Shampoos should be more than just glorified soap for your hair. It should be more than a cleansing tool. It should be reparative, restorative, strengthening, nourishing, hydrating, or whatever it is that your hair actually needs to be healthy.
Unfortunately, shampoos that are more than hair detergents are also quite expensive. We’re, of course, referring to professional shampoos.
If you’re looking for the best professional shampoo, then you’ve already realized that standard, drugstore shampoos are nothing more than perfumed surfactants. Well, you’re on the right track if all you want is to improve the health of your hair.
On this page, we’ll not only review the best professional shampoos in the market but also explain to you the difference between professional shampoos and standard shampoos. Here’s a quick-click navigation panel to help you digest this guide better.
| Budget |
|---|
 |
| Nexxus TherappeHumectress Combo Pack |
| 4.5/5.0 |
| Item Type: Shampoo & Conditioner Set |
| Volume: 33.8 x 2 ounces |
| A highly moisturizing shampoo and conditioner set that offers the complete solution and is very easy to use because of its thin consistency. |
| Check Amazon |
| Best Value |
|---|
 |
| Pureology Hydrate Shampoo |
| 4.25/5.0 |
| Item Type: Shampoo |
| Volume: 33.8 ounces |
| The perfect professional shampoo for women who not only have colored hair but also like to curl or straighten it regularly, Produces sufficient lather, and bottle lasts a long time. |
| Check Amazon |
| Top Pick |
|---|
 |
| Moroccanoil Hydrating Shampoo |
| 4.75/5.0 |
| Item Type: Shampoo |
| Volume: 8.5 ounces |
| The best hydrating professional shampoo that is based around incredible, natural ingredients including the “liquid gold” that is argan oil and produces sufficient lather. |
| Check Amazon |
- How Is A Professional Shampoo Different from A Standard Shampoo?
- Do You Need A Conditioner to Go with A Professional Shampoo?
- How Should You Choose A Professional Shampoo?
- Top 10 Professional Shampoos Comparison Table
- Top 3 Budget Professional Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
- Top 4 Value Professional Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
- Top 3 Premium Professional Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
How Is A Professional Shampoo Different from A Standard Shampoo?
Professional shampoosare different from standard shampoosbecause they’re not mass produced. The two are as different from each other as a 7-course gourmet meal is different from a fast food burger.
For instance, professional shampoos have highly-specialized formulae based around premium-quality ingredients in high concentrations. That’s a triple advantage over standard shampoos.
First, their formulae are developed by highly paid, expert scientists. Second, their formulae are only based on the best ingredients not only in terms of nutrition but also in terms of their suitability for specific requirements. And third, they contain these premium-quality ingredients in significantly higher concentrations than what you see in standard, mass-produced shampoos.
As you consider multiple professional shampoos, you’ll also note that most of them are developed for specific hair types and problems. In fact, sometimes, even entire professional shampoo brands are based on a specific hair type and -problem.
A good example of this is Kerastase. Kerastase is known the world over for developing professional shampoos specifically for extremely dry, weak, and brittle hair. Similarly, Pureology, another professional shampoo brand, is known for developing shampoos for women with colored hair.
Professional shampoos are also considerably more expensive than your standard, drugstore shampoos. The reason for this is obvious too. Professional shampoo brands not only spend more money developing their formulae but also while manufacturing their shampoos.
This is why these shampoos are not produced in large quantities and are only available from reliable, authorized dealers.
Do You Need A Conditioner to Go with A Professional Shampoo?
This question is often on the minds of people considering professional shampoos. The reason why this question pops up so often is that most professional shampoos market themselves as extra-moisturizing.
While they may use terms like humectants, hydration, or conditioning, the message they’re trying to convey is that they really moisturize hair. Moreover, if you look at their labels, you’ll see that they do use ingredients that are known for helping hair capture and retain moisture.
However, this doesn’t mean that you don’t need a conditioner after using a professional shampoo. Whether you should use a conditioner along with a professional shampoo or not depends on your hair type.
If you have very dry hair, then you’re going to need a conditioner regardless of what shampoo you use. Shampoos are built to cleanse your hair and scalp. In that cleansing, they capture and remove natural oils along with dust and dead skin cells.
Since dry hair already lacks sufficient oils to stay moisturized, you’re going to need to back your moisturizing professional shampoo with a professional conditioner.
On the other hand, if you have oily or very oily hair, then you don’t need to use a conditioner after the professional shampoo. In fact, you would do well to stay away from professional shampoos that are particularly “moisturizing.”
