The 19 Best Shampoos and Conditioners for Every Hair Type (2024)

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

Dealing with a dry or sensitive scalp can be frustrating, to say the least. This Canviiy conditioner delivers a gentle, deep clean while also adding some moisture back to the scalp. It’s sulfate- and paraben-free, and it’s formulated with amino acids and antioxidants that help strengthen, soften, and detangle hair.

Bonus points, per the experts: Our experts love moisturizing shea butter and nourishing vitamin E for treating dry hair or scalp. This shampoo is also made with aloe and manuka honey, which can help to soothe irritation.

One tester said: “The conditioner is smooth and almost buttery, heavier and more moisturizing than I anticipated. I have 3B curls, and I got a good amount of moisture without being weighed down. My hair is pretty short, but what little detangling I have to do after using this conditioner is effortless. Afterwards my scalp feels soothed and less prone to itching. As a nice bonus, the slim profile of the bottle helps it fit into tighter spots in the shower.”

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

If you’ve recently colored your hair, you’re going to want to grab this anti-fade conditioner from K-beauty brand Joico. It’s excellent for maintaining color-treated hair for up to eight weeks. The sulfate-free formula also features camellia oil, a source of omega-9 fatty acids and antioxidants that help seal in moisture.

Bonus points, per the experts: If you have color-treated, curly, or wavy hair, experts advise looking for sulfate-free hair-care products like this one.

One tester said: “I would definitely buy this conditioner. My hair felt very soft and shiny after and not at all greasy. I like that the conditioner didn't leave any film or buildup in my hair. I also feel like my hair was slightly less frizzy after using this.”

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

If you’ve got dry hair, might we introduce you to this nourishing conditioner? Mielle Organics, a Black-owned beauty brand, gears its shampoo and conditioner towards sensitive scalps. Our reviewers noted that it has a very thick consistency and detangles hair effectively, making it much easier to style.

Bonus points, per the experts: This conditioner in particular is formulated with oats, honey, avocado, and sweet almond oil—all of which soothe your hair and scalp, according to the pros.

Just so you know: Many alcohols in hair products can be drying. That being said, cetearyl alcohol, which is found in this conditioner, can actually be moisturizing and is generally okay to use for people with dry or damaged hair.

One tester said: “My favorite part is the fragrance! The consistency of the conditioner slid very nicely on my hair, which is important for us curly-hair girls! I also feel that my hair is smoother and softer after using this product.”

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

Our testers—along with a slew of online reviewers—remarked on how great this Pantene conditioner smells. It’s an excellent staple for multiple hair types—and is available at an accessible price point.

Bonus points, per the experts: This conditioner contains glycerin, a moisturizing ingredient that can leave hair softer and more manageable.

One tester said: “It has a nice floral scent as well, which lingers in my hair, and my hair feels lightweight after using it—something that’s not typical with conditioners.”

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

No matter how you’re planning on styling your hair, this conditioner is up for the task. It contains a heat protectant to help you prep for a blowout—and also moisturizing ingredients to combat frizz and create a smoother, tangle-free look..

Bonus points, per the experts: This conditioner has shea butter, coconut oil, and castor oil to moisturize, plus silk protein, which can help strengthen weakened hair.

Just so you know: On the other hand, coconut oil may weigh down fine or thinning hair.

One tester said: “I love that the conditioner comes with a pump because I have extremely thick hair and this makes application much easier. The product has a more faint and natural smell, which I liked. It definitely moisturized my hair and left my curls bouncy—and I’ll continue to use it.”

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

This conditioner is ideal for those with coily or tightly textured curls. But wait, there’s more: It’s not just a conditioner! Curly folks can also use it as a leave-in, detangler, pre-poo, rinse-out, or co-wash.

Bonus points, per the experts: Curls need hydration to stay soft and frizz-free—and that’s where oils come in. This product is loaded with a hefty amount of them, including coconut and olive oil, as well as mango butter.

One tester said: “This was super hydrating as a conditioner and left my hair feeling moisturized. I appreciated that a little bit went a long way, so there is plenty for multiple washes. It’s also a great leave-in styling product.”

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

This detangling conditioner works to hydrate, strengthen, and increase hair elasticity, thus reducing breakage. Inside the bottle (and my pantry, let’s be real), you’ll find a handful of nourishing oils and butters. Flaxseed and argan oil add shine, while mango and cocoa seed butter replenish moisture.

