One of the easiest and most effective ways of expressing yourself is with your hair, especially since there are so many options available. For instance, you can use hot tools to curl or straighten your hair, you can use chemical treatments to change their appearance, you can color them, and you can braid them. The best part is that you can do all this while playing around with multiple haircuts and hairstyles.
However, the more you play with your hair, the more damage it takes. In fact, some experts even say that the more you touch your hair, the more susceptible it gets to damage. Imagine how much damage hot tools, chemicals, or even mechanical stress can do to your hair.
It is even possible for hair to get damaged even if it isn’t put through all these styling treatments. Some people have hair that naturally tends towards excessive dryness and coarseness. Because such hair types inherently lack moisture and elasticity, they’re more prone to damage. Therefore, if they don’t receive special care, they get damaged very quickly.
Whether it is styling decisions or your genetics that are behind your damaged hair, what you cannot deny is that you need to take steps to repair it. This is where hair repairing products come into the picture. Certain hair care products are categorically designed to help people repair their damaged hair.
| Budget |
|---|
 |
| Nexxus Keraphix Damage Healing Shampoo |
| 4.25/5.0 |
| Volume: 33.8 ounces |
| Cost per ounce: $0.56 |
| A drugstore hair repair shampoo designed exclusively to use proteins in multiple forms to heal extremely damaged hair at unbelievably low prices and it is a pocket-friendly product. |
| Check Amazon |
| Best Value |
|---|
 |
| Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo |
| 4.75/5.0 |
| Volume: 33.8 ounces |
| Cost per ounce: $1.92 |
| A premium-grade hair repair shampoo with a truly unique scent that heals damaged hair by providing excellent hydration along with multiple protein types and it’s produces considerable lather. |
| Check Amazon |
| Top Pick |
|---|
 |
| Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo |
| 4.75/5.0 |
| Volume: 8.5 ounces |
| Cost per ounce: $3.29 |
| This is the best hair repair shampoo in the market because it not only moisturizes the hair and compensates for protein loss but also actively works to heal broken bonds in hair strands. |
| Check Amazon |
Although these products can be of various types, it is advisable that you start with hair repair shampoos before trying hair repair conditioners or even serums. This is why this guide is dedicated to helping you find the best hair repair shampoos.
In it, we’ll give you an in-depth analysis of the nine best hair repair shampoos currently in the industry but before we give you the reviews, let’s get the basics out of the way. Here’s everything you’ll find on this page, arranged neatly in a clickable navigation panel.
- Difference Between Damaged Hair and Hair Thinning or Hair Loss?
- What Can You Do to Repair Your Damaged Hair?
- What Type of Ingredients Should Hair Repair Shampoos Have?
- Top 9 Hair Repair Shampoos Comparison Table
- Top 3 Budget Hair Repair Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
- Top 3 Value Hair Repair Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
- Top 3 Premium Hair Repair Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
Difference Between Damaged Hair and Hair Thinning or Hair Loss?
A lot of people confuse hair thinning and hair loss with hair damage. However, they’re very different. In the majority of cases, hair thinning and hair loss are caused by genetics while hair damage is caused by styling decisions or nutritional deficiencies.
Hair thinning and hair loss is usually caused by dihydrotestosterone or DHT. The body converts excess testosterone to DHT which binds with hair follicles and prevents them from producing healthy hair. The process is governed by specific genes in the person’s DNA.
Even though the genetic trigger is irreversible, it is possible to either prevent testosterone’s conversion to DHT or its binding with hair follicles. This is done through DHT blockers. This is why anti-hair thinning and hair loss shampoos contain different types of anti-DHT ingredients.
Hair damage works differently. When the outer layer of the hair strand called the cuticle gets damaged in some way, it is called hair damage.
Styling decisions such as bleaching, coloring, chemical treatments, and the use of hot tools like curling irons, flat irons, and hairdryers are usually responsible for hair damage. All these styling activities force the cuticles to open, resulting in the hair becoming coarse and more susceptible to structural damage.
In bleaching, the chemicals cause the hair strand to expand, resulting in the cuticles opening up. The chemicals then go about nullifying melanin inside the hair to change its color. In coloring, the dye molecules penetrate the cuticle layer to change the hair’s color from the inside. Similarly, in chemical treatments, the chemicals go deep into the hair to change its structure.
Hot tools cause cuticle damage by simply baking the entire strand. This causes the strand to lose moisture. The cuticles open up to facilitate moisture absorption from the surrounding environment.
