Unlock the Secret Weapon Your Shampoo Holds That Could Transform Your Hair Forever—Hairstylists Reveal What You’ve Been Missing!

I’d normally roll my eyes at anyone recommending a high-end shampoo as their best overall pick, but Oribe is the only shampoo I have on auto-refill. Despite its upfront cost, a single bottle of Oribe lasted me nearly four months, so it really helps stretch my cost per use.

My scalp has never been this clean with a single wash before. It helps wash away my silicone hair serum and dry shampoo buildup, and even sand from the Caribbean Sea that recently got stuck in my hair. It also softens my dry tresses before I even apply conditioner, which is incredible, given how parched my mane is.

Cleansing with Oribe really brings that luxurious feeling of being at the salon’s shampoo bowl from the comfort of my bathroom. Plus, it smells like Calabrian bergamot, white butterfly jasmine, and sandalwood. The blend is so enticing that Oribe even created a perfume inspired by this iconic scent. The chic black bottle pops in my otherwise boring gray bathroom.

And don’t just take my word for it: Foster appreciates that it combines gentle cleansers with conditioning ingredients, such as panthenol, amino acids, proteins, and oils. “It cleanses while still giving the hair a polished, conditioned feel,” she says.

You don’t need to splurge to enjoy a great shampoo, argues Foster. “L’Oréal gives you an elevated experience at the drugstore price point,” she says. “It produces a substantial lather and has more of a fragranced, salon-product feel than many inexpensive shampoos.” She especially likes it for anyone dealing with dryness or color-treated hair, or who wants a gentle daily shampoo without the luxury price tag.

“I love this product. It’s available everywhere, which means I can travel light with just hand luggage and pick it up wherever I land,” says celebrity hairstylist and Kennaland salon owner Kenna Kennor. “The results are instantly better than most hotel shampoos.”

A combo of Cécred’s Bioactive keratin ferment and hyaluronic acid gently cleanses my hair while leaving it nourished and detangled, which is not exactly the norm for my dry curls. It works equally well on my natural hair and extensions, and it’s so gentle that you can use it on color-treated hair.

Foster especially likes this one for dry hair because it’s formulated with hydrating ingredients and is sulfate-free. “It is designed to provide slip while cleansing, which is especially helpful for dry, textured or highly manipulated hair,” she says. “If I’m shampooing dry or textured hair and it immediately feels tangled and rough, I know I’m creating more work for myself later. This has a richer, more luxurious lather than people sometimes expect from a hydrating shampoo, and it leaves hair feeling clean without that squeaky, stripped feeling.”

Leave it to tennis star Sloane Stephens to create one of our team’s favorite shampoos. After a sweaty Rumble boxing class, Doc&Glo helped bring that fresh salon feeling to features director Rachel Epstein’s shower. The first thing she noticed was the gel-like consistency of the shampoo, which easily lathers in her hands—she only needs two to three pumps. But her favorite part was the calming peppermint-and-eucalyptus scent that lingered for the rest of the night. “None of that fruity garbage over here,” she says.

Epstein has used the shampoo and conditioner twice a week for the last month, and her scalp has consistently felt balanced. Her waves are fresher and fuller the next day. “Because I have dandruff, I still need to use a medicated shampoo here and there, but I’ll definitely continue using this duo,” she says.

Chlorine and hard water can fade your color-treated hair and make neutral and cool tones look warm. This de-brassing shampoo reduces yellowing and brassiness in blonde, highlighted, silver, and gray hair. “I have seen great results with this, and there’s no purple buildup,” says Kennor, who especially likes this one for double-process blondes.

Foster appreciates that Virtue isn’t relying solely on heavy purple dye. The tone is actually synthetic color-free and dye-free. De-Brassing Shampoo pairs botanical ingredients with Virtue’s signature Alpha Keratin 60ku protein, a proprietary protein that mimics the hair-strengthening, damage-repairing benefits of keratin.

