With so many incredible hair brands like Pattern Beauty, Matrix and Briogeo at our fingertips, it can be easy to forget that there’s a whole wide world of haircare just waiting to be explored. While actual globe-trotting may still be difficult due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the beauty of the Internet, we can still discover and shop amazing hair products from global neighbors, both near and far. To guide you on your hair journey, we’ve highlighted some of the amazing hair brands that exist outside of the United States — whether they be half a world away in South Korea or simply across the pond in the United Kingdom.
Ahead, a look at some of the must-know hair brands from around the world.
Natura (Brazil)
Considered one of Brazil’s most beloved and biggest hair brands, Natura prides itself on using natural and renewable ingredients from the Amazon rainforest. A firm believer in fair trade, the haircare brand works with local communities to help them sustainably harvest the ingredients for their products. In addition, in an effort to reduce their impact on the environment, Natura packages its products in 100 percent recyclable PET containers and 100 percent green plastic from sugar cane.
Recommend product: Natura Ekos Murumuru Restoring Hair Mask, $34.00
AG Hair (Canada)
As the largest and only manufacturer of professional haircare products in Canada, AG Hair continues to have a major presence in the hair industry. The Vancouver-based brand was founded in 1989 by John and Lott Davis and makes high-quality hair products without gluten, parabens, and other harmful ingredients. Not to mention, AG Hair also gives back through their partnership with One Girl Can, a charity that provides educational opportunities to girls in Africa through building schools, offering scholarships, and providing mentorship programs.
Recommend product: AG Hair Simply Dry Hair Refresher for All Hair Types, $30.00
Leonor Greyl (France)
When it comes to French haircare, Leonor Greyl is the brand to know. The brainchild of French-born hair fanatic, Leonor Greyl and her botanist husband, Jean-Marie, the environmentally-friendly hair label has been a pioneer in natural haircare since the late ‘60s. Formulated with natural and botanical ingredients, all of their “green-chic” products are designed to be kind to not only your hair, but also the environment.
Recommend product: Leonor Greyl Lait Lavant A La Banane Shampoo, $45.00
Arata (India)
Co-founders Dhruv Bhasin and Dhruv Madhok aimed to bring transparency and honesty to the world of haircare when they created their own line, Arata. Working with a team of cosmetologists and Ayurveda experts, they were able to create plant-based, vegan, and chemical-free haircare products that are as clean as possible, by choosing to use essential oils, coconut-based cleansers, and floral-based fragrances over synthetic scents and surfactants. In addition, all of their shampoos, conditioners, and styling creams and gels come housed in 100 percent recycled plastic.
Recommend product: Arata Styling Hair Cream, $15.99
La’dor (South Korea)
Popular among salon goers, La’dor is a cult Korean hair brand making salon-grade luxury accessible at home. Taking influence from K-beauty, their range of haircare products are developed with popular skin-care ingredients such as collagen, silk, and ceramides to help give your locks the same level of care as you would your face.
Recommend product: La’dor Wonder Hair Oil, $23.00
Maria Nila (Sweden)
Founded in Sweden in 1999, by spouses and entrepreneurs, Ann and Ulf Wikström, Maria Nila was created with the goal of bringing Swedish-produced, clean hair care products to the market. An 100 percent vegan and certified cruelty-free brand, all of their products are developed by a team of chemists who carefully select ingredients that are not only high quality, but also good for clients, salons, and the environment.
Recommend product: Maria Nila True Soft Conditioner, $28.00
Charlotte Mensah (UK)
Even if you haven’t heard of British haircare legend Charlotte Mensah, you’ve probably seen her work. The award-winning hair stylist and owner of popular London salon, Hair Lounge, is the hair mastermind behind some of the eye-catching styles regularly seen on stars like Janelle Monae, Erykah Badu, and Jada Smith. A true expert on textured hair, Mensah’s luxury range of haircare products—which includes shampoos, conditioners, oils, and finishing mists—are made from ethically and sustainably sourced Manketti nut and Ximenia seed oil and specially formulated to both nourish and strength kinky and curly textures.
Recommend product: Charlotte Mensah Manketti Oil Finishing Mist, $43.00
Are you a fan of any of these hair brands? Let us know in the comments below!