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Reviewed by Dr. Diana Rangaves, PharmD
Yeah, we know – “best shampoos in the world” is a big claim, but we’re sure we’ve found them. Every single product on this list combines excellent ingredients with scientific roots, amazing results, and luxurious hair care experiences. Without a doubt, they’ve earned the title!
What Is Shampoo For?
A lot of stuff builds up on your hair and scalp throughout the day, and none of it’s good. Think sebum, dandruff, pollutants, dirt, dust, product residue – the list goes on. Shampoo exists to wash this buildup away, imparting benefits like increased softness, shine, and manageability. No matter your hair type or issue, there’s a shampoo out there that can give you the hair of your dreams. Shampoo is for banishing bad hair days!
What Makes a Great Shampoo?
A great shampoo is all about making your hair look and feel its best. Here are the elements to look for in a shampoo:
- Natural Ingredients: To get the best results and encourage healthy hair, you’ll want to stick to products with natural ingredients. Some of the best to look for include essential oils, aloe vera, and coconut-derived surfactants. These will clean your hair and give it an enviable glow without causing any damage.
- No Toxins: When checking out the ingredient lists, it’s important not only to know what is in your shampoo but also what isn’t. Toxins like sulfates, parabens, silicone, formaldehyde, phthalates, and artificial dyes and fragrances are some of the worst offenders. These may strip your hair of essential moisture and irritate your scalp. Some even have additional negative health effects, so it’s best to steer clear of them.
- Suits Your Hair Type: There are four hair types – straight, wavy, curly, and coily. Your hair care needs will vary depending on what kind of hair you have, so when looking for the right product try to find one that suits your hair type. Some shampoos state directly on the bottle what hair type they’re designed for.
- A Pleasant Smell: Since scent lingers in your hair throughout the day, you want to look for a shampoo with a pleasant smell you’ll be happy to have around. Just try to avoid products with artificial fragrances, as that can be irritating to your skin.
How to Incorporate Shampoo Into Your Routine
The key to incorporating a great shampoo into your routine? Not using it every day! Experts recommend washing hair every two to three days to ensure that your hair is properly moisturized and not stripped of its natural oils.
Follow shampoo with conditioner for the best results, and use a hair oil before washing or styling to ensure moisture and shine. When styling, stay away from high heat and harmful chemical treatments. Your hair will thank you!
1. Blu Atlas Shampoo
Best shampoo in the world is quite a title, and it’s one that Blu Atlas shampoo absolutely deserves. This shampoo has got you covered no matter your hair type or hair woe – dryness, oily scalp, hair loss, etc.. It uses 99% naturally-derived ingredients to nourish the scalp and hair, leaving you with a healthier mane than you’ve previously experienced.
Let’s dive into this shampoo’s awesome formula. It contains jojoba oil, a prized hair ingredient that contains essential nutrients, antioxidants, and fatty acids. Since the texture of jojoba oil is similar to the sebum your scalp naturally produces, it can regulate sebum production and cut down on that greasy look. Then aloe vera soothes the scalp and imparts moisture plus extra nutrients to help your hair shine.
Saw palmetto hits the hair with anti-inflammatory powers and helps stop hormone-related hair thinning. Vegan biotin is another important ingredient, strengthening, protecting, and hydrating to add extra volume and thickness. This shampoo has all the goods, sure to give you plenty of good hair days. It comes in two scents: Classic or Coconut Apricot so you can optimize your hair care experience.
2. R+Co Television Perfect Hair Shampoo
The idea behind this formula from R+Co is to give you broadcast-worthy hair, and it definitely follows through. Using juniper berry extract to balance your scalp’s oil production, glycerin to fill the hair with much-needed moisture, and babassu seed oil to deeply condition, this shampoo ensures plenty of hydration and a glorious shine.
Panthenol is also included here, reinforcing hair and keeping it from splitting or fraying. This shampoo also smells great thanks to a scent called Dark Waves, a combination of cardamom, pineapple, tangerine, lavender, blond woods, and bamboo that will be hard to forget.
3. Malin + Goetz Moisturizing Shampoo
Malin and Goetz is known for straightforward, clean products – like this moisturizing shampoo. Dry hair is a common issue because it has so many triggers: the climate, the products you use, heat styling, blow drying, age, health problems, and more. That’s why this product contains plenty of hydrating ingredients to get rid of dryness and frizz and restore healthy, soft hair.
Amino acids contribute to this effect, cleansing without stripping hair of its natural moisture. Panthenol reinforces hair and moisturizes, plus there are plenty of other hydrating ingredients like glycol stearate and sodium PCA. These ingredients blend to make a formula especially suited for those with chemically processed hair.