When you want a splurge-worthy shampoo, opt for this recent Women’s Health Beauty Award winner. “If you color your hair, you need a shampoo that protects your investment,” says beauty director Brian Underwood. “With a sulfate-free formula that ensures your scalp won’t become irritated, this one contains ingredients that soothe, repair, and rejuvenate like grapeseed sterols, chia seed, and hook seaweed.” It also contains a trifecta of quinoa extract, chamomile extract, and amaranth extract to soften, smooth, hydrate, and condition hair.

A bonus: It gently foams up while strengthening and hydrating your highlighted, bleached, or color-treated hair, adds Foster.

K18 is beloved by everyone from Foster and me to the legendary Simone Biles. Peptide Prep is pH-optimized and contains the brand’s signature K18 Peptide along with plant-derived surfactants. “It cleanses without adding stress to already compromised hair,” says Foster. “That’s important because damaged hair doesn’t need to be babied to the point that it’s not being properly cleansed, but it also doesn’t need an aggressive shampoo every wash day.” It’s also made with salicylic acid, which gently exfoliates and removes excess scalp oil.

After using this shampoo, I experienced less flaking and less product buildup from heat protectants and scalp oils. My hair feels lighter and bouncier, and I can get away with shampooing once a week instead of twice a week since using this product.

Redken’s Acidic Bonding Concentrate is another product Foster likes for chemically processed or damaged hair. “Citric acid is a key component of the formula, designed to help reinforce weakened bonds while maintaining an acidic pH,” she says.

I tried this one during its launch in February and continued using it for several months afterward. My scalp felt so incredibly clean, without that pesky tightness and dryness. When paired with the matching conditioner, I noticed less shedding in my shower. My strands felt more resilient, conditioned, and rebalanced. I also noticed that my hair’s balayage took longer to fade, which is a major win.

Caring for fine hair is tricky because it may need moisture and strengthening but can become flat very quickly if the formula is too rich, says Foster. Ouai contains hydrolyzed keratin, biotin, and chia seed oil to leave your fine hair bouncy without that heavy, overly-conditioned feeling.

This shampoo also suds up in a rich, satisfying way, adding a luxurious touch to the mornings of deputy editor Carina Hsieh. “My hair has more lift at the roots—almost the way it used to, pre-30s,” she says. “My bangs are banging again (physically, emotionally, and, of course, spiritually), and my hair no longer separates into the same three sad little strands it seemed to automatically separate every 2 PM.”

To Hsieh, it only faintly smells of rose and musk. It’s the same fragrance as Ouai’s pet shampoo, but she swears the pet shampoo smells better. “But honestly, that’s me really looking for a negative as I sit and twirl my hair all day,” she says.

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“Design Essentials is my absolute favorite shampoo,” says Foster. “The brand has been working with textured hair long before it became a trending topic, and that experience shows with Honey Crème.” This shampoo cleanses while providing slip and helping with detangling. As its name implies, it’s enriched with honey, a moisture-preserving, quick-lathering ingredient that helps soften and smooth the cuticle, says Foster.

You can also use this shampoo if you don’t have curly or coily strands, though you might not need the extra help with detangling. Still, it’s an enjoyable experience at a fantastic price point. “The best shampoo isn’t necessarily the most expensive one. It’s the one that cleanses your scalp effectively while respecting what your hair needs at that particular time,” says Foster, and Design Essentials proves that with Honey Crème.

I’ve been using Design Essentials since I was in high school. It’s a truly reliable brand that hasn’t compromised on ingredient quality, smell, or feel. My hair is truly softer and more manageable every single time I use this shampoo.

Joico’s Detox Shampoo does just that—it combines a proprietary chelating agent and activated charcoal to remove product buildup and hard-water deposits. This color-safe shampoo also removes trace minerals and salts.

While it’s tough on unwanted components that can compromise my hair’s integrity, it also contains moringa seed oil to help prevent dryness. There are also veggie proteins intended to help strengthen weak hair bonds, leaving me with a noticeably cleaner scalp and healthy-looking hair.

Whenever I use this shampoo, my hair feels super clean, but still hydrated. With each wash, my hair is noticeably bouncier, giving me a fresh-from-the-salon look. I also appreciate that this shampoo is compatible with all hair types. My hair is thick and coily, while my mom has fine, color-treated straight hair. This formula worked for both of us, and it has recently become a must-have for her since moving to a new city with hard water.

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