The 12 Best Shampoo Brands of 2022

Born in 1964 in Paris, France, KERASTASE is a high-end shampoo and conditioner brand. After developing the world's first hair mask, its sales skyrocketed. Currently, KERASTASE is included under L'Oreal, and its products have won many honors such as InStyle UK Beauty Buys Award, Cosmopolitan Beauty Award, WWD Beauty Best Product Award, and VOGUE Best Hair Product Award.

KERASTASE has launched more than ten series with different ingredients and formulas to meet the needs of different groups of people and all of them are well-received. The vast majority of people have normal hair and only need to keep their hair clean. Unless there is obvious hair loss, pathology, or family genetic history, do not easily categorize yourself as oily hair. Blindly pursuing oil removal will irritate the scalp and increase oil production. For real oily hair, you can choose the dual-function shampoo of KERASTASE. It uses SLES to clean the oil, leaving a fresh feeling after washing. It is not recommended for people with normal hair, otherwise, they may feel uncomfortable due to the dryness.

KERASTASE developed three types of shampoos for different levels of dry hair -- Nutritive, Discipline, and Specifique. Nutritive is in white bottles, suitable for dry hair; Discipline is in orange bottles, suitable for frizz and curly hair; Specifique is in blue bottles, silicone oil-free, suitable for light dry hair. Chroma Riche is KERASTASE’s signature product, which can help to maintain the color after dyeing. KERASTASE also launched shampoo for people who frequently perm. In addition to these, there are also products with other functions such as anti-dandruff.

Almost all of KERASTASE's products contain a small amount of salicylic acid with the effects of anti-inflammatory and conditioning. All products with salicylic acid (or sodium salicylate) are labeled with "Do not use by children under three years old". It is recommended that women during pregnancy should better avoid or stop using these products for a short period of time.

Born in 1898, Schwarzkopf invented the first bottle of shampoo in the history of the world and is one of the world's three largest manufacturers of hair products. Schwarzkopf's shampoo product line includes repair series, silicone oil-free series, and men's series.

The surfactants of Schwarzkopf always use SLES combined with Cocamidopropyl Betaine, which has the right cleaning power. Schwarzkopf's three main repair products are all added with silicone oil, suitable for fragile hair, making the hair look shiny. With a lubricating effect, silicone oil-containing shampoo is a good choice for people with long hair or dyed and permed hair. People who have fine hair and don’t want their hair to be too flat can choose silicone-free products, making your hair look more fluffy, as well as those people who have oily hair and always wash hair.

The price of Schwarzkopf silicone oil-free shampoo is slightly higher than the silicone oil series. After washing with it, the hair is fluffy and light without being too dry and frizzy. With fresh and elegant fragrance, Purify&Protect Series is one of its main products, suitable for daily use of all types of hair, leaving a fresh feeling on the scalp. The Ginger Scalp Boost Series is also silicone oil-free and non-irritating to the skin and eyes with strong cleaning ability.

For male consumers, Schwarzkopf has also launched several shampoos, which have very strong cleaning power and reduce the hair lubricating ingredients. This series of products are cost-effective, with a subtle cologne fragrance, which is almost odorless after use.

 It is the largest-selling care brand in Europe, mainly producing hair dyeing, hair care, make-up and skin care products, favored by beauty-loving women worldwide.

L'Oreal Paris shampoo products can be divided into various series. The price is not high and it works very well.

Each product of L'Oréal Paris has fine and rich foam, leaving a fresh feeling after washing. Besides, the products of L'Oreal Paris are not expensive and convenient to purchase through many channels. It is a highly recommended brand.

Pierre-fabre is known for its pharmaceutical, health, and skincare products in Europe, with sales of €2.2 billion in 2015. FURTHER, born in 1957, is a high-end care line of Pierre-Fabre. It has been awarded as "a luxury spa for hair" by Harper's BAZAAR and has been praised by GQ, VOGUE, and other authoritative media.

The most classic products are the Furterer Shampoo and Tonucia Shampoo, which contain specially formulated solid particles. The using process is interesting and involves breaking the particles when rubbing to release the essential oils to create a dense foam. Both have the same aroma, with a fresh scent of lemon. The Furterer Shampoo has medium to high cleaning power, leaving the hair fluffy after washing. However, it was tested for banned hormones in Consumer Reports. Long-term use of cosmetics with banned hormones may interfere with the normal secretion of human hormones and dynamic balance and is harmful to human health.

Furterer Astera shampoo is especially suitable for sensitive and inflamed scalps. This product is gentle enough to instantly refresh the scorching and itchy scalp, suitable for people with oily scalp or seborrheic dermatitis for daily use. Also, there are several other specific shampoos, suitable for dyed hair, dry hair and so on.

Ryoe, founded in 2008, is a high-end Korean shampoo and hair care brand, affiliated with Amore Pacific. Ryoe has won more than 50 honors, including COSMOPOLITAN beauty award, the best shampoo on ALLURE and the best brand award on CMN, and owns more than 40% market share in South Korea.

