Is The Love Beauty And Planet Shampoo Good?

ByCarolina Herrera
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Is The Love Beauty And Planet Shampoo Good

I’ve been seeing Love Beauty and Planet bottles everywhere lately. That soft pastel packaging, that “clean beauty” vibe, that promise of being both kind to your hair and the planetit’s the kind of marketing that pulls you in at first glance. But as someone who’s spent years reading ingredient labels like bedtime stories, I can tell you: cute branding doesn’t always mean healthy hair.

So today, let’s talk about what really matterswhat’s inside that bottle. Is the Love Beauty and Planet shampoo actually good for your hair, or is it just another pretty promise on the drugstore shelf?

The Brand’s Promise “Small Acts of Love for the Planet”

Love Beauty and Planet started under the Unilever umbrella in 2018, making it sound almost like a small eco start-up when, in reality, it’s backed by one of the biggest beauty corporations in the world. Their message? Sustainable, vegan, ethically sourced, and effective hair care that won’t harm the environment.

It sounds dreamy, right? Their slogans speak straight to conscious consumers: recyclable bottles, carbon-neutral factories, and formulas with naturally derived ingredients. For anyone trying to reduce their footprint while keeping their hair glossy, that’s hard to resist.

But sustainability aside, here’s the question I always come back to as a hair analyst: does it actually work on the hair itself?

Quick Fact

According to a 2023 Statista consumer survey, over 67% of shampoo buyers under 35 in the U.S. said “eco-friendly” labels influenced their choice. Yet only 23% felt those products performed as well as regular salon brands.

So the balance between clean beauty and performance is still tricky.

Let’s Get Real About Ingredients

I’ve tested three of their most popular shampoos over the years Coconut Oil & Ylang Ylang, Argan Oil & Lavender, and Murumuru Butter & Rose. Each formula has its own scent and hair focus, but they all share a similar ingredient philosophy: no sulfates, no parabens, no dyes, and no phthalates.

That’s already a good start, especially for people with color-treated, dry, or fragile hair. Sulfates (like SLS and SLES) can be harsh detergents that strip away natural oils, leaving the hair brittle. So when a brand skips them, your hair’s moisture barrier breathes a sigh of relief.

But here’s where nuance matters:
They still use cleansing agents like Sodium Lauroyl Sulfate or Sodium Coco-Sulfate, which are gentler but not completely sulfate-free. It’s a marketing gray zone that many brands play intechnically mild, but still potentially drying for curly or highly porous hair.

Ingredient Breakdown (The Good, The Questionable, and The Meh)

The Good Stuff

  • Coconut Oil, Murumuru Butter, Argan Oil, and Shea Butter – These emollients help replenish lipid layers and add softness. They’re great for dull or frizzy hair.
  • Plant-based cleansers (like Cocamidopropyl Betaine) – Mild surfactants that make the shampoo foam without stripping your scalp.
  • Essential oils and botanical extracts – Ylang ylang, lavender, and rose oils don’t just smell heavenly; some offer mild antimicrobial and calming effects on the scalp.

What Might Raise an Eyebrow

  • Fragrance – Listed simply as “Fragrance (Parfum).” While the brand claims ethically sourced essential oils, this still hides synthetic components, which may irritate sensitive scalps.
  • Sodium Coco-Sulfate – A natural but strong cleanser that might be too drying for fine or colored hair if used daily.
  • Preservatives like Sodium Benzoate – Totally safe and necessary for shelf life, but it’s always worth noting when evaluating long-term scalp comfort.

How It Feels on Hair Texture, Lather, and After-Feel

Here’s what I experienced across multiple washes:

The shampoo has a light, almost silky lather. It doesn’t foam up as much as a sulfate-heavy formula, which might make you think it’s not cleaning wellbut it is. After rinsing, the hair feels smooth, not squeaky.

What stood out to me most was the fragrance. These shampoos smell like walking through a tropical garden after rainespecially the rose one. However, that lingering perfume might be too much for those sensitive to scent.

After drying, hair tends to feel light and airy rather than weighed down. But if your strands are high-porosity or heavily processed, you’ll likely need a conditioner right after; it doesn’t give deep hydration on its own.

What Research Says About Ingredients Like Collagen and Oils

Does collagen help with grey hair?
Studies from the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology suggest that while topical collagen doesn’t directly recolor hair, it helps maintain follicle structure and elasticity, delaying fragility that often accompanies greying.

Natural oils like coconut and argan, on the other hand, penetrate the hair shaft and reduce protein losscritical for anyone battling dullness or dryness. This explains why Love Beauty and Planet’s oil-rich blends make your hair feel smoother, even if they don’t fix deeper damage overnight.

What Research Says

A 2018 NCBI review found that coconut oil can reduce protein loss in both damaged and undamaged hair due to its low molecular weight, which allows it to penetrate the cuticle. That’s one reason why formulas like Love Beauty and Planet Coconut Oil & Ylang Ylang tend to perform better for dry, frizzy textures.

How It Works for Different Hair Types

1. For Straight Hair
You’ll love how lightweight it feels. It adds shine without greasiness. Just make sure to rinse welltoo much residue might make fine hair limp.

2. For Curly Hair
It’s a mixed bag. Some curls come out softer, but over time the cleansing base can strip too much moisture. For curls, I’d pair it with a heavy conditioner or switch between this and a co-wash.

