IIf your hair lacks shine or feels dehydrated and frazzled, chances are it’s dry. To combat that brittleness and get your hair back on track, experts recommend incorporating a shampoo specifically aimed at dry hair into your routine.
I spoke to hairstylists about how shampoo can revive dry hair, what to consider when shopping and how to determine which option is best for you. I also compiled a list of expert-recommended shampoos, highly rated options and NBC Select staff favorites.
SKIP AHEAD How I picked the best shampoo for dry hair | The best shampoo for dry hair | How to shop for shampoo for dry hair | Why trust NBC Select?
How I picked the best shampoo for dry hair
Alongside haircuts and professional remedies, using a shampoo that adds moisture to your hair is key, says Brooke Jordan, a hairstylist and co-founder of The Bird House, a salon in Brooklyn, NY. If you’re trying to add moisture and hydration back into your hair with the help of a shampoo, consider the following factors:
- Ingredients: A shampoo’s formula — and knowing what ingredients to embrace versus avoid — is one of the most critical factors in adding moisture back into your hair. Look for shampoos with hydrating ingredients like seed oils, coconut oil, shea butter and aloe vera, and avoid formulas with sulfates, according to our experts. Sulfates tend to further dry out hair and can even strip it of color if you have color-treated hair, says Julie Davis, a hairstylist and owner of Eden West Salon in Charleston, South Carolina. Instead, opt for a gentle, mild alternative that can cleanse the hair and scalp without causing too much damage, according to our experts.
- Hair type: Knowing your hair type is as important as knowing what ingredients are in your shampoo. Some moisturizing ingredients tend to be heavy oils, while others are lightweight, so what may work for your hair type may not work for others. For example, if you have coarse hair, you will want dense ingredients like shea butter because the hair strands will absorb it. Meanwhile, shea butter may actually weigh down finer hair, so consider using something lightweight like jojoba oil, according to Jenna Pitocco, a hairstylist and co-owner of Love, Dunnette, a salon, in New York City.
- Price: Shampoos can vary widely in cost with drugstore options being the most affordable while salon-grade products will be significantly more expensive. Find your price point and choose something you’re willing to buy three to four times a year, says Illeisha Lussiano, hairstylist and founder of The Way, a salon in New York City.
Related
Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter.
The best shampoo for dry hair in 2025
The list below includes expert-recommended shampoos for dry hair for all hair types as textures, as well as ones I have tried myself along with highly rated options that align with our experts’ guidance.
Best overall: Davines Momo Hydrating Shampoo
- Lightweight formula
- Improves manageability
- Adds shine
- Packaging is not in pump form
A collective favorite of our experts, Davis uses this to help cleanse and treat her weak, dry and fine hair. “Any time I use it, it’s almost like a spa treatment,” says Davis. “I feel like my hair feels so much more moisturized, and it’s a really good reset, especially for dry hair.” Apply the paraben-free shampoo and gently massage it into your scalp and hair until the gel turns into a cream. After rinsing, use the Momo conditioner for the best results, according to Davines.
Hair type: all | Hair texture: all | Key ingredients: cartucciaru melon extract | Sulfate-free: yes | Scent: n/a
Best for shine: R+Co Atlantic Moisturizing B5 Shampoo
- Maintains scalp health
- Prevents breakage
- Strengthens hair
- Scent is strong for some
- Packaging is not in pump form
This R+Co shampoo, which comes recommended by Davis, uses antioxidants like vitamin B5 and vitamin E for scalp and hair hydration, and nettle extract to add shine, reduce frizz and prevent breakage, according to the brand. It’s suitable for all hair types, and reviewers say it helps soften their hair, making it feel and look healthy.
Hair type: all | Hair texture: all | Key ingredients: vitamin B5, glycerin, vitamin e, nettle extract | Sulfate-free: yes | Scent: bergamot, lotus flower, tonka beans
Best splurge: Oribe Shampoo for Moisture & Control
- Minimizes frizz
- Defines hair patterns
- Smooths hair
- For for fine hair
- Higher price point
One of Jordan’s favorite hair care lines is Oribe’s moisture control range because it has moisturizing ingredients like glycerin, panthenol and sunflower seed oil to add hydration back into the hair. It’s also great for those with curl types 2-4 because the shampoo will help define those patterns as well as tame frizz and add shine, according to the brand. You can also pair it with its matching conditioner or hair mask.
