight and aromatic. Best of all, it adds a delicate balance of volume and shine to even the messiest hair. Bed head, be gone!
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7. Rahua
Standout Nontoxic Ingredients | Rahua oil, organic aloe vera, organic seed & fruit oils, organic leaf extracts
Ethics | Sustainably sourced & plant-based ingredients, fair trade
Ships To | Worldwide
Price Range | $32–$37
Hair wax? Sea salt spray? Smoothing hair balm? Rahua makes them all! Launched by renowned hair stylist Fabian Lliguin, this sustainable brand works with families all over the Amazon to source rahua oil for some of the best hair care products we’ve ever seen. Go for the defining hair spray for a non-aerosol formula, the hair balm for frizz, and the cream wax for maximum hold.
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8. JVN
Standout Nontoxic Ingredients | Hemisqualane, chia seed & linseed extracts, moringa seed oil, shea butter
Ethics | Sustainable & plant-based ingredients, vegan, cruelty-free, eco-friendly packaging, made in USA
Ships To | US & Canada
Price Range | $24 for 5 oz
Yes, honey! JVN, from Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness, is the vegan, sustainable, and gender-neutral line of our (hair) dreams. The brand’s Complete Air Dry Cream reduces frizz, adds a generous amount of buildable hold, and provides humidity protection all at once. It’s formulated with sugarcane-derived squalane, chia seed and linseed extracts, and moringa seed oil. Watch the JVN tutorial for a step-by-step guide (and a smile).
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9. Yarok
Standout Nontoxic Ingredients | Organic shea butter, organic seed oils, plant-based wax, organic plant extracts
Ethics | Natural & certified organic ingredients, vegan, cruelty-free, gives back
Ships To | Worldwide
Price Range | $32 for 2.75 oz
Yarok’s mission is to “feed your hair” with organic products. Feed Your Do, the brand’s styling whip, is made only with natural and certified organic ingredients—free from gluten, alcohol, parabens, sulfates, and animal testing. Instead, the shea butter, rice syrup, oils, and extracts offer excellent hold—without weighing your hair down. Yarok also carries a hair spray and a cream if you prefer.
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