The major feature of Ryoe lies in its different color packaging representing different functions. The products of Ryoe are often added with more than 5 kinds of plant extracts with a small amount, ranking very low in the ingredient list, leaving a slight effect of nourishing the scalp. The formula of Ryoe is excellent, with a milder ammonium salt, which requires extremely high technology.

The functions of each shampoo are quite different. Damage Care Shampoo and Hair Strengthener Shampoo mainly feature in repair, leaving glossy and fluffy hair after washing. Scalp Care Shampoo mainly features anti-dandruff and oil control. Hair Loss Care specializes in hair nutrition, suitable for family daily use. Scalp Deep Cleansing Shampoo is added with menthol, suitable for combination to oily hair, leaving a cool feeling on the scalp. Super Revital Total Care Shampoo, with low irritation, is good for sensitive scalp.

With overall mature technology, the products of Ryoe are less irritating to the scale and are all imported from South Korea. If you value the ingredients, Ryoe is a good choice.

Aussie's logo is a kangaroo, so it's easy to mistake it for an Australian brand, but it was actually born in 1979 in the United States, initially known for the "3-minute miracle moist deep conditioner", and now it is one of the popular hair care brands under P&G. With its affordable price and excellent effect, Aussie has become the top three in the sales of BOOTS hair products in the UK for two consecutive years, has been ranked first in the INSTYLE hair care list, and has been selected as the WINNER of Beauty Awards by authoritative media such as VOGUE, ANTI-AGEING, COSMOPOLITAN, Fabulous, etc.

Aussie’s shampoos conclude Aussome Volume, Miracle Moist and Repair Miracles. These three silicone oil-free shampoos are suitable for fine and soft hair, but some people complained that they were dry. Aussome Volume shampoo, suitable for oily fine hair, is formulated with extract of Australian Hops, with excellent cleaning power, leaving fluffy hair after blow-drying. Miracle Moist shampoo, with macadamia ternifolia seed oil, is suitable for dry fine hair. Repair Miracles shampoo, suitable for fragile fine hair, contains jojoba seed oil, with a pleasant fragrance, leaving a comfortable feeling.

The products of Aussie often add irritating preservatives, prone to cause dermatitis. In 2017, the new EU standard "EU 2017/1224" stipulated that it should not be used in leave-on skin products, and the maximum allowable concentration in shampoo and other rinse-off cosmetics should not exceed 0.0015%. For safety reasons, it is not recommended to use these products with preservatives daily, especially for women during pregnancy and infants.

The packaging of Aussie shampoos is very recognizable in purple plastic bottles. For people with fine and soft hair, Kangaroo is probably the most targeted shampoo product.

Head & Shoulders, a shampoo product, is affiliated with the P&G. P&G’s shampoo accounts for 20% of the global market share and Head & Shoulders occupies its most. In 1963, Head & Shoulders produces the world's first shampoo containing active anti-dandruff ingredients to effectively remove dandruff. Since then, Head & Shoulders has become a professional anti-dandruff shampoo brand loved by consumers worldwide.

There is no dispute that Head & Shoulders has played a groundbreaking role in the anti-dandruff field. For example, it developed the most widely used anti-dandruff ingredient ZPT, which is an anti-fungal chemical ingredient to prevent dandruff. However, the formula of its main product is relatively simple, with ZPT as the only ingredient of anti-dandruff. What’s more, its surfactant is added with the most irritating ingredient SLS, which is not very safe for the dandruff-prone and breakable scalp, and may damage the scalp barrier with long-term use.

The differences between the same series of Head & Shoulders products are not much, mainly in the ingredients and fragrance types. Ocean Lift contains a very popular fragrance, simulating the breath of the deep sea, leaving a cool and comfortable feeling. On the whole, Head & Shoulders products are excellent in anti-dandruff, but not good at staying power and mildness. It is suitable for daily use for its large capacity and low price with many purchasing channels.

CLEAR, affiliated with Unilever, is very professional in the field of anti-dandruff, with global patents and clinical test verification.

CLEAR features anti-dandruff and holds that men and women should use different anti-dandruff products for they have different scalp environments. Generally speaking, men have short hair with more oil secretion and they wash hair frequently, so the products for them are required for more decontamination effect rather than smooth effect. Women’s hair is longer with a cumbersome cleaning, and the ends of the hair are easily damaged, so they need soft ingredients such as silicone oil for care.

CLEAR uses climbazole in combination with ZPT, with a good anti-dandruff effect. The various shampoos of CLEAR for men are roughly the same, except for the fragrance type. People who pursue a sense of freshness and hope to arrest sweat and suppress itching can choose fresh and oil control types. With mild formula, this product can relieve scalp discomfort. Its products are cost-effective with low price and large capacity. There is also silicone oil-free series, which is refreshing and excellent in anti-dandruff, but a little expensive. After washing with it, the hair will be light and fluffy, but slightly dry.