Hair type: wavy, curly, coily | Hair texture: medium, thick | Key ingredients: amino acid complex, microemulsion smoothing system, Oribe signature complex | Sulfate-free: yes | Scent: Calabrian bergamot, white butterfly jasmine, sandalwood
Best for natural hair: Oyin Handmade Honey Wash Hydrating Shampoo
- Easy to detangle post-wash
- Lower price point
- Packaging is not in pump form
If you have coily, dry, highly textured hair or locs, both Lussiano and Freda Brown, a hairstylist and owner of The Loc Shop, a salon in Maryland, recommend using this sulfate-free shampoo. It has quinoa, glycerin, jojoba oil, aloe vera and honey to help cleanse both the scalp and the hair and increase moisture and hydration, according to the brand. Reviewers say their hair is noticeably softer and shinier, and is easy to comb through and detangle. To use, work the product from your roots to your ends once a week or as often as needed.
Hair type: curly, coily | Hair texture: coarse | Key ingredients: honey, aloe, quinoa, glycerin, jojoba oil | Sulfate-free: yes | Scent: n/a
Best co-wash: Hairstory New Wash
- Conditions hair
- Balances oil production
- Safe for color-treated hair
- Packaging is not in pump form
A go-to product for Pitocco is this co-wash cleansing cream that washes and conditions your hair at the same time. It uses oils like jojoba seed oil and aloe leaf juice to cleanse the hair, while ingredients like glycerin help condition, according to Pitocco. It’s also available in a deep formula for oily hair and a rich formula for extremely coarse or dry hair, says Pitocco.
Hair type: all | Hair texture: all | Key ingredients: aloe leaf juice, glycerin, jojoba seed oil, panthenol | Sulfate-free: yes | Scent: n/a
Best budget pick: Saltair Moisture Bound Hydrating Shampoo
- Nourishes hair
- Safe for color-treated hair
- Lower price point
- Scent can be strong at first
I consistently use and rebuy this moisturizing and hydrating shampoo to make my dry and damaged wavy hair feel soft and hydrated. I gently massage it into a lather before rinsing and follow it up with its accompanying conditioner. When my hair is feeling extremely dry, I use it twice a week and like that it leaves behind a subtle scent of sandalwood, amber and musk.
Hair type: all | Hair texture: medium, thick | Key ingredients: monoi oil, pequi oil, abyssinian oil | Sulfate-free: yes | Scent: sandalwood, amber, musk
Best for thick hair: Ceremonia Deep Moisture Shampoo
- Strengthens hair
- Minimizes frizz
- Extends time between washes
- May be hard to rinse out
If you have thick hair or need additional moisture, consider using this shampoo, which has a 4.4-star average rating from over 200 reviews at Ceremonia. The yucca extract cleanses the hair and scalp, while cupuaçu butter, aloe vera and squalane help hydrate it, according to Ceremonia. The formula also has witch hazel, which removes excess oil from your scalp to help you extend the time between washes, according to the brand. If you have thin hair, consider Ceremonia’s Weightless Hydration Shampoo, which helps with hydration without adding oils or butters that will weigh down your hair.
Hair type: all | Hair texture: medium, thick | Key ingredients: yucca extract, aloe vera juice, cupuaçu butter, glycerin, squalane, blue agave extract | Sulfate-free: yes | Scent: lemon, tonka beans, violet, black tea
Best for curly hair:SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo
- Good for textured hair
- Super hydrating
- Reduces frizz
- May weigh down finer hair
If you have thick and curly hair, consider this shampoo that uses water, coconut oil, aloe vera and shea butter (among other ingredients) to cleanse, moisturize, reduce frizz and define curls, according to the brand. Reviewers say this creamy shampoo, which has 4.5-star average rating from over 20,900 reviews on Amazon, is gentle on the scalp and even helps create soft and shiny curls without adding conditioner.