However, the majority of you will fall somewhere in the middle of this spectrum. Therefore, you’ll have two options to choose from.
The first is that you test the shampoo out to see if your hair is moisturized or dry after wash. If your hair gets sufficiently moisturized, you won’t need a conditioner. If it stays dry, then you can buy a conditioner separately. However, this way you lose the chance to save money on combo packs. The workaround is to look for sample packs and combos.
The other option is that you don’t use a conditioner but use more of the professional shampoo in a single wash to ensure that your hair gets moisturized. However, whether you use more shampoo or buy a conditioner, you will have to pay extra anyway. Even in this scenario, we advise getting a combo or set because it will save you a lot of money.
How Should You Choose A Professional Shampoo?
The most important factors to consider while choosing a professional shampoo is hair type and cost.
Professional shampoos are developed to cater to very specific requirements. Common variants include shampoos for extra-dry hair, for damaged hair, for colored hair, for very fine hair, and even for unruly hair. Figure out your hair type and what problem you want to solve before you start shortlisting professional shampoos.
Cost is a definite consideration while choosing a professional shampoo because they’re incredibly pricey. Whether you’re looking at premium or budget options, we advise against looking at the total price. Instead, we suggest checking the price per ounce because that is the real cost of the shampoo.
We will also suggest looking at the ingredients list of the shampoo. This way, you can pinpoint allergic threats and take into account your preferences when it comes to smells.
Finally, we cannot emphasize enough how carefully you should consider the authenticity of the shampoo. Just like all designer products in the market ranging from handbags to clothes, professional shampoos are prime targets for counterfeiters.
It isn’t easy to pick out counterfeits from originals either. They’ve become very good at making copies these days. The best thing to do is to buy from a reliable place and look at reviews cautiously. Always having a good return option available such as the one offered by Amazon is recommended too.
Top 10 Professional Shampoos Comparison Table
Top 3 Budget Professional Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
1. OGX Nourishing + Coconut Milk Shampoo
Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0
The formula of this professional shampoo is unique because of one ingredient – egg white proteins. It contains “ultra-whipped” egg white proteins along with coconut milk and oil.
The molecular structure of these ingredients means that this shampoo has a fairly thick consistency. Further, its coconut-based ingredients give this shampoo a tropical coconut smell. You should note that the smell may come off as too strong during the wash, but dissipates as the hair dries up.
The coconut ingredients are also responsible for giving this shampoo the ability to create lather. It lathers up quite nicely even though it doesn’t contain any sulfates. It also doesn’t contain parabens. Since it doesn’t contain sulfates or parabens, this shampoo is quite gentle and mild on the hair.
According to the company, these ingredients allow this shampoo to hydrate hair. They also say that this shampoo can strengthen and add elasticity to the hair. As a result, this shampoo is particularly good for people with extremely dry, brittle, weak, and over-processed hair.
This is also one of those shampoos that smooth hair, counter frizz, and make hair better equipped to handle hot tools. It contains silicones which create microfilm around each hair strand.
This microfilm seals the moisture inside the hair and prevents moisture in the surrounding environment from interfering with the hair structure. It also protects the hair from the heat generated by curling irons, flat irons, and hair dryers.
The problem with shampoos containing silicones is that they’re prone to making hair too greasy, especially if you use too much in a single wash. Further, since they seal off the hair from external moisture, they can also cause the hair to become excessively dry over time.
You can get this shampoo in two sizes – a 25.4-ounce bottle and a 13-ounce bottle.
Who’s it for: If you use hot tools a lot or if you have over-processed, brittle, and dry hair, get this professional shampoo.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product Type: Shampoo |
| Product weight: 25.4 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Coconut milk, coconut oil, egg white proteins |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Deals with frizz well |
| Excellent if you use hot tools a lot |
| Hydrates hair well |
| Has an amazing, tropical coconut smell |
| Produces sufficient lather |
| Can be used on damaged, color, and chemically treated hair |
| Available in two sizes |
| No sulfates |
| No parabens |
| Super cheap shampoo |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Contains silicones |
| Thick consistency |
| Can build up and cause grease |
2. Nexxus TherappeHumectress Combo Pack Shampoo and Conditioner (Best Budget)
Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0
This is a professional shampoo and conditioner combo that isn’t made for people with weak or brittle hair. Instead, it offers a complete moisturizing solution for people with dry hair.
The shampoo in this combo contains a specific caviar and protein complex accompanied by concentrated elastin protein. This lightweight formula softens hair while simultaneously strengthening it. Further, it does all this without weighing the hair down too much. The conditioner’s job in this combo is to detangle the hair.
