InStyle

Hair

The 15 Best Shampoos and Conditioners to Give Dry Hair New Life, Editor-Tested

 

These duos deliver much-needed moisture to your hair.

Suffering from dry, scraggly strands is nothing short of frustrating, and while sometimes it feels like the best remedy is to simply throw your hair in a slicked-back bun and call it a day, we know that’s not the best long-term solution. And we're going to start right at step one: Shampoo. According to Andrew Fitzsimons, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Andrew Fitzsimons Haircare, dry hair can happen for many reasons, like washing your hair too often, using shampoos with harsh or drying ingredients (common culprits are sulfates, parabens, and alcohol), or even just the climate. "Dry hair refers to your hair lacking moisture and can result in frizz, split ends, and a dull look," he says.

"Some hair types and textures lose moisture more easily than others," he explains, meaning that they'll need to load up on the heavy moisturizing ingredients more often. But worry not—we tested 21 popular shampoos and conditioners to see if our brittle strands looked more conditioned, stronger, and all-around healthier, plus thoroughly cleansed with feel-good formulas on our scalps. After 504 hours of testing, we found duos that not only met but exceeded our expectations.

 

Best Overall

Amika Normcore Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner

 

What We Love: Ingredients like sea buckthorn and shea butter transformed our dry, frizzy strands, and using both products felt luxurious.

What We Don’t Love: These formulas can weigh down finer hair.

If you haven’t yet dipped your toe into Amika’s line of hair care products, this is your sign to start. The brand’s Normcore line is formulated with sea buckthorn, an ingredient with a multitude of benefits for dry strands, including the ability to help repair damage and subsequently strengthen hair.1 The brand's Normcore Signature Shampoo and Conditioner took our top spot not solely for this ingredient, but for the all-around luxurious-feeling experience using both steps, from massaging them into our scalps to seeing our noticeably better-looking hair in the mirror.

With some shampoos, the desire for a squeaky-clean scalp comes with the consequence of a dry, stripped feeling, yet this formula easily removed buildup without overdoing it, meaning our hair felt clean and conditioned. Overall, at the end of six weeks, our hair was left feeling silkier and less damaged than ever before. In fact, our hair looked and felt so much healthier that we could reduce how frequently we used hair-strengthening masks and oils, simply because we didn't need them.

Key Ingredients: Sea buckthorn, shea butter, coconut acid | Hair Type: Medium, thick | Sizes: 9.2 oz, 16.9 oz

Best Budget

MONDAY HAIRCARE Moisture Shampoo + Conditioner Set

 

What We Love: These lightweight formulas don't weigh down the hair but are still packed with deeply hydrating ingredients.

What We Don’t Love: The products are quite runny, which took some getting used to.

While it’s true we believe your hair is worth investing in, especially if you’re dealing with the issue of dry strands, that doesn’t mean we don’t think there aren’t perfectly viable inexpensive options either. One of our top choices for the best shampoos and conditioners for dry hair is Monday Haircare’s Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner, which has a price point of under 10 bucks for the combined set. If you’re not sold on the price alone (or the cute pink packaging!), our fondness for these lightweight formulas and corresponding results after six weeks may help convince you to consider these products.

We typically air-dry our hair, and we were pleased that even without heat styling after a wash, our wavy hair had more noticeable definition and less noticeable frizz. Further, since many shampoos and conditioners for dry hair tend to rely on heavier consistencies to ensure the utmost moisture, they can tend to weigh down finer strands—this was not the case for us, and we're huge fans of the very lightweight, gentle-feeling formulas that are still brimming with hero hydrators coconut oil, and shea butter.

Key Ingredients: Coconut oil, hydrolyzed rice protein, shea butter | Hair Type: All | Sizes: 12 oz, 27 oz

Best for Frizz

Aveda Nutriplenish Light Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner

 

What We Love: These formulas provide lightweight hydration that reduces the look of frizz and flyaways.

What We Don’t Love: The largest sizes of each product have steep price points, which may frustrate consumers looking to buy bottles that last a while.

Dry hair usually appears alongside its equally annoying cousin, frizz. Aveda, the 100 percent vegan hair care brand, handily managed both of these hair challenges with its Nutriplenish line, giving our long, wavy, color-treated, dry hair a glossy sheen and incredible softness, courtesy of fruit- and plant-based oils and botanicals, pomegranate oil,2 coconut oil,3 and mango butter,4 all of which have conditioning properties that actually last.

Simply put: You'll get a gentle cleanse that maintains your hair's natural oils and a not-too-heavy-feeling conditioning rinse that helps with flyaways and frizz. Our brittle, damaged hair finally got the softness, bounce, and beachy waves we've always wanted.