VS was originated from the UK. Later, P&G, a major consumer goods company located in the United States, invited internationally renowned hairstylist Vinda Sassoon to be its brand ambassador, and used Vinda Sassoon's own name as the brand to build an image of professional shampooing, hair care and salon styling.

There are many kinds of VS shampoo products, including red bottles for women and black bottles for men, and they are dedicated to curly hair, straight hair, colored hair, dull hair, and soft and fine hair. Seemingly diverse, VS products have not changed much in terms of ingredients. Its surfactant uses the most traditional SLES, SLS, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, and adds stimulating preservatives.

Unlike other P&G products, VS's scent is distinctive, with a layered fragrance that is clearly recognizable.

VICHY is the world's leading professional skincare brand for sensitive skin, affiliated with the L'Oréal Group, and is one of the three major French cosmeceutical brands. The products of VICHY have been recognized by the beauty authority website Allure many times.

There are two excellent products of VICHY -- Anti-dandruff and Anti-schuppen Sensitive. Anti-dandruff contains salicylic acid and selenium disulfide for anti-dandruff. You’d better purchase with caution because salicylic acid is one of the earliest anti-dandruff ingredients, with poor antifungal effects and strong irritation to the scalp. With excellent bactericidal effect, selenium disulfide can inhibit seborrhea and treat all kinds of tinea capitis, but it is more irritating than salicylic acid. After washing, it may leave an obvious odor of sulfide, and may also cause scalp inflammation or dryness. Long-term use is not recommended.

Anti-schuppen Sensitive is a good anti-dandruff product for sensitive scalp, using
Piroctone Olamine without irritation. Its surfactant contains two amino acids -- Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate and sodium lauroyl glutamate. The product is extremely mild with a higher price.

When choosing an anti-dandruff shampoo, you must pay attention to the anti-dandruff ingredients instead of its advertising.

Born in 1970, Mane'n Tail is a well-known open-shelf care brand in the United States. The founder Roger Dunavant found that the shampoo used by horses can make the horsehair smooth and bright, so he had a whim to try it for himself and he found that the effect was excellent. Later Roger improved the shampoo formula with hydrolyzed protein with high concentration and high permeability, and other drug-free ingredients, making the shampoo suitable for people to use every day. Continuously improving its formula, Mane'n Tail has now become an international brand popular in 9 countries. Stars such as Sarah Jessica, Jennifer Aniston, and well-known magazines STAR praise it very much. In 2013, it won the Cosmopolitan Hair Product Award.

Mane'n Tail developed many shampoos such as The Original Shampoo, Herbal Gro shampoo, Deep Moisturizing shampoo, Color Protect, Gentle Clarifying shampoo, with traditional formula. The Original Shampoo features in oil-control and strong cleaning power, without softeners like silicone oil. After washing, the hair will be extremely dry, so it is not recommended to use this shampoo alone on a daily basis. You’d better pair it with a conditioner. As for other products above, their care effects are average.

The milky and creamy Mane'n Tail shampoo is easy to foam, which is not very fine, with a natural scent of grass. It is not very cost-effective and is only recommended for users whose hair is very oily.

Neutrogena, a classic American skincare brand, affiliated with Johnson & Johnson, used to be a professional beauty salon supplier for film factories. Its products are favored by Audrey Hepburn. Neutrogena products control well in PH. In 1954, it successfully opened the market with a non-alkaline facial soap called "Neutrogena". With mild and simple ingredients, it is popular and recommended by dermatologists.

The shampoo launched by Neutrogena also mimics the weakly acidic scalp environment around PH5. There are three excellent products -- Therapeutic Shampoo, Anti-Residue Shampoo, and Daily Control 2-in-1 Dandruff Shampoo Plus Conditioner. The popular Therapeutic Shampoo, with 0.5% coal tar, is said to have a miraculous anti-dandruff effect. However, this is not the case. Coal tar is an extremely undesirable and irritating anti-dandruff ingredient with poor antifungal and anti-dandruff effects, giving more negative effects on the scalp rather than positive effects. In addition, coal tar has an extremely unpleasant smell. This product is not worth recommending.

Anti-Residue Shampoo has won the 2010 ALLURE award. This highly irritating shampoo uses SLS as a surfactant, with excellent cleaning power, leaving the scalp and hair fresh and light. It may cause fading of dyed hair. You’d better use it at most once a week for deep cleaning. If used on a daily basis, it will inevitably damage the scalp barrier and aggravate scalp problems.

Daily Control 2-in-1 Dandruff Shampoo Plus Conditioner, the most recommended product, with 1% ZPT, is excellent in anti-dandruff and cleansing effects.

Although the price of Neutrogena shampoo is not high, it is not cost-effective compared with products of other brands because Neutrogena never upgraded its formulas since it launched 20 years ago. You may buy it after comparison.