Over time, the damage caused by these styling activities accumulates to a point that it becomes more permanent. The reason for this is that open cuticles result in keratin loss from the hair. Keratin is a protein that is the most abundant substance in hair next to moisture.
Since keratin loss is one of the ways through which hair damage occurs, protein replenishment becomes one of the ways of dealing with that damage. The case of moisture loss is the same. Since too much dryness can cause hair damage, hydration becomes another way of reversing that damage. This is why hair repair shampoos often contain multiple moisturizing ingredients and varieties of proteins.
As is evident, the reason why it is important for you to distinguish between hair damage and the other problems accurately is that the solutions for hair thinning or hair loss and hair damage are distinct from each other.
What Can You Do to Repair Your Damaged Hair?
As mentioned in the earlier section, hair damage is reversed by either supplying hair with sufficient moisture or proteins. Dryness is usually a characteristic of early-stage hair damage but if the problem is allowed to exist for too long, protein loss starts occurring too.
Therefore, if the signs of hair damage are slight and minor, then you can reverse the damage by plying sufficient moisture to it. However, if your hair has been damaged for months or even years, then you’re going to need protein infusion in addition to sufficient moisture.
There are two ways for you to give your hair what it needs. You can either do it through home remedies or by buying professionally manufactured hair repair products. Both these methods have their pros and cons.
Going the commercial product way will save you a lot of effort and will even give you access to highly concentrated ingredients and specialized formulae. At the same time, you’ll have to spend more money for it. If you choose the DIY method, you’ll end up saving a lot of money and gain a lot of flexibility but will lose the benefits that only specialized products can provide.
Numerous recipes for shampoos, conditioners, leave-in conditioners, and hair masks exist online that you can use if you choose to go the DIY way. Most of these remedies rely on oils like coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, and others for hydrating hair. In terms of proteins, they incorporate ingredients like eggs, yogurt, and mayonnaise into the recipes.
The simplest of these recipes would be to take the ingredient you need and mix it with the shampoo or conditioner you’re already using. However, this method is quite crude and untested and you may or may not get the results you’re looking for.
Commercially manufactured hair repair products, on the other hand, tend to have elaborate formulae that are based on research. While many of these products aren’t all that effective because they’re manufactured for profits instead of benefits, many can make a world of difference too.
More importantly, the ingredients they use are distilled and concentrated, making them more effective than homemade solutions. In the next section, we’ll explain what these ingredients are.
What Type of Ingredients Should Hair Repair Shampoos Have?
The vast majority of hair repair shampoos are based on moisturizing ingredients of various types. The best ones, in fact, will contain multiple hydration ingredients. Oils like coconut, jojoba, olive, and argan are commonly found but other rarer moisturizing ingredients like honey, shea butter, baobab seed oil, mafura seed oil, and avocado oil are also included.
Many manufacturers also base their shampoos’ formulae around proteins of various types. The proteins they include are highly concentrated and usually sourced from multiple substances. Some of the ingredients you can expect to see are wheat proteins, keratin in multiple forms, rice proteins, and even amino acids derived from keratin, collagen, and elastin.
These hair repair shampoos are usually targeted at men and women who undergo chemical treatments often which is why they contain silicones too. Silicones are useful when hair damage is severe and the cuticle layer of the hair strand is compromised. These compounds coat the hair and perform the task of the cuticle layer till it is ready to take it up again.
It is also important to note that most hair repair shampoos contain strengthening ingredients such as varying types of vitamins and even extracts from exotic naturally occurring plants.
Top 9 Hair Repair Shampoos Comparison Table
| Product Name | Volume | Cost per ounce (*Approx.) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| L’Oreal Paris Elvive Total Repair 5 Repairing Shampoo | 28 ounces | $0.24 per ounce | Check Price |
| Nexxus Keraphix Damage Healing Shampoo | 33.8 ounces | $0.56 per ounce | Check Price |
| SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Yoghurt Hydrate & Repair Shampoo | 13 ounces | $0.77 per ounce | Check Price |
| Goldwell Dualsenses Rich Repair Restoring Shampoo | 33.8 ounces | $1.09 per ounce | Check Price |
| Redken Extreme Shampoo | 33.8 ounces | $1.24 per ounce | Check Price |
| Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo | 33.8 ounces | $1.92 per ounce | Check Price |
| Pureology Hydrate Shampoo | 33.8 ounces | $2.04 per ounce | Check Price |
| Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo | 8.5 ounces | $3.29 per ounce | Check Price |
| Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo | 33.8 ounces | $4.64 per ounce | Check Price |
Top 3 Budget Hair Repair Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
1. L’Oreal Paris Elvive Total Repair 5 Repairing Shampoo
Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0
L’Oreal Paris is one of the most popular drugstore brands today. It is known for offering cheap hair products that achieve most of what they claim. The Elvive Total Repair 5 Repairing Shampoo is one of those products. Owing to its extremely pocket-friendly pricing, this hair repair shampoo provides limited functionality. However, the benefits it claims to provide, it provides well.
