The 14 Best Drugstore Shampoos of 2024
The high-end shampoos that salons use can make your hair feel healthy and clean after a haircut, but you don’t have to spend a fortune to get comparable results at home. Drugstores offer a wide selection of shampoos at a lower price point, catering to everything from color-treated hair to dehydrated curls. Many shampoos boast being sulfate-free, paraben-free, or silicone-free, but if you’re not sure what that actually means or if it even benefits your hair type, shopping for the right product can feel like a guessing game.
“Using a shampoo that’s tailored to your hair type is crucial because everyone’s hair has unique needs,” says Kate Ross, a hair and beauty specialist at Irresistible Me. You’re more likely to see the results you desire if all of the active ingredients in the formula target specific concerns associated with your hair type. If a shampoo includes too many ingredients you don’t necessarily benefit from, it could result in overstripping or overloading your hair, making it harder to achieve your hair goals.
To help you figure out the best shampoo for you, we scrutinized brands that you can easily find at the drugstore, paying close attention to the ingredients in the formulas as well as what customers have said about the results. We also asked Shelly Aguirre, a stylist and extension specialist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, for insight on what qualities to look for in a shampoo, and what to avoid. No matter your hair type, you can trust any of the shampoos on this list to promote optimal hair and scalp health.
Carol’s Daughter Coco Creme Curl Quenching Shampoo at Amazon
$14
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It offers a comprehensive solution for maintaining healthy hair, regardless of condition or texture.
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For only 10 ounces of product, it is pricier than most drugstore shampoos.
Shampoos that work for all types of hair can be hard to come by, but the Kristin Ess The One Signature Shampoo does a good job at addressing the concerns shared by many. It has a strong lather to leave oily hair feeling cleansed and clarified, yet it doesn't have drying sulfates, an ingredient that can be damaging to those with sensitive scalps or dry hair. Rather, the shampoo provides necessary moisture to frizzy or damaged hair and high porosity curls, but it’s still gentle and lightweight enough for thin and wavy hair.
This shampoo’s trademark feature is its Zip-Up Technology, named for its ability to "zip up" split ends with ease. The formula works to strengthen hair, condition the cuticles, and keep the color vibrant, which should help you maintain a healthy head of hair with regular use. Just bear in mind that the shampoo comes in a small 10 oz bottle, but you may be able to find larger sizes at your local drugstore.
Pair it with the Kristin Ess The One Signature Conditioner.
Hair Type: All | Key Ingredients: Keratin, pea protein, seed oil | Size: 10 and 33.8 ounces | Scent: Floral with notes of sandalwood
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Its volumizing effect can last up to 24 hours after use.
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The formula relies mostly on chemical ingredients and isn’t ideal for those wanting to avoid parabens and sulfates.
Hair products like hairspray and mousse are effective at enhancing flat, thin hair, but their volumizing results are short-lived. Instead of lifting your roots to create the illusion of volume, L'Oreal Paris Elvive Volume Filler Shampoo works differently by instead thickening each strand of hair with filloxan