Humby Organics Review: Are These Shampoo Bars Worth Buying?

Humby Organics is a personal care line, primarily known for its handcrafted shampoo bars, soaps, conditioners, and deodorants. The company focuses on plant-based ingredients, sustainable packaging, and environmentally responsible production practices, making it a great option for those who want to decrease plastic waste.

However, do Humby Organics shampoo bars have ingredients that have been backed by science? Do the formulations contain only natural ingredients, as the brand name suggests? Are they free from ingredients that could be irritating, and are they truly better than regular shampoos?

In this review, we will address these questions by looking at the ingredients in one of Humby Organics’ popular shampoo bars, the scientific evidence for their active botanical ingredients, and the brand’s overall transparency.

We’ll also be exploring whether Humby Organics can actually pull the wool over our eyes regarding their sustainability credentials and compare their shampoo bars to a few brands that are widely recognised to see which formulations come out on top.

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Ingredient Analysis

Purple Rain Shampoo Bar features a combination of plant oils, butters, and essential oils that gently cleanse and condition the hair. While there is some good scientific evidence for several ingredients, we have focused on whether the full formulation is supported by scientific evidence and whether all ingredients are properly disclosed.

Humby Organics Supplement Fact

Olive Oil – One of the key botanicals found in Humby Organics shampoo bars is olive oil.

While most people think of olive oil as a healthy food, there are also claims that it can be used topically to benefit the hair. Based on experimental research, the naturally occurring compounds found in olive oil, such as oleuropein, can stimulate hair follicles and promote healthy hair growth.

In one study published in PLoS One, it was observed that topical oleuropein was able to stimulate hair growth and boost the expression of growth factors associated with the development of the hair follicles in animal models.^[1]

Although positive, human clinical trials involving olive oil for hair growth are still scarce, so it is unclear whether the same results occur with regular shampoos.

Overall, olive oil seems to be a good conditioning component, but more human studies are required.

Coconut Oil – Coconut oil is one of the most extensively studied natural ingredients used in hair care products.

Coconut oil is made of lauric acid, which can penetrate the hair fiber and help to minimize the loss of protein in the hair from washing, heat styling, and chemical styling.

Research published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science was conducted to determine the effect of coconut oil on protein loss in damaged and healthy hair, and it was established that coconut oil significantly reduced protein loss when compared with mineral oil and sunflower oil.^[2]

This evidence indicates that coconut oil can eventually help improve hair strength and decrease hair breakage if used regularly.

Coconut oil is one of the most scientifically backed ingredients in Humby Organics shampoo bars.

Shea Butter – Shea butter’s moisturizing properties and its ability to support the skin barrier make it a popular ingredient in natural hair care.

Medical and scientific studies have shown that in addition to hydration, shea butter can contain bioactive compounds that are anti-inflammatory, potentially soothing and calming a dry or irritated scalp.

A review noted that shea butter has anti-inflammatory properties, as well as restorative properties on barrier function in the skin.^[3]

There is not a lot of research on shea butter shampoos, but the proven moisturizing and supportive properties of shea butter suggest its use in scalp care formulations.

Natural Fragrance Blend – The natural fragrance blend is the ingredient that we found to be most concerning.

Humby Organics lists a few essential oils on its own, but it does not specify the fragrance blend. Fragrance blends may include dozens of components, and consumers can’t practically know what is in them.

This is especially crucial for people who have sensitivity to fragrances or allergic skin conditions.

A systematic review reported in Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health revealed evidence of potential adverse health effects from exposure to fragranced consumer products in susceptible individuals.^[4]

The aroma is a mix of perfumes, and we feel that this is the biggest drawback of the existing formulation.

Our Ingredient Assessment

Humby Organics contains a blend of several research-backed botanicals that could assist in enhancing hair softness, protecting against protein loss, and keeping the scalp hydrated.

Unfortunately, the company doesn’t provide a full list of ingredients for its shampoo bars, so it’s hard to assess all of the ingredients it uses. Greater transparency, especially in the use of fragrance ingredients, would significantly boost our trust in the formulation.

Overall, the list of ingredients seems better than most conventional shampoos, but it is not as transparent as we would expect from a natural and sustainable brand.

Scientific Evidence

Humby Organics emphasizes the use of plant-based ingredients in all shampoo bars, with some of these compounds studied individually in laboratory or clinical research. But it’s important to differentiate between evidence that backs the individual ingredients and evidence that backs the final shampoo.

As of the time of writing, no clinical trials of Humby Organics shampoo bars as a whole product have been found. That is, the available evidence is not necessarily for the product itself, but rather for certain botanical ingredients.

For instance, coconut oil has been found to help prevent protein loss from hair, and in experimental investigations, olive oil and shea butter have proven to be beneficial for hair conditioning and scalp health. The benefits, however, may not persist once added to rinse-off shampoos, depending on formulation, concentration, and use frequency.

The consumer benefit in using the shampoo bars would be through the ingredients provided; as of yet, there is not enough clinical evidence to solidly state that Humby Organics is superior to other competing shampoo bars.

