Our hair is one of our most prized assets. For many of us, our hairstyles are a way to accentuate outfits and highlight our personal preferences in fashion.
But hair is often unpredictable and fussy. You’ll inevitably face a day when your hair simply isn’t working out in your favor, regardless of whether it’s due to bad weather or bad linens.
There’s no better way to combat bad hair days than through cruelty-free hairsprays that give your locks volume, texture, and much-desired depth and personality.
Shop cruelty-free products from the following brands:
OUAI - U.S.
Founded by celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin, OUAI is a cosmetics company focused on being a socially connected enterprise where customers always lead the way.
Pronounced as ‘way,’ OUAI is one of the best brands if you’re looking for haircare and other beauty products that give you the confidence to simply be yourself in a world so bent on perfection.
The Hairspray: Ultra Lightweight
OUAI’s lightweight hair spray is one of the best cruelty-free hairsprays for daily use—it’s especially great for days when your locks feel a bit greasy.
This cruelty-free spray works on thin hair and will give body and shape to limp locks. It offers a soft hold that just helps boost your tresses for better-looking hairstyles even days after application!
This hairspray is perfect for people who struggle with holding styles because of fine or flat hair. Just shake, mist, and you’ll be set for the day.
Although it won’t hold actual hairstyles all day and night long, this cruelty-free spray remains an excellent product for making sure your hair stays neat, dynamic, and fresh.
Ingredients
This cruelty-free hairspray has never been tested on animals and is paraben-free and gluten-free. It also does not contain any phthalates, SLS, or SLES.
Of course, as a vegan spray, this product does not contain any ingredient that comes from animals. However, we want to highlight that not all OUAI’s products are vegan-friendly.
They use a couple of non-vegan-friendly ingredients, so we suggest going through each product listing to ensure the product is truly vegan.
Here are some key ingredients in OUAI’s texturizing spray:
Copolymers
Volcanic Minerals
Fruit & Flower Extracts
Sustainability & Ethics
OUAI is all about community and creating an aura of openness where you can be yourself, no strings attached.
OUAI donates to communities and non-profits that they believe in, including but not limited to organizations that support LGBTQIA+ youth and body equity.
If you’re passionate about these social issues, supporting brands like OUAI through their products can be an excellent way to help non-profits and marginalized communities.
amika - U.S.
Amika is a collective of individuals with a deep passion for developing kind and clean haircare and styling products that actually work.
Built on the backs of creatives, chemists, hairstylists, and product enthusiasts alike, amika creates products for everyone, no matter what hair texture or type.
The Hairspray: Flexible Hold
Amika’s vegan and cruelty-free hair spray products come in two different types: one stronghold spray and one formulated explicitly for flexibility.
We love amika’s Fluxus Touchable hairspray because it gives you all-day lasting power without leaving your tresses feeling crunchy or flaky.
This cruelty-free hairspray is made for all hair types and will work even on fine hair. It is also safe even if your hair has been color-treated, Brazilian-treated, and keratin-treated—solid hold without damage.
Ingredients
Amika’s cruelty-free hairspray is certified under the Leaping Bunny program, showing that none of these products are ever tested on animals—never have been and never will be. The spray itself is certified vegan. However, amika does have some products that contain animal-derived ingredients, such as keratin.
If you’re browsing through the rest of their collection, make sure to check the ingredients before making a purchase.
The touchable spray is paraben-free and does not contain sulfates, phthalates, mineral oils, or petrolatum.
Here are some of the key ingredients in amika’s hairspray:
Sea Buckthorn- one of the most potent natural ingredients on earth! This ingredient is great for giving your hair that extra boost of hydration and elasticity thanks to the omega-7 naturally found in the plant.
Butyl ester of pvm/ma copolymer- this ingredient helps guard your hair against high humidity without sacrificing the natural texture of your locks.
Sustainability & Ethics
From responsible packaging to tracking energy usage, amika is paving the way for excellent sustainability practices.
While the brand’s packaging isn’t plastic-free, they no longer make 100% virgin plastic packaging, and their bottles are now predominantly made from post-consumer recycled plastic. PCR plastic requires 65% less energy to source than virgin plastic, so it is still a viable positive step forward.
If you want to know more about packaging and how it impacts our environment, check out our piece on life cycle assessment here.
amika is also certified carbon-neutral, and they are currently taking a holistic approach to achieving net zero in the future. Some steps they’ve done to ensure this future are installing energy-certified solar panels, moving away from air shipments for transportation, and using innovative designs that promote circularity.