Key Ingredients: Pomegranate oil, coconut oil, mango butter | Hair Type: Fine, medium | Sizes: 1.7 oz, 8.5 oz, 33.8 oz

Best for Volume

Davines Momo Shampoo and Conditioner

 

What We Love: These formulas are ideal for those with wavy and curly hair, as they transform frizz into long-lasting, defined, bouncy strands.

What We Don’t Love: The jar container of the conditioner is less convenient than a regular bottle or pump and may not last as long if you’re conditioning regularly.

There’s something to be said about a shampoo and conditioner that not only cleans and softens, but also hydrates and provides volume. With Davines’ MOMO Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner, you’ll get the moisture that your dry strands need. Our curly-haired InStyle editor who tested this duo noticed that her 2B/2C curls appeared fuller, plumper, and more defined immediately after using this duo. Even better, her bouncy coils remained intact for days (a true rarity).

Sulfate- and paraben-free, this hydrating shampoo has less of a lather than your run-of-the-mill shampoo, but with the generous dose of antioxidant-rich Cartucciaru melon extract in both formulas, our hair looked so hydrated that we didn't miss a bubbly scrub.

Key Ingredients: Cartucciaru melon extract | Hair Type: Fine, medium, wavy, curly | Sizes: 8.45 oz (shampoo), 8.77 oz (conditioner)

Best for Softness

Kérastase Nutritive Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner

 

What We Love: There are two shampoo formula options available—one for fine/medium hair and one for medium/thick hair—and both feel rich and creamy.

What We Don’t Love: The scent of both formulas is on the stronger side and does linger in between washes, which may bother those averse to fragrance in beauty products.

Part of dealing with dry hair is noticing that unpleasant brittle feeling that tends to encompass your strands, which is why finding the right hydrating products is crucial to ensuring your hair feels soft, not scraggly. Kérastase is a luxury hair care brand that checks all the boxes: impossibly effective formulas that feel rich and creamy, are filled with skincare-quality ingredients, and come with an intoxicating scent.

With a slew of plant-based proteins, like hydrolyzed wheat protein, which works to repair damaged strands from the inside out at the cellular level,5 leading to stronger hair and major softness—and at the end of the six-week test, our gorgeous hair was all the proof we needed (although the compliments from friends and family didn't hurt, either). Overall, our hair felt conditioned and healthy, but also more manageable day-to-day with fewer flyaways. Additionally, we loved that there are two shampoos to choose from, depending on how much intervention your hair needs without overpowering it and weighing it down: Bain Satin Shampoo (fine to medium dry hair) and Bain Satin Riche Shampoo (medium to thick dry hair).

Key Ingredients: Hydrolyzed wheat protein, niacinamide | Hair Type: All | Sizes: 80 mL, 250 mL, 500 mL (shampoo); 75 mL, 200 mL (conditioner)

Best for Detangling

Lolavie Restorative Shampoo and Conditioner

 

What We Love: Both the shampoo and conditioner are formulated with plant-based ingredients that repair damage and prevent tangles.

What We Don’t Love: We wish the citrusy scent lasted longer.

Even though every hair type deals with knotty strands from time to time, those with dry, damaged hair can become prone to this issue way more frequently. Our long, curly-ish hair tangles in a split second, often requiring us to spend way too much time brushing out the knots. That is until we tested LolaVie’s Restorative Shampoo and Conditioner over six weeks.

After a few washes, we were surprised to find how easy it was to comb through our hair compared to usual, reducing the need to use an entire bottle of detangling spray (approximately). Not to mention our long wavy hair had visibly less frizz and an overall smoother feel. Considering LolaVie is a hair care brand founded by hair inspo icon Jennifer Aniston herself, these results come as no surprise, plus these shampoo and conditioner formulas are chock-full of favorable ingredients that work wonders to rejuvenate dry hair. These include a variety of botanical extracts such as chia seed and coconut extract6 alongside other honorable mentions like pea peptide,7 all of which aid in repairing hair damage and preventing tangles.

Key Ingredients: Botanical extracts, pea peptide | Hair Type: All | Sizes: 2 oz, 8.5 oz, 24 oz

Best Smelling

Moroccanoil Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner

 

What We Love: The scent is heavenly and the oil-based formula leaves no lingering residue.

What We Don’t Love: We wish these products did more to diminish frizz.

Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference in our days, and smelling a luxurious scent while lathering up in the shower is one of them. And when it comes to heavenly fragrances within the haircare realm, it doesn't get better than Moroccanoil's signature scent.