Bonus points, per the experts: Tighter or kinkier curls will need even more hydration compared to looser curls, and this conditioner has plenty of expert-approved hydrating ingredients, as mentioned above.

One tester said: “I thought this product would be heavier than it is, but I was pleasantly surprised. I was amazed to get such detangling power from a product that didn’t weigh down my hair. I have long, thick, 3C hair, and the bottle still contained enough product for multiple applications.”

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

Not everyone needs conditioner, but if you have oily hair that feels difficult to manage without it, a lightweight conditioner like this one from Head & Shoulders is the ideal choice. Coconut water and argan oil work in tandem to hydrate, while pyrithione zinc controls flakes and oil.

Bonus points, per the experts: This conditioner contains 0.5% pyrithione zinc, which helps control flakes, plus nourishing argan oil to lock in moisture.

Just so you know: This product does contain several alcohols, which our experts say can be drying ingredients for folks with sensitive or dry scalps.

One tester said: “The shampoo and conditioner duo worked well. My scalp and hair felt clean, and it definitely removed all of the oil from my hair without stripping it.”

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

Using a co-wash on coily or curly hair types keeps your strands moisturized so that you don’t end up with frizz and hard-to-style hair. Function of Beauty’s coily hair co-wash (which is intended for 4A, 4B, and 4C coils) has a subtle peach scent and uses a trifecta of nourishing oils for bouncy, sleek curls.

Bonus points, per the experts: Shea butter, avocado oil, and castor oil are the three heavy hitters in this co-wash. Stylists and experts love these ingredients to moisturize and soften dry, brittle hair.

One tester said: “I really appreciated how this co-wash (like other semi-cleansers) left my hair feeling extremely moisturized and not matted or tangled. The co-wash had a similar texture to moisturizers I normally use, and the addition of shea butter makes it a great asset to coily hair.”

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

A purple shampoo is a blonde’s best friend, okay? It’s especially key during the summer, when blonde hair can get brassy from sun exposure and chlorine. When it comes to top shampoo brands, you already know Olaplex is the crème de la crème. This particular shampoo proved to be just as hardworking as the rest of the brand’s products. Our testers said it does an excellent job of getting the yellow and brassy tones out of blonde hair without leaving it feeling like straw.

Bonus points, per the experts: Time for some color theory, people! Purple shampoos work by depositing purple pigments onto hair. Because purple sits opposite yellow on the color wheel, these products help remove excessive yellowing from artificial dyes and create a more muted, golden tone.

One tester said: “Olaplex does it again. This is a very solid purple shampoo with lots of pigment. It doesn't dry your hair out, which is key with highlights, and it paired nicely with my Olaplex conditioner.”

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

The key ingredient in Kitsch’s package-free, eco-conscious shampoo bar is rice protein, a vitamin-rich ingredient that helps shine, soften and smooth hair. Rice water also helps prevent hair breakage. The science is still a bit murky when it comes to rice water’s potential to grow longer hair, but in the meantime, it’s certainly not a bad ingredient to look out for.

One tester said: “Love! I was SO surprised about the amount of lather/suds this bar created. Love the clean and fresh scent it leaves in your hair, and love the squeaky, clean feeling you have after rinsing it out.”

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

If your dull, dry, damaged, or frizzy hair needs a tune-up, meet your new in-shower staple. This shampoo has all of the benefits without the usual bevy of added ingredients—with a handful of vegan and plant-derived ingredients instead. And while we gave it the award for treating dry and damaged hair, truly anyone could give this Aveeno shampoo a go and love it.

Bonus points, per the experts: Aveeno’s shampoo for dry and frizzy hair uses hydrolyzed plant proteins, vegan keratin, and oats to soften and smooth hair and aid in manageability.

One tester said: “This has a great squeezable bottle that makes it so easy to dispense. A fresh, clean, non-perfumey smell starts the experience on a very positive note. This shampoo was cleansing and nourishing upon application and left my hair feeling seriously clean and healthy without the feeling of heaviness from a coating of product on top.”

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

All hail drugstore beauty finds! Neutrogena takes its penchant for effective and approachable skin care to your scalp—and we’ll be the first to applaud the brand’s valiant effort. Dandruff folks, have no fear—because this scalp treatment from Neutrogena is here.

