15 Best Sulfate-Free Shampoos for Super-Healthy Hair, Tested and Reviewed

The charcoal and salicylic acid are the dynamic duo responsible for giving me my best hair days after I use this clarifying shampoo. Salicylic acid helps chemically break down oils and grime on my scalp, while charcoal physically exfoliates away flakes and buildup (ahem, all the dry shampoo I layer on). I just massage this in my roots and rinse once a week, always following with a deep conditioner.

THE REVIEWS: "I thought it would’ve made my hair dry and brittle but it was actually the opposite," writes one tester. "I actually enjoyed using this."

I never thought a sulfate-free shampoo could make my oily roots feel clean, lifted, and not weighed-down—until I tried this super-light formula from Ouai. It uses other strong surfactants to dissolve oils on my scalp, while biotin and chia-seed oil lightly hydrate my hair without making it lose its volume.

THE REVIEWS: According to a reviewer, "I have both very fine and oily hair… a difficult combination when it comes to trying to attain volume, thickness, and texture. This shampoo really helps to provide a foundation for that."

This shampoo is sulfate-free, but it’s also free of parabens and phthalates (a plus for anyone inching into the green-and-clean movement). It’s especially great for anyone who has dry, damaged hair from heat styling or color treatment, since it hydrates, boosts shine, and helps prevent breakage.

THE REVIEW: "My stylist got me on this brand and now every time I see her she tells me how great my hair feels since I’ve started using this brand of shampoo and conditioner. I had very dry, frizzy hair, live in the desert, and have hard water. Now my hair is soft, shiny, and well moisturized," one customer writes.

This drugstore sulfate-free co-wash is ideal for super-dry curls and/or anyone with type 4 hair. The low-lather formula gently breaks down dirt and buildup while simultaneously conditioning the hair with moisturizing panthenol and argan oil.

THE REVIEW: "I'm a bi-racial woman with dry, fine, curly hair. When I initially found this product I was simply looking for a good conditioner to co-wash my hair with in between shampoos. This co-wash leaves my hair hydrated and shiny with bouncy curls," writes one tester.

There’s a reason every stylist swears by this sulfate-free shampoo. In addition to gently cleansing your strands, it helps reverse breakage, minimize frizz, and repair split ends by mending broken protein bonds along the hair shaft.

THE REVIEW: "I bought this to help me make my healthy, and it worked! My hair is stronger, and the BEST thing is that my hair doesn’t knot NEARLY as much as it used to. I have thin, blonde hair that tangles every five minutes—now with Olaplex, I could go two days without brushing it and not notice...it’s that good," one review reads.

I’ve been using this sulfate-free shampoo on my fine, straight hair for weeks now, and I’m truly obsessed. The plant-based formula is made with clean ingredients, like shine-boosting aloe vera and deep-cleaning hibiscus extract, and makes my hair look and smell amazing. The best part though? The gentle formula is safe to use every day, which is ideal if you‘re a frequent washer like me.

THE REVIEW: "Wow I am in LOVE. The scent is beautiful, and feminine, and smells like sweet citrus. As someone who struggles with an itchy scalp and build-up, it works SO well. Get it!!!!" reads one tester's review.

This ultra-nourishing sulfate-free shampoo is infused with antioxidant-rich superfoods like bananas, coconuts, and acai to help moisturize, nourish, and repair your hair as you wash. Oh, and the fruity fragrance smells like a tropical vacay, which, hey, I’ll take.

THE REVIEW: "I am obsessed—I love the way it feels when applying it onto your head, and I love how foamy it is, and I love the smell because it is just gorgeous. I totally recommend this one to try out!" one reviewer writes.

Special smoothing molecules in this sulfate-free shampoo make your hair ridiculously soft and give it mirror-like shine (the dream, if you ask me). And don’t worry—the lightweight formula won’t weigh down fine hair, meaning it can be used on all hair types and textures.

THE REVIEW: "This is a great shampoo! When paired with the matching conditioner, my hair really does have less frizz. I have dry hair that is prone to frizz, especially near the scalp, and this duo helps reduce the frizz by a lot!" reads one review.

Hydrate and nourish your curls while you cleanse with this ultra-hydrating shampoo from Pattern Beauty. The creamy formula is sulfate-free (duh) and infused with coconut oil, honey, and aloe vera.