Hair type: wavy, curly, coily | Hair texture: thick | Key ingredients: shea butter, coconut oil, rosemary leaf oil, aloe leaf juice | Sulfate-free: yes | Scent: n/a
Best for scalp health: JVN Nurture Hydrating Shampoo
- Helps oily and flaky scalps
- Improves manageability
- Lightweight
- Nothing to note at this time
If you deal with dryness, dull hair or extremely frizzy hair, consider using this shampoo, which has a 4.5-star average rating from over 290 reviews at Sephora. Suitable for all hair types, reviewers say it leaves their hair feeling silky, shiny and manageable with less frizz. They also say this helps combat naturally oily and flaky scalps since it’s gentle and leaves their scalp looking and feeling healthy so that they can go longer between washes. This is because it has ingredients like aloe leaf juice to hydrate the hair and scalp, while other ingredients focus on moisturizing, strengthening and adding shine, according to the brand.
Hair type: all | Hair texture: all | Key ingredients: aloe leaf juice, panthenol, camellia seed oil, hemisqualane | Sulfate-free: yes | Scent: amber, musk, apple, violet
Best for damaged hair: Original & Mineral Hydrate & Conquer Shampoo
- Safe for color-treated hair
- Lasts a long time
- Restores shine
- Packaging is not in pump form
Pitocco recommends this formula because it doesn’t leave her client’s hair feeling heavy. Suitable for color-treated coarse, thick and chemically-treated hair, this shampoo uses coconut-derived ingredients and macadamia seed oil to cleanse hair. To hydrate and moisturize, it has aloe vera and Tasmanian sea kelp, according to the brand. Reviewers say one bottle lasts a long time and with each shampooing, their hair is left feeling soft and shiny.
Hair type: all | Hair texture: thick, coarse | Key ingredients: Tasmanian sea kelp, macadamia seed oil, aloe vera, coconut surfactants | Sulfate-free: yes | Scent: n/a
Best for fine/thin hair: Pureology Hydrate Sheer Shampoo
- Softens hair
- Safe for color-treated hair
- Scent is strong for some
- Packaging is not in pump form
Reviewers say this shampoo hydrates their hair and leaves it silky and soft without weighing it down or giving it a greasy/oily appearance. The creamy lavender-scented shampoo hydrates fine, dry hair and maintains scalp health and does so because its formula includes jojoba, green tea and sage, according to the brand. This shampoo has a 4.6-star average rating from over 7,700 reviews on Amazon.
Hair type: all | Hair texture: fine | Key ingredients: wheat protein, eucalyptus leaf extract | Sulfate-free: yes | Scent: lavender, bergamot, patchouli
Best for locs: Crown Elements Silky Clean Shampoo
- Minimizes frizz
- Nourishing
- Packaging is not in pump form
This Silky Clean shampoo is great for smoothing away frizz and bringing back moisture to the hair, says Brown. It has a water-based herbal infusement, aloe vera, glycerin and vitamin E to help combat dryness and potential breakage, according to the brand. “This is my go-to no matter what stage [my clients’] are in the locing process,” says Brown. “My hair and clients’ hair feels great after I use it and you can see and feel that difference.”
Hair type: locs | Hair texture: coarse | Key ingredients: glycerin, aloe vera, hydrolyzed quinoa protein, vitamin E, vitamin B5 | Sulfate-free: yes | Scent: fresh
Best for color-treated hair: Evo The Therapist Hydrating Shampoo
- Reduces hair breakage
- Conditions hair
- Minimizes frizz
- May be hard to dispense
This multitasking option from Evo focuses on adding moisture while improving manageability and strengthening your hair. Pitocco recommends this specifically for those with color-treated hair because it protects the color by preventing fading and maintaining vibrancy.
