Best shampoo for dry brittle damaged hair

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We updated this article in August 2022 to add picks from Redken, Nexxus, OGX, Head & Shoulders and Unwash, based on extensive testing done by the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab.

Choosing the best shampoo and matching hydrating conditioner that combats dryness comes with its trials and tribulations, namely cycling through options that may dry out your hair even more. In fact, more than 1,400 GH survey respondents said they look for a shampoo that moisturizes and hydrates above all else.

The GH Beauty Lab tests formulas in the Lab and with consumer testers to find the ones that actually work to hydrate parched strands. After sifting through more than 5,000 data points, we found the best-tested shampoos for dry hair, developed alongside conditioners that are meant to get you the best moisturization and hydration possible. No doubt, there's one below that addresses any of your pressing needs, including drugstore and salon-grade shampoos for colored hair, itchy scalps and beyond.

Our top picks:

• 1

  

  BEST OVERALL SHAMPOO FOR DRY HAIR

  Bio:Renew Hydrate Coconut Milk Shampoo Herbal Essences

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• 2

  

  BEST VALUE SHAMPOO FOR DRY HAIR

  Whole Blends Replenishing Shampoo Garnier

  Read More

• 3

  

  Best Salon Shampoo for Dry Hair

  Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo Redken

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• 4

  

  Best Shampoo for Dry, Thin Hair

  Bain Magistral Shampoo for Very Dry Hair Kérastase

  Read More

• 5

  

  Best Shampoo for Dry, Frizzy Hair

  Ultralight Smooth Weightless Frizz Protection Shampoo Nexxus

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Keep in mind that dry hair is often rooted in "chemical damage from permanent coloring or relaxants, mechanical damage from grooming or heat damage from hot tools like curling wands and hair straighteners," all of which can affect the structure of your hair fibers, says Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab chemist Danusia Wnek. Your hormones, age and ethnicity can also be factors. You can read more about how we evaluate shampoos for dry hair in our Lab and consumer tests — as well as shopping tips — at the end of this guide.

1

BEST OVERALL SHAMPOO FOR DRY HAIR

Herbal Essences

Bio:Renew Hydrate Coconut Milk Shampoo

2

BEST VALUE SHAMPOO FOR DRY HAIR

Garnier

Whole Blends Replenishing Shampoo

3

Best Salon Shampoo for Dry Hair

Redken

Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo

4

Best Shampoo for Dry, Thin Hair

Kérastase

Bain Magistral Shampoo for Very Dry Hair

5

Best Shampoo for Dry, Frizzy Hair

Nexxus

Ultralight Smooth Weightless Frizz Protection Shampoo

6

Best Silkening Shampoo for Dry Hair

Dove

Nutritive Solutions Daily Moisture Shampoo

7

Best Drugstore Shampoo for Dry Hair

OGX

Fade-Defying Orchid Oil Shampoo

8

BEST CLEANSING 2-IN-1 SHAMPOO FOR DRY HAIR

unwash

Bio-Cleansing Conditioner

9

Best Shampoo for Dry, Damaged Hair with Split Ends

Oribe

Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo

10

Best Shampoo for Dry, Itchy Scalp

Head & Shoulders

Smooth and Silky Paraben Free Dandruff Shampoo

11

Best Shampoo for Dry Hair and Scalp

Suave

Professionals Coconut Milk Deep Moisture Shampoo

12

Best Shampoo for Dry, Colored Hair

Hair Food

Color Protect Shampoo

13

Best Moisturizing Shampoo for Dry, Thick Hair

Pantene

Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal Shampoo

14

Best Deep Cleansing Shampoo for Dry Hair

Joico

Moisture Recovery Shampoo for Dry Hair

15

Best Shampoo for Dry, Thinning Hair

Pantene

Pro-V Fine Hair Sheer Volume Shampoo

16

Best Shampoo for Dry, Curly Hair

SheaMoisture

Curl and Shine Coconut Shampoo for Curly Hair

How we test hydrating shampoos

The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab scientists test shampoos for dry hair both on consumers and in the Lab using technical instruments. First, the GH beauty editorial team scans the market for hydrating and moisturizing shampoos for dry hair, which are then label-masked by Lab scientists and distributed to testers across the country to use in their hair routine at home and provide feedback on their cleansing and conditioning performance, how well they soften and hydrate hair, their weight on strands and ease of use, including dispensing, lathering, rinsing, scent and irritation.

The shampoos are also evaluated in the Lab using a swatch-wash station, which allows us to control the temperature and water flow rate. The analysts dose a known amount of product onto swatches. We cannot measure the cleansing ability of these products in the lab and usually poll our readers for their feedback. We measure lubrication along with conditioning ability using the Instron machine (pictured below), which calculates combing force through wet hair. Last, all the data points (over 5,000 in the GH Beauty Lab's most recent test) are tallied to find the winners.

How to find the best shampoo for dry hair

When it comes to choosing a hydrating shampoo, ingredients play a big role, says Alvarez. "Look for a formula with really nourishing ingredients, like aloe vera and shea butter," she says. Whatever your hair type, Alvarez recommends switching up your shampoo after a while so your hair doesn't get used to one product, and adding a clarifying shampoo into your routine occasionally for a deep clean.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab has been a leading expert on haircare for decades. GH Chemist Danusia Wnek has spent seven years researching and developing testing protocols for haircare products in the Institute, including hair-thickening shampoo, hair-thickening products, dry shampoos and the evaluations mentioned above. Beauty Director April Franzino and Freelance Beauty Editor Dori Price teamed with the Beauty Lab to put together our top picks. Both, respectively, share over 15 years at GH, with experience collaborating with experts, interviewing industry pros and lending product expertise to these categories.

Dori Price Contributing Beauty Editor Dori Price is a New York City-based freelance writer and editor and beauty, style and wellness expert who was the Beauty & Fashion Director at Family Circle for 13 years before she joined Good Housekeeping, Prevention and Woman’s Day as a freelance beauty editor.

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