Another quality of this shampoo is that it can soften hair, even though it doesn’t contain silicones. However, it does contain sulfates. While the sulfates allow this shampoo to produce a lot of lather, they also make it slightly unfit for people with colored or chemically treated hair.
If your hair holds color well, then you can use this shampoo, but if it doesn’t, then you’ll be better off finding a professional shampoo developed specifically for color-treated hair.
This shampoo’s sulfate-content also means that it can dry hair a bit too much. At the same time, some users say that this shampoo makes their hair too oily. We believe that how this shampoo works for you will depend on your hair’s starting point.
If you already have oily hair, then this shampoo may make your hair too oily. On the other hand, if your hair is very dry, then the sulfates in this shampoo may make it too dry.
This shampoo has a very light coconut scent. Unlike the majority of professional shampoos, it also has a thin, watery consistency. It is available in multiple variations and sizes. There’s a combo of two 33.8-ounce bottles, a combo of two 13.5-ounce bottles, and a single 33.8-ounce bottle of shampoo.
The best part about this product, though, is that it is one of the cheapest professional shampoo and conditioner combos out there.
Who’s it for: If your hair needs a lot of conditioning, but you don’t like thick consistency products, get this professional shampoo and conditioner combo from Nexxus.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product Type: Shampoo & Conditioner Set |
| Product weight: 33.8 x 2 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Caviar and protein complex |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Combo product offers a full solution |
| Hydrates hair well |
| Has a light coconut smell |
| Produces sufficient lather |
| Can be used on damaged, color, and chemically treated hair |
| Available in multiple variations and sizes |
| No silicones |
| Super cheap combo |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Contains sulfates |
| Can make some people’s hair too oily |
| Can dry hair too much in some people |
3. Kirkland Signature Professional Salon Formula Moisture Shampoo
Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0
Kirkland Signature may be better known for its minoxidil products, but it offers a very good professional shampoo as well. The Professional Salon Formula Moisture Shampoo from Kirkland is specifically designed to boost moisture in the hairwhile providing it key nutrients.
This shampoo’s formula contains multiple organic extracts. These include extracts from grape seed, avocado, cucumber, aloe leaf, and sunflower seed.The combination of these extracts and other components of the formula give this shampoo a very distinct scent.
Its smell, however, is quite divisive. While many people love it, quite a few others loathe it. The smell has been called sweet and floral by some, while others call it the “old people” smell.
Therefore, whether you like the smell or not depends on your preferences. However, what is undeniable is that the smell is far too strong and long lasting than it needs to be. If you don’t like strong smells, you shouldn’t go for this shampoo.
Owing to such a large concentration of so many essential oils and extracts, this shampoo has the potential to make hair very greasy. If you have dry hair, then this shouldn’t be a problem for you. However, if you have oily hair, then you should definitely avoid using too much of this shampoo in a single wash.
This is a fairly natural shampoo that is free of the usual harmful chemicals such as parabens and sulfates. This makes the shampoo mild and gentle, which means that it can be used by extra-sensitive people as well as people with color-treated hair. You can even use it if you have gluten allergies as it is gluten-free.
One of the more surprising qualities of this shampoo is that it produces a lot of lather. Shampoos without sulfates usually don’t do that so the developers must’ve found a workaround to that problem.
The shampoo is beige colored and has a thick consistency. It is also one of the more affordable professional shampoos you can find these days.
Who’s it for: If you have dry hair and need an affordable professional shampoo to moisturize it, get this Kirkland Signature product.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product Type: Shampoo |
| Product weight: 33.8 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Sunflower seed extract, aloe leaf extract, cucumber extract, avocado extract, and grape seed extract |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Contains organic extracts |
| Has an interestingsmell |
| Produces sufficient lather |
| Can be used on damaged, color, and chemically treated hair |
| No silicones |
| No sulfates |
| No parabens |
| No gluten |
| The bottle lasts a long time |
| Super cheap shampoo |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Can make some people’s hair too oily |
| Everyone will not like the smell |
| The smell is too strong |
Top 4 Value Professional Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
4. Redken All Soft Shampoo & Conditioner Duo
Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0
This combo from Redken has been developed specifically for people with very dry and brittle hair. Most professional shampoos with this objective tend to include silicones in their formula.
However, even though this isn’t the case with this shampoo and conditioner combo, it still manages to strengthen and soften dry and brittle hair. This is largely because of Redken’s proprietary Illuminating Silk-Luxe Complex and Interbond Conditioning System.