The phrase “Total Repair 5” in this product’s name refers to its ability to heal split ends, compensate for inherent weakness, smoothen the roughness, add shine to cover up dullness, and prevent dehydration. The claim is honored by this shampoo too.
Unfortunately, the repair aspect of this shampoo’s claim is only limited to appearances. This means that this shampoo will make your hair look restored but the effects will remain superficial at best.
This shampoo works on the back of two ingredients – hydrolyzed wheat protein and silicones. Silicones are the major player in that partnership. All the benefits that this shampoo claims to deliver come from those silicones. As the silicones coat the hair strands, they close the cuticle layer. This results in the resolution of all the problems that they list.
Additionally, it also provides protection from future damage. For instance, if you use hot tools, the additional silicone layer will protect your hair from excessive heat. In fact, the company even says that this product can protect your hair from temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
The downside of silicones is that they don’t moisturize your hair from the inside. They just seal off the hair and work to keep the moisture inside. Over time, as they buildup in the scalp, they cause dryness because they also prevent hair strands from absorbing sufficient moisture.
On top of the silicones, this shampoo also uses sulfates for the cleansing action. Since sulfates strip the natural oils that our scalps produce to moisturize our hair, they are also drying.
In effect, while the sulfates will dry your hair immediately, the silicones in this shampoo will keep it dry unless you use heavy-duty conditioners. The dryness this shampoo causes happens to be its biggest flaw.
In the smell department, this shampoo performs fairly well. It has a clean and fresh scent that most people end up liking, especially since it doesn’t clash with the smell of other products and instead dovetails well with them.
Using this hair repair shampoo is also fairly easy since the bottle comes equipped with a dispensing pump.
Who’s it for: If you’re looking to save money on a hair repair shampoo that will cleanse and protect your hair, get this one from L’Oreal.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product weight: 28 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Sulfates, silicones, salicylic acid, and hydrolyzed wheat protein |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Designed specifically to strengthen and protect heavily styled hair |
| Offers heat protection |
| Has a clean and fresh scent |
| Produces considerable lather |
| Comes equipped with a dispensing pump |
| Incredibly pocket-friendly |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Contains sulfates |
| Can leave hair too dry |
| Contains silicones |
2. Nexxus Keraphix Damage Healing Shampoo (Best Budget)
Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0
Nexxus is a drugstore brand now but it didn’t start out that way. It began as a salon-exclusive brand until the company decided to go the mass production way. While technically a drugstore brand now, its products still utilize salon-grade formulae.
Take the Keraphix Damage Healing Shampoo for example. This is a hair repair shampoo that is loaded with proteins. It contains collagen, elastin, and keratin. Each of these protein types is crucial when it comes to the structural mechanics of hair.
When damage is caused by protein loss, it is these proteins that are lost making the hair breakable and brittle. As a part of this shampoo, these proteins penetrate deep into hair strands to compensate for protein loss that may be occurring.
Further, these proteins also perform the same role as silicones in hair products. However, they do it naturally and they’re not as impermeable as silicones. It is because of these proteins that this product is able to deliver such great results when it comes to repairing hair.
Since they coat the hair, you get the associated benefits too. These include the smoothing, detangling, and shining of individual hair strands. Unfortunately, for some of you, these proteins might be a bit too much. The reason is that these proteins might end up weighing down fine to medium type hair.
While this product neither contains silicones nor parabens, it does contain sulfates which are responsible for cleaning your hair. Even so, despite the presence of sulfates, this shampoo doesn’t produce a lot of lather.
This shampoo also has a distinctly feminine scent. The smell is decidedly floral and very strong to boot. Therefore, if you don’t like such smells, we recommend staying away from this product.
