The Best Drugstore Shampoos, According to Our Editors

This shampoo isn’t loud but quietly impressed us from the first wash. We love how our hair feels after: clean and deeply nourished, without any dryness or buildup. It hits the sweet spot for dry, wavy hair; our strands felt soft and moisturized without any greasiness, and we were able to go four to five days between washes. 

It has a thick consistency that lathers well and rinses out easily. The oat- and almond-milk formula is gentle and claims to soothe and hydrate. It lives up to its claims: The softness and hydration of our locks post-wash is definitely noticeable. The packaging, though not the most glamorous bottle on the shelf, is practical. It’s slim, easy to use, and right at home in your shower caddy. If the light scent had lingered longer, it might’ve been perfect, but it’s great news for those who don’t like strong fragrances.  

Key Ingredients: Colloidal oatmeal, milk protein, sweet almond | Hair Types: All

I’ve tried a lot of formulas to help my fine, oily hair—from the first wash with Nizoral, I knew I had found my new favorite shampoo. Oily hair types often need to wash their hair more often, and I can impressively say I can go three full days without washing, sometimes four if I’m strategic. With the wrong shampoo, my hair will show oil the very next day, so this one clearly does something right because my scalp feels completely clean. 

I chalk it up to the 1% antifungal ketoconazole ingredient, which also happens to be the reason my own derm recommended it for hair loss (it’s the only over-the-counter shampoo with ketoconazole available that’s clinically proven to work). I do notice less hairfall in the shower when I use this.

The consistency, though, is wildly thin, like water. It caught me off guard the first time. It just pours right out, so I have to be careful not to waste product. That said, it lathers very well and rinses out easily. In addition to helping with oiliness, the shampoo also relieves itching and dandruff by killing the fungus that causes the flakes. 

Let’s talk scent—because wow. I think this might be the best-smelling shampoo I’ve ever used. It smells like clean bar soap, freshly washed sheets, or honestly, like a guy wearing the best cologne just walked past you. I wish I smelled like this all the time, but I’ll take the little moment of aromatherapy.

I wouldn’t use this everyday—it’s a medicated shampoo, after all, though it’s safe for color-treated and chemically processed hair. While Nizoral recommends using it twice a week, I use it every three days, which works for my hair. 

Key Ingredients: Ketoconazole | Hair Types: Fine, oily, itchy, flaky, dandruff-prone

If your fine hair tends to fall flat, this shampoo is an overachiever. We noticed a subtle boost in volume and texture after just a couple of washes. It wasn’t dramatic, but our hair looked fuller and felt like it had more “grip,” which is a rare win, as we tested this on 1A/1B locks that usually flatten by midday. Even after air drying, there was a touch more bounce than usual.

The shampoo’s ingredients include collagen and biotin, two nutrients purported to help strengthen hair and reduce breakage. It also uses OGX’s Lipi Pro Shield technology, which helps reduce the lipid and protein loss that can lead to frizz. It comes in a bottle that’s compact but ergonomic (and kind of cute). 

The consistency is thick, but not goopy—just the right balance for a rich-feeling cleanse. The fragrance is clean and pleasant, but doesn’t stick around post-shower, which is fine for us but might disappoint if you prefer your shampoo’s scent to last all day. We’d happily repurchase if they offered a larger size so we wouldn’t run out so fast.

Key Ingredients: Collagen, biotin, wheat protein | Hair Types: Normal, thin, fine

You should have a clarifying shampoo in your routine, especially if you use styling products frequently, but these can be hit or miss—some strip the hair and dry the scalp. We love the vegan and cruelty-free Kristin Ess Deep Clean Clarifying Shampoo so much that, like the Nizoral, we would 100% repurchase it.

We tested this on dry, curly, type 2 hair and loved how well it removed product buildup without leaving strands feeling brittle. It also extended the time between wash days—we went four full days without the usual greasy roots, which is longer than we typically make it using our regular shampoo.

This one is designed with something called Zip-Up Technology—a strengthening complex meant to seal split ends and protect hair from damage and environmental stress. While we can’t confirm our cuticles were visibly “zipped,” our hair did feel smoother and looked shinier after use. 

