The best natural shampoo for coloured hair in the UK is a gentle cleanser you use no more often than you need to, followed by a conditioner every time. Research on colour fade points to how often you wash, how damaged the hair is and which dye you wear, far more than to any single ingredient on the front of the bottle. Evera shampoos are plant-led and silicone-free, and they use a gentle, coconut-derived cleanser: sodium coco-sulfate. That is a sulfate, so if you want none at all, Evera is not the right shampoo. Here is the evidence, the trade-offs and how to choose.
Best natural shampoo for coloured hair in the UK: what the data says
What actually pulls colour out of hair
- Dye type decides the clock. A 2015 review in the International Journal of Trichology says demi-permanent dyes sit shallow in the hair and fade after about 10 to 15 shampoos, or sooner. With permanent colour, the roots that show at 10 to 15 days are new growth, not dye washing out.
- Damage speeds it up. In a Journal of Cosmetic Science paper (Zhou and colleagues), 10 washes with a 12% SLES solution stripped dye from dyed bleached hair about 40% faster than from dyed grey hair. Red dyes fade fastest because they are more water-soluble, and the authors note that people expect colour to look vibrant for about six weeks.
- Every surfactant pulls some dye. In the same paper, a one-hour soak raised dye dissolution from dark brown hair by 127% with a cationic surfactant (CETAC) and 47% with an anionic one. Higher pH made it worse, because the cuticle swells open. The cleanser type matters, but so does what else touches the hair, and how long.
The practical reading: the biggest levers are fewer washes, undamaged hair and a mildly formulated cleanser. A "colour-safe" badge on its own proves little.
The surfactant comparison, with sources
Surfactants do the cleaning, so this is where "gentle" claims are decided. Here is what the sources say about the ones on UK labels.
| Surfactant | What it is | What the sources say | In Evera shampoos? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) | A 12-carbon alkyl sulfate | Wikipedia notes it can cause skin and eye irritation and irritated facial skin in young adults after more than an hour of constant exposure. A rinse-off shampoo is a few minutes. | No |
| Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) | SLS after ethoxylation | The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) panel found it a dermal and ocular irritant but not a sensitiser, to be used only when formulated to be non-irritating. It can carry trace 1,4-dioxane from manufacture. | No |
| Sodium coco-sulfate (SCS) | The same alkyl-sulfate family, made from coconut oil | CIR reviewed it with related alkyl sulfates and judged them safe at the concentrations used, 0.1% to 29%, mainly in soaps and shampoos. It is still a sulfate. | Yes, second ingredient after water in all five |
| Coco-glucoside, decyl glucoside | Sugar-based non-ionic cleansers | CIR reviewed 19 alkyl glucosides and judged them safe when formulated to be non-irritating. | Yes |
| Cocamidopropyl betaine, coco-betaine, sodium sunflowerseedamphoacetate | Amphoteric co-surfactants | The 2015 Trichology review calls amphoteric surfactants very mild and says they are added as secondary surfactants to limit the harshness of anionic cleansers. | Yes |
Two honest observations follow. First, SCS and SLS are close relatives, so "coconut-derived" does not mean "not a sulfate". Second, the 2015 review states that for sulfate-free shampoos there are no published analyses of cleansing power or hair-shaft damage. An industry write-up in Personal Care Magazine, citing earlier work by Kiplinger and colleagues, says replacing SLS and SLES with milder anionics, or adding amphoteric co-surfactants, can slow colour fading. That describes how Evera's shampoos are built, but we have no test of our own to put a number on it. For the full argument on this one ingredient, read our guide to sodium coco-sulfate.
Parabens: what UK law actually says
"Paraben-free" is a weak way to compare shampoos, because the rules already do most of the work. Great Britain applies Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as amended, and the version published on legislation.gov.uk includes two paraben changes. Regulation 358/2014 added isopropylparaben, isobutylparaben, phenylparaben, benzylparaben and pentylparaben to the banned list, with non-compliant products off the market from 30 July 2015. Regulation 1004/2014 capped propylparaben and butylparaben at 0.14% combined and banned them in leave-on products for the nappy area of children under three; methylparaben and ethylparaben stay capped under Annex V at 0.4% for a single ester and 0.8% for mixtures. Every Evera product is paraben-free; the preservatives listed on our shampoos are sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate and benzyl alcohol.