3. For Color-Treated Hair
Better than average drugstore shampoos, but not perfect. The “no sulfates” claim helps, but the coconut-derived surfactants still fade color faster than salon-grade sulfate-free formulas.

4. For Silver or Gray Hair
If your question is “Which shampoo is best for silver hair?”, Love Beauty and Planet doesn’t directly target brassiness the way purple shampoos do. But it’s gentle enough not to yellow or roughen gray strands. To enhance silver tones, you can alternate it with a violet-based shampoo weekly.

Why Your White Hair Might Be Turning Dark Again

You’d be surprised how often I get asked that! No shampooclean or otherwisecan reverse hair greying. However, what can happen is product buildup or oil oxidation, giving gray hair a darker, yellowish tone. Using clarifying or sulfate-free shampoos like this one helps prevent that dullness.

Sometimes, hormonal changes or certain supplements (like B12 or copper) may also temporarily deepen the tone, but true pigment reversal? That’s just not something shampoo can promise.

The Feel-Good Factor Sustainability Done Right (Mostly)

This is where Love Beauty and Planet shines brightest. Their bottles are made with 100% recycled plastic, their formulas are vegan, and they maintain carbon-neutral production.

Even the fragrances are designed with “ethically sourced essential oils,” meaning they support small communities of farmers globally. That kind of initiative, even from a giant like Unilever, does make a difference in industry standards.

Still, let’s be honestit’s not perfect sustainability. The brand uses plastic pumps that aren’t recyclable everywhere, and some ingredients (like palm derivatives) can still raise ethical sourcing concerns.

The Hair Science Side of It

Love Beauty and Planet shampoos maintain a pH level between 4.5–6, which aligns well with the scalp’s natural acidity (around 5.5). This means less cuticle swelling, less frizz, and better color retention.

For chemically treated hair, that’s a plus. A balanced pH keeps the hair shaft smooth and helps seal in hydration from your conditioner afterward.

Ingredient Transparency (Something I Appreciate)

Every bottle lists not only what’s inside but also why it’s there. You’ll see small notes like “for gentle cleansing” or “for a burst of fragrance.” That might sound small, but as someone who teaches clients how to read ingredient labels, it’s refreshing to see brands being upfronteven in mass retail.

What Real Users Are Saying

Across platforms like Amazon and Ulta, the reviews are polarizing. Around 70–75% of users rate it 4 stars or higher, praising how soft and light their hair feels. But the negative reviews usually mention:

  • Fragrance sensitivity or headaches
  • Hair feeling “coated” after prolonged use
  • Not enough hydration for thick or curly hair

That tracks perfectly with what the formula suggests. It’s mild but not deeply reparative. A solid daily cleanser for normal hair, but not a substitute for professional-grade moisture care.

What I’d Recommend Pairing It With

If you’re using this shampoo, make sure to follow up with a deep conditioner or hair mask once a week. Look for products rich in ceramides or hydrolyzed proteinsthose will fill in the structural gaps the shampoo can’t.

I’d also suggest rotating between this and a more nourishing formula if your hair is colored, bleached, or curly. It keeps your scalp balanced without compromising on hydration.

Ingredient Deep Dive: Murumuru Butter & Rose

Let’s pause for a second and appreciate this duo. Murumuru butter, native to the Amazon, is rich in lauric acid and vitamin E, giving it powerful emollient properties. It seals moisture without heaviness, perfect for medium to coarse hair.

And the rose extract? It’s not just there for fragrance. It’s anti-inflammatory, which can calm irritated scalpsespecially useful if you’re dealing with dryness or redness.

Quick Fact

According to an EWG (Environmental Working Group) review, over 90% of Love Beauty and Planet’s key ingredients score between 1 and 3 (on a safety scale where 1 is lowest risk). That’s impressive for a drugstore line and shows genuine formulation effort.

The Verdict: Is Love Beauty and Planet Shampoo Good?

If you want a short answeryes, but with context.
Love Beauty and Planet is good for most normal hair types, gentle enough for daily washing, and ideal for people who care about eco-conscious choices. It leaves hair clean, soft, and lightly scented.

But if your hair is bleached, textured, or highly porous, you might find it too light and not moisturizing enough on its own.

It’s not a miracle-worker shampooit’s a “feel-good, clean hair” shampoo. It works best when used in a balanced routine with richer conditioners or treatments.

And that’s okay. Not every product has to do everything. For many, this one hits the sweet spot between sustainability, affordability, and everyday usability.

Final Thoughts (The Honest Kind)

As someone who’s tried countless “natural” shampoos that either felt like dish soap or left a waxy residue, I have to give Love Beauty and Planet credit. It performs respectably for a green beauty line at this price point.

The formula shows thoughtscience meets sustainability in a way that feels authentic. Just don’t expect salon-level repair or purple-tone correction if you’re going for silver perfection.

If you’re transitioning from chemical-laden products and want something cleaner without spending $30 a bottle, this brand is a safe and smart step.

And yes, it really does smell like a vacation in a bottle.

Final Verdict:

Love Beauty and Planet Shampoo is goodespecially for eco-conscious, normal-haired users who want something mild and kind to their hair and the earth. It’s not a heavy-duty repair product, but it’s a genuinely pleasant, safe, and clean-feeling option that holds its own among drugstore brands.