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Faith In Nature Natural Shampoo – Fragrance Free — Sensory Review
Near-odourless in a hot shower, no squeak, fast rinse — the strongest all-round sensory performer in the test batch. One truly irritating cap.
Tested in hard water (South Downs chalk). Single-blind. No conditioner used in shower test.
Fig II. Exhibit A. 400ml. Under investigation.
Sensory scorecard
Smell and texture — the findings
This review examines two dimensions: smell and texture & behaviour.
What this means in practice: the best smell performance in the batch, and not a close result. Cold from the bottle there is a faint chemical note — present only under deliberate attention. In hot water, where Urtekram and bio-d revealed themselves at considerable volume, this product stayed quiet. Nothing lingered on hair or hands after drying. Where in-shower smell is the primary concern, this is the correct starting point.
What this means in practice: the gel is among the tidiest in the batch — clear, non-stringy, controlled pour. The lather is low and slow, which is a positive for foam-averse users and neutral for everyone else. The rinse is the fastest in the batch. The packaging story is good in all respects except the cap, which squeaks on opening and closing every time without improvement, and will need monitoring for residue build-up. A pump bottle would be a meaningful upgrade. In the meantime: regular cleaning of the cap hinge, and a brief pause before opening if the squeak is a real trigger.
Case notes
What was found
Faith In Nature has been making simple, plant-based formulations since the 1970s — one of the original UK natural brands, before that positioning became a marketing category. The Fragrance Free shampoo is not their most interesting product. That is meant as a genuine compliment.
In a hot shower, it produced almost nothing in the way of smell. For context: this was tested alongside products that smelled of glue, emulsion paint, and rug shampoo. Faith In Nature stayed quiet. The rinse was fast and left no squeak. Hair was clean and light. Nothing accumulated on the scalp over several days of use. These are the four things that bear most directly on sensory-sensitive use, and this product delivers all four without incident.
The shower proceeded without incident. Hair was clean. Nothing smelled of anything in particular. The investigation recorded this as the most welcome outcome in the batch.
The formula contains Ammonium Laureth Sulfate — a milder sulfate than SLS, but a sulfate. The “no SLS” claim on the label is technically accurate and also slightly misleading, in the way that technically accurate statements sometimes are. ALES is not SLS. It is, however, in the same family. Users who react to sulfates specifically, rather than to SLS as a named ingredient, should note this and consider Vanicream for the most ingredient-controlled option in the batch, or Noughty for sulfate-free without the pricing premium. CAPB is also present.
The pH of approximately 6 — slightly acidic, closer to the scalp’s natural range — likely accounts for the comfortable, squeak-free rinse. The cap squeak is the one ongoing finding the investigation cannot account for and continues to record on every encounter with the product. This is perhaps the most accurate measure of its significance.
What was tested
The tests
400ml bottle — light, comfortable grip, good for one-handed use. Matte label helps with wet hands. The flip cap opens easily and has a clean action. It also squeaks. Every time. I’ll note it once and try to move on.
Crystal clear, medium-viscosity gel — non-stringy, clean pour, no mess. In the hand: smooth, non-sticky, spreads easily. One of the tidiest dispensing experiences in the batch.
A very faint chemical note — barely there, requiring concentration to detect. One of the best cold-bottle smell results in the batch. The investigation proceeded with more than cautious optimism.
Fixed amount added to a jar of warm water, shaken fifteen times. Low, slow lather — slightly creamy rather than sudsy, with compact suds that settled quickly without drama. One of the lowest foam results in the batch.
Product applied to wet hands. Low and slow — the lather became slightly creamy without being sudsy. Not sticky. Rinsed from hands very quickly with no residue. The least eventful hand lather in the test set, which is exactly what it should be.
A normal amount of product was needed — it spread easily on wet hair. No smell released in steam. The rinse was the fastest in the test batch and produced no squeak. Hair felt clean and smooth, properly washed without friction or the stripped feeling that several other products in this batch produced.
After drying: hair clean and light, settled and normal. No scalp reactions during or after washing. No lingering smell. Over several days of repeated use, performance was consistent — no build-up developing, no dryness emerging. The cap continued to squeak throughout.
