Whether you’re feeling the effects of seasonal temperature changes or heat damage, dry hair seems to plague everyone at one point, no matter their environment or hair texture. The good news? Quenching dry strands is easy when you’re equipped with quality hair care products—and it all starts with the first step of your routine.
Searching for the best shampoo for dry hair? Keep scrolling for 25 of our top formulas. We’re also outlining some of the key signs that you’ve got dry hair (it’s not always obvious!) and discussing why it’s important to use the right shampoo for your hair type and concerns.
How to Tell if You Have Dry Hair
There are a few key characteristics to look for when trying to determine if your hair is dried out. The most obvious is a feeling of actual dryness, where the hair has a “straw-like” or crunchy feel. You might also experience visible breakage and split ends if you're dealing with chronic dry hair.
Another way to tell if you have dry hair is to consider your scalp. People with dry hair often have an itchy or flaky scalp. The scalp itself can be dry, or it might actually be very oily since it’s trying to compensate for the lack of moisture. This can quickly become a bad cycle where people over-wash their hair and scalp. The real solution is incorporating one of the best shampoos for dry, damaged hair into your regimen and only washing as necessary.
Good hair day by @thecurlcollectivephx.
Why It’s Important to Select the Right Shampoo When You Have Dry Hair
The longer your hair remains dry, the more at risk it is for damage. Often, dry hair occurs because of the climate, drying hair care formulations, chemical processing, or excessive heat styling. Some are also more prone to dryness based on their hair texture and genetics, and the above can exacerbate the issue.
Using the best shampoo for dry hair you can find is important because it helps nourish damaged, dull tresses. The result is shinier, healthier hair resistant to breakage, split ends, and frizz.
Our 25 Best Shampoos for Dry Hair to Buy Now
In need of some moisturizing shampoo ideas to quench your dry hair? Below are our top formulas for all hair types.
Hydrate Shampoo
A deeply hydrating, color-preserving shampoo for normal to thick dry, color-treated hair.
Pureology Hydrate Shampoo
Pureology Hydrate Shampoo is perfect for anyone with medium to thick dry hair that's also been color-treated. It intensely moisturizes your strands, while the brand's AntiFade Complex ensures your hair color remains vibrant.
Hydra Source Shampoo
A gentle, moisturizing shampoo for dry hair.
Biolage Professional Hydra Source Shampoo
Dry hair doesn’t just feel like it needs nourishment. If you’re dealing with parched locks, chances are you’re also experiencing extra frizz, split ends, and lack of shine. Biolage Professional Hydra Source Shampoo is one of the best shampoos for dry, frizzy hair. It helps optimize moisture balance to create healthier-looking hair.
Ultra Hydra Source Shampoo
An intensely hydrating shampoo for very dry, coarse hair.
Biolage Professional Ultra Hydra Source Shampoo
Aloe is the hero ingredient in Biolage Professional’s deeply hydrating Ultra Hydra Source Shampoo. Ideal for dry, coarse hair, this ultra-nourishing shampoo gently cleanses and helps optimize moisture balance in parched strands. What more could you ask for in a dry hair shampoo?
Urban Moisture Hydro-Nourishing Shampoo for Dry Hair
An intensely moisturizing shampoo for dry hair.
Shu Uemura Art of Hair Urban Moisture Hydro-Nourishing Shampoo
Even with top-of-the-line hair care, healthy hair can go through a dry spell. If you’re looking for a hydro-nourishing formula (wrapped in seriously luxurious packing), you’ll love the Shu Uemura Art of Hair Urban Moisture Hydro-Nourishing Shampoo.
Cleansing Oil Shampoo
A silicone-free, paraben-free shampoo that softens but doesn'tweigh hair down.
Shu Uemura Art of Hair Cleansing Oil Shampoo
If you’ve been going overboard on the hairspray and leave-in conditioner, your strands may feel extra dry from product build-up. Shu Uemura Art of Hair Cleansing Oil Shampoo is formulated with neroli essential oil to moisturize your dry hair and scalp while removing product build-up and impurities.
Delicate Comfort Deep Cleanser
A moisturizing, clarifying shampoo that treats dry scalp and hair.
Shu Uemura Art of Hair Delicate Comfort Deep Cleanser
While some clarifying shampoo formulas can make your strands feel stripped and dry, Shu Uemura Art of Hair Delicate Comfort Deep Cleanser does the opposite. This moisturizing, clarifying shampoo cleanses the hair and scalp, removing dirt, oil, and product build-up, leaving hair hydrated and soft with a shiny finish.
All Soft Argan-Oil Enriched Shampoo for Dry Hair
A softening and conditioning, argan-oil-infused shampoo for dry hair.
Redken All Soft Argan-Oil Enriched Shampoo
Revive dry, brittle strands with Redken’s All Soft Argan-Oil Enriched Shampoo. The argan oil-enriched formula promotes softness for dry, brittle hair and leaves your locks soft, manageable, and shiny.