This shampoo is pocket-friendly though. Each bottle even comes with an easy-to-use dispensing pump.
Who’s it for: If your hair is incredibly porous and suffers heavy protein loss, you can compensate for this with the help of this shampoo from Nexxus.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product weight: 33.8 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Sulfates, coconut-based cleansers, collagen amino acids, hydrolyzed elastin, hydrolyzed keratin, and rice extract |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Designed specifically to repair damaged hair through protein infusion |
| Smooths and shines hair too |
| Has a floral scent |
| Doesn’t contain silicones |
| Free of parabens |
| Comes equipped with a dispensing pump |
| A pocket-friendly product |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Can leave hair too greasy and weighed down |
| Contains sulfates |
| Doesn’t produce a lot of lather |
| Some people will find its scent to be too strong |
3. SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Yoghurt Hydrate & Repair Shampoo
Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0
Many people believe that the single most crucial thing hair needs is moisture. For example, a lot of curly and kinky-haired people have this belief and swear by it. In fact, the entire Curly Girl revolution is based on two principles – avoiding artificial ingredients like silicones and ensuring proper hydration.
One of the brands that are particular favorites of people following the Curly Girl Method is SheaMoisture. The reason for this, as the name suggests, is that SheaMoisture products tend to focus especially on moisture.
The Manuka Honey & Yoghurt Hydrate & Repair Shampoo is the prime example. While this shampoo aims to repair damaged hair, it approaches the problem by thoroughly moisturizing the hair. The idea is that since damaged hair is often dry hair, hydrating it will boost nutrient absorption.
For the most part, it is successful too because better hydration makes hair more resilient. At the same time, if considerable protein loss has occurred in your hair, then this shampoo may not be able to deliver the kind of results that it is known for.
This shampoo contains multiple ingredients for not only providing moisture but also the requisite nutrients. These include manuka honey, yogurt extract, mafura oil, and certified organic fair trade shea butter.
The result of the hydration is softer, stronger hair. On some hair types, though, these ingredients can be too heavy. In fact, if you don’t have coarse, thick, and curly hair then it is likely that your hair will get greasy. As to how well it repairs hair, it depends on the cause for the hair damage in the first place.
This shampoo delivers these results without the help of silicones. Further, it is free of other artificial substances such as parabens and sulfates. Even without the sulfates, it still manages to produce considerable lather because it makes good use of coconut-based cleansers. It also happens to be a cruelty-free rated product.
The scent of this product comes from its manuka honey content. It smells distinctly of honey, which means that to like this shampoo you have to like sweet scents.
This is also a very cheap product that won’t hurt your pocket in any way. You will have to do without the convenience of a pump nozzle, though, as the bottles come with a plain screw cap. However, since it is so cheap, you should be able to buy pump-equipped empty bottles separately.
Who’s it for: If you feel that your hair is damaged because of dryness only, this shampoo can be a good way to repair your hair.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product weight: 13 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Coconut-based cleansers, shea butter, honey, yogurt powder, yogurt extract, baobab seed oil, mafura seed oil, coconut oil, and provitamin B5 |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Designed specifically to moisturize dry hair |
| Smooths and shines hair too |
| Has a completely natural formula |
| Smells of honey |
| Produces considerable lather |
| Doesn’t contain sulfates |
| Free of parabens and silicones |
| Rated to be cruelty-free |
| Incredibly pocket-friendly |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Only focuses on repairing by moisturizing |
| Can leave hair too greasy and weighed down |
| Its bottle isn’t equipped with a dispensing pump |
Top 3 Value Hair Repair Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
4. Goldwell Dualsenses Rich Repair Restoring Shampoo
Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0
Regularly coloring your hair will damage your hair over time. This happens because the coloring process requires the cuticle layer of your hair strands to be opened up. Once open, the dyes penetrate into the hair to change the way it looks. Additionally, people with darker hair often have to bleach their hair for the new color to properly become visible.
From the effects of the chemicals involved to the impact of the cuticle being forced open, the result is extremely dry and damaged hair. This is why hair damaged from coloring requires specialized hair products.
Goldwell’s Dualsenses Rich Repair Restoring Shampoo is one such product. This hair repair shampoo has categorically been developed by the age-old German company for colored hair. As a result, it incorporates the company’s Fade Stop formula which actively works to minimize color fading.
Further, this product also features the microprotec complex whose purpose is to improve nutrition distribution. This shampoo also contains provitamin B5 and willow bark.