THE REVIEW: "I'm brand new to Pattern and it's completely life-changing for me! I always say that my hair has everything you don't want in hair—it's curly, wavy, thick, and difficult to style...this morning was the first time I used [this product] and my hair has never ever felt better!!! For the first time in my life that I can recall, my hair and my scalp look and feel hydrated and nourished!!" one tester writes.

This sulfate-free shampoo for curly hair doesn’t just clean your coils—it deeply moisturizes them too. It’s packed with moisturizing plant oils, like baobab seed, kernel, and coconut, to coat your hair with strengthening and softening nutrients that’ll keep your curls healthy.

THE REVIEW: "Wow. This product, along with the conditioner, is a game-changer!! I’m South Asian and have thick, frizz-prone, 2b type hair. I have been long exhausted by the search for the perfect shampoo/conditioner that cleans but doesn’t dry out my hair and protects it from frizz," reads one review.

Want to give your fine hair more volume and body? Get it in the shower with this sulfate-free shampoo. It contains vitamin B3 and lemongrass extracts that help amp up fine, limp hair.

THE REVIEW: "This is my favorite shampoo. I recently tried some others, but I'm back to this one. I have a lot of straight fine hair, and this shampoo gives me the most volume of any other shampoo I've tried, without using any additional products and without drying my hair out. The smell is nice but doesn't linger afterward, which I like so it doesn't clash with my perfume. I highly recommend it!" one review reads.

Shampoo scalp scrubs are having a moment right now, but they’re not all created equal (some can damage the shit out of your hair). If you want to use one, make sure it’s sulfate-free (like this one from Goop), and made with gentle exfoliating ingredients (i.e., salt or sugar particles) that won’t cause breakage or irritate your scalp.

THE REVIEW: "It lasted a really long time—I wash my hair about once a week—it lathers so nicely, smells great, helps with dandruff/itchy scalp, and I feel like my hair looked its best after use. I have long fine hair that lacks body and gets dry ends but still frizzes at the top. I noticed this shampoo really helped with frizz and body.

If you're ballin' on a budget, you can still get all of the wonderful nourishing ingredients, like avocado, jojoba, and coconut oil in a sulfate-free formula. This one is just under $10.

THE REVIEW: "Kim Kimble's shampoo is absolutely invigorating. My hair is rather coarse, and quite frankly, does what it wants to do. This delicious smelling shampoo has resurrected my brittle, damaged hair, and it is already much healthier," writes one tester.

Intrigued by bar shampoo? This lil gem suds up and lathers just like your typical liquid formula and is made with avocado oil and shea butter for a nourishing clean.

THE REVIEW: "As a woman with long hair, sometimes it's easy to put too much shampoo in your hands, and then it's a waste! But it's impossible with this! I was really skeptical about a bar being able to wash my hair, but it's amazing!" one tester writes.

Not only is this gentle shampoo made without sulfates, but it's also free of fragrance, dyes, silicones, and parabens too. It's pretty much the ideal gentle shampoo for anyone with sensitive skin who is looking to nourish and hydrate their hair.

THE REVIEW: "This shampoo is a great alternative to treat a compromised scalp. The ingredients are great to revitalize the hair without causing dryness or redness. It's simple yet effective," one customer writes.

Dealing with dandruff, flakes, or itchiness? Try this sulfate-free shampoo from L’Oréal Paris. It contains 1 percent pyrithione zinc to soothe and rebalance your irritated scalp without drying out your hair.

THE REVIEW: "I have medium-level dandruff that builds up and makes my scalp feel disgusting if I don't use this hair scrub. Using a regular shampoo and conditioner didn't do anything for my dandruff, and it would reappear when my hair dried, with my scalp still feeling pretty bad. I tried this product, and from the very first time I tried it, I knew that it worked perfectly for me," one review reads.

Whether you're a blonde, brunette, or redhead, you can (and should!) be using this sulfate-free shampoo from Color Wow on wash days. It's specifically designed to keep your color looking fresh and your hair feeling healthy between trips to the salon.

THE REVIEW: "I've been looking for a shampoo that minimizes residue and doesn't make my scalp itch, as most of them do. This has been a fantastic find. It lathers well, a relatively small amount is enough to wash my hair, and it doesn't stick at all. No residue on hair or on the scalp. No more itchiness and it leaves my hair perfectly clean and smooth," one tester writes.