Extreme Strengthening Shampoo for Damaged Hair
A rich hair-strengthening shampoo for damaged hair and split ends.
Redken Extreme Strengthening Shampoo
If you're dealing with ultra-dry hair that's damaged, you need to call in the big ones. Redken's Extreme Strengthening Shampoo cleanses while strengthening via its RCT complex that repairs damaged hair and split ends.
Redken All Soft Mega Moisturizing Shampoo
The Redken All Soft Mega Moisturizing Shampoo can be a game-changer if your locks are supremely parched. This nourishing formula softens and adds hydration to very dry, coarse hair.
Scalp Care Shampoo
An anti-dandruff shampoo for dry scalps.
Mizani Scalp Care Shampoo
Those battling dandruff and dryness should look no further than Mizani’s Scalp Care Shampoo. It tackles both issues via a nourishing and moisturizing formula that includes 1 percent pyrithione zinc to help control scalp flaking, scaling, and itching. While waiting for this moisturizing shampoo to work its magic, you’ll find some soothing relief via peppermint oil and cucumber extract.
Extreme Bleach Recovery Shampoo
A recovery shampoo for damaged, ultra-sensitive bleached hair
Redken Extreme Bleach Recovery Shampoo
Bleaching can damage your hair, causing dryness, stiffness, and lack of shine. This Redken Extreme Bleach Recovery Shampoo is a reparative shampoo formulated specifically to help revive bleached strands by strengthening and nourishing them for more softness and shine.
Hydrate Sheer Shampoo
A lightweight, sulfate-free shampoo that hydrates fine, color-treated hair.
Pureology Hydrate Sheer Shampoo
People with fine hair that’s dry and color-treated should reach for Pureology Hydrate Sheer Shampoo. It also contains the brand's AntiFade Complex to protect color but has been formulated specifically to help boost moisture, softness, and shine for fine hair types.
Total Results Moisture Me Rich Shampoo
A lightweight moisturizing shampoo for dry hair.
Matrix Total Results Moisture Me Rich Shampoo
Get the lightweight hydration of your dreams with the moisture-boosting Matrix Total Results Moisture Me Shampoo. This dry hair shampoo is formulated with glycerin to deliver long-lasting softness and radiance while locking in moisture.
Serie Expert Curl Expression Anti-Build Up Cleansing Shampoo
Gentle cleansing shampoo that removes buildup and impurities on curls and coils.
L'Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Curl Expression Anti-Build Up Cleansing Shampoo
Curly-hair bearers know how product build-up can sap the bounce right out of their ringlets, but L'Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Curl Expression Anti-Build Up Cleansing Shampoo helps add spring back into their step. This residue-removing, anti-build-up shampoo contains 2 percent glycerin to help deliver lasting hydration, urea H to help protect weakened curls, and hibiscus seed to help add moisture, strength, and softness
Serie Expert Curl Expression Intense Moisturizing Shampoo
Sulfate-free intensive moisturizing shampoo for curly and coily hair types.
L'Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Serie Expert Curl Expression Intense Moisturizing Shampoo
It’s a known fact that curls are significantly drier than other hair types. When spirals need a little extra TLC, L'Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Serie Expert Curl Expression Intense Moisturizing Shampoo is the answer. Free of sulfates, the formula doesn’t strip the hair of its natural oils, giving curls hydration without weight.
Vitamino Resveratrol Color Radiance Moisturizing Shampoo
A moisturizing shampoo to give shine and preserve color-treated hair
L'Oréal Professionnel Vitamino Resveratrol Color Radiance Moisturizing Shampoo
Help your salon color shine while nourishing your locks with L'Oréal Professionnel’s Vitamino Resveratrol Color Radiance Moisturizing Shampoo. Enriched with antioxidant resveratrol, this shampoo hydrates while helping maintain and enhance color vibrancy.
Serie Expert Volumetry Anti-Gravity Shampoo
A volumizing shampoo that purifies and cleanses fine hair.
L'Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Volumetry Anti-Gravity Shampoo
When it comes to limp or fine hair, a good volume-boosting shampoo is a must. These shampoos are specifically formulated to give hair the most cleansing, lift, and movement compared to other systems. L'Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Volumetry Anti-Gravity Shampoo contains salicylic acid to purify strands, gently cleansing it and removing oily build-up without stripping natural oils.
Absolut Repair Instant Resurfacing Hydrating Shampoo
A hydrating shampoo to instantly nourish damaged and weakened hair.
L'Oréal Professionnel Absolut Repair Instant Resurfacing Hydrating Shampoo
Here’s another one of our best shampoos for dry, damaged hair that’s experiencing brittleness and breakage. L'Oréal Professionnel Absolut Repair Instant Resurfacing Hydrating Shampoo is a luxurious powerhouse formula that gently cleans hair while restructuring damage every time you use it.