While this shampoo manages to repair hair and make it shine, it doesn’t provide any moisture. In fact, it contains sulfates which are known for their oil-stripping nature. The sulfates ensure proper cleaning and a rich lather but end up drying the hair thoroughly.
To compensate for this dryness, this shampoo’s formula incorporates silicones. The silicones coat the hair strand and try to prevent moisture loss. However, they’re not very effective in this regard. Therefore, if you’re going to be using this shampoo for your colored hair, we strongly recommend investing in an effective conditioner.
This shampoo does have a decent scent though. In terms of cost, this shampoo’s price is lower than most of its competitors in the same price bracket. However, this is only if you buy the bigger 33.8-ounce bottle. The smaller bottle’s capacity is 10.1 ounces. The bigger bottle also comes with a pump.
Who’s it for: If the damage to your hair is a result of heavy-duty chemical processing, get this shampoo from Goldwell to turn back time.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product weight: 33.8 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Sulfates, silicones, willow bark extract, and provitamin B5 |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Designed specifically to repair and protect colored hair |
| It shines hair and prevents color fading |
| Has a likable scent |
| Produces considerable lather |
| Free of parabens |
| Available in two bottle sizes |
| Comes equipped with a dispensing pump |
| Competitively priced |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Contains sulfates |
| Can leave hair too dry |
| Contains silicones |
5. Redken Extreme Shampoo
Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0
This shampoo from Redken is named Extreme because it is designed for extremely distressed, brittle, and damaged hair. It doesn’t even matter how your hair got damaged in the first place. Whether the damage was caused by chemical treatments or hot tools, this shampoo will deliver great results in terms of cleansing your scalp and hair while leaving it soft, resilient, and shiny.
It does this on the back of Redken’s Strength Complex. According to the company, its Strength Complex features multiple types of amino acids that fortify the hair from the inside out. This Complex not only counters ongoing breakage and existing split ends but also prevents these problems from occurring again especially since it contains silicones too.
The only problem is that this shampoo will leave your hair dry. The reason for this is that it only contains citric acid for the purpose of hydration. The citric acid is unable to cope with the drying properties of the sulfates that this shampoo contains.
The sulfates, however, are there to cleanse the scalp and hair. They do wonderfully well in their primary objective, producing impressive amounts of lather along the way. While the shampoo contains silicones and sulfates, it is free of all other artificial ingredients including parabens. It is even pH balanced to prevent alkalinity issues.
The smell is another department where this product suffers. It has a very sweet and strong scent that will not appeal to many of you. However, since you’ll need a strong conditioner to cope with the dryness caused by this shampoo, the conditioner’s smell may end up masking this shampoo’s scent.
This shampoo is neither too expensive nor very pocket-friendly. It falls in the affordable price bracket, provided you buy the biggest 33.8-ounce bottle. The other two options – 1.7 ounces and 10.1 ounces – will prove to be super expensive.
The bottles only come with standard lids and without any pump.
Who’s it for: If you’re struggling with heavy buildup in the scalp and considerable protein loss from the hair strands, choose this shampoo from Redken to counter the problem.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product weight: 33.8 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Sulfates, coconut-based cleansers, silicones, alcohols, hydrolyzed soy proteins, and hydrolyzed vegetable proteins |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Designed specifically for people with heavily damaged hair and scalp buildup |
| Softens and shines hair too |
| Has a sweet scent |
| Produces considerable lather |
| A pH-balanced shampoo |
| Free of parabens |
| Available in three bottle sizes |
| An affordably priced product |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Contains sulfates |
| Can leave hair too dry |
| Some people will find its scent to be too sweet and strong |
| Contains silicones |
| Its bottle isn’t equipped with a dispensing pump |
6. Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo (Best Value)
Editor’s Rating: 4.75/5.0
Moroccanoil is a premium brand. Its products are usually priced in a way that they’re positioned in the expensive price bracket. Even the Moisture Repair Shampoo that we’re reviewing here belongs in that price category.
The only reason it has snuck into our Value price category is that it comes in the big 33.8-ounce bottle. The other bottle size options of 8.5-ounces and 2.4-ounces turn out to be two times and four times more expensive than this one respectively. The biggest bottle is a better choice also because it comes with a dispensing pump.