Bonus points, per the experts: This shampoo, formulated for folks with dandruff and irritated scalps, contains salicylic acid, which helps exfoliate the scalp.

One tester said: “I have a dry scalp year-round, but especially during the colder seasons. After a relatively crisp spring, my scalp has been agitated and itchy. When I tried this shampoo, I felt an instant cooling sensation on my scalp—it felt amazing.”

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

Color-treated hair needs a lot of TLC to retain its bright color and avoid looking dull and dry. Beyond just washing your hair less frequently, you should also use a shampoo that’s formulated especially for colored strands. This one from John Frieda impressed our testers; it cleans hair gently and is made without sulfates and parabens.

Bonus points, per the experts: Argan and rose oils help to retain moisture in the hair and make it appear shiny. What’s more, this shampoo doesn’t have any sulfates (hooray!), which are drying for all hair types.

One tester said: “I have dark hair that I have to color about every five weeks. I like to wash my hair often, which I know is not the best. This shampoo has a very nice fragrance, lathered up easily, and left my hair feeling pretty smooth. My hair looked very shiny and was easy to style.”

IGK Extra Love Volume Shampoo

If you’ve got fine, thin, or long hair, you might need a little extra oomph. No shame! This volumizing shampoo from IGK tackles flat hair where it starts—the roots. It relies on jeju water (a kind of volcanic water), which is rich in zinc and iron, to thoroughly clean and strengthen your hair while removing buildup. This shampoo is also geared towards folks with oily hair and is formulated with prebiotics to manage oil production.

Bonus points, per the experts: IGK’s Extra Love shampoo has glycerin to help replenish moisture and biotin to strengthen and repair damage.

One tester said: “I have very fine hair and have been dealing with hair loss during the pandemic, and my hair looks so shiny and healthy after using this shampoo. And the scent is nice too!”

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

Okay, okay, you can save the jokes about your ex-boyfriend’s six-in-one shower products, because we found a shampoo and body wash hybrid that—shocking the world—actually…rocks? As a shampoo, the tea tree extract helps quell excess oil production on the scalp so that you can wash a little less frequently. It also has an earthy scent thanks to bergamot, eucalyptus, and cedarwood.

Bonus points, per the experts: Experts love tea tree oil as a non-irritating way to tackle an oily scalp.

One tester said: “For me this product had good texture, was easy to apply, and had good packaging. I'm stuck on the American psychology that shampoo and body wash could possibly or should possibly come in the same bottle. Both my hair and body do feel clean. Mission accomplished.”

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

Rice protein and collagen work together to strengthen and lift limp hair. This shampoo is not only affordable, but it comes in a huge bottle that will last you a while.

One tester said: “This clear shampoo has a refreshingly minty scent to it. I didn't feel it lathered too much, but it left my hair feeling clean. I think this is a good everyday shampoo to have on-hand.”

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

For your weekly wash day, you’ll want a shampoo for natural hair that effectively cleans without stripping your hair of necessary moisture. This bottle from Bask & Bloom Essentials has a pointed tip for targeted application, and it’s formulated with botanical cleansing agents that make it safe for all hair types, including locs.

Bonus points, per the experts: This shampoo is packed with nourishing oils like almond oil, which is a deep conditioning agent. Cooling peppermint oil also helps to soothe itchiness.

One tester said: “As someone with a sensitive scalp, I need cleansers that don’t irritate me. I love that this shampoo comes in a bottle with a nozzle, which makes it super easy to get product directly on your scalp—especially if you’re wearing protective styles like braids, hair extensions, or weaves. The subtle mint scent was refreshing and the formula was super gentle on my scalp. Plus, I didn’t need a lot of product to work up a nice lather, so I was able to clean my hair without stripping it of essential moisture.”

Courtesy of brand / Amanda K Bailey

This shampoo for flaky scalps uses botanicals like guava, ginger, apple cider vinegar, and tea tree oil to soothe irritation. It also contains cooling menthol to help with any itchiness.

Bonus points, per the experts: This product contains zinc pyrithione and tea tree oil, which our experts recommend as ingredients to look out for if your scalp is itchy or dry. They’re also both great at fighting dandruff in all hair types.

One tester said: “I love Cantu products in general for my Black coily texture, but this has been my favorite shampoo that I've tried by the brand by far. The smell is AMAZING, and it made my scalp feel restored.”