The best shampoo

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The best shampoo
  • Impossible as it might be to find a shampoo that works for every hair type, Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Shampoo comes pretty close.
  • That's why it's our top pick - Living Proof's basic formula really works and it might even help you wash your hair less often.
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Shampoo is not exactly sexy, but it sure is necessary. Well, unless you have the kind of hair type that hates shampoo (more on that later), but no matter. Everyone has to wash their hair using something, be it shampoo, a cleansing conditioner, or a DIY concoction you whip up in your own bathroom.

As the proud owner of naturally curly hair, it's probably been about 10 years since I've used a product that considers itself "shampoo." But that doesn't mean I just skip straight to conditioner.

All of this is to say that there's a shampoo or shampoo-adjacent product out there for you. If you're unsatisfied with your routine, you probably just haven't found The One yet.

One thing to consider: Shampoos that contain things like sulfates and parabens - often the ones that create a really satisfying lather and leave your roots feeling squeaky as a newly-scrubbed kitchen counter - can seriously dry out your hair. If that's a concern, look out for shampoos that don't include those ingredients.

The options on this list cater to different hair types and concerns, but they all stand out from the pack because they help keep your strands soft, hydrated, and clean.

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Here five best shampoos for all hair types:

Updated 3/31/20 by Remi Rosmarin: Updated prices and links. Added Ouidad Cleansing Conditioner as the top pick for curly hair, Drybar Charcoal Shampoo as the top pick for exfoliation, and Living Proof Dry Shampoo as the top pick for dry shampoo.

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The best shampoo overall

The best shampoo overall
Living Proof's Perfect Hair Day Shampoo keeps your hair cleaner, longer — no matter your hair type.

The most annoying thing about shampooing your hair is that you have to continue doing it day after day, week after week, year after year. One shampoo is really not going to keep you grease-free for long — a few hours or days, tops. The best you can hope for is a formula that lets you wash as infrequently as possible.

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Shampoo is far from a permanent solution, but it will cut down on the time you need to spend washing your hair. And you know what they say: The less time frittered away on lathering your scalp, the more time available for watching Netflix or writing the next Great American Novel.

Allure writer Patricia Tortolani backs up that claim, writing, "while other formulas had us washing every day to keep our oily scalp in check, this one has us down to two shampoos a week." Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Shampoo won the publication's Best of Beauty Award in 2014 and was named a top shampoo option by Best Products for its ability to hydrate and cleanse strands while delivering added volume to even the thinnest hair.

Pros: Keeps your hair clean for longer, works on a variety of hair types, doesn't contain hair-stripping sulfates, parabens, or phthalates

Cons: On the pricey side, may not work for curlier hair textures

The best hydrating shampoo

The best hydrating shampoo
Pantene ProV Daily Moisture Renewal Shampoo is a bathroom staple that buyers and experts agree on because it gives your hair a boost of hydration.

Not all shampoos and conditioners that come in sets are created equal, but the Pantene ProV Daily Moisture Renewal duo is one you can happily buy in bulk — I recommended this shampoo's counterpart in a recent article on the best conditioners money can buy and now, here I am, telling you to go out and complete the family.

This shampoo works with Pantene's Moisture-Silk Complex to "lock in hydration from root to tip" and leaves hair softer and shinier. It won the Allure Best of Beauty Award in 2017 and Reader's Choice Award in 2016 and 2017. The publication's editor Jenny Bailly described it as, "one of the least stripping of hair-cleansing options," and fans seem to agree.

One Amazon reviewer writes, "This has been the shampoo I swear by for at least 15 years. I have long thick curly hair and it has always left it smooth and manageable. Also use it on my daughter's hair and we both love it!"

Pros: Inexpensive, hydrating, has an equally excellent matching conditioner

Cons: Might weigh down finer strands or make oily hair feel extra greasy due to the moisturizing component

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The best exfoliating shampoo

The best exfoliating shampoo
Activated charcoal is the secret ingredient in the Drybar On The Rocks Clarifying Charcoal Shampoo, providing a deep cleanse without stripping the hair and scalp of all essential oils.

Drybar On The Rocks Clarifying Charcoal Shampoo has activated charcoal that the brand claims can absorb 100 to 200 times its weight in impurities, resulting in a deep and thorough wash every time.