The shampoo and conditioner work in tandem to clean, moisturize, and soften dry and brittle hair. The shampoo cleanses and softens the hair while the conditioner moisturizes it and supplements the softening further.
In fact, this combo is so good at moisturizing that it is only ideal for people with very dry hair. If you have normal or oily hair, this shampoo will weigh down your hair and make it incredibly greasy.
This combo has a very unique and difficult to describe smell. However, the majority of its users seem to love the smell, especially since it isn’t all that overbearing.
If you’re one of those people who like their shampoos to lather, you will like this combo. You don’t even need to use a lot of it to get the right amount of lather. This means that the bottle you get will stay with you for a long time too.
It lathers so well because it contains sulfates. If you have colored hair, we wouldn’t recommend using this shampoo, even though a lot of its users say that it doesn’t strip away color. Further, like most lathering shampoos, this one has a thick consistency.
While not the cheapest professional shampoo and conditioner combo, this set’s price isn’t very high. We would peg it towards the lower end of the mid-level price bracket, making more than worth a try.
Who’s it for: If you have very dry hair and want to moisturize it without silicones, get this Redken set.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product Type: Shampoo & Conditioner Set |
| Product weight: 10.1 + 8.5 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Avocado oil |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Designed specifically for dry, brittle, and over-processed hair |
| Strengthens and softens hair |
| Has a great smell |
| Produces sufficient lather |
| The bottle lasts a long time |
| Decently priced |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Not sulfate free |
| Thick consistency can make use difficult |
| Not good for people with oily or even normal hair |
5. It’s a 10 Miracle Shampoo Plus Keratin
Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0
Heat damage is a real concern for women who use hot tools regularly. One of the easiest ways to minimize this heat damage is to use a smoothing shampoo. This “Miracle” shampoo from It’s a 10 fits the bill almost perfectly.
It doesn’t only smooth the hair and protect it from heat but also eliminates frizz and flyaway hair with finality. In fact, this is one of the strongest shampoos when it comes to protection from hot tools.
It creates very strong microfilm around every hair shaft. The microfilm is so strong that it protects the hair from ultraviolet rays too. Further, since the shampoo’s formula is infused with keratin, it even manages to repair and strengthen damaged hair.
This shampoo can create that microfilm because it contains silicones. Silicone shampoos, unfortunately, can cause dryness if they’re used too much or too frequently.
The shampoo is on the heavier, thicker, and creamier side when it comes to consistency, though. This could make application slightly more difficult for some but is well worth the effort for the protection it provides.
At the same time, its thick consistency means that you don’t have to use too much of it in every wash. Even a little bit will produce a lot of lather. So, you can expect the bottle to last you a very long time.
We advise against using too much of this shampoo in a single wash. If you do this, you’ll end up coating your hair strands too much and the silicones will weigh down your hair, make it limp, and force it to lose its natural bounce. Moreover, they will make your hair too greasy to handle.
We should also add that this shampoo produces so much lather without containing any sulfates. In fact, it doesn’t even contain parabens, making it more than suitable for people with colored hair, chemically treated hair, or over-processed hair.
It has a strong smell, but the smell is quite invigorating. Most users describe this shampoo’s smell as fresh, pleasant, and clean. The shampoo is priced quite competitively and most people think it is worth the cost.
Who’s it for: If you need freedom from frizz and use a lot of hot tools, get this shampoo.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product Type: Shampoo |
| Product weight: 33.8 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Keratin, acai fruit, noni fruit, vitamin C, comfrey, sunflower extract, red tea extract, and ginger |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Deals with frizz well |
| Excellent if you use hot tools a lot |
| Protects hair from ultraviolet rays |
| Smells fresh and clean |
| Produces sufficient lather |
| No sulfates |
| No parabens |
| Can be used on damaged, color, and chemically treated hair |
| The bottle lasts a long time |
| Decently priced |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Contains silicones |
| Some people may find the smell too strong |
| Thick consistency |
| Can build up and cause grease |
| Has the potential to dry hair too |
6. Kerastase Nutritive Bain Satin 2 Nutrition Shampoo For Dry and Sensitized Hair
Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0
Kerastase is a brand that is known for developing shampoos and products designed to help repair and moisturize excessively dry and damaged hair. This shampoo is no different, although it provides nutrition in addition to protecting extra “dry and sensitized hair”.
The formula of this shampoo is based around silicone derivatives and cationic polymers. Further, this shampoo also contains “enhanced Gluco-Active Complex”.