4. Jupiter Balancing Shampoo
When your hair and scalp get out of balance, that’s when annoying hair issues pop up. The point behind this product from Jupiter is to get everything back under control – leading to healthier, happier hair. Those with dandruff will find this product particularly helpful, as it contains pyrithione zinc to get rid of flakes.
Coconut oil, squalane, and sea kelp are the big moisturizers in this formula, providing plenty of micronutrients to encourage healthy hair, too. Lavender calms the scalp, apple fruit nourishes your hair follicles, and rosemary leaf oil busts inflammation and jumpstarts circulation in the scalp. The result is one of the best shampoos in the world!
5. Pantene Micellar Shampoo
You’ve probably heard of micellar water, the magical cleansing agent that also happens to be super gentle and moisturizing. It works by deploying minuscule micelles, which attract impurities so you can easily rinse them away.
Additions like panthenol for strengthening, corn silk extract and orange flower to promote growth, camellia oil for its emollient properties, and cucumber fruit water that is rich in minerals needed to grow strong hair power this shampoo. The best part is that you can find this product at your local drug store or supermarket at an affordable price!
6. Christophe Robin Delicate Volumizing Shampoo
Dullness or thinning your biggest worry? Try the Delicate Volumizing Shampoo from Christophe Robin. It’s designed for those with fine hair who often suffer from flatness. With a gel-like texture, this shampoo cleans and renews hair so you can look like you’ve gotten a professional blowout when all you’ve done is take a shower.
Rose oil is key here, making hair more manageable. Baobab leaf conditions hair to smooth, glycerin to hydrate, and castor oil to deliver important vitamins.
7. Herbal Essences Avocado and Argan Oil Repair Shampoo
Herbal Essences is a favorite drugstore brand that relies on plant-based ingredients for stunning results. This particular shampoo is ultra-nourishing, thanks to a blend of avocado and argan oil that repairs damaged hair and gives it new life. Coconut-based surfactants give a nice sudsy clean, and aloe vera ensures lasting hydration and a blissed-out scalp.
8. Davines Oi Shampoo
This stand-out formula is creamy and nourishing, helping to coax out and then maintain soft and smooth hair. Users love how great this formula smells and how long the perfume lasts and say that their hair has never looked better.
The secret to this shampoo is roucou oil, called the “hair whisperer,” thanks to its ability to shield hair from environmental damage and slow down your hair’s aging while hydrating and detangling. This, plus other hydrating ingredients, means you’ll be left with fuller-bodied hair!
9. Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Multiplying Shampoo
Pump up the volume with this product from Alterna. It contains plenty of moisturizing ingredients to give hair of all types a boost, giving you voluminous and hydrated hair all day long. The brand’s Marine Plumping Complex is to thank for these effects, as it contains extracts that thicken hair with plenty of moisture.
Sea kelp also coats your strands in extra hydration, while keratin works with biotin and panthenol to ensure strong hair. Linseed oil treats hair loss, and shea butter conditions for the ultimate softness.
10. Olaplex No 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo
We put our hair through a lot! That’s why it’s important to take care of it every once in a while – and by every once in a while, we mean every time you shower. The Bond Maintenance Shampoo exists to protect hair from all kinds of damage, cutting down on breakage to give you stronger, more resilient hair.
Apricot kernel oil seeps into a dry scalp to replenish its stores of moisture, sunflower contains important nutrients healthy hair needs, and banana fruit strengthens hair and helps it fend off oxidative stress. Rosemary leaf oil brings its anti-inflammatory properties, burdock root treats common scalp conditions, and noni juice strengthens the follicles themselves.
11. Sachajuan Normal Hair Shampoo
You don’t need a fancy formula for an effective shampoo – that’s what Sachajuan proves with its Normal Hair formula. It’s great for all kinds of natural hair types, working with the hair gently to encourage greater health, volume, and luster. This shampoo is truly simple, relying on glycerin and red algae for calming and moisturizing, putting a little extra pep into your hair.
12. Briogeo’s Blossom and Bloom
Here we have another volumizing miracle in the form of Briogeo’s Blossom and Bloom, sure to make your hair thrive. The formula is infused with ginger to stimulate the scalp and follicles, biotin for extra volume, and coconut oil for lasting moisture. Meanwhile, orange peel oil gets rid of dandruff, black currant boosts thickness, witch hazel absorbs oil so you can wash less frequently, and tocopheryl acetate protects hair from sun damage.
13. Seen Skin-Caring Shampoo
It may seem funny for a shampoo to mention skin, but think of what lies under all that hair! The point of this skin-caring shampoo is that it removes impurities lodged in your scalp, minimizes the effects of irritants, and gives a satisfying lather.