What our 36 reviews actually say
The store has 36 reviews, all five stars, 9 marked as verified purchases. One customer's mousse review appears twice, and 14 of the 36 are for shampoos and masks. The most common themes are scent (13 reviews), shine (9) and softness (5). Four mention colour, copper or blonde at all, three of them in reviews of the red-line products, and none says how long a colour lasted. So the reviews support "pleasant to use" and nothing stronger. They cannot be used to claim longer-lasting colour, and we do not. One verified reviewer of Supherbal Mask N3 wrote: "I really like that it feels like it’s actually helping to enhance and protect my colour, not just conditioning my hair." (Andy, Supherbal Mask N3.) Another, on Moisturising Shampoo No.2: "I have been using all brands in the world. But this is the one I was looking for for so long." (Claudio C., Moisturising Shampoo No.2.) Both are single opinions.
Price per 100 ml
| Product | Size | Price | Per 100 ml |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent Use Shampoo N1 | 250 ml | £35 | £14.00 |
| Moisturising Shampoo No.2 | 250 ml | £35 | £14.00 |
| Supherbal Shampoos No.3, 4, 5 | 250 ml | £38 | £15.20 |
| The Daily Duo N1 (shampoo and conditioner) | 500 ml in total | £63 | £12.60 |
| Supherbal Mask No.4 or No.5 | 180 ml | £35 | £19.44 |
| Supherbal Mask N3 | 180 ml | £38 | £21.11 |
| Liquid Gloss Treatment No.0 | 125 ml | £28 | £22.40 |
Treat this as a like-for-like comparison, not a cost per wash.
The questions people actually ask
These are the searches that land on this page, with the short answer to each.
- "Best shampoo and conditioner for coloured hair": choose a pair from one range so the surfactant and conditioning systems are designed together. Our pair is in the Daily Duo, below.
- "Best shampoo for coloured and dry hair": look for a creamy formula with humectants and a plant-oil or butter mask once a week. Moisturising Shampoo No.2 lists glycerin, rice, fenugreek, apricot and marshmallow root extracts.
- "Best shampoo for brown coloured hair": Supherbal Shampoo No.5 lists indigo leaf extract and boxwood leaf extract, and was made for dark hair.
- "Best natural or organic hair colour shampoo": if you mean a product that tints, ours do not. Supherbal Shampoo No.3 lists henna leaf extract third, after water and sodium coco-sulfate; it is a cleanser formulated with a plant extract, not a dye, and we cannot show a measured tone change.
The honest Evera position on sodium coco-sulfate
Every Evera shampoo, from Frequent Use Shampoo N1 to the three Supherbal shampoos, lists water first and sodium coco-sulfate second. Around it sit cocamidopropyl betaine, decyl glucoside, coco-glucoside, coco-betaine and sodium sunflowerseedamphoacetate, which is the mild half of the system. Evera is made in Italy and used every day in four London salons (GA Salons), where a daily shampoo must remove sebum and styling residue. Anionic surfactants are the main cleansing agents in shampoo, and "sulfate-free" has not been shown to cleanse or protect better, so we chose a coconut-derived sulfate softened with amphoterics and glucosides over a label.
Who it suits: people who want a plant-led, silicone-free shampoo they can use often, and who care about how the hair feels more than about a marketing claim. Who it does not suit: anyone who avoids every sulfate, for any reason; anyone allergic to henna (the 2015 review reports a few cases of allergic contact dermatitis, so patch-test Shampoo No.3 first); and anyone who wants a product that visibly tints.
How to choose a shampoo for coloured hair
- Know your dye. Demi-permanent colour has a built-in lifespan of 10 to 15 washes.
- Be realistic about damage. Bleached hair loses dye faster, so give it the gentlest routine you can.
- Read the first five ingredients. Look for what is doing the cleaning and what is cushioning it. Silicone-free is checkable on the label, and is true of all Evera shampoos.
- Avoid high-pH products. The fading paper found higher pH accelerates dye leaching.
