Microplastics in Shampoo & Conditioner: 87% Contain Polymers

Nora ValeConsumer Products & Home Editor

May 1, 2025

9 min read

Microplastics in shampoo and conditioner — synthetic polymers and silicones

Last updated: May 25, 2026

Quick Answer

Most mainstream shampoos and conditioners contain dimethicone (silicone), polyquaternium polymers, acrylates copolymer, and PEG derivatives. Beat the Microbead estimates ~87% of personal-care products contain plastic polymers. While most rinse down the drain (contributing to waterway microplastic pollution), they also coat hair and skin during contact. Switching to shampoo bars (Ethique, HiBAR, Lush, Plaine Products), polymer-free liquid shampoos (Acure, Dr. Bronner's, John Masters Organics), and silicone-free conditioners eliminates both personal exposure and waterway pollution.

Key Takeaways

~87% of personal-care products contain plastic polymers per Beat the Microbead audits.
Common polymers in shampoo: dimethicone, dimethiconol, polyquaternium, acrylates copolymer, carbomer, PEG-(any number).
Most polymers rinse into wastewater — they are major contributors to municipal microplastic pollution.
Hair conditioning silicones (dimethicone) coat hair and skin during use; small absorption occurs through scalp.
Safer alternatives: shampoo bars (Ethique, HiBAR, Lush), polymer-free liquid (Acure, Dr. Bronner's, John Masters), silicone-free conditioners.

Why shampoo matters

You wash your hair 2-7 times a week, every week, for life. Each wash deposits and rinses synthetic polymers in and through your scalp's pores, then sends most of the polymer down the drain into waterways. Two distinct concerns:

Personal exposure. Scalp skin absorbs small amounts of polymer chemistry during use; hair retains silicones between washes.
Environmental pollution. Rinsed polymers reach wastewater treatment plants, which weren't designed to remove dissolved polymer chemistry. Most pass through to rivers.

The plastic ingredients to scan for

Synthetic polymers in shampoo and conditioner
Ingredient name	Function	Common in
Dimethicone / Dimethiconol	Silicone hair coating; “slip”	Most conditioners; smoothing shampoos
Cyclomethicone / Cyclopentasiloxane	Volatile silicone; light feel	Leave-in conditioners, anti-frizz
Polyquaternium-(any number)	Conditioning, anti-static	Most major-brand shampoos
Acrylates copolymer / crosspolymer	Hold, film-former	Volumising and styling shampoos
Carbomer	Thickener	Gel shampoos and clear conditioners
PEG-(any number)	Surfactant, emulsifier	Most shampoos
Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP)	Film former, hold	Styling-friendly products
Polysorbate-20, -80	Emulsifier	Many products

The silicone debate

Dimethicone is the dominant hair-conditioning silicone. It coats hair strands for a smooth, slippery feel and reduces breakage. It's not technically a microplastic — it's a polymerised silicone — but it's a synthetic polymer that doesn't biodegrade in wastewater systems and accumulates in sediment and waterways. It also builds up on hair over time, requiring sulfate-based shampoos to remove (a cleansing cycle that strips natural oils).

Silicone-free conditioners use natural butters (shea, mango, cocoa) and oils (argan, jojoba, coconut, sunflower) for conditioning.

Recommended polymer-free brands

Microplastic-conscious shampoo and conditioner brands
Brand	Format	Cert / Notes	Price
Ethique Shampoo Bars	Solid bar	B-Corp; plastic-free packaging; polymer-free	$16-20 (lasts 2-3 months)
HiBAR Shampoo & Conditioner Bars	Solid bars	Plastic-free packaging; polymer-free; sulfate-free	$15-18
Lush Shampoo Bars	Solid bar	Wide variety; polymer-free	$13-15
Acure Shampoo & Conditioner	Liquid in recyclable plastic	Polymer-free liquid; widely available	$10-13
Dr. Bronner's Sugar Soap (multi-use)	Liquid	Multi-purpose; polymer-free; certified organic	$12-16
John Masters Organics Shampoo	Liquid	Organic; polymer-free in most products	$25-32
Plaine Products	Liquid in aluminium refillable bottle	Closed-loop refill; polymer-free	$28 initial; $24 refill
Conventional drugstore (Pantene, Herbal Essences, Garnier)	Liquid in plastic	Contains polymers, silicones, PEG	$5-8
Salon brands (Olaplex, Redken, Pureology)	Liquid in plastic	Contains polymers and silicones for hair-conditioning effects	$20-45

