The 11 Best Hydrating Shampoos for Curls & Coils
Don’t let dehydration take a toll on your texture.
Everyone with curly or coily hair knows that taking care of them is a process. It’s not as simple as hopping in the shower, lathering away for 30 seconds, and then towel-drying. Moisture loss happens much more rapidly with textured hair, which means using products that don’t further strip it of hydration are very much a necessity. But before you explore the world of conditioners, masks, and styling oils or creams, your priority number one is to find a shampoo that leaves your hair feeling soft and nourished. Luckily, there are dozens of emerging brands that cater to that exact concern, and more established companies are sitting up and developing their own formulas to cater to the curly and coily crowd. Here are a few of our current favorites.
Emerge It’s Knot Happening Sulfate-Free Shampoo, $7
Emerge is one of the newest clean brands to land at Target, and it’s specifically formulated for curly and coily hair. This sulfate-free shampoo contains shea butter and almond milk to keep your hair nourished even before you follow with a conditioner, so that you spend less time fighting with frizz and dryness and more enjoying great hair days.
Mielle Organics Pomegranate & Honey Moisturizing and Detangling Shampoo, $9
If you have tons of volume and thickness, this ultra-hydrating, sulfate-free shampoo is up to the task of treating every single strand. Gentle ingredients like honey and babassu oil cleanse the scalp of leftover product, dirt, and oils without stripping your hair in the process.
TPH by Taraji Honey Fresh Clarifying Shampoo with Moisture, $10
We’ll always trust our curls in the hands of Taraji P. Henson and her new hair-care line. This clarifying shampoo is great for a deep cleanse that rids your scalp of buildup and dry skin, while simultaneously boosting your hair’s moisture via added aloe and honey. Your natural oils are left intact, and your hair feels restored in just one wash.
Ouidad Curl Quencher Moisturizing Shampoo, $18
Tightly curled hair can’t afford any amount of moisture lost over a shampoo session, which is why this Ouidad formula is so beloved. A combination of vitamins, wheat proteins, chamomile, and corn oil hydrates your hair in the shower so that you’re left with a pile of lusciously soft curls every time.
Aveda Be Curly Shampoo, $24
The wheat protein and organic aloe blend in this shampoo expand and contract in the same way that your curls do when wet. That helps to define the shape and leave you with hydrated, frizz-free texture after every wash.
Matrix Biolage 3 Butter Control System Shampoo, $20
This formula is infused with rich, nourishing shea, Murumuru and Cupuacu butters for impossibly soft curls. It’s also free of sulfates, parabens, and artificial colorants, so your hair stays strong and moisturized after the wash.
Odele Curl Defining No Lather Shampoo, $12
As much as we love the feeling of lather on our hair to wash away dirt and oil, the sulfates that create that suds tend to strip your hair of moisture. This gentle no-lather formula retains your hair’s hydration levels while still cleansing your roots and scalp.
CurlyWorld Sham-fFee Hair & Scalp Cleanser, $42
Lorraine Massey, the founder of DevaCurl (although she’s no longer involved with the brand), started a new line of products for curly girls, and this cleanser is step one in the three-step process. It removes all the nasties from your scalp and hair while leaving your curls plenty of hydration to look their best.
Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Super Moisture Shampoo, $36
If you still want that foamy lather (but can’t bear to use a product that contains sulfates), this cult-favorite shampoo might just be perfect for you. Damage from hot tools and dehydration is healed, and you’re left with perfectly bouncy, moisturized hair.
Pattern by Tracee Ellis Ross Hydration Shampoo, $20
This deliciously creamy formula from hair queen Tracee Ellis Ross is packed full of hydrating aloe vera juice, coconut oil, and honey. Even after just one wash you won’t believe how insanely soft your hair feels.
Kinky-Curly Come Clean Moisturizing Shampoo, $12
Sea kelp and mandarin orange extract are the star ingredients here for cleansing your scalp of dirt and buildup while simultaneously drenching your hair with needed moisture. It’s gentle enough for even the most damaged hair and will leave your curls happy and healthy.
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