In terms of effectiveness, however, this shampoo is very impressive. Most of the shampoos we’ve reviewed so far either work through proteins or hydrating agents. This one is impressive because it does both. It will not only give your hair all the moisture it needs but will do so while repairing it from the inside out. This means that this shampoo is suitable for virtually all types of hair damage.
This product uses argan oil to moisturize the hair and a slew of proteins to repair the strands. It incorporates proteins sourced from vegetables, amino acids from silk and keratin, and even keratin in a hydrolyzed form. Other ingredients worth noting are avocado oil, rosemary leaf extract, lavender flower extract, jojoba seed extract, and provitamin B5.
In terms of synthetic ingredients, this product only contains silicones to coat and protect the hair. It is completely free of parabens, phosphates, and sulfates. Despite not having sulfates, this shampoo produces considerable lather mainly because it features natural cleansers derived from coconuts.
Apart from its incredible effectiveness, people also buy this shampoo for its scent. It has the signature Moroccanoil scent which is a blend of amber, spice, musk, and floral notes. The scent is unique but it has a considerable sweetness to it which doesn’t appeal to everyone.
Who’s it for: If your hair lacks moisture in addition to being damaged and you like complicated, premium-grade scents, get this Moroccanoil shampoo.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product weight: 33.8 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Coconut-based cleansers, silicones, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, argan kernel oil, avocado oil, silk amino acids, keratin amino acids, hydrolyzed keratin, rosemary leaf extract, lavender flower extract, jojoba seed extract, matricaria flower extract, provitamin B5, and alcohols |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Designed specifically to moisturize and repair |
| Its formula contains various types of proteins |
| Boasts of the signature Moroccanoil scent |
| Produces considerable lather |
| Doesn’t contain sulfates |
| Free of parabens |
| Available in three bottle sizes |
| Comes equipped with a dispensing pump |
| The Cons |
|---|
| On the expensive side of things |
| Some people may not like the scent |
| Contains silicones |
Top 3 Premium Hair Repair Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
7. Pureology Hydrate Shampoo
Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0
The Hydrate Shampoo from Pureology is the best hair repair shampoo for people who don’t like their hair without at least streaks in them. Even though this product boasts of one of the most elaborate formulae when it comes to hair repair shampoos, it still approaches the problem of damaged hair from the perspective of moisture and protein.
It has a hydration-focused formula loaded with multiple types of proteins. As is usually the case with hair products meant for colored hair, this shampoo is based on silicones. For repair work, its formula incorporates wheat proteins in both hydrolyzed and amino acid form along with hydrolyzed vegetable and soy proteins.
The shampoo also boasts of Pureology’s Antifade Complex designed to prevent discoloration and retain color vibrance. Further, it makes use of vitamin E to protect hair against environmental damage and sunflower seed extract to block damage from ultraviolet rays.
In a nutshell, this product repairs and moisturizes the hair, leaving it soft, pliable, and vibrant. It will also give your hair a very interesting scent. It smells of patchouli with distinct notes of lavender and bergamot. The scent is likely to be different from anything you’ve smelled before so there’s only a 50-50 chance that you’ll like it.
For cleansing your scalp and hair, this product uses natural surfactants derived from coconuts along with coconut acid. These derivatives produce significant amounts of lather which is impressive because this product doesn’t contain artificial ingredients like sulfates and parabens.
The product will also appeal to animal lovers because it is rated to be vegan and cruelty-free.
While expensively priced, this hair repair shampoo isn’t as expensive as most other premium class products of the same type. Instead, its price tends towards being affordable as opposed to being unattainable. However, this is only if you buy the bigger bottle.
It is available in three bottle sizes – 33.8 ounces, nine ounces, and 1.7 ounces. Additionally, it can also be purchased as a part of two different bundles. There’s a shampoo and conditioner bundle with 9-ounce bottles and a four-bottle kit with the Hydrate shampoo and conditioner, the Color Fanatic leave-in treatment, and the Refresh & Go Dry Shampoo.
None of the available bottles come equipped with a dispensing pump.