Sun Bum - U.S.
Sun Bum is based in sunny Florida, and the people behind it take an unconventional approach to running a business. They’re relaxed, carefree, and place a high premium on working less and living more.
These values are evident in how their products are friendly to your skin, the environment, and our animal friends as well!
The Hairspray: UV Protection
Although we might not think of it that much, solar radiation like U.V. rays actually has a negative effect on our locks! It can damage your hair and change its color, protein content, and resistance [1].
If you feel like your hair needs a little extra protection from the sun’s harmful rays, Sun Bum’s Dry Texture Spray is an excellent way to protect your tresses. For more UV protection tips and where to get the perfect vegan sunscreen, check out our guide here.
This is one of the best cruelty-free hairsprays if you’re looking for something that will give your hair an added boost of volume and keep it that way for the rest of the day.
Although this product is more of a texture spray than it is a traditional hold spray, it’s still a really good product for getting that perfect medium hold.
Pro tip: if you want extra volume, apply it on dry hair and flip your head upside down, spraying the product on your roots. This technique is best for days when you feel your hair is flat and needs that little extra oomph.
Ingredients
This Sun Bum Texture Spray is vegan, sulfate-free, and phthalate-free. It also contains no parabens and is safe for people with gluten sensitivities.
The product is safe on color-treated hair and will not dull your hair’s color or shine over time.
Here are some of the more notable ingredients in this cruelty-free spray:
Sea Kelp – it helps strengthen hair, all while adding moisture and shine, ensuring that your hair always looks healthy and fresh.
Sea Salt – adds volume and texture to your hair for a more dynamic style.
Sunflower Seed – combats free radicals and helps repair your locks from U.V. damage.
Sun Bum products do have a proprietary fragrance which they don’t disclose. If you have had a history of reacting to fragrances before, we strongly suggest patch-testing this product first.
Sustainability & Ethics
Sun Bum is incredibly passionate about skin cancer awareness throughout the U.S. They give back to the community through their non-profit organization “Protect The Groms,” which aims to protect kids across the U.S. by providing safe and shady spaces for them to play in!
You can read more about what Sun Bum does here.
SACHAJUAN - Sweden
In business since 2004, SACHAJUAN is a cosmetics company founded by two internationally renowned hairdressers, Sacha Mitic and Juan Rosenlind.
With the goal of making styling effortless and uncomplicated, SACHAJUAN continuously creates innovative products that promote simple, minimalist routines.
The Hairspray: Strong Control
SACHAJUAN’s cruelty-free hairspray is perfect for people with thick hair who find that regular sprays don’t seem to hold their hairstyles very well.
Formulated as the perfect final touch to your look, this stronghold spray sets your hairstyle without leaving your hair sticky. If you need a product that will give you a strong hold and control your frizz all day and all night, this hairspray is made for you.
Note that this product is a heavy-duty hairspray and will set your hair to perfection. However, you won’t be able to run your fingers seamlessly through your hair or move your style all that much.
The non-sticky formula will still leave your hair shiny and won’t leave any residue for a clean, fresh style.
Ingredients
SACHAJUAN’s hairspray is cruelty-free and vegan. However, not all SACHAJUAN products are vegan, and some items are formulated with animal-based ingredients.
The product is also free from parabens.
A complete ingredient list is available on each product listing, although referring to the product packaging itself is still best practice.
Sustainability & Ethics
SACHAJUAN strongly believes in holistic minimalism in design and product performance. Each of their formulations is intended to simplify the process and give customers a way to pamper themselves with efficient haircare products.
Although the company doesn’t specifically stand out for its sustainability practices, we still think they’re a solid brand if you’re looking for timeless products for your hair.
Pacifica - U.S.
The Hairspray: Soft Hold
Pacifica’s Big Waves: Soft Hold & Volume Hairspray is perfect for building up big curls and making them last throughout your day—or night!
Housed in a non-aerosol spray bottle, this cruelty-free vegan hair spray is lightweight and won’t weigh down your natural waves. However, it is a soft hold spray, so it isn’t the best product to use when you’re going for a complex hairstyle.
Nevertheless, it works perfectly for taming those pesky flyaways or giving your hair some added texture.
