RS Recommends: The Best Shampoos for Men
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Hair care is important, and sometimes we can easily neglect it, which isn’t just bad for hygiene but also for your overall health. Washing your hair should be intentional and considerate. After all, it’s an important part of you like the rest of your body. With that in mind, we searched for the best shampoos for men to invest in, to help clean and nourish your hair (and scalp!) for the long haul.
How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?
The answer: it shouldn’t be everyday. Depending on how prone your scalp is to getting greasy, and therefore leading to greasy hair, washing your hair 2-3 times a week is ideal. Some people could get by with washing their hair once a week, especially if they haven’t been too active (I.e. haven’t gotten sweaty) or haven’t put too much product in it (product build-up could affect the integrity of your strands). You can use water for a rinse in between wash days, or even conditioner (but skip putting it on your scalp).
Sulfate-Free Shampoos
When shopping for the best shampoos for men, the term “sulfate-free shampoo” may pop up. Sulfate-free shampoos have been rising in popularity for good reason. Now that people are becoming more health-conscious, they seek clean ingredients in their skin and hair care products. MindBodyGreen, which features information and tips from doctors and experts, informs that sulfates can dry out your hair, leaving it brittle and stripping it of its natural oils. It can also cause problems on your scalp, like contact dermatitis or even some hair loss. Hair dye may also fade quicker.
If you need a break or want to drop sulfate shampoos altogether, sulfate-free shampoo helps you avoid these issues. It doesn’t get as sudsy, so you have to make sure you lather it properly starting with half the amount you would use. Add water for the pre-lather, and massage into the back of your scalp. Then do it a second time and lather the rest of your head.
What Are the Best Shampoos for Men?
Aside from sulfate-free shampoo options, the best shampoos for men will help remove grease, grime and dirt from your hair, while conditioning your strands to keep them soft and smooth. We selected the best shampoos for men that treat different concerns, strengthen hair, or simply nourish. These shampoos will give you a healthy clean for your best-looking hair.
1. Rene Furturer Forticea Energizing Shampoo
Our favorite shampoo for men does more than just clean – it actually helps to energize your scalp and strengthen your hair so it holds up to everyday stressors and styling.
Rene Furturer is known for its high-performing formulas, and this shampoo uses natural guarana, along with orange, lavender and rosemary oils to help nourish the scalp and rid your hair from residue. The natural ingredients also help to revive your hair and scalp, leaving your hair feeling light and soft, rather than oily and heavy.
Use this shampoo after a workout for a deep clean and pair it with one of Rene Furturer’s best-selling conditioners for extra hydration and shine.
Buy Rene Furturer Energizing Shampoo $32
2. Huron Shampoo
Huron’s shampoo has everything you want (and don’t need) in a shampoo formula. Made for the men’s market, it’s clean with no sulfates, parabens (which are chemicals that also cause similar issues to sulfates), silicones, phthalates, and aluminum. It’s vegan and cruelty-free too, so you can feel confident that your purchase also accounts for minimal environmental impact; the packaging is 100% recyclable as well.
This creamy shampoo is made to wash away daily sweat, oil, and flakes. It strengthens the hair, increases volume, and restores shine. Enjoy the invigorating scent that includes cooling menthol, citrus, fresh juniper and aromatic greens.
3. Klorane Ultra-Gentle Shampoo With Oat Milk
Formulated in France, this Klorane shampoo harnesses the calming properties of oat milk to help clean your hair without stripping the scalp. The shampoo is vegan, hypoallergenic and free from sulfates, parabens and dyes. It’s also dermatologist-tested to be safe on skin.
The oat milk formula helps to soften and nourish your hair from root to tip, while adding a natural-looking shine. Klorane says the shampoo is safe for color-treated hair too, and even gentle enough for kids.
If washing your hair irritates your scalp or leaves your hair feeling dry and brittle, you’ll want to swap your shampoo for this one from Klorane.