Who’s it for: If you want to repair your damaged hair while improving color vibrance and general luster, get this Pureology shampoo.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product weight: 33.8 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Coconut-based cleansers, coconut acid, silicones, alcohols, vitamin E, salicylic acid, sunflower seed extract, hydrolyzed wheat protein, wheat amino acids, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed soy protein, sunflower seed oil, vitamin C, tea plant leaf extract, cabbage rose flower extract, and aloe vera leaf extract |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Designed specifically to moisturize and repair colored hair |
| Offers protection against color fading and environmental damage |
| Its formula contains various types of proteins |
| Smells of patchouli with notes of lavender and bergamot |
| Produces considerable lather |
| Doesn’t contain sulfates |
| Free of parabens |
| Rated to be cruelty-free and vegan |
| Available in three bottle sizes |
| Two combos also available |
| On the affordable side |
| The Cons |
|---|
| A lot of people don’t like its scent |
| Its bottle isn’t equipped with a dispensing pump |
| Contains silicones |
8. Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo (Top Pick)
Editor’s Rating: 4.75/5.0
The chemicals, dyes, or heat that people use to style their hair damage the hair by breaking down its structural bonds. Typically, issues with the structural integrity of hair only arise after constant and intense exposure to these damaging variables.
This means that if bond strength in your hair has become an issue for you, then it is very likely that your case of hair damage is pretty severe. Such a severe case demands a super-effective hair repair shampoo.
For most people with hair damage of such immense severity, the go-to option to deal with hair damage is the No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo from Olaplex. It is a shampoo that gives damaged hair everything that it needs including moisture and structural strength.
For the most part, it does its job without the use of artificial ingredients too. The only artificial ingredient it contains is silicones and their presence is a necessary evil in this case.
When hair has been damaged for so, it can take a bit of time for the damage to be reversed. In that period, though, it still needs to be protected against further damage. This is where silicones come in handy and the reason why they’re a part of this product’s formula.
Other than silicones, this product only contains natural ingredients chosen for their ability to repair bonds and moisturize the hair. For instance, its formula incorporates ingredients like provitamin B5, argan kernel oil, vitamin E, pomegranate extract, noni fruit extract, acai palm fruit extract, tea plant seed oil, crambe seed oil, avocado oil, grape seed oil, and soya oil.
While these ingredients work well to hydrate, soften, and shine hair strands, the main reason why this shampoo is so successful is that it is based on the Olaplex Bond Building chemistry. This proprietary technology works from the inside out to strengthen the hair structure.
The smell of this product comes from its natural ingredients and isn’t an added feature. It has a fairly mild, clean, and fresh citrus scent that most people end up liking.
This shampoo is free of other synthetic ingredients such as parabens and sulfates too. Despite this, it produces considerable lather. The absence of sulfates and the fact that it is pH balanced means that this product can be used by people with sensitive scalps.
In fact, it is even suitable for people who are suffering from celiac disease because it is completely gluten-free. Finally, if you’re an animal lover, you’ll be glad to know that this is a vegan and cruelty-free rated shampoo.
Since it is one of the most effective hair repair shampoos on the market, it should not surprise you that it is expensively priced. However, while it is expensive to buy, it isn’t all that expensive to use. Because a little bit of it goes a long way, the bottle doesn’t finish too fast. As a result, you won’t have to replace it again and again.
The bottle doesn’t come with a dispensing pump, though, which is something that makes it a little inconvenient to use.
Who’s it for: If you want the best hair repair shampoo in the market and are willing to pay for effectiveness, get this shampoo from Olaplex.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product weight: 8.5 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Silicones, provitamin B5, argan kernel oil ferment, tea plant seed oil ferment, vitamin E, pomegranate extract, noni fruit extract, acai palm fruit extract, tea plant seed oil, crambe seed oil, avocado oil, grape seed oil, and soya oil |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Incredibly effective hair repair shampoo |
| Designed specifically to moisturize and repair colored hair |
| It shines hair and nullifies frizz too |
| Has a very mild, clean, and fresh citrus scent |
| Produces considerable lather |
| Doesn’t contain sulfates |
| Free of parabens and silicones |
| Rated to be cruelty-free and vegan |
| Suitable for celiac sufferers |
| A pH-balanced shampoo |
| A little goes a long way |
| The Cons |
|---|
| An expensively priced shampoo |
| Its bottle isn’t equipped with a dispensing pump |
| Contains silicones |
9. Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo
Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0
Oribe is a truly high-end brand that traces its roots to Cuba. Its products are not only priced like luxuries but also offer exceptionally luxurious experiences.
While there are many aspects that set Oribe products apart from others in the hair care industry, the foremost is its scent. Oribe has a signature scent that it dubs Cote d’Azur. The scent is incredibly original and complicated but what it is not is gender-specific. This means that this hair repair shampoo can be used by men and women alike.