If you’re going for surfer girl waves for your do, we highly recommend checking out this product. Plus, it smells like sea salt, coconut, and vanilla, a perfect combo for transporting you to the beach.
Ingredients
Pacifica uses natural ingredients in their products where possible. However, their cruelty-free hair products contain some synthetic ingredients to retain efficacy without compromising customer safety.
The product is paraben-free and does not contain phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), or mineral oil.
However, Pacifica does use a scent blend made with natural and essential oils. If you have a history of reacting to fragrances in products, we suggest skipping this and going for a fragrance-free spray instead.
As a vegan and cruelty-free company, Pacifica does not use any animal-based ingredients in any of their products. In the brand’s two decades of business, they have never sanctioned animal testing, and they never will! Plus, Pacifica is PETA-certified vegan and cruelty-free.
Sustainability & Ethics
Pacifica has recently taken positive steps forward in being more accountable as a beauty brand.
They’re currently working on updating their packaging to reflect less virgin plastic, eventually reaching a point where no virgin plastic is used in any of their products. Packaging boxes are made from FSC-certified paper.
Pacifica has also partnered with the Plastic Collective, an initiative that recycles the total plastic equivalent used in Pacifica products in a given year.
Most Pacifica products are made locally in the USA. In the rare case where a product is made elsewhere, the location is displayed on the packaging.
Giovanni Cosmetics - U.S.
Founded at the cusp of the 1970s, Giovanni is one of the world’s pioneers in creative and natural hair care products.
What started in a salon in the 60s now has a portfolio of more than 150 hair care and styling products meant for different hair types and textures.
The Hairspray: Maximum Hold
While soft hold and flexible hair sprays are great for everyday wear, there are some days when you need something that will hold your hairstyle all day and all night long.
For those occasions, a good, maximum-hold vegan hairspray is your best friend. Giovanni’s L.A. Hold Hair Spritz is a fine hair spray that firmly holds your locks in place, allowing total control of your style.
While this product gives you all-day hold, you don’t have to give up any of your hair’s shine, and your locks will never look dull at the end of the day!
The product easily washes out, leaving your hair feeling soft and conditioned.
It’s also safe for color-treated hair, although Giovanni doesn’t specifically indicate if it’s safe for bleached hair.
Giovanni’s L.A. Hold is one of the best cruelty-free hairsprays for important occasions and milestones in your life. Wear it to birthdays, weddings, and more, all without having to give up your values in life.
Â
Ingredients
Giovanni’s ultimate goal as a brand is to bridge the gap between salon-quality products and natural ingredients. Many styling products today are still made with harsh chemicals; what more decades ago when legislation against harmful ingredients was virtually nonexistent?
As a result of this mission, Giovanni formulates their products as naturally as possible without compromising the quality and performance of the products themselves.
Here are some ingredients you will find in this cruelty-free spray—no harsh chemicals, we promise!
Aloe Vera Leaf Juice
Sunflower Seed Oil
Soybean Extract
Chamomile Extract
Lavender Extract
And the best part? All the ingredients we just mentioned are USDA-certified organic!
Sustainability & Ethics
Giovanni is not specifically a sustainable company, nor do they market themselves as such. However, the company’s leaders are avid believers in the power of nature to nurture our hair without damage.
Giovanni’s products are all made in the U.S.
Why Is Buying Vegan, Cruelty-free Hairspray Important?
The terms cruelty-free and vegan have been floating around the beauty sphere for decades, although not nearly as prevalent as today.
For the longest time, humans used tests on animals to determine the efficacy and safety of products—processes that were not always beneficial to human health and science [2].
Testing on animals often involves plenty of painful processes without any pain relief, resulting in incredible discomfort and pain for the animal involved.
These days, cruelty-free products that are not tested on animals are now more widely available through your local beauty store or big drugstore chains.
Regardless of recent popularity, many products today are still tested on animals—outdated though it may seem. When you shop cruelty-free and vegan, you’re supporting a future of cosmetics and beauty products that are not only kinder to your skin but to animals as well.
Final Thoughts
All of us want a good head of hair that will stay tame all throughout the day. Whether you want to manage frizz, flyaways, or take control of your big waves, cruelty-free hairsprays are always good to have on hand.
But looking for the right product for your hair type isn’t always easy! But with some trial and error and guidance from sustainable learning platforms like Puratium, you’re one step closer to the product that will be your perfect match.
Resources:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1011134415003206
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4594046/
