Best shampoo and conditioner for natural curly hair

L’Oreal Paris, Briogeo, ShaeMoisture

For those with curly hair, the right cleanser can make or break the luster, bounce, and overall look of curls. That’s why finding the best shampoo for curly hair is essential—the right one cleanses the scalp and strands without weighing curls down.

You might be wondering why any old sulfate-free shampoo won’t do. While some might be better than others, each cleanser has different benefits. Shampoos typically contain several ingredients to help remove oil, dirt, dead skin cells and other impurities, explains Janiene Luke, M.D., board-certified dermatologist in Loma Linda, CA. “Shampoos, particularly sulfate-containing shampoos, are very effective cleansing agents (also known as surfactants) however, because of their inherent properties, they can impart a change on the surface of the hair…leading to increased frizz.”

Beyond the ingredients of shampoos, our bodies can play a role in how dry or oily hair can get over time. “Our body produces a natural oil called sebum, and those with naturally curly or textured hair tend to have drier hair at baseline (because the sebum does not travel as far down the hair shaft of a curly hair),” explains Dr. Luke. While the cleansers we’re sharing aren’t shampoos for oily hair, curly hair can get oily (dry shampoos that can hold you over until your next wash), so some of the best shampoos for curly hair will tackle this issue without drying out strands. Ahead, find expert-approved selects that will have your curls looking vivacious again.

How we chose the best shampoo for curly hair

We spoke with Dr. Luke, Michael Dueñas, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Veluer Creative, Micaella Mosley, curly hair expert and founder of Mila Rose Hair Care, and poured through countless reviews to find the best shampoos for curly hair.

Our top picks

• 1

  

  Best Shampoo for Curly Hair Overall

  Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Avocado Hydrating Shampoo Briogeo

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• 2

  

  Best Value Shampoo for Curly Hair

  Elvive Dream Lengths Curls No Build-Up Micellar Shampoo L'Oreal Paris

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• 3

  

  Best Shampoo for Coily Hair (Type 4)

  Intensive Hydration Shampoo for Dry, Damaged Hair SheaMoisture

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• 4

  

  Best Co Wash for curly hair (Type 3)

  Quench 3-In-1 Cleansing Co-Wash Conditioner And Detangler tgin

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• 5

  

  Best Shampoo for Wavy Hair (Type 2)

  Cassette Curl Shampoo + Superseed Oil Complex R+Co

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1

Best Shampoo for Curly Hair Overall

Briogeo

Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Avocado Hydrating Shampoo

2

Best Value Shampoo for Curly Hair

L'Oreal Paris

Elvive Dream Lengths Curls No Build-Up Micellar Shampoo

3

Best Shampoo for Coily Hair (Type 4)

SheaMoisture

Intensive Hydration Shampoo for Dry, Damaged Hair

4

Best Co Wash for curly hair (Type 3)

tgin

Quench 3-In-1 Cleansing Co-Wash Conditioner And Detangler

5

Best Shampoo for Wavy Hair (Type 2)

R+Co

Cassette Curl Shampoo + Superseed Oil Complex

6

Best Shampoo for frizzy hair

Ouidad

Ultra-nourishing Cleansing Oil Shampoo

7

Best Shampoo and Conditioner for Curly Hair

Carol's Daughter

Black Vanilla Moisture and Shine Shampoo and Conditioner Set

8

Best Shampoo for Dry Curly Hair

Moroccanoil

Moisture Repair Shampoo

9

BLONDME

All Blondes Rich Shampoo

10

Garnier

Fructis Triple Nutrition Curl Nourish Shampoo

11

Maria Nila

True Soft Shampoo

How to choose the best shampoo for curly hair

Micaella Mosley, curly hair expert and founder of Mila Rose Hair Care, shares her top tips for what to look for when shopping for curly hair shampoo.

“Curly hair can look impressive, dazzling, and awe-inspiring only if you feed them with the correct products. While looking for a curly hair shampoo your utmost priority should be that,” she says.

She also notes the below:

• The product does not contain harsh chemicals like sulfates, silicon, and others that could damage your delicate loops.
• The shampoo is alcohol-free.
• The shampoo will hydrate, nourish the scalp, and contain vitamins, and oils.
• The shampoo contains natural ingredients e.g. Aloe vera, oils, and proteins.

What shampoo should I use for natural curly hair?

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