Part floral, part woody, this scent is just the cherry on top when it comes to the hardworking formulas within the Hydrating line. Developed with argan oil,8 algae,9 and vitamin-rich sea kelp, this formula meant our daily battles with dryness and frizz, particularly around the crown of the head, were over.

Rich and creamy, this duo sank right into our thick, wavy, and coarse hair. Our editors couldn't get enough of the way their hydrated, defined, and glossy hair looked. Ironically, the oil-based formula left no lingering oily residue on our hair. Even on fine wavy hair, we could go a few days before needing to shampoo again because our hair felt nourished and healthy, not weighed down.

Key Ingredients: Argan oil, algae, vitamin E | Hair Type: Wavy/curly, medium-thick | Sizes: 2.4 oz, 8.5 oz, 33.8 oz

Best Strengthening

Nexxus Ultimate Moisture Therappe Shampoo and Humectress Conditioner

 

What We Love: The proteins in this duo work to both restore and strengthen damaged hair.

What We Don’t Love: These formulas may weigh down fine hair.

Sometimes it can be hard to tell what your mane is missing until you find the ideal shampoo and conditioner combination that allows it to live up to its utmost potential. We did not understand how badly our weak hair needed some reinforcements until—after a few weeks—we saw what strong, healthy hair actually looked like.

Thanks to the protein-packed ingredients in both formulas, including hydrolyzed elastin,10 hydrolyzed keratin, and hydrolyzed wheat protein,5 this standout trio provides both strengthening and moisturizing properties that truly bring our dull hair to life. And we loved the great value as much as we loved the results—you can score the jumbo size for less than $30.

Key Ingredients: Hydrolyzed elastin, hydrolyzed keratin, hydrolyzed wheat protein | Hair Type: Medium, thick | Sizes: 13.5 oz, 33.8 oz

Best for Damaged Hair

Olaplex Bond Maintenance No.4 Shampoo and No.5 Conditioner

 

What We Love: The primary focus of these Olaplex products is to transform broken hair bonds and make damaged strands look healthy again.

What We Don’t Love: We wish the conditioner formula was thinner so that it could be better distributed around our head—we were worried about how much expensive product we were wasting.

It’s likely you’ve already heard the constant praises for Olaplex’s formulas—the brand’s No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner are a few of the brand's products known in the beauty industry for their ability to help repair unruly flyaways and damaged, frizzled ends (an unfortunate consequence of years and years of regular dye jobs).

Six weeks was plenty of time for us to experience firsthand the strengthening magic of Olaplex. The brand's proprietary, top-secret Bond Building Technology repairs each strand from the inside out by fortifying broken strands at the molecular level. Now, our hair looks so healthy and shiny that no one can tell that we can't live without hot tools, highlights, and chemical treatments.

Key Ingredients: Bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate | Hair Type: Damaged | Sizes: 3.3 oz, 8.5 oz

Best for Thick Hair

Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo and Conditioner

 

What We Love: We noticed an almost immediate difference in our usual dry, damaged strands after using this shampoo and conditioner, which add nourishment and shine.

What We Don’t Love: We found the shampoo to be slightly stripping.

If your dry hair is on the thicker side, you’ll need a heavier shampoo and conditioner consistency to ensure the totality of your mane gets the moisture it needs. Oribe’s Gold Lust Restore & Repair Shampoo and Conditioner is the ideal combination for this hair type, as both formulas have this consistency and therefore work wonderfully to add nourishment and shine to thick tresses—there are even gold flecks in each as an added bonus.

While our hair typically looks dry and damaged, we noticed an immediate improvement after using the Gold Lust Restore & Repair Shampoo and Conditioner which even led to compliments on how healthy our hair looked. Thanks to the brand’s signature Bio-Restorative Complex—which includes a combination of biotin, plant collagen, caffeine, and niacinamide, all with hair growth stimulation11 and damage-reduction properties12—as well as Mediterranean cypress extract for next-level conditioning, we saw impressive long-term improvement. A word of caution: These are oil-heavy formulas that do not play nicely with thin or fine hair.

Key Ingredients: Bio-restorative complex, Mediterranean cypress extract | Hair Type: Medium-thick, damaged | Sizes: 2.5 oz, 8.5 oz, 33.8 oz (shampoo); 1.7 oz, 6.8 oz, 33.8 oz (conditioner)

Best for Shine

Pureology Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner

 

What We Love: This combination gives color-treated and dry hair new life and luster without affecting hair color or highlights.

What We Don’t Love: It has a slightly unpleasant chemical scent.