Muroto Volume Shampoo for Fine Hair
A volumizing shampoo for fine hair.
Shu Uemura Art of Hair Muroto Volume Shampoo
Bogged down by flat, dry hair? A dollop of this moisture-rich shampoo Muroto Volume Shampoo from Shu Uemura Art of Hair will help save the day while delivering shiny, brilliant locks. It encourages the roots of fine hair to rise up to create more body while rebalancing natural oils and strengthening to prevent damage.
Nutritive Bain Satin 2 Shampoo
An innovative shampoo specially formulated to treat dry, sensitized hair.
Kérastase Nutritive Bain Satin 2 Shampoo
Specifically formulated for dry, sensitized hair, Kérastase Nutritive Bain Satin 2 Shampoo delivers nourishing and protective antioxidants to your strands while replenishing hair fibers. The result is hair that feels touchably soft and looks gloriously shiny.
Elixir Ultime Le Bain Shampoo
An oil-enriched shampoo that provides protection and nutrition to hair.
Kérastase Elixir Ultime Le Bain Shampoo
Say goodbye to dull hair with this single-step shampoo from Kerastase. Elixir Ultime Le Bain Shampoo is formulated with four nourishing oils—including marula and camellia—to deliver instant softness and smoothness and a silky, lightweight finish.
Curl Manifesto Bain Hydratation Douceur Shampoo for Curly Hair
A gentle, hydrating shampoo for curly, coily, & very curly hair.
Kérastase Curl Manifesto Bain Hydratation Douceur Shampoo
Longing for top-tier curls? You’ll want to add Kérastase Curl Manifesto Bain Hydratation Douceur Shampoo to your lineup ASAP. Not only is it a dry hair shampoo, but it’s a curl reviver, as well. Thanks go to ingredients like manuka honey and ceramides, which deeply hydrate to restore softness while enhancing the shape of curls.
Blond Absolu Le Bain Cicaextreme
A hydrating post-bleaching shampoo-in-cream
Kérastase Blond Absolu Le Bain Cicaextreme
If you're worried about shampoo making your freshly bleached strands look and feel dry, Kérastase Blond Absolu Le Bain Cicaextreme is the perfect solution. The shampoo-in-cream formula gently reduces washing friction to boost resilience to breakage, strengthening hair sensitized by bleaching while providing deep nutrition.
Blond Absolu Bain Lumière Shampoo for Blonde Hair
A daily shampoo that hydrates and illuminates lightened or blonde hair.
Kérastase Blond Absolu Bain Lumière Shampoo For Blonde Hair
Kérastase Blond Absolu Bain Lumière Shampoo is another winner for bottle blonde, lightened, or highlighted hair. As it cleanses strands, it deeply hydrates the hair fiber, illuminating strands with natural shine and leaving hair feeling light.
Resistance Bain Force Architecte Strengthening Shampoo
An everyday shampoo to strengthen and reconstruct weak, brittle or damaged hair.
Kérastase Resistance Bain Force Architecte Strengthening Shampoo
You don’t need a miracle to revive brittle or damaged hair—you just need Kérastase Resistance Bain Force Architecte Strengthening Shampoo. This strengthening shampoo hydrates and reconstructs your hair, so it becomes shiny and smooth
Searching for more professional solutions for dry hair? Shop the best salon-quality products on Hair.com.
Hydrate Shampoo
A deeply hydrating, color-preserving shampoo for normal to thick dry, color-treated hair.
Hydra Source Shampoo
A gentle, moisturizing shampoo for dry hair.
Ultra Hydra Source Shampoo
An intensely hydrating shampoo for very dry, coarse hair.
Ultra Hydra Source Shampoo
An intensely hydrating shampoo for very dry, coarse hair.
Cleansing Oil Shampoo
A silicone-free, paraben-free shampoo that softens but doesn'tweigh hair down.
Delicate Comfort Deep Cleanser
A moisturizing, clarifying shampoo that treats dry scalp and hair.
All Soft Argan-Oil Enriched Shampoo for Dry Hair
A softening and conditioning, argan-oil-infused shampoo for dry hair.
Extreme Strengthening Shampoo for Damaged Hair
A rich hair-strengthening shampoo for damaged hair and split ends.
Scalp Care Shampoo
An anti-dandruff shampoo for dry scalps.
Extreme Bleach Recovery Shampoo
A recovery shampoo for damaged, ultra-sensitive bleached hair
Hydrate Sheer Shampoo
A lightweight, sulfate-free shampoo that hydrates fine, color-treated hair.
Total Results Moisture Me Rich Shampoo
A lightweight moisturizing shampoo for dry hair.
Serie Expert Curl Expression Anti-Build Up Cleansing Shampoo
Gentle cleansing shampoo that removes buildup and impurities on curls and coils.