Practical hair-routine changes

Try a shampoo bar. Ethique, HiBAR, and Lush are widely available. One bar = 2-3 bottles of liquid shampoo with no plastic packaging.
Use a wide-tooth wooden comb instead of plastic brushes (which shed microplastic fibres into hair).
Wash less often. Daily washing strips natural oils and increases need for conditioning silicones. Most hair types benefit from 2-3 washes per week.
Air-dry or low-heat dry. Reduces need for heat-protection sprays (often polymer-heavy).
Skip leave-in styling products with polyquaternium, acrylates, or PVP — these polymers stay on hair until next wash.
Conditioner in glass containers when available, or refill at zero-waste shops.

What the MicroPlastics app checks

Ingredient list parsed from the product label or barcode.
Flagged ingredients — polyethylene, acrylates, carbomer, PEG, fragrance, parabens.
Product category — leave-on vs rinse-off; risk weighted differently.
Brand and product line — clean certifications (EWG VERIFIED, MADE SAFE).
Cited research and regulatory references for each scan.

Use the App

Scan personal-care products before buying

The MicroPlastics app reads the ingredient list, flags microplastic polymers and additives, and points to cleaner alternatives in the same category.

Scan cosmetics in the app

Frequently Asked Questions

Does shampoo contain microplastics?

Most mainstream shampoos contain synthetic polymers including dimethicone (silicone), polyquaternium, acrylates copolymer, carbomer, and PEG derivatives. Beat the Microbead estimates ~87% of personal-care products contain plastic polymers.

Is silicone in conditioner bad?

Dimethicone (the most common conditioning silicone) coats hair for a smooth feel and rinses down the drain into wastewater. It is not biodegradable in real-world conditions and accumulates in sediment. Silicone-free conditioners use natural butters and oils instead.

Are shampoo bars better than liquid shampoo?

Shampoo bars (Ethique, HiBAR, Lush) are typically polymer-free, use no plastic packaging, and last 2-3 times longer than liquid bottles. The main learning curve is adjusting hair to bar shampoo over 2-4 weeks; most users report softer, healthier hair afterward.

What is the safest shampoo brand for microplastics?

Ethique, HiBAR, Lush (shampoo bars); Acure, Dr. Bronner's, John Masters Organics, Plaine Products (liquid). Mainstream drugstore brands (Pantene, Herbal Essences, Garnier) and most salon brands (Olaplex, Redken, Pureology) contain polymers and silicones.

How can I tell if my shampoo has microplastics?

Scan the ingredient list for: dimethicone, dimethiconol, cyclomethicone, polyquaternium-(any number), acrylates copolymer, carbomer, PEG-(any number), PVP, polysorbate-20/-80. The Beat the Microbead app scans products against a public microplastic ingredient database.

Do polymer-free shampoos work as well?

They work differently. Without silicones, hair may feel less "slippery" initially but is genuinely cleaner. After 2-4 weeks of adjustment, most users report healthier, more manageable hair. The "silicone build-up cycle" of needing harsher shampoos to remove silicones is broken.

Sources

Beat the Microbead / Plastic Soup Foundation (2024). Plastic in personal care products — database. Plastic Soup Foundation.
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) (2023). Restriction on intentionally added microplastics. ECHA.
Lassen C, et al. (2015). Microplastics: Occurrence, effects and sources of releases to the environment in Denmark. Danish Environmental Protection Agency.
Environmental Working Group (EWG) (2024). EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. EWG.

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