Humby Organics vs. Popular Shampoo Bar Brands

Here’s how Humby Organics compares with several well-known shampoo bar brands based on ingredient quality, formulation transparency, and overall hair care benefits.

Kitsch

Kitsch offers a variety of shampoo bars formulated with ingredients such as castor oil, coconut oil, argan oil, and rice protein, all of which are commonly used to moisturize hair and reduce breakage.

Like Humby Organics, Kitsch emphasizes naturally derived ingredients and eco-friendly packaging. However, many Kitsch formulations also contain fragrance, which may not be ideal for consumers with sensitive scalps.

Overall, we found both brands to offer similar formulation quality, with neither brand completely avoiding fragrance across its entire shampoo bar lineup.

Winner: Tie

The Unscented Company

Viori shampoo bars incorporate ingredients such as Longsheng rice water, hydrolyzed rice protein, bamboo extract, and cocoa butter, several of which have research supporting improvements in hair strength and conditioning.

Compared with Humby Organics, Viori provides greater ingredient transparency and includes additional conditioning ingredients with scientific support.

Although both brands promote sustainability and plant-based formulations, we believe Viori has a slight advantage from an ingredient quality perspective.

Winner: Viori

The Unscented Company

As its name suggests, The Unscented Company specializes in fragrance-free personal care products, making it a suitable option for individuals with fragrance allergies or sensitive skin.

Since the undisclosed fragrance blend is our primary concern with Humby Organics, The Unscented Company earns a clear advantage for ingredient transparency and skin compatibility.

Winner: The Unscented Company

Overall Comparison

Humby Organics performs well in several important areas, including plastic-free packaging, plant-derived ingredients, and environmentally conscious product design.

However, greater ingredient transparency would strengthen the brand’s credibility, particularly regarding fragrance disclosure.

Consumers primarily seeking eco-friendly shampoo bars may appreciate Humby Organics, while those prioritizing complete ingredient disclosure or fragrance-free formulations may find stronger alternatives among competing brands.

What Our Expert Says?

Being one of the contributors to this review and to better understand the user experience, Marissa Ford evaluated the Humby Organics Purple Rain Shampoo Bar during her regular hair care routine for several weeks.

She immediately noticed that the shampoo bar produced a rich lather despite its compact size, making it easy to distribute throughout the hair. Unlike some natural shampoo bars that can leave hair feeling waxy, the Humby Organics bar rinsed out cleanly and left her hair feeling soft without excessive residue.

Marissa also appreciated the product’s plastic-free packaging and travel-friendly design, noting that it was significantly easier to pack than a traditional liquid shampoo bottle.

One drawback she observed was the fragrance. Although the scent was pleasant during use, the ingredient label didn’t clearly explain what was included in the natural fragrance blend, making it difficult to determine whether it would be appropriate for individuals with fragrance sensitivities.

After several weeks of consistent use, Marissa noticed that her hair remained clean and manageable, but she did not observe dramatic improvements in hair growth or thickness. This outcome aligns with current scientific evidence, which supports some individual ingredients but not the finished shampoo formulation itself.

Overall, her experience suggests that Humby Organics performs well as an everyday shampoo bar, though consumers should maintain realistic expectations regarding long-term hair growth benefits

Pros and Cons of Humby Organics

• Plastic-free packaging helps reduce environmental waste.
• The shampoo bar format is convenient for travel and daily use.
• Plant-derived ingredients may help improve hair softness and reduce protein loss.

• Uses a natural fragrance blend without fully disclosing its ingredients.
• Complete ingredient lists are unavailable for some shampoo bars.
• We found no published clinical trials evaluating Humby Organics shampoo bars as finished products.
• Ingredient transparency is lower than that of some competing brands.
• Individuals with fragrance allergies may prefer fragrance-free alternatives.

Final Verdict

Humby Organics offers a solid balance of sustainability and naturally derived hair care ingredients, making it an appealing option for consumers looking to reduce plastic waste without sacrificing product quality.

Its formulation includes several ingredients with meaningful scientific support, particularly coconut oil, which has demonstrated benefits for protecting hair from protein loss and minimizing damage. The shampoo bar format is also practical, travel-friendly, and environmentally conscious.

That said, we believe transparency is just as important as ingredient selection. The lack of complete ingredient lists across some products and the use of an undisclosed fragrance blend prevent us from giving the brand our strongest recommendation.

For consumers focused primarily on eco-friendly packaging and botanical ingredients, Humby Organics is certainly worth considering. However, individuals with sensitive skin, fragrance allergies, or those seeking maximum ingredient transparency may prefer brands that provide full ingredient disclosure or fragrance-free formulations.

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Written by

Health Insiders Team

The Health Insiders Team takes pride in bringing you the latest in nutritional research, skincare, healthy living, and wellness hacks. Together our researchers, journalists, dermatologists, and health experts have decades of pertinent experience generating and editing content for Health Insiders. [Read Full Bio]

Reviewed by Marissa Ford, MS, RD, LD

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