Clean, Healthy Hair Is One Purchase Away With These Sulfate-Free Shampoos (2024)

Our Top Picks

Key Ingredients: Keravis protein, astaxanthin | Scent: Floral, herbal | Size: 9 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Our favorite sulfate-free shampoo is this gem from Pureology. It has a creamy texture that lathers beautifully, creating a sensorial experience as you work it across your scalp. It does a nice job of removing oil and buildup without stripping the hair. Plus, it leaves all hair types looking and feeling soft. We're also giving it bonus points for containing keravis, a strengthening protein that can prevent hair breakage. It's worth noting that the floral scent may not be for everyone, but luckily, there are other fresh-smelling picks on this list.

Key Ingredients: Coconut milk, coconut oil, egg powder | Scent: Fresh, sweet | Size: 13 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

Some of the best SLS-free hair washes are super affordable. Case in point: OGX. This drugstore gem is suitable for all hair types and textures—leaving just about all who use it with silky, healthy, beautiful hair after every wash. After washing, we noticed that the milky, creamy consistency lathers easily on wet hair, and even better, the formula doesn’t leave an icky residue. Instead, your hair feels hydrated and nourished. Some online reviewers with fine hair said that it weighed their hair down, but we didn’t have an issue with that.

Read Full Review: OGX Nourishing Coconut Milk Shampoo Review

Key Ingredients: Natural surfactants, botanicals | Scent: Rosemary | Size: 11 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

L'Oréal was among the first drugstore brands to launch a sulfate-free haircare line. This shampoo promises to clarify your scalp with natural surfactants and restore moisture, all while offering an impressive lather sans sulfates. We love that it lathers beautifully, gives the scalp a deep clean, and doesn't dry out our ends. This product does have a strong rosemary scent, but we love the inclusion as it promotes hair growth and reduces hair loss.

Read Full Review: L'Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Moisture Shampoo Review

Key Ingredients: Glycerin, caviar extract, rice protein, soy amino acid | Scent: Fresh | Size: 16.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

If you can spring for the steeper price, we highly recommend Alterna. This top-shelf shampoo calls on caviar extract (bougie, we know) to improve elasticity and prevent UV damage. What’s more, rice protein and soy-based amino acids strengthen each strand. You’ll have to stick with it to see hair growth, so keeping up with the cost can feel like an investment, but it’s one we believe is worth it.

Key Ingredients: Rice protein, soy protein, stem cells | Scent: Japanese cherry blossom | Size: 11.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If it's volume you're after, this chemistry lab-inspired bottle has your name all over it. In addition to adding body and strengthening strands with plant-based proteins, it contains stem cells to prevent shedding and encourage healthy hair growth. While we love the va-va-voom volume it gives our strands, we do wish it was a bit more hydrating for dryer hair types.

Key Ingredients: Plant extracts, plant oils | Scent: Herbal | Size: 8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Split ends got you down? This natural cleanser is filled with nourishing vitamins and plant oils from ginger, turnip, and carrot roots to smooth brittle hair, prevent breakage, and restore shine. Best of all, it’s safe for keratin and color-treated locks. With so much plant oil in the formula, it can be slightly heavy, so those with very fine hair may want to opt for a lighter option or grab a dry shampoo or texturizing spray to amp up the volume.

Key Ingredients: Aloe, fruit extracts, plant oils | Scent: Minty, sweet | Size: 8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This sulfate-free shampoo was formulated specifically with curly and coily hair in mind. It contains a bunch of natural butters and plant oils to moisturize and add bouncy luster. We also love that it has a nozzle tip so you can get right to your roots with the formula. Given that it's intended for hair types two through four, straight and fine hair types may be weighted down, so we recommend opting for a different shampoo on this list.

Key Ingredients: Botanical Surfactants, rice protein, moringa seed extract | Scent: Coconut | Size: 2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

“I love this shampoo because it’s specifically designed for color-treated hair,” explains celebrity extensionist and stylist Priscilla Valles, who works with Dua Lipa, Hailey Bieber, and Bella Hadid. Valles cites the shampoo’s rich lather as one of her favorite elements, as it cleans and removes product buildup without stripping color via botanical surfactants. “Hair feels weightless after use,” she adds. Sadly, this baby is only available in a travel size option. But rest assured, your hair will get the TLC it deserves on your next getaway.

Key Ingredients: Glycerin, vitamin B5, bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate | Scent: Fresh | Size: 8.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Damaged hair? Olaplex won't let you down. This shampoo saved bleached, brittle hair, helped prevent breakage, and made our hair feel stronger and healthier. It also has a nice lather and doesn't leave a residue on fine strands. You may want to keep in mind that it works best when used as the middle step of a three-part system that also includes the No.3 Hair Perfector and the No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner.

Read Full Review: Olaplex’s Bond Maintenance Shampoo Is Like a Reset Button for Your Hair

Key Ingredients: Colloidal oatmeal | Scent: Sweet | Size: 12 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

If you've got a particularly sensitive scalp, this pick from Aveeno is your best bet. This shampoo leans on colloidal oatmeal to soothe irritation (an ingredient sensitive skin folks know all too well), while also gently cleansing without any sulfates. Since it’s safe for sensitive scalps, it can be used as often as you need to, and we appreciate that the bottle is large enough to last a long time.

