The present invention comprises a composition for hair cleansing and conditioning, including at least one anionic surfactant, at least one cationic hair conditioning agent, and an acrylate-based polymer capable of thickening and stabilizing the composition, wherein the composition is essentially free of sulfate-based surfactant and silicone-based hair conditioning agent. In addition, the invention also comprises a method of cleansing and conditioning hair by providing a composition having at least one anionic surfactant, at least one cationic hair conditioning agent, and an acrylate-based polymer capable of thickening and stabilizing the composition, applying the composition to treat the hair of a user and rinsing the treated hair with sufficient amount of water.