The scent is another highlight: With a blend of apple, pink pepper, gardenia, and palo santo, it smells fresh and subtly floral with a woodsy undertone. It lingers in the best way, like you’ve just stepped out of a salon. While this might be too strong for daily use since it’s a deep cleanse, it’s an excellent weekly or biweekly reset. Honestly, we’d even pay more for it.

Key Ingredients: Glycerin, German chamomile, mango seed butter | Hair Types: All

I have South Asian hair that fluctuates between curly and wavy, and wow: The curl definition this gave me was real. After use, I was shocked when my hair air-dried into something that looked polished, almost completely frizz-free, and so soft to the touch that I ended up absentmindedly touching my locks the rest of the day. And this was all without any styling products.

The shampoo is thick and creamy, which is exactly what you’d expect from SheaMoisture, and comes in a stout, weighty bottle that’s easy to grip. It lathers a bit in the hands but not in the hair; this is a sulfate-free formula, and you can definitely tell (sulfates are responsible for suds!). I end up using a bit more than I usually would just to feel like my scalp is getting clean. 

This is one of those “great for curls, not so much for oil-prone scalps” shampoos. It uses neem oil and silk protein—moisturizing ingredients that can often speed up the grease process if your hair is already on the oily side—so it can definitely be a holy grail for someone with a drier scalp or type 4 coils. It’s a little pricier than expected for a drugstore shampoo but I’d grab it again if I found it on sale. It’s also certified organic and cruelty free.

Key Ingredients: Neem oil, silk protein, shea butter, coconut oil, hibiscus | Hair Types: Curly, coily, thick

We wouldn’t change anything about this shampoo and are already planning on repurchasing. We like the texture and the way it lathers, and it actually feels like it’s making our hair better rather than just cleaning it. 

For anyone with color-treated hair, finding a shampoo that actually feels like it’s taking care of your hair is rare. We tested this on fine, shoulder-length hair that’s been through several rounds of coloring, paired it with the matching conditioner, and are pleased to say this shampoo passed with flying colors. It gave our scalps that fresh feeling without stripping our processed ends. Our hair actually felt soft and smooth after. 

One standout? It’s significantly less expensive than high-end bond-repair shampoos, and it still manages to live up to its claims. We’d happily pay more for this shampoo based on performance alone. The formula claims to repair weak hair bonds, which is a slow game, but after just a few weeks of use, our hair felt stronger and softer. While we can’t confirm deep structural repair just yet, the day-to-day results are encouraging. We plan to keep using this through the summer bleaching season to see how well it supports long-term damage.

The shampoo is a light gel texture—not too runny, not too thick. It lathers well and doesn’t leave any residue. That said, the shampoo and conditioner look nearly identical, which made us do a double-take more than once (a tiny tweak in design or color could go a long way here). This shampoo is also vegan and sulfate free. 

Key Ingredients: Citric acid, salicylic acid, rosemary leaf | Hair Types: All

This shampoo is a solid, no-fuss option for anyone whose hair needs moisture. We tested it on fine, straight hair that tends to get greasy; after blow-drying, our strands felt super hydrated and soft. While it didn’t exactly “boost density” the way the name suggests, it didn’t flatten our hair either—for us, that’s a win.

We’re “rinse and repeat” types, and this formula worked well after two rounds of lathering. We really like the consistency: It’s not too thick nor watery. It has a very faint scent, clean, like laundry detergent or bubble bath. For someone with a sensitive nose or who wants something unobtrusive, it’s just right.

The packaging, however, doesn’t hold up during travel. The flip lid leaked in our toiletry bag—something to note if you plan on taking it on the go. At $10, it’s not the most exciting shampoo on the shelf, and we didn’t notice a dramatic change in hair density. We did notice improved softness and moisture, and that’s what makes this shampoo a good pick for dry hair types.

Key Ingredients: Vitamin B3, zinc, glycerin, niacinamide | Hair Types: Dry, fine