The sole purpose of silicone derivatives is to protect the hair strand by coating it with microfilm. The microfilm locks in moisture and reduces heat exposure when hot tools are used. While the silicones protect the hair, the cationic polymers nourish the hair from the inside.
The Gluco-Active Complex has been incorporated in this shampoo’s formula to cater to the driest parts of the hair. The complex contains micronutrients which attach to the hair strand and strengthen it, especially at its weakest points.
Further, the complex contains “Iris Rhizome” extract which is an antioxidant. The antioxidant is meant to prevent dehydration and, as a result, loss of key proteins and nutrition. Owing to its unique formula, this shampoo has a unique smell. However, the smell is fresh and clean and should appeal to most users.
Moreover, this shampoo lathers up really nicely since it contains sulfates. This shampoo’s sulfates and silicones content has drawbacks too. For instance, both these substances are known for making hair very dry.
While sulfates are known to do this immediately, silicones do it over an extended period of time. Further, silicones are also known to weigh down the hair.
When used in larger quantities or used too frequently, they create such a thick coating on the hair strand that the hair becomes heavy and extremely greasy. However, if you’ve used smoothing shampoos before and can pace your use of such shampoos, these problems won’t bother you much.
You can get this shampoo in two bottle sizes – 34 ounces and 8.5 ounces. We recommend the bigger bottle since it will relieve the pressure on your pocket. As it is, this shampoo’s price is towards the top end of the mid-level price bracket.
Another thing you need to watch out for is the authenticity of the product you’re buying. There are significant counterfeit concerns in the market and you need to be sure that the product you get is authentic.
Who’s it for: If you need a shampoo to nourish and protect your excessively dry hair, get this one from Kerastase.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product Type: Shampoo |
| Product weight: 34 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Salicylic acid, glyceryl, tocopherol, citric acid, and Iris rhizome extract |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Deals with frizz well |
| Excellent if you use hot tools a lot |
| Ideal for very dry hair |
| Smells fresh and clean |
| Produces sufficient lather |
| Available in two sizes |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Contains sulfates |
| Contains silicones |
| Can build up and cause grease |
| Has the potential to dry hair too |
| Serious counterfeit concerns |
7. Pureology Hydrate Shampoo (Best Value)
Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0
Pureology is a brand known for developing extremely effective haircare products for people with colored hair, as is evident by their tag line “serious color care”.
As a result, none of their products contain any harsh chemicals such as sulfates. This Hydrate Shampoo is no different. It is completely free of sulfates, making it a gentle and mild shampoo suited to not only color and chemically treated hair, but also very dry, brittle, and damaged hair.
The formula of this shampoo has been explicitly developed to moisturize, condition, and hydrate extremely dry hair. It is a concentrated moisturizing shampoo that can turn around the fate of even the most damaged hair strands.
While its formula contains multiple moisturizing components, its backbone is silicones. The silicones coat the hair shaft and lock the moisture in. As a result, while this shampoo is an excellent choice for women with colored hair, it is even more suitable for women who like to curl or straighten their colored hair!
On the flipside, if you already have oily hair, the silicones in the shampoo can make your hair too greasy. Similarly, if you use too much of this shampoo, you can expect your hair to get dry over time.
There are as many users who love this shampoo’s smell as there are who hate it.Ithas a fresh, clean, and pine-like smell that will remind you of a sweet winter morning. At the same time, the smell has a slight chemical note to it that may put you off.
Despite not containing sulfates, this shampoo still rates high on the lather scale. It produces enough for even the most lather-obsessed people to be satisfied. Since it lathers so well, you won’t need to use a lot of it in every wash.
This will also make the shampoo last a really long time. This is important because this shampoo is quite expensive for the mid-level price bracket. In fact, we could’ve easily included it in our premium section.
Its high price is the reason why we recommend going for the bigger 33.8-ounce bottle, even though an 8.5-ounce and a 1.7-ounce bottle can be purchased too. We also suggest watching out for counterfeits in the market to protect your hard-earned money.