Without sulfates, silicones, phthalates, parabens, dyes, or preservatives, you’re left with only the pure stuff. Like hemisqualane – a natural substitute for silicone – to shield hair from damage and combat frizz, bisabolol to keep your scalp happy, vitamin E to restore shine, and glycerin to keep your locks luscious.
14. Verb Ghost Shampoo
If frizziness has got you frustrated, turn to Verb’s Ghost Shampoo. As one of the best shampoos in the world, it works equally well on all hair types, providing a lightweight cleanse and additional protection and smoothing. Its formula is enriched with moringa oil, a superhero hydrator.
Green tea extract makes an appearance to protect hair, sunflower seed extract nourishes with fatty acids and keeps color from fading, and aloe vera works on scalp flaking. The ingredient list goes on, with everything from soothing chamomile to hydrolyzed quinoa for hair suppleness and more.
15. Not Your Mother’s Naturals Royal Honey and Kalahari Melon
The best shampoos in the world offer a luxurious hair-washing experience, soaking hair in plenty of moisture and nutrients to repair damaged or weak strands. In this product, sunflower oil combats frizz and dandruff, leaving hair fuller, while watermelon seed oil delivers important minerals to the cuticle to promote healthy growth.
Kalahari melon is great for brittle hair, and honey provides smoothing and brightening properties. With these benefits and a sweet smell, this is a great product to add to your shower caddy.
16. Pureology Hydrate Shampoo
If you dye your hair, you’ll want to find color-safe shampoo and a product that provides extra moisture. Dying your hair can damage it over time, stripping your hair of its natural moisture stores.
That’s where this shampoo comes in. It goes easy on color-treated hair, bearing substantial moisture in the form of rose extract, jojoba oil, and aloe juice. Green tea is also included in the mix for its anti-inflammatory properties, and sunflower seed oil is packed with vitamin E to encourage hair growth.
17. Aveda Scalp Solutions Balancing Shampoo
If you’ve got beef with your dry scalp, try the Scalp Solutions Balancing Shampoo from salon-favorite brand Aveda. It gently removes dirt and buildup from the scalp, replacing impurities with nutrients and plenty of moisture.
Menthol gives a satisfying tingle, centella asiatica soothes, lactobacillus ferment balances the scalp’s microbiome, and sunflower seed oil nourishes. Pro tip – give yourself a scalp massage as you work this product into your hair for the best results.
18. Adwoa Beauty Baomint Moisturizing Shampoo
Even those with greasy roots need moisture. Turning to products that have sebum-mimicking oils can be a great way to ensure that hair gets properly moisturized without going overboard.
That’s why this shampoo runs on natural oils like baobab, sweet almond, and castor seed – plus aloe for scalp hydration and three different mint oils for a spa-like relaxation experience. This shampoo is also ideal for those with curly or coily hair and dry scalps.
19. Sienna Naturals’ H.A.P.I Shampoo
Next, we have a shampoo designed for curly, coily, and dyed hair. It targets issues that most frequently affect those with these hair types, providing lasting moisture, detangling, and hydrating while removing product buildup. Users say it’s “just right,” meaning that the shampoo makes their hair feel satisfyingly clean without stripping it of moisture.
That’s thanks to ingredients like soothing aloe vera, baobab oil infused with lots of important vitamins, and lavender to give your hair follicles a little extra love. This shampoo also smells like a spa treatment – lavender and geranium give off indulgent vibes!
20. Chi Keratin Shampoo
Keratin is a natural protein that is a building block for your hair, nails, and skin. It’s a tough, protective substance that makes hair resistant to damage and helps it look healthier and more substantial. That’s the idea behind this shampoo, which restores your hair’s keratin and seals out damage, giving you a full, thick head of hair.
In addition to keratin, this shampoo also includes hydrolyzed silk, which makes hair shinier and more elastic to help it bounce back quicker. Argan and jojoba oils soak into hair to deliver important nutrients and bump up your hair’s level of shine, siliqua helps you avoid damage, and cornstarch helps hair appear plumper. It helps that this formula is clean, vegan, and cruelty-free – plus it comes in sustainable packaging!
21. Acure Ultra Hydrating Shampoo
Great hair care doesn’t have to be fancy, and that’s what Acure proves with this Ultra Hydrating Shampoo. The product delivers all you want from a shampoo – clean, healthy hair – with none of the fuss. And it’s budget-friendly, too.
Argan and pumpkin oils do the heavy lifting in this formula to get your hair back on track, leaving it softer and smoother by quenching its thirst. Aloe comes to your scalp’s rescue, blackberry extract lessens shedding, chamomile provides free radical damage protection, and rosa canina heals. Green rooibos provides the minerals your hair needs to grow strong and sweet almond oil naturally lubricates your hair shaft, protecting it from heat damage.
