Let’s come right out and say it: When it comes to the best shampoo for men, we’re being sold short, gents. So many drugstore brands that target men are selling a single shampoo, as if one-size-fits-all is suitable. However, the “best shampoo” is not a single product, because no two of us have the exact same needs. (Think: scalp oil levels, hair texture, strand density, fullness, lifestyle habits, formula preferences, sensitivities, and hairstyling preferences.) “It is important to consider your hair type when choosing a shampoo,” says celebrity groomer Sonia Lee, whose clients include Steven Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, and Orlando Bloom. “Men should be tailoring their shampoo and upgrading to one that fits their hair type from the jump so it can grow into healthy hair.”
Read on for the best shampoos for men based on personal testing, along with picks from the hair stylist and dermatologist I trust most.
The Best Men’s Shampoo, at a Glance
The Best Shampoo Overall: Sachajuan Moisturizing Shampoo
Why It’s the Best
There’s no reason we can’t just crown Sachajuan the “best shampoo brand” here, given its range of washes that address all different hair types and needs—even one called “Scalp Shampoo” that keeps things perfectly balanced and simple. But the most universal option from the deliciously scented Swedish salon staple is the brand’s Moisturizing Shampoo.
This comes as close to a 2-in-1 shampoo-conditioner without actually being one (Sachajuan, of course, has conditioners for the whole spectrum of hair needs, too); but this product gives any user what they need: a non-stripping and proactively nourishing rinse that helps even the most vulnerable or difficult of strands. (We’re talking those prone to breakage and frizz, as well as those with stubborn coarse hairs or even curls and brittle grays.) While my partner and I both have a respective Sachajuan line that we reach for, this is one of the few products from any brand that we both share—him with his fine, dry, and wavy strands; me with my coarse, dense, oily, and straight ones. Whenever one of us finishes showering, the other comments (from two rooms away): “Oooh, Sachajuan shower?” because that delicious smell permeates the air.
The Best Co-Wash Shampoo: Geologie Cooling Co-Wash
Our Experience
Geologie has two co-washes—this relatively universal one, plus a smoothing option for thicker hairs. Of all the conditioning washes that have passed through this household, this one always gets drained first. It has supremely purifying prowess thanks to the tea tree oil and leaves the scalp feeling refreshed after a rinse, despite not actually being a shampoo. (Read up on co-washing, if you’re uninitiated.) I’ve used it as an actual conditioner, too, after a full-on shampoo, but moreover rely on this product to get me reset on the second or third day, when I’m just not feeling a full flushing-out. My partner and I even bring it on weekend trips as the sole hair care product for those few days—it satisfies our very different hair needs while streamlining our regimen.
The Best Curly and Coily Hair Shampoo for Men: Frederick Benjamin Invigorating Cleanser Shampoo
Our Experience
Here’s a pick from Davie, which should satisfy guys all along the curl spectrum. “This shampoo is a first-class ticket to refreshment paradise,” says Davie. “Coily hair is very prone to dry scalp and dandruff. You need a shampoo like Frederick Benjamin’s that can settle into the scalp and provide great texture.” It won’t strip away the much-needed moisture from your curls, and instead will flood them with the proteins necessary to stay defined.
“I encourage people to leave this particular shampoo on hair, with intent to reach the scalp, for a couple minutes before rinsing out allowing those oils to retrieve full coverage,” Davie says. “The longer you keep it in and evenly massage into the head the better chances the scalp is stimulated for healthier growth.”
The Best Shampoo for Men with Thick Hair: Davines Love Smoothing Shampoo
Our Experience
If this article were called “Adam Hurly’s Favorite Shampoo of All Time,” then Davines’s LOVE shampoo would be in the first spot. But my needs do not match every reader’s needs, so this product will have to settle for “Best Thick Hair Shampoo” in the meantime. It is so difficult to find a product that tames my thick hair while it cleanses. The entire LOVE line is like a relaxer for my untenable and rigid-straight strands, and becomes even more essential whenever I decide to grow my hair out. If you have coarse or thick hair—and especially if it’s on the straighter side—then this shampoo (and LOVE assortment) is a game-changer.
The Best-Smelling Shampoo for Men: Corpus Cypress Shampoo
Our Experience
This shampoo is more than just its delicious aroma, yes. However, we cannot ignore it: Corpus’ woodsy scent is on the more masculine side of the scent spectrum, should you want some aromatherapy that might pair nicely with your cologne. (Vetiver, cypress, and cedar take center stage in this one.) I would pump this scent throughout my home, and happily deploy this moisturizing, fortifying wash through my strands any day of the week. Use it as a beard wash, too, if you want to smell it even more each day.
The Best Shampoo for Men with Fine Hair: Ouai Fine Shampoo
Our Experience
Here is an all-time favorite of my fine-haired partner, who demands a shampoo that fights gravity and gives his hairs extra height and fullness. OUAI’s formula here has the ability to deeply rinse without causing any frizzing or fraying, unlike many shampoos that give volume by virtue of parching the hairs. So with OUAI, you get volume, density, and body, plus mega moisture to top it off.
The Best Shampoo for Men With Thinning Hair: The Grey Stimulating Shampoo
Our Experience
If cost were no object, this would be our best overall shampoo, too. However, I do think that a $75 bottle of shampoo is tough to promote as a universal option—but as a luxury pick, The Grey is a no-brainer. But this Dutch men’s label really packs on the active ingredients, a difference you feel in the strands after rinsing (you can peep the “key ingredients” above for that long list, which benefit far more than just thinning hair). While I never really advertise shampoos as the solution for hair loss—you need to take more clinical measures—however, a shampoo like this can be a game-changer when it comes to maximizing the potential of your precious hairs. If you have a stylable length—let’s say an inch or more, then you might notice your styling regimen performing slightly better after a rinse from The Grey. It’s nourishing, it’s smoothing, it’s tingly and refreshing, and it smells brilliant.
The Best Shampoo for Damaged Hair: K18 Damage Shield pH Protective Shampoo
Our Experience
Few brands have skyrocketed quite like K18, which went from 0-60 in a couple years’ time thanks to fantastic reparative formulas. (The brand’s leave-in hair mask, despite the $75 sticker shock, is worth every penny if you have long and/or damaged strands.) And naturally, this balancing shampoo is part of its recipe for success. Not only does it flood your strands with fortifying proteins as it flushes away grime, but it also balances the scalp and strand pH levels. By collectively reducing inflammation and closing off the cuticles, it fights everything from frizz to breakage to swelling, all while giving your head its happy little rinse.