With dry hair comes dull-looking hair, and with dull-looking hair comes an evident lack of luster—and everyone deserves a surplus of shine in their hair. If this is your primary hair care goal, yet your dry mane keeps getting in the way of achieving it, consider Pureology’s Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner. After using this shampoo and conditioner duo for six weeks, we were surprised at how much our hair visibly improved, leaving our hair gently cleansed and well nourished. Ordinarily, our thick, heavy hair doesn't have the bounce factor that lighter hair types do, but we can’t rave enough about how shiny and full of life it looks.

The ingredients in both of these formulas deserve a shoutout for the work they did to better our already tip-top head of hair: Jojoba butter functions as a fabulous moisturizer (contributing to that newfound luster),13 sage extract keeps hair follicles in check with its antifungal and anti-inflammatory abilities,14 and green tea extract can help with hair growth.15 Another positive aspect of this pairing? Neither the shampoo nor the conditioner formula affected our colored hair or highlights—a huge benefit. Pureology even uses a trademarked technology known as the Antifade Complex to ensure color safety.

Key Ingredients: Jojoba butter, sage extract, green tea extract | Hair Type: Medium-thick, color-treated | Sizes: 1.7 oz, 9 oz, 33.8 oz

Best for Fine Hair

Redken All Soft Shampoo and Conditioner

 

What We Love: These mildly scented formulas contain argan oil, which has the ability to hydrate fine hair without making it oily.

What We Don’t Love: Its density made it slightly tricky to wash out at first.

Plenty of shampoo and conditioner formulas for dry hair are made with a slew of nourishing ingredients, which can sometimes end up weighing down fine hair if the consistency is too heavy or there are too many oils or butters on the ingredients list. You have to be cautious when choosing a hair-wash duo for yourself if you have fine hair, and consider using InStyle-approved formulas like Redken’s All Soft Shampoo and Conditioner.

Our thin, typically brittle, stringy hair changed to a more luscious mane after six weeks, resulting in more shine, hydration, and softness—we could hardly stop running our fingers through our hair. Argan oil is likely the main reason for these results as it has a standout moisturizing ability, yet it won’t weigh down even the finest hair or give it that greasy feeling.8

Bonus: There's hardly any scent, a refreshing change from the often overwhelming, artificial-seeming fragrance in beauty products.

Key Ingredients: Argan oil | Hair Type: All | Sizes: 10.1 oz, 33.8 oz

Best for Curly Hair

Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Shampoo + Conditioner Set

 

What We Love: Thick, curly manes will drink up these shea butter- and coconut oil-based formulas that result in frizz-free, bouncy hair.

What We Don’t Love: The shampoo and conditioner would likely work best for thick hair only.

If you have both curly and dry hair, finding the right shampoo and conditioner is crucial so that your mane has defined curls, not areas of poofy frizz. We can assure you that Shea Moisture’s Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Shampoo and Conditioner is the right combination for the task, as it makes our hair thick, full, 3A/3B-curls frizz-free, bouncy, and, of course, supremely nourished.

While the shampoo formula itself didn’t get as sudsy as we hoped, it got the job done in regards to cleansing the scalp and hair (though keep this in mind if you’re someone who prefers more of a lather), and the conditioner had a thicker consistency than our thick curls loved, as it ensured that all areas were aptly accounted for and therefore hydrated after rinsing the product out. Keep in mind that because of this heavier conditioner formula, the Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Conditioner may end up being too much for fine strands—you may be better off steering clear of the Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Shampoo as well to be safe, considering the use of shea butter and coconut oil in the formula which can weigh down hair of this type. However, if you have thick curls (and a lot of them!), these formulas are the way to go.

Key Ingredients: Coconut oil, shea butter | Hair Type: Curly, thick | Sizes: 13 oz, 24 oz

Best Splurge

Shu Uemura Urban Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner

 

What We Love: These powerhouse formulas work wonders to thoroughly cleanse and nourish strands and are even color-safe.

What We Don’t Love: The shampoo bottle could use a pump in order to prevent a messy hair-washing experience.

We at InStyle are always fans of budget-friendly, drugstore picks, but we also believe that your mane deserves to be splurged on every once in a while. If you’re willing to shell out a few extra dollars for a standout formula, consider Shu Uemura Urban Moisture Hydro-Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner, which defined our type-2B waves, softened our strands immediately after the first wash, and reduced the appearance of frizz all thanks to the added hydration from these formulas. Worth the splurge? We think so.

Formulated with unique ingredients like Japanese moringa oil16 for cleansing and Japanese red micro-algae extract17 to support hair growth, this duo actually does everything it promises and more, starting with the shampoo's luxurious, bubbly lather. Thicker and easily spreadable, the conditioner softened our hair's brittle feeling without the heaviness.

