The 18 Best Shampoos for Men in 2023, Tested by Grooming Experts

The aloe vera and citric acid in this stuff dig out dirt, oil, and product buildup. It’ll leave your hair feeling “soft, not squeaky,” according to one of our testers. We also loved that it features no silicones, parabens, or dyes, making it ideal for guys with sensitive skin. No wonder it took the top spot at our 2022 Grooming Awards.

A healthy scalp is fundamental to healthy hair that grows thick and long, and this shampoo gently cleanses and balances the scalp for all-day comfort. A nourishing blend of apple amino acids and baobab oil gently breaks down dirt and oil while cooling and soothing an irritated scalp. Some editors note that using this more than twice a week overly dried their hair.

Pros

• Increases volume in flat, thin hair
• Softens and smoothes strands
• Gentle enough to use every day

If you want your upgrade your daily shower from mundane to sublime, we recommend this volumizing shampoo from Sisley Paris. It gives your hair an added boost of volume and body and the invigorating scent is the perfect way to kick-start your day. One tester noted that his hair felt softer and smoother after using it for more than six months. He also noted that Sisley’s formula was gentle enough to use every day, without drying his scalp.

Dealing with men’s hair loss? Another favorite of our editors here at Men’s Health is this thickening shampoo from Old Spice, which is specifically designed to support healthy hair growth. It’s great for those dealing with thinning hair. One tester found that after using Old Spice’s shampoo for two months, his hair appeared thicker and fuller. We also love its large, budget-friendly size, which lasted us more than three months.

Do you have a dry or itchy scalp? Grab this soothing kit that comes highly recommended by hairstylist and scalp expert Diane Stevens. “It contains aloe vera, an anti-inflammatory ingredient to soothe the scalp, help increase softness or smoothness of hair,” she said. “It also reduces tangles and hair surface roughness.” Our editors found that

Read more: Best Shampoos for Itchy Scalps

If you regularly use a lot of hair product, especially heavy waxes or pomades, you should grab a clarifying product. “I recommend using an apple cider vinegar rinse to remove build-up,” celebrity hairstylist Rachel Bodt told us.

This hair rinse from dpHUE is formulated to both cleanse the hair thoroughly and add volume. Editors with colored hair found that the formula helped keep their strands look and feel healthy.

Read more: Best Clarifying Shampoos for Men

Pros

• Can fix dry hair after a few washes
• Protects color treated hair

Pros

• Good for wavy, curly, or textured hair that needs moisture
• Leaves hair feeling soft and shiny
• Uses natural moisturizing agents

Our editors with wavy hair found that Kiehl’s Olive Fruit formula left their hair feeling extra soft and shiny. That’s probably because of its smoothing and nourishing ingredients, like olive fruit oil and avocado oil, this shampoo from Kiehl’s is great for those who deal with dry hair or frizz. Though testers with thinning hair found that this shampoo didn’t play nice with their mane.

Pros

• Oversized bottle
• Fresh and clean scent

We get it. If you don’t have serious hair concerns and just want a quick and easy way to cleanse your hair, this Dove 2-in-1 shampoo will do just the trick. Our testers loved its oversized bottle that lasted them for more than three months. One editor noted that its fresh and clean scent was much more pleasant than other drugstore soaps he’s tried, though he did note that it didn’t provide as deep of a clean as other shampoos on this list.

Pros

• Adds texture to thin, fine hair
• Adds volume
• Paraben and sulfate free

R+Co was founded by three heavy-hitting experts in the hair industry: Thom Priano, Garren, and Howard McLaren, so you know their products are quality. Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo is perfect for men who want to add volume and create the effect of thicker hair. It also gives that grippy texture that’ll make it easier to style. A couple of our testers found that after using it for a month, they noticed their hair looked fuller.

Pros

• Hydrating formula leaves hair looking healthy

The editors of Men’s Health tested countless shampoos and this one grabbed the top spot in the 2021 Grooming Awards. It’s a great shampoo for any hair type, but also works well for pumping up the volume if you have skinny strands that need some more oomph.

Read more: Best Hair Conditioners for Men

Every potion for your pate is designed to remove oil, dead skin cells, and grime from your scalp, says Paradi Mirmirani, M.D., a dermatologist with Kaiser Permanente. “the biggest difference is the strength of the cleanser.” If you have an oily scalp (and greasy hair), you need a strong shampoo; a dry scalp (and wispy hair) requires gentler stuff. but don’t confuse dryness with dandruff, which is caused by a fungus. Now, if you’re running out of hair to shampoo, you need a formulation that creates the illusion of thicker hair. We’ve identified four categories and tested a slew of shampoos in each to find the best. top off with conditioner for a covetable coif.

Dry Scalp

Look for mild cleansers called betaines high up
on the ingredient list, says Zoe Draelos, M.D., a consulting professor of dermatology at Duke University school of medicine. These don’t bind to oil as well as harsher cleansers do, so they leave some of your natural moisture.

Thinning Hair

Minoxidil is the only proven OTC way to stimulate hair growth. But the shampoo you use can make each strand appear thicker. Look for volumizing formulas with plumping polymers (like quaternium) that bind to each strand, says Jim Hammer, M.Ed., a cosmetic chemist.

Oily Scalp

Control greasiness with a shampoo that contains anionic surfactants, such as sulfates, sulfoacetates or sulfosuccinates. An Italian study review found that these detergents, which contain negatively charged particles that bind to oil, are the strongest cleansers.

Dandruff

Eliminate the itch by using a product containing either zinc pyrithione or selenium sulfide, which fight the flake-causing fungus and soothe inflammation, says Dr. Draelos. Alternate that with a salicylic acid shampoo, which exfoliates to remove dead skin cells and flakes.

Most experts say that washing your hair more than a few times a week is unnecessary because over washing an strip the scalp and hair of it’s natural moisturizing and protective oils. A good rule of thumb is to wash it every other day and always follow shampoo with conditioner to replenish moisture. However, there are some caveats and how often you actually wash is personal. If you have curly, textured, or dry hair, you may need to wash it even less. Washing once or twice weekly may be enough. On the flip side, if you have an oily scalp, sweat or exercise a lot, or use a lot of hair products, you may need to cleanse your hair more often.