Key Ingredients: Mirsalehi honey, argan oil, vitamin B5 | Scent: Sweet, floral | Size: 11.1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Gisou's Honey Infused Hair Wash promises to nourish brittle hair, smooth flyaways, add shine, and gently cleanse without stripping your hair. The creamy texture lathers well and leaves the hair with a luster. We also love that it comes in a convenient pump bottle. Just be sure to thoroughly rinse out the product, and you'll be left with lustrous, silky locks sans any grease.

Key ingredients: Ceramides, niacinamide biotin | Scent: Floral | Size: 8.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

There are few celebs more idolized for good hair than Jennifer Aniston, so it makes perfect sense that she launched a haircare line. While LolaVie’s shampoo is great for all hair types, we find it works especially well on straight strands, leaving them softer, smoother, and without tangles. The fact that it’s great for color-treated hair is icing on the cake.

Key ingredients: Glycerin, aloe, rice protein | Scent: Clean | Size: 13 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This brand offers a hard-to-come-by combination of clean, effective formulas, chic packaging, and affordable prices. The smoothing sudser is a top choice for those with thicker, wavy hair since it combats frizz and imparts plenty of shine, though it can be a welcome addition to anyone’s hair-washing routine. Just keep in mind that the (very cute) bottle can be sometimes hard to squeeze, so you may want to dry your hands off before grabbing the bottle.

Key ingredients: Chelating agents, hydrolyzed keratin, apple cider vinegar | Scent: Rose, citrus | Size: 10 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

As the name suggests, this detox formula is ideal for deeply cleaning the hair and scalp, removing excess oil, and mineral buildup from hard water. Still, unlike many other detoxifying or clarifying shampoos for oily hair, it’s gentle enough to be used daily, without over-stripping. Associate Commerce Editor Caitlyn Martyn is a big fan of this formula and shares that it has worked wonders in removing product buildup (aka too much dry shampoo) from her scalp and she’s noticed an improvement in her overall scalp health since she’s started using it. “Just be sure to follow up with a nourishing conditioner or mask—it can make your ends a little dry,” she warns.

Key ingredients: Morpho-keratine complex | Scent: Floral | Size: 8.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

Consider this shampoo a little extra add-on to your in-salon keratin treatment. Yes, it’s sulfate-free and safe for keratin-treated hair, but it’s also humidity-fighting, further helping to amplify the effects of that pricey service.This smoothing shampoo takes a few washes to deliver its straightening impacts, but the results are definitely worth it.

Key Ingredients: Coconut, vanilla | Scent: Coconut, vanilla | Size: 16.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Sulfate-free shampoos are generally milder and less likely to cause irritation or dryness on the scalp. This shampoo is great at gently cleansing, replenishing moisture, and providing healthy shine—without leaving an itchy scalp in its wake. We found that this hydrating wash works best on dryer hair types, so we would opt for a different pick from this list if you're on the oilier side.

Key Ingredients: Shea butter | Scent: Clean | Size: 32 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Love Beauty And Planet's creamy, sulfate-free shampoo is a must-have if you want to maintain the health and hydration of your curls and coils. It encourages a beautiful bounce and leaves fine hair feeling strong and voluminous. The weightless formula doesn't weigh down your hair and gives it a gorgeous, voluminous push.

Key Ingredients: Argan oil, zinc, manuka honey | Scent: Rose | Size: 11.8 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

Combat dandruff and flakes without risking irritation with this sulfate-free shampoo. The formula's advanced technology deeply moisturizes the scalp and hair from root to tip while controlling dryness and itchiness. And—just as the name suggests—this shampoo is great at protecting colored hair.

Key Ingredients: Dimethicone, fruit extracts, olive, jojoba oil | Scent: Floral, fruity | Size: 8.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Blondes have more fun—if they’re using purple shampoo. According to hairstylist Antonio Rende, Oribe’s formula was designed for bright blondes and silver foxes, with pure violet pigments to keep brassiness at bay. “Plus the smell is fantastic,” he says, thanks to a watermelon, lychee, and Edelweiss flower blend. While some users wish the product was more nourishing, we found that it worked great as long as we used a hydrating conditioner afterward.

Key Ingredients: Zinc, vegan biotin, fruit extracts | Scent: Fresh, fruity | Size: 18 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

For anyone suffering from hair loss, Valles can’t recommend Grow Pro enough. “It’s formulated with vegan biotin and zinc to strengthen weak hair shafts, helping to restore elasticity and minimize loss due to thinning,” she says, noting that it also improves scalp health and collagen production. The only con is that some online reviewers shared that their hair still felt greasy after use. If this happens to you, try rinsing and repeating.

FAQ

• Why should you use sulfate-free shampoo?

  Using a sulfate-free shampoo is a good way to both help retain the natural moisture in your hair as well as prolong the life of your hair color. It’s also a good option for those with an easily irritated scalp, as sulfates can cause even more dryness and itching.

• Can you use sulfate-free shampoo every day?

  Definitely, especially because these formulas are designed to retain moisture.

• Does sulfate-free shampoo cause buildup?

  Your hair may feel different after you start using a sulfate-free shampoo, it’s not buildup that’s to blame. Because sulfate-free shampoos remove less of the natural oils, your hair will feel different, and it can take a few weeks to get used to how your hair feels after washing.