Did you know such simple, natural ingredients could have such a powerful impact?
22. Kérastase Densifique
Do not use this shampoo if you already have thick hair – it’s the last thing you’ll want! This product is one of the best shampoos in the world if thinness and dullness are your top worries. That’s because it can increase the density of your hair, reversing signs of thinning to give you greater fullness quickly. Because thickness is no good if your hair is weak, this shampoo also ensures stronger hair and gives you a thorough clean.
Hyaluronic acid is this formula’s superpower thanks to its humectant capabilities. Gluco peptide sinks deep into your hair cuticles – the outermost layer of your hair – to ensure your hair stays strong. Then ceramides promote moisture and elasticity, salicylic acid gets rid of scalp flakes, and hydrolyzed wheat protein sinks beyond the hair’s outermost layer to deliver moisture deep into each strand.
23. Gisou Honey-Infused Hair Wash
This brand has become a sensation among influencers, and for good reason! You’ll love how this shampoo is made of 92% natural ingredients, providing a gentle cleanse and plenty of moisture without weighing hair down. It’s also great for all hair types, including color-treated hair – so bring it on!
Mirsalehi honey and bee garden oil blend attend to your hair’s every need thanks to all kinds of minerals and vitamins. This blend also contains plenty of fatty acids, making hair stronger and more manageable.
Amino acids keep hair safe from damage, argan oil douses hair with vitamin E, L-arginine helps hair build keratin, and a proprietary anti-aging solution keeps UV damage away and provides plentiful nutrients. See what all the buzz is about when you try this product!
24. IGK First Class Detoxifying Charcoal Shampoo
There have been a lot of hydrating shampoos on this list, which is great – but not very helpful for those of us with hair that falls on the oily side of the spectrum. With IGK’s First Class Detoxifying Shampoo, you get the one product that will help you cut back on the number of times you wash your hair each week. It’s that effective!
Thanks to charcoal and astringents like tea tree and witch hazel, this shampoo sops up oil like nobody’s business. It gets rid of excess sebum, product buildup, and the dirt that naturally accumulates throughout the week, leaving hair clean as could be and still moisturized. That way, you can enjoy that freshly washed look for longer. How are you going to spend all that extra time you’ll save?
25. Moroccanoil Hydrating Shampoo
Chances are you’ve already had this shampoo recommended to you by a hair stylist, as it’s a salon favorite. This hydrating formula from Moroccanoil combines argan oil with vitamins A and E plus red algae, leaving hair refreshed. It also harnesses the antioxidant power of dulse extract, the nutrients and moisturizing power of brown and yellow algae, and carrageenan for its emollient properties. Users claim that this keeps their hair in great shape!
26. Innersense Pure Harmony Hair Bath
Do you know what it feels like to have your hair and scalp in harmony? Probably not unless you’ve been using this Pure Harmony Hairbath from Innersense! While this shampoo is quite costly, it earns its price tag in the benefits it brings to your hair. You’ll notice more body, greater health, and improved overall vitality, making you look like a model in a shampoo commercial.
Coconut is a big player in this formula, as surfactants made from it get to work lifting impurities from your hair. Rice bran and avocado oil provide all the omega fatty acids your hair needs for ultimate health, orange peel oil works with your scalp, eucalyptus reduces hair fall, and pumpkin seed oil ups hair thickness.
Green tea delivers antioxidants, mango contains a whole cocktail of vitamins needed for hair growth, and cucumber strengthens hair over time. Check out the before and after shots reviewers have posted about this product and understand what a transformation it will give you!
27. Amika Normcore
This is the brand’s signature shampoo, as it works great on all kinds of hair and provides a simple clean and plenty of nutrients to support hair health. You even get some additional conditioning from coconut acid, superfood sea buckthorn for all kinds of essential fatty acids and vitamins, and glycerin to lock in moisture.
Perhaps the coolest thing about this shampoo is that you can opt for refillable packaging, making this an ideal brand to stay loyal to as you work toward lessening your environmental impact.
28. Act + Acre Cold Processed Hair Cleanse
95% of users claimed this shampoo removed buildup after just one use. So if you’re looking for a hearty cleanse and some extra scalp hydration, try Act+Acre’s Cold Processed Hair Cleanse.
It contains a potent dose of apple amino acids to clean and restore balance, baobab to alleviate itching, glycerin for moisture, rockrose to nourish hair follicles, amaranth to strengthen, and ylang ylang to slow stress-caused hair loss. This formula has all kinds of other cold-processed oils, providing natural care to your hair and smelling fantastic!
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Because this shampoo is made of a blend of different natural oils, it has a thick and creamy texture that won’t foam immediately. Simply mix it with some water as you get ready to apply it to your hair; it should lather just fine.
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