Claims checker
What the label says — what the test found
| The claim | Finding | Note |
|---|---|---|
| "Fragrance-free / free from artificial colours" | | No parfum, essential oils, or fragrance allergens. No colourants. Confirmed and supported by testing — the odour performance is the best in the batch. |
| "Vegan" | | No animal-derived ingredients. Confirmed. |
| "pH balanced" | | Measured at approximately pH 6. Slightly acidic, closer to the scalp's natural range. Confirmed — likely a meaningful factor in the squeak-free result. |
| "Suitable for sensitive skin / sensitive scalp" | | Avoids many common high-risk irritants. Contains CAPB and Ammonium Laureth Sulfate. Suitable for many sensitive users; not universally appropriate for highly reactive or eczema-prone scalps. |
| "No SLS or parabens" | | Technically accurate — no SLS, no parabens. However contains Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, a sulfate surfactant. The claim is accurate in the narrow sense while potentially misleading users who need a sulfate-free formula. |
| "Naturally derived ingredients" | | Most ingredients are plant-derived or fermentation-derived. Some preservatives are synthetic but nature-identical. Consistent with cosmetic marketing norms. |
Ingredient analysis
Key points — what bears on the sensory outcome
- Key points — not a full INCI breakdown. Only what bears on the sensory outcome.
- Ammonium Laureth Sulfate (ALES): Primary cleanser. A milder sulfate than SLS or SLES but still a sulfate. Users who need to avoid all sulfates should note this — the "no SLS" claim does not mean sulfate-free.
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine (CAPB): Amphoteric co-surfactant. Contributes foam and slip; softens the cleanse. A documented contact allergen for some users with sensitive skin or eczema.
- Glycerin: Humectant. Aids moisture retention — likely a contributor to the comfortable post-wash feel.
- Maris Sal (Sea Salt): Viscosity modifier and texture adjuster. Thickens the formula.
- Citric Acid: pH adjuster. Brings formula to approximately pH 6 — the scalp-friendlier end of the range, and likely a significant factor in the absence of squeak.
- Sodium Benzoate: Preservative. Generally low irritation.
- Potassium Sorbate: Co-preservative. Low-irritation for most users.
Verdict
Who this suits — and who it doesn’t
Works well if avoiding- Near-odourless — barely perceptible cold and almost entirely absent in hot water and steam
- No squeak on rinse — hair clean and smooth without friction
- Rinses very quickly — no dragging, no residue
- Low, slow, non-intrusive lather — well-suited to foam-averse users
- Hair and scalp settled normally over several days of repeated use
- Best sensory value in the test set — strong performance at a reasonable price
Not right if you need- Flip cap produces a genuinely irritating squeak every single time — it does not improve with use
- Contains Ammonium Laureth Sulfate — a sulfate, despite the "no SLS" claim creating an impression of sulfate-free
- Contains CAPB — relevant for users with confirmed contact sensitivity
- Flip caps accumulate product residue over time and need cleaning
- Not suitable for users who need a genuinely sulfate-free formula
Of the eight products tested, this is the one the investigation would use. The record reflects this without ambiguity.
It is not without fault. The cap squeak was noted on every occasion the bottle was opened, without diminishing over time. Flip caps accumulate residue and require monitoring. The formula contains Ammonium Laureth Sulfate — a sulfate, the “no SLS” label notwithstanding. Users requiring a genuinely sulfate-free formula should consult Noughty Care Taker or Vanicream instead. CAPB is present.
These caveats noted, the investigation proceeds: in a hot shower — where several products in this batch revealed themselves at considerable volume — this one remained quiet. No smell worth recording. No squeak. The fastest rinse in the batch. Hair clean and light. Scalp settled over several days of use without registering a complaint. The cap squeaked throughout, the only consistent finding against it.
Where low smell is the priority and no specific sulfate or CAPB sensitivity applies, this is the clearest recommendation in the test set. It also clears the squeak bar, see the squeak-free shampoo guide for rankings. For foam behaviour, it is among the lowest-lather products in the batch — see the low-foam guide. The full fragrance-free shampoo comparison shows how it stands against all eight.