The other hero ingredient in this shampoo is vegetable protein to help strengthen hair, so it's a great pick for color-treated or damaged hair. The formula also is free of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates, so it's cleaner for you and the environment. While the ingredients won't strip natural oils, you should only use this once or twice a week to avoid drying out hair.

Editors at Women's Health, PopSugar, and Refinery29 recommend this clarifying shampoo, and call it one of the best you can buy. It tops our list of the best clarifying shampoos you can buy too. It holds a 4.3-star rating with more than 200 reviews on Sephora, and over at Ulta, 87% of reviewers said they'd recommend the shampoo to a friend.

Ulta and Sephora shoppers with all different hair types comment that this clarifying shampoo actually works for every type of hair, from thick and coiled to straight and thin hair — even those with tape-in extensions. — Kate Halse and Remi Rosmarin

Pros: Activated charcoal purifies without stripping natural oils, lathers well, ideal for many hair types, free of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates

Cons: Pricey, some shoppers didn't like the smell, pump not included, not for everyday use

The best shampoo for curly hair

The best shampoo for curly hair
Don't be thrown off by the name, the Ouidad Curl Immersion No-Lather Coconut Cleansing Conditioner, while technically not a shampoo, is developed specifically for washing curly hair.

Technically, this is not a shampoo. But, it is a creamy cleanser that is perfect for washing curly hair.

If you have curly hair, you may already have heard of co-washing — the act of washing your hair with just conditioner. According to Cosmetic chemist Ni'Kita Wilson by way of Allure, curly hair tends to need more hydration than other hair types. Without enough conditioning agents, the hair's cuticles can be lifted, which makes for drier, frizzier hair, she says.

Co-washing is a solution that keeps curls bouncy with no-lather formulas that coat strands in hydrating ingredients. The Ouidad Curl Immersion No-Lather Coconut Cleansing Conditioner is loaded with conditioning oils and butters like coconut oil, mafura butter, and Abyssinian oil. Together, the creamy formula softens hair, improves manageability, and adds shine.

Over 75 Ouidad shoppers give this product a 5-star rating, many noting that the product made their curls softer, less frizzy, and more manageable. — Remi Rosmarin

Pros: Rich texture, large sizes available, moisturizes curls without weighing them down

Cons: Pricier than drugstore options, no-lather formula may take some getting used to

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The best dry shampoo

The best dry shampoo
The beloved 3-in-1 formula in Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo gets rid of oil, sweat, and odor so your hair looks and smells fresh.

The Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Shampoo is our pick for the best shampoo overall, so it only makes sense that we love the matching dry shampoo too. While there are many great dry shampoos on the market, the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo stands out for its innovative formula that actually aims to remove dirt, grease, and sweat from hair, instead of just masking oil and odors.

To get the maximum effect, let the product sink in for at least 30 seconds — during that time it'll activate the powder and work to cleanse your hair. After that time, give your hair a little tousle to distribute the product and your strands will look clean and smell fresh. Running your fingers through your hair will also add a little boost of volume.

While Perfect Hair Day is pretty pricey ($36 for a 7.3-ounce bottle), reviewers say it's worth every penny — including one of our own editors Jada Wong. Byrdie's Victoria Hoff put it through the wringer during a SoulCycle class and left with fresh-looking, you'd-never-know-I-just-worked-out hair.

Sephora shoppers agree that the product is worth the price. With over 3,500 reviews, Perfect Hair Day has gotten a 4.4-star rating. If you're looking to extend the time between your washes, give this a try.

Pros: Easy spray application, adds volume, great at absorbing oil, neutralizes odors

Cons: Can be pricey, needs to set for 30 seconds, some users don't like the scent

Check out our other haircare guides

Check out our other haircare guides
The best hair conditioner you can buy

Hair conditioner is a necessity if you want soft, silky strands. Out of thousands of bottles, shoppers agree that Silk18 Argan Oil Hair Conditioner is the best — no matter your hair type.

The best dry shampoo you can buy

Sometimes you don't have time to wash your hair. A dry shampoo will get rid of the grease and the smell so you can extend the time between your washes. We love Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo because it has an innovative formula that leaves hair smelling, looking, and feeling clean.

The best hair spray you can buy under $25

Hair spray can make or break your hairstyle, so it's important to find the best one for your hair type. We, and the pros, love the L'Oreal Paris Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Hairspray because it's strong enough to keep every hair in place, but light enough that it can be brushed out and reapplied without causing any stickiness.

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