If you’ve been paying attention to your hair recently and aren’t loving what you’re seeing, it might be time to reconsider your haircare routine. While you might have thought that any old shampoo would do when it comes to washing your hair, a high-performance formula that really cleanses hair from excess oil, sweat and dirt (without any unnecessary additives) can make a world of difference.
The right shampoo not only makes hair easier to style and maintain, but it can also help encourage healthy hair growth and promote fuller thicker-looking hair.
The most important thing to consider when shopping for a new shampoo is your skin and scalp type, and what you’re looking to achieve: whether that be more thickness, less dandruff or added strength. Check out our best pick for each below.
Best shampoo for a sensitive scalp
Philip Kingsley No Scent No Colour Gentle Shampoo
This fragrance free, hypo-allergenic shampoo will sweep away dirt and impurities from your hair without upsetting your scalp. It also has a nice story behind it: originally inspired by Philip’s wife’s battle with breast cancer, No Scent No Colour was designed to be gentle enough for her when she was undergoing chemotherapy. Beautiful.
Best shampoo for curly hair
Pureology Smooth Perfection Shampoo
This concentrated smoothing shampoo supports the head’s natural oils needed to stay healthy. It also moisturises while it cleanses to help protect your curls and keep them from frizzing. Its key ingredients Camellia and Shea Butter work together to provide nourishment and hydration to the hair, and work even better with the pairing conditioner.
Best shampoo for an oily scalp
A’kin Deep Clean
Think of this shampoo as an exfoliator for your scalp. The Australian Aniseed Myrtle, Bamboo Extract & AHA’s, just like the kind found in some of your facial skincare products, helps to gently remove buildup on your scalp, including flakes, but also goes down into pores to help control oil production. Even doing all of that, this shampoo is anything but harsh and really does help soothe itch and irritation on your scalp.
Best shampoo for a dry scalp
Coco & Eve Super Hydrating Shampoo
Don’t let the pink bottle fool you, this shampoo is the ultimate choice for anyone with a dry scalp. Free from drying sulfates and de-volumising silicones, Coco & Eve’s Super Hydrating Shampoo is jam-packed with hydrating ingredients to keep your hair clean, hydrated, healthy hair from the first wash.
Best natural shampoo
SheaMoisture Power Greens Shampoo
Sulfate, paraben and phthalate free, SheaMoisture’s Power Greens Shampoo is formulated with Fair Trade Shea Butter and a blend of Moringa, Avocado, Kale, Matcha and Green Algae, to leaves your hair feeling nourished without the nasty stuff.
Best shampoo for bleached blonde hair
Olaplex No. 4P Blonde Enhancer
Still on your white-blonde vibe? Then you need to invest in a blonde-enhancing shampoo. What we have here is a potent toning shampoo with all the strengthening magic from Olaplex (because bleached hair is prone to damage). Expect reduced damage and breakage and better colour on pale hair of all stripes. It’s also vegan, cruelty free, and made without sulfates.
Best strengthening shampoo
Grown Alchemist Strengthening Shampoo
Unlike other silicone formulas that attract dirt, build-up and weigh hair down, Grown Alchemist’s vegan formula uses natural, plant-based extracts like Baobab protein, Calendula, Avala Oil, Cedarwood and Ylang Ylang to cleanse and strengthen your hair.
Best thickening shampoo
Kérastase Densifique Thickening Shampoo
Not only does this luxe shampoo clean like a dream, but it’s “formulated with a number of ingredients that help add volume to the hair strand including hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and peptides to create a thickening effect,” says Natalie Kash, MD, a dermatologist in Seattle, WA and co-founder of Root Hair Institute.
Best shampoo for dandruff
OUAI Anti Dandruff Shampoo
Think of this as an exfoliator for your scalp. The salicylic acid, just like the kind found in some of your facial skincare products, helps to gently remove buildup on your scalp, including flakes, but also goes down into pores to help control oil production. Even doing all of that, this shampoo is anything but harsh and really does help soothe itch and irritation on your scalp.
Best 2-in-1 shampoo
Cremo 2-in-1 cooling shampoo & conditioner
We get it. You just want a quick and easy way to cleanse and condition your hair in one go. No problem: Cremo’s selection will do just the trick. This ultra-rich lathering formula thoroughly cleanses and moisturises in one easy step, and leaves your scalp feeling super fresh and cool.
Best clarifying shampoo
K18 Peptide Prep Detox Shampoo
Clarifying shampoo does a great job of cleansing even the dirtiest scalps (it’s perfect for big jobs like after a hard workout, doing yard work or hiking to name a few), and K18 gets the job done without needing to use a lot..