Hair type: all | Hair texture: all | Key ingredients: glycerin, hydrolyzed quinoa | Sulfate-free: yes | Scent: floral, woody
Best for softening: Redken All Soft Shampoo
- Lightweight
- Available in multiple sizes
- Improves brittle hair
- Not sulfate-free
This Redken All Soft Shampoo, which has a 4.7-star average rating from over 21,200 reviews, gently cleanses dry, brittle and damaged hair so hair is left feeling clean, shiny and manageable, according to the brand. Reviewers say it’s one of the most effective options at improving their once dull hair and love that a little goes a long way since you only need a small amount for a moisturizing lather.
Hair type: all | Hair texture: fine, medium | Key ingredients: argan oil, soy protein, glycerin, saliculic acid, aloe | Sulfate-free: no | Scent: n/a
Best for very dry hair: Kérastase Nutritive Bain Satin Riche Shampoo
- Adds shine
- Conditions hair
- Available in multiple sizes
- Not sulfate-free
Although this shampoo is not sulfate-free, many reviewers say it has helped tremendously with adding needed moisture back into the hair and nourishing it with each wash. Reviewers also say this hair care product makes their hair easier to detangle after showering and is softer, smoother and shinier. This shampoo has a 4.6-star average rating from over 1,400 reviews on Amazon. If you worry about this option weighing down your hair, the brand also has an option for fine/medium hair textures.
Hair type: all | Hair texture: medium, thick | Key ingredients: plant-based proteins, niacinamide | Sulfate-free: no | Scent: fresh, floral
Related
How to shop for shampoo for dry hair
When determining which shampoo is best for your dry hair, our experts recommend keeping your hair type and ingredients in mind when shopping.
Ingredients
It’s just as important to know what to avoid as it is to know what ingredients are best, so you don’t further dry out your hair.
Ingredients like glycerin, shea butter, coconut oil, aloe vera and seed oils help add moisture to the hair. (If you are concerned about your hair becoming too greasy or weighed down after using a shampoo with oil, look for formulas with lightweight oils like argan, jojoba, grapeseed or sea buckthorn oils, according to Jordan.) Formulas with antioxidants and vitamins, like vitamin b5 and its derivative known as panthenol, are also great for those with dry hair, according to Jordan. Panthenol is an ingredient known for penetrating the hair and providing long-lasting moisture, says Jordan. Brown likes to look for water as one of the first ingredients on a bottle because “that’s going to be the number one source for moisture,” she says.
Opt for gentle formulas that are free of harsh ingredients like sulfates, parabens and silicones. That’s because sulfates like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) can be irritating and drying, while parabens are preservatives that tend to dry out your hair, according to experts. Silicones can sometimes create a waxy coating that can give a shiny initial appearance, but in actuality, it is suffocating the hair, according to Davis.
Color safe
Not every shampoo is color-safe, so some formulas might strip and remove color. Consider options that will help the longevity of your hair color by checking if it’s color-safe or looking at the ingredient list for things like sulfates, which can dull and strip the hair color, according to Pitocco. Color-safe shampoos also tend to have more moisturizing agents and hydrating properties to combat any dryness that hair dye can cause, says Pitocco.
Fragrance
Many shampoos have fragrances; avoid ones that have “added fragrances” as compared to formulas with natural fragrances that come from the ingredients themselves, since these can exacerbate dryness, which will combat your journey to soft, shiny and moisturized hair, says Jordan.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Julie Davis is a hairstylist, artistic director and owner of Eden West Salon in Charleston, South Carolina.
- Jenna Pitocco is a hairstylist and co-owner of Love, Dunnette, a salon in New York City.
- Brooke Jordan is a hairstylist, co-founder and creative director of The Bird House, a salon in Brooklyn.
- Illeisha Lussiano is a hairstylist and founder of The Way, a salon in New York City.
- Freda Brown is a hairstylist and salon owner of The Loc Shop, a salon in Mount Rainier, Maryland.
Why trust NBC Select?
I’m an associate reporter at NBC Select covering the latest product launches and all things beauty and wellness, including recent stories on the best blow dryer brushes and heat protectants. For this story, I interviewed experts and researched highly rated shampoos for dry hair that were in line with expert guidance, along with NBC Select-staff favorites.
Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.