This shampoo’s scent has multiple notes to it and what you’ll smell will vary from one moment to the next. The type of notes you can expect range from fresh smells of bergamot, oranges, and apples to woody and earthy smells of amber, vetiver, and sandalwood. Being from Cuba, the company has even incorporated the scent of tuberose and white butterfly jasmine into its products’ smells.
Even though Oribe is primarily famous for its scents, the effectiveness of its products is not far behind. The company conducts regular consumer panel surveys for its dermatologist-tested products.
Their survey for this hair repair shampoo saw 91 percent of the respondents believing improvements in their hairs’ appearance, 82 percent believing that the ends of their hair were sealed, and 74 percent believing that their hair was stronger and more resilient to future damage.
This shampoo’s effectiveness means that it leaves the scalp clean and the hair moisturized, strengthened, and smoothed. Its formula also promotes circulation in the scalp resulting in the hair follicles receiving more nutrients.
Oribe says that these benefits are a result of their proprietary “bio-restorative complex” that incorporates various key ingredients such as plant collagen, caffeine, biotin, and niacin. This Complex is further supported by the Amino Acid Complex which helps repair hair by compensating for any protein loss that may be occurring.
Further, the formula incorporates argan oil, which is often called “liquid gold” for its ability to help hair. The argan oil in this shampoo offers intense hydration and de-frizzing qualities. It is helped ably by Mediterranean cypress extract in this regard.
Finally, the formula includes the Oribe Signature Complex comprising extracts from edelweiss flowers, litchi, and watermelon. The purpose of this Complex is preventive. It protects the hair from various environment-related damage such as photoaging, protein loss, and oxidative stress.
In terms of artificial ingredients, this shampoo’s formula only contains silicones and is completely free of sulfates and parabens. The presence of silicones can be a concern but damaged hair does need extra protection. The absence of sulfates is also a concern because this shampoo doesn’t lather all that well.
The ingredients in this shampoo are also vegan and gluten-free. Therefore, this product will be suitable for you regardless of whether you are environment conscious or suffering from celiac disease. You’ll even like it if you love animals because it is rated to be cruelty-free.
The biggest problem with this product, as is the case with all Oribe products and all luxury products, is cost. It is incredibly expensive and will make a serious dent in your bank balance even if you buy the biggest bottle available.
The options you’ll have available to you would be 33.8 ounces, 8.5 ounces, and 2.5 ounces. The biggest bottle will cost you about $4.68 per ounce, the medium-sized bottle will cost $5.76 per ounce, and the smallest one will cost $6.80 per ounce.
While there is some price difference between the different bottle sizes, a more pertinent reason to go with the biggest one is that it comes with a dispensing pump.
Who’s it for: If what you’re looking for is a premium level experience while natural ingredients repair your damaged hair, get this Oribe product.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product weight: 33.8 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Silicones, coconut acid, provitamin B5, rice oil extract, shea butter extract, salicylic acid, caffeine, alcohols, coconut-based cleansers, Irish moss extract, lemon fruit extract, jasmine flower extract, purple passionflower extract, black currant fruit extract, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, bergamot leaf extract, edelweiss extract, vitamin B3, sandalwood extract, amber extract, watermelon fruit extract, vegetable amino acids, Mediterranean Cyprus seed extract, rice seed protein, tea leaf extract, radish root ferment, rice extract, African baobab seed extract, argan kernel oil, biotin, shea butter, and litchi extract |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Provides a premium level experience |
| Designed specifically to moisturize and repair hair |
| It improves blood circulation and nutrient access for hair follicles |
| This shampoo smooths, softens, and shines hair too |
| Has the signature Oribe scent |
| Doesn’t contain sulfates |
| Free of parabens |
| Rated to be cruelty-free and vegan |
| Suitable for celiac sufferers |
| Comes equipped with a dispensing pump |
| Available in three bottle sizes |
| The Cons |
|---|
| An incredibly expensive shampoo |
| Doesn’t produce a lot of lather |
| Contains silicones |
Contents
- Difference Between Damaged Hair and Hair Thinning or Hair Loss?
- What Can You Do to Repair Your Damaged Hair?
- What Type of Ingredients Should Hair Repair Shampoos Have?
- Top 9 Hair Repair Shampoos Comparison Table
- Top 3 Budget Hair Repair Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
- Top 3 Value Hair Repair Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
- Top 3 Premium Hair Repair Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