Buy Klorane Shampoo With Oat Milk $20
4. Hello Jupiter Balancing Shampoo
For those who struggle with dandruff, the Balancing Shampoo from new brand Jupiter, is a medicated shampoo that gets to the root of treating it. The creamy formula will help address everything from flaking, to irritation, and dry scalp, with the ingredients helping to relieve and balance your scalp.
This is due to the ingredient, Zinc Pyrithione, which is proven to reduce hair breakage by 30 percent, according to the company. Like our previous recommendation, it’s sulfate, paraben, and phthalate-free. It’s also vegan and cruelty-free, as well as free of dyes, and safe for colored and chemically-treated hair. Plus, the Balancing Shampoo is made for all hair types. We also love its refreshing scent, mixed with mint, vanilla, sage, and lavender.
5. Devacurl No-Poo Decadence Milk Cleanser
Best for those who have super curly hair, the No-Poo Decadence Milk Cleanser will deliver your curls with hydration, shine, and no frizz. It gently cleans the hair without stripping your natural oils and has a light, floral scent. This no-lather formula is free of sulfates, parabens, and silicones, which is ideal for curly hair types since they’re prone to dryness, and it contains chufa milk and quinoa protein to provide maximum moisture and nourishment for the hair and scalp.
The name is a head-scratcher (no pun intended) at first, until you realize it means “no shampoo” — think of this as more of a “hair wash” rather than a soapy shampoo.
6. Lumin Keratin Recovery Shampoo
If you’re losing more hair than the average amount (which could be between 50-100 strands a day), Lumin’s Keratin Recovery Shampoo will help you recover some. It has green tea to help boost hair growth and strengthen follicles. Plus, It’s gentle and cooling to the scalp thanks to green tea and peppermint oil. We love using this in the morning as its minty scent is a great pick-me-up for the day.
What’s also unique about this formula is that it contains ceramide – a key ingredient in skincare that moisturizes and helps strengthen the skin’s protective layer to lock in hydration and prevent damage. Have a soothing wash experience with this shampoo, and keep your hair growing strong.
Buy Keratin Recovery Shampoo $13.75
7. Baxter of California Daily Fortifying Shampoo
This Daily Fortifying Shampoo is ideal for all hair types. It’s protein and nutrient-rich to help strengthen hair and keep it full and manageable. It’s also paraben-free and contains additional ingredients to remove build up and natural toxins, including DHT. DHT is a male hormone that’s been found to be harmful to the hair growth process, and Baxter says the shampoo helps to gently remove DHT from your stands, so your hair grows long and healthy.
A bonus: the minty formula smells great and provides a refreshing blast of fragrance for your morning or post-workout shower.
Buy Baxter of California Daily Fortifying… $22
8. Brickell Men’s Daily Revitalizing Hair Care Routine, Shampoo and Conditioner Set For Men
Bricknell Men’s Daily Strengthening Shampoo also comes with a conditioner making this a great two-pack for your hair care. As one of Amazon’s top-rated products, this organic shampoo is full of ingredients to promote strong, voluminous hair that shines. Ingredients include aloe, vitamin E, tea tree oil, hydrolyzed protein, pro-vitamin B5, and silk protein amino acids. Peppermint and tea tree oil help to eliminate flakes and soothe the scalp. Plus, it’s sulfate and paraben-free.
This shampoo is suitable for men of any age and hair type, while the included conditioner helps to soften hair and revitalize your scalp.
Buy Brickell Men’s Shampoo and Conditioner… $37.00
9. Dove Men+Care Shampoo
For those who love Dove but want to opt for a clean formula, Dove now offers this shampoo that’s 90 percent naturally-derived and contains plant-based cleansers. Charcoal purifies the hair, while clay and nutmeg add to an earthy scent. The result is strong, healthy hair from a more eco-friendly standpoint. It’s cruelty-free and packaged in a 100 percent recyclable bottle.