Best shampoo for a sensitive scalp
Aveda colour control rich shampoo
Aveda know a thing or two about looking after coloured hair, and their colour control shampoo proves it. Available in a light and rich formula (depending on your hair type), the sulfate cleanser-free shampoo gently cleanses hair without stripping to minimise colour washout, while still leaving your hair nourished and shiny thanks to the omega-rich apricot oil.
Best shampoo for thin hair
Kiehl’s Rice and Wheat Volumising Shampoo
If you’re looking for a lightweight volumising shampoo for thin, flat or fine hair, we recommend this one from Kiehl’s. It gives your hair an added boost of volume and body and can help revive lifeless hair without stripping the hair of natural lipids, thanks to the hydrolysed rice and whet proteins in its formula.
Best travel shampoo
Aesop shampoo
If you’ve never used a luxury shampoo before, it may be hard to justify spending this much money on a travel-sized shampoo, but once you do use it, you’ll understand immediately. A richer lather, a creamier formula, a more elevated and pleasing scent are all part of the luxury experience, but where it really shines is how it leaves your hair looking lustrous and healthy in a way that cheaper shampoos just can’t compete with. And what better time to try it than on a holiday.
Best overall shampoo for men
Kérastase Genesis Homme Bain
This stuff contains creatine to strengthen weak hair, thicken thinning strands, and deliver a potent lather while cleansing. While it’s specifically formulated to thicken and plump thinner (or thinning) hair, the reason we chose it best overall is because you don’t have to have that issue to reap the benefits. Thanks to the creatine and ginger root in the formula, it also strengthens strands so your hair, no matter what kind of you have, becomes stronger against breakage and damage. And yes, it also does what all good shampoos must: cleans your scalp and hair effectively without leaving it over-stripped.
What should I look for in a shampoo?
This is pretty dependant on your hair type. Thin, fine hair needs a shampoo that cleanses and hydrates without weighing the hair down. Thicker hair that’s curly or wavy needs one that’s deeply moisturising to prevent frizz. You also have to consider your skin. For example, if your scalp is sensitive and prone to irritation in the form of dandruff and flakes, look for a sulfate-free option, as sulfates can strip your hair of its natural oils and lead to a whole host of scalp issues.
What should I avoid?
There are a number of chemicals in haircare that you might want to avoid. These ingredients not only leave lasting damage to the environment, but they can cause severe damage to your hair and scalp. This can include:
1. Sulfates: The chemical detergent causes your shampoo to foam as you massage it into your hair, and more than 90% of hair care products contain them. Once rinsed, the sulfates strip your hair and scalp of their natural oils, moisturizers, and color, leaving dryness, flaking, and irritation behind.
2. Parabens: Parabens are another extremely popular and harmful additive. These can be found in many name-brand shampoos and conditioners and mainly act as a preservative to prolong shelf life.
3. Polyethylene Glycols: Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a thickening agent, often made from petroleum and a list of byproducts known for stripping the hair of moisture and causing breakage. PEG has been classified as a developmental toxicant; this means it can damage or disrupt human development. It has also been linked to numerous types of cancer.
4. Triclosan: Banned from being used in antibacterial soaps, this carcinogen shows signs of being an endocrine disruptor, which can have the same damaging effects as the aforementioned xenoestrogens. The chemical has been linked to infertility, fetal harm, immune system issues, weight loss or gain, depression, uncontrolled cellular reproduction, and cancer.
5. Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde is a well-known carcinogen, yet it can be found in so many shampoos and conditioners. This additive can cause toxicity, affect or cause asthma, and has been linked to cancer.
6. Dimethicone: Dimethicone is a form of silicone with two attached methyl groups that gives your hair a soft and smooth feel. However, this ingredient will only dry out your hair in the long run, cause build-up at your roots, and irritate or burn your scalp.
8. Retinyl Palmitate: Retinyl palmitate is known to cause a list of skin issues, including peeling, scaling, itching, burning, and redness. This harmful ingredient has also been linked to cancer, reproductive problems, and toxicity.
How often should I wash my hair?
We Unless you’ve had a hardcore training session and longer locks, don’t wash your hair every day – try to stick to washing it just three times a week. This is because washing too frequently can strip your scalp of its natural oils, causing a whole heap of problems, from dandruff to even hair loss further down the line.
The trick is to find a shampoo with a formula designed to provide long-lasting oil control, to help keep grease at bay for longer. This will save your hair from being over-washed, and save you time – and money – in the long run.
Menshealth.com.au provides reviews and recommendations to help you find the right product. Products you purchase through links on this page may earn us a small commission.
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