The 6 Best Shampoos for Dry Hair We Tested: 'My Hair Was So Soft'

Kayla Blanton is simply a wellness and beauty writer of 7 years and has interviewed dozens of experts successful nan field, giving her ultimate merchandise knowledge and judgement for shopping recommendations.

You mightiness look to nan best conditioners to lick immoderate barren hairsbreadth woes, but your shampoo shouldn’t beryllium near retired of nan equation. After all, choosing nan champion shampoo for barren hairsbreadth opens up nan doorway to doubly nan hydration connected lavation day.

"A bully shampoo for barren hairsbreadth should beryllium hydrating, sulfate-free, and infused pinch nourishing ingredients for illustration hyaluronic acid, glycerin, aliases ceramides,” says Marcos Diaz, a personage hairstylist who has worked for Hailey Bieber, Katy Perry, and Sienna Miller.

With that successful mind, we tested 21 best-selling hydrating shampoos to spot if they unrecorded up to their claims. Keep reference to spot what our testing revealed.

Our Stars

Reviews

Best Overall: Amika Normcore Signature Shampoo

We recovered this shampoo to beryllium silky soft connected frizz-prone hairsbreadth during and aft washing, and it moreover improved hairsbreadth texture and moisture levels complete time. It contains vitamin-packed coconut acid, shea butter, and oversea buckthorn. When utilized successful operation pinch nan brand’s Normcore Conditioner, which we tested, nan look is clinically proven to time off hairsbreadth 7 times much conditioned. In our tests, it moreover lessened nan wave pinch which further oils and hairsbreadth treatments were basal to support hairsbreadth soft and shiny.

Size: 9.3 ounces ($2.58/ounce) | Key Ingredients: Coconut acid, vitamins, antioxidants  | Color Safe: Yes

Best for Curly Hair: SheaMoisture Curl & Shine Coconut Hibiscus Shampoo

Our tester pinch 3A/3B coils put this look done a existent trial. They recovered it looked “amazing” aft nan first wash, leaving curls bouncy, defined, and “not frizzy astatine all.” The texture of nan shampoo was rich, coated nan hairsbreadth well, and imparted a like-new radiance — acknowledgment to nan product’s rich | ingredients of coconut oil, silk proteins, shea butter, and neem oil. Its purpose is to cleanse nan hairsbreadth without stripping it of moisture, and that’s precisely what it accomplishes.

Size: 13 ounces ($0.69/ounce) | Key Ingredients: shea butter, coconut oil, silk proteins | Color Safe: Yes

Best for Dandruff: Davines Momo Moisturizing Shampoo

We recovered this look to activity amazingly good astatine keeping dandruff astatine bay, considering its intentionally creamy and foamy debased lather. Our tester’s hairsbreadth has mild dandruff and became flake-free aft accordant use. Immediately aft washing, location was a noticeable deficiency of lipid astir nan scalp, but nan hairsbreadth didn’t spell thirsty — strands were besides rejuvenated pinch a portion of moisturizing melon extract and nourishing vitamins A and C to protect and strengthen.

Size: 8.45 ounces ($4.14/ounce) | Key Ingredients: Melon extract  | Color Safe: Yes

Best for Frizzy Hair: LolaVie Restorative Shampoo

A leader merchandise of Jennifer Aniston’s hairsbreadth attraction line, this shampoo acts arsenic a de-frizzer and detangler successful one, according to our tests. It made hairsbreadth easier to soft and comb done and eliminated nan request for further softening products. Our tester was moreover capable to usage little conditioner than usual. The shiny, silky results besides made it easier and faster to usage styling tools  — conscionable a fewer strokes of nan straightener and you’re done. The shampoo besides contains biotin and niacinamide to beforehand hairsbreadth strength.

Size: 8.5 ounces ($3.65/ounce) | Key Ingredients: Vegetable ceramides, botanical extracts, biotin  | Color Safe: Yes

Best for Fine Hair: Redken All Soft Shampoo

We recovered this shampoo brought softness and assemblage to dry, brittle, bladed hairsbreadth aft conscionable 1 wash. Likely acknowledgment to nan shampoo’s argan lipid moisture complex, our tester said her hairsbreadth was near emotion cleanable — but not stripped — and hydrated. Her tresses were “nourished, little brittle, and little stringy,” she said. “My hairsbreadth was truthful soft, I could hardly extremity moving my hands done it.” Washing up creates a creamy lather that isn’t slimy aliases off-putting, but really coats nan hairsbreadth and makes an impact.

Size: 10.1 ounces ($2.67/ounce) | Key Ingredients: Argan lipid | Color Safe: Yes

Best for Damaged Hair: Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo

It tin beryllium difficult for damaged hairsbreadth to consciousness “clean” because you don’t want to overwash it, but this shampoo treats hairsbreadth while cleansing. Our tester usually went backmost for a 2nd cleanse retired of habit, and erstwhile she did, it noticeably did its occupation pinch an “excellent” lather that makes nan formula, successful her opinion, “really worthy nan money.” The shampoo besides worked to tame damaged, face-framing flyaways garnered aft a hairsbreadth coloring acquisition that near them “fried” and unmanageable. Best of all, nan shampoo brought hairsbreadth backmost to life without weighing it down.

Size: 8.5 ounces ($3.76/ounce) | Key Ingredients: Coconut oil-derived cleansers  | Color Safe: Yes

More Shampoos for Dry Hair Our Testers Liked

Although nan supra formulas were our favorite, we tested a fewer different barren hairsbreadth shampoos that are besides worthy checking out. If you person circumstantial needs, for illustration further macromolecule aliases other moisture, you mightiness for illustration 1 of nan picks below.

How We Tested

We tested 21 hydrating shampoo formulas ranging from $10 to $35. Our testers pinch various barren hairsbreadth types — damaged, curly, thin, frizzy — utilized 1 shampoo exclusively for six weeks, pursuing shaper instructions. They recorded their experiences based connected nan shampoo’s texture, really good it cleansed and hydrated, and its wide effectiveness. 

They besides took personification acquisition and value into consideration, arsenic good arsenic really each shampoo worked pinch its corresponding conditioner, which we besides tested. At nan extremity of nan testing period, each tester rated their assigned look connected a standard from 1 to 5 and decided if they would urge it to personification else.

Complete Your Routine

Once your barren hairsbreadth is restored by a caller regimen, you’re going to want to complete nan look pinch immoderate caller hairsbreadth devices aliases a luxurious mask. You tin shop immoderate of our proven favorites successful those categories below. Your best, healthiest hairsbreadth days await!