- Wash less. Cooler water is common salon advice, but we have not found a controlled study to cite for it.
- Match the shade, if you like. The Supherbal shampoos are formulated with plant extracts for red, blonde or dark hair. Treat that as a preference, not a guarantee.
Evera picks for coloured hair
- Red, copper or auburn: Supherbal Shampoo No.3, £38, 250 ml. Henna leaf extract, hibiscus and goji.
- Blonde, bleached or highlighted: Supherbal Shampoo No.4, £38, 250 ml. Rhubarb and organic calendula extracts.
- Dark or brunette: Supherbal Shampoo No.5, £38, 250 ml. Indigo and boxwood leaf extracts.
- Dry, colour-treated hair of any shade: Moisturising Shampoo No.2, £35, 250 ml.
- Everyday, any shade: The Daily Duo N1: Frequent Use Shampoo N1 and Frequent Use Conditioner N1, £63 instead of £70.
Browse the whole shampoo for coloured hair collection. Use code EVERA10 for 10% off a first order, or ROUTINE10 for 10% off when two or more items are in the cart. UK delivery is free on every order (see our shipping page), and unopened products can be returned within 30 days under the Evera guarantee; faulty or wrong items are refunded or replaced.
Frequently asked questions
How long will my colour last with a natural shampoo?
No shampoo can promise a number of weeks, and we have no colour-retention test of our own to quote. The published figures are about the dye: demi-permanent colour is reported to fade after 10 to 15 shampoos or sooner, and dyed bleached hair lost dye about 40% faster than dyed grey hair in a 10-wash test. Fewer washes, a conditioner every time and a gentle cleanser are the levers you control.
Is natural shampoo strong enough to clean coloured hair?
It depends on the formula, because "natural" has no legal definition for UK cosmetics and advertising guidance says a product with synthetic preservatives cannot be called 100% natural. What cleans is the surfactant system. Evera's shampoos use sodium coco-sulfate, a coconut-derived sulfate, blended with milder betaine and glucoside co-surfactants, so they clean a daily-washed scalp properly. The plant extracts are there for how the hair feels, not to do the cleaning.
Is a sulphate-free shampoo better for coloured hair?
There is less proof than the label suggests. A 2015 review in the International Journal of Trichology found no published analysis of the cleansing power or hair-shaft effects of sulfate-free shampoos, and an industry summary of earlier work reports that milder anionic surfactants or added amphoteric co-surfactants can slow fading during shampooing. If you want no sulfates at all, that is a valid choice, but Evera shampoos are not it: all five contain sodium coco-sulfate.
Can I switch to a natural shampoo after years of conventional ones?
Yes, and you may notice a different feel in the first few washes, mainly because the 2015 review calls silicone the most widely used conditioning agent and Evera's shampoos, conditioner, masks and gloss contain none. We are not aware of published evidence for a fixed adjustment period, so we will not quote one. Judge it over three or four washes, and if it is not right for your hair, unopened products can be returned within 30 days.
How often should I wash coloured hair?
As seldom as your scalp is comfortable with. In the research we found, shampoo washing is the main driver of colour wash-out, so every wash you skip is one less. Frequent Use Shampoo N1 is made for frequent washing, but the colour-fade arithmetic still favours fewer, shorter washes.
Sources
- Gavazzoni Dias MFR. Hair cosmetics: an overview. Int J Trichology, 2015
- Zhou Y et al. Protection of oxidative hair color fading from shampoo washing. J Cosmet Sci 60(2)
- Zhou et al., surfactant and pH tests
- Personal Care Magazine: co-surfactants and colour retention
- CIR: sodium cetearyl sulfate and related alkyl sulfates, 2010
- CIR: sodium laureth sulfate, 2010
- CIR: decyl glucoside and other alkyl glucosides, 2013
- Sodium dodecyl sulfate (Wikipedia)
- Sodium laureth sulfate (Wikipedia)
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 358/2014
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 1004/2014
- GOV.UK: Regulation 1223/2009, Great Britain
- ASA and CAP advice: organic and natural claims for cosmetics
- ASA and CAP advice: hair care claims
Evera ingredient lists, prices and sizes come from the live product pages.