Key Ingredients: Japanese moringa oil, Japanese red micro-algae extract | Hair Type: All | Sizes: 300 mL (shampoo); 40 mL, 250 mL (conditioner)

Best for Sensitive Scalps

Virtue Labs Recovery Shampoo and Conditioner

 

What We Love: Despite the thick consistencies of these formulas, our hair felt soft and super lightweight after.

What We Don’t Love: There was an excessive amount of plastic used in the packaging, which not only makes the products difficult to open but also is not an eco-conscious way to approach packaging.

Scalp health plays a huge role when it comes to dry hair—a dirty scalp with lots of buildup can exacerbate dry or damaged hair, or worse, kick off a cascade of negative effects; but a clean, moisturized scalp tends to sprout strong strands from the start. We can personally attest to the effect a temperamental scalp has on hair: One of our editors has a terribly dry, sensitive, and flake-prone scalp, and she didn't have much hope that these products would be gentle enough or sufficiently cleansing,

Even with a serious, bubbly lather, the Recovery Shampoo rinsed off all of the gunk from our roots and scalp without a hint of irritation, and although we only used the conditioner from the mid-shaft to the ends, our hair overall looked softer than it has in years. However, it was the lightness of our roots that made the most impact, since our angry scalp often triggered sebum production with other products, causing our roots to look greasy and feel just totally gross with the coat of oil. Not so with these formulas.

Key Ingredients: Hydrolyzed quinoa, baobab seed oil, grapefruit extract | Hair Type: All | Sizes: 2 oz, 8 oz, 17 oz (shampoo); 2 oz, 6.7 oz, 17 oz (conditioner)

What to Keep in Mind

• Ingredients: “For fine hair, I recommend natural oils like jojoba, almond, and argan as they won’t weigh the hair down or leave a greasy film,” says Fitzsimons. "Vitamin C, vitamin A, proteins, iron, and amino acids help strengthen the hair follicles as well as condition the hair, even promoting hair growth." Philip Berkovitz, founder of Philip B. Botanicals, suggests keeping an eye out for peptides and amino acids. "They support the hair structure so it can hold on to moisture longer," he says. "They’re especially important for color- and chemically treated hair, which can’t retain moisture the way it did before it was processed. By helping your hair hold moisture, your color will last longer and look richer, too." All of our experts cautioned us to steer very clear of sulfates and parabens, which strip hair of its natural oils. "They worsen any hair dryness that you may be experiencing," says Kindale Godbee, celebrity hairstylist and owner of The Heir Salon in Durham, North Carolina.
• Hair Type: Moisture-rich formulas can be quite heavy, which is great for thick, curly hair, but not the right move for someone with thin or fine hair, so it's important to keep in mind how weighty a product is. For fine hair, Berkovitz says that weightless ingredients are the way to go. "They will strengthen without weighing down," he says. "Look for formulas that contain safflower oleosomes, peptides and amino acids, and light citrus and flower oils.” Thicker textures can ramp it up from oils to butters. “These are richer, creamier formulas,” says Godbee. "Curly or coily hair types need deeply moisturizing ingredients like coconut oil or shea butter."

Your Questions, Answered

How do I choose shampoo for dry hair?

Jenna Spino, stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, put it in the best possible way: “It is not so much about the brand as it is about better ingredients,” says Spino. If a shampoo brand takes into consideration the ingredients that benefit dry hair types, then chances are you’ll have success with transforming your dehydrated tresses.

Look for plant- and nut-based oils, like jojoba, argan, and coconut, and strengthening proteins and bond-builders to repair vulnerable and damaged strands from the inside out.

What’s the difference between hydration and moisturizing shampoo?

Although they're often used interchangeably, they are not the same. "Moisturizing refers to adding moisture to the hair, while hydrating refers to adding water to the hair," says celebrity stylist Ashley Gomila.

"Moisturizing products, such as hair oils and creams, work to lock in moisture to prevent strands from drying out," she says. "Meanwhile, hydrating products, such as leave-in conditioners and sprays, add water to hair and balance your hair's natural moisture levels."

Why Shop With Us

Madison Barber is a passionate beauty product researcher and has dry, wavy, fine hair herself, so she understands the struggle of finding the ideal shampoo and conditioner that defines waves, keeps ends nourished, and doesn’t weigh down fine hair. For this article, she collaborated with InStyle testers to learn about their experiences and interviewed hair experts and stylists Andrew Fitzsimons, Philip Berkovitz, Jenna Spino, and Kindale Godbee and hair and makeup expert Ashley Gomila.