Who’s it for: If you like to curl or straighten your colored hair, then get this Pureology shampoo.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product Type: Shampoo |
| Product weight: 33.8 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Sunflower seed oil, soybean oil, shea butter, tocopherol, jojoba butter, sage leaf extract, rosemary leaf extract, and peppermint leaf extract |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Ideal for very dry, brittle, and damaged hair |
| Hydrates hair well |
| Deals with frizz well |
| Excellent if you use hot tools a lot |
| Smells fresh, clean, and pine-like |
| Produces sufficient lather |
| No sulfates |
| The bottle lasts a long time |
| Available in three sizes |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Everyone may not like the smell |
| Contains silicones |
| Can build up and cause grease |
| Has the potential to dry hair too |
| Serious counterfeit concerns |
| Expensive shampoo |
Top 3 Premium Professional Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
8. Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Shampoo & Conditioner Duo Set
Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0
Living Proof is a well-regarded name in the professional shampoo market. This is mainly because its shampoos have won many awards. This Perfect Hair Day shampoo and conditioner set is a case in point.
This set has won multiple awards over the years and each of them is reputable. The awards it has won include the Allure Best of Beauty Awards, the Prevention Beauty Awards, the Swedish Beauty Awards, and the Total Beauty Awards Editor’s Pick in 2014, the Cosmo for Latinas Beauty Awards in 2015 and the Knot Beauty Awards in 2016.
This shampoo and conditioner set stands out from all the rest because of what it promises. It promises to reduce how frequently you’ll need to wash your hair. It delivers on its successfully too.
According to some users, after using this set for a while, they didn’t need to wash their hair more than once a week. This is the absolute best that this set can do.
However, most users say that it is effective to a point where they don’t need to wash their more than twice a week. We should also add that there are a few users out there who didn’t see the right results after using this set.
The shampoo’s formula is based around Living Proof’s patented Healthy Hair Molecule. As per the company, this molecule performs four tasks in the shampoo. The first is that it “smooths hair,” the second is that it “polishes and protects strands,” the third is that it nourishes the hair, and the last is that it repels “dirt and oil.”
What is impressive is that this set doesn’t contain any untoward substances and harmful chemicals. It is free of all sulfates, silicones, parabens, and even phthalates. This makes this set good for all hair types including extremely damaged, over-processed, colored, and chemically treated hair.
Surprisingly, despite not containing sulfates, this shampoo still produces considerable lather. Further, it has a distinct citrusy scent. The scent is light and fresh, but not overpowering.
You can get this set in three different variations. The first set only contains the shampoo and the conditioner, the second set includes a tube of styling treatment along with those two, and the third one includes a treatment tube and a perfect or tube as well.
Each set is priced exorbitantly, but since they produce the results that they promise, we think the price is justified. This is especially true since the shampoo and conditioner both have a very thick consistency. In fact, they’re thick enough for you to have trouble taking them out of the tube.
Who’s it for: If you’re usually short on time and want to work towards minimizing the frequency with which you wash your hair, get this set from Living Proof.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product Type: Shampoo & Conditioner Set |
| Product weight: 8 x 2 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium methyl cocoyltaurate, decyl glucoside, etc. |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Award-winning shampoo |
| Built around patented technology |
| Specifically designed to reduce wash frequency |
| Has a light, fresh, and citrusy smell |
| Produces sufficient lather |
| Can be used on damaged, color, and chemically treated hair |
| No silicones |
| No sulfates |
| No parabens |
| No phthalates |
| Available in three variations |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Doesn’t work for everyone |
| Very thick consistency |
| Incredibly expensive shampoo |
9. Do TERRA Salon Essentials Shampoo & Conditioner
Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0
The Do TERRA Salon Essentials Shampoo & Conditioner set combines the benefits of science and nature both. It is a smoothing shampoo that boasts of one of the richest blends of botanical extracts we’ve ever come across.
This makes it not only a great hair smoothing product and hair protectant but also an excellent hair strengthening agent. There are two elements to this shampoo and conditioner set.
The first is that it contains silicones. Both, the shampoo and conditioner have silicones in their formula. This means that, when used together, they will not only combat frizz and flyaway hair for you, but also protect your hair when you use a curling iron, a flat iron, or even a hairdryer.
The silicones in these formulae will coat your hair and seal the moisture in. Further, they will prevent humid environments from affecting your hair and reduce heat damage caused by hot tools. The microfilm produced by these silicones will also protect your hair from ultraviolet radiation.
The other element of this shampoo and conditioner is that they contain multiple Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade (CPTG) essential oils. High-quality essential oils contain nutrients that can be instrumental in repairing and maintaining hair.
This shampoo and conditioner’s formulae contain extracts drawn from Eucalyptus, rosemary, lavandin, cedarwood, marjoram, niaouli, peppermint, wild orange, lime, and lavender. All of these extracts combine to strengthen the hair and give it that vibrant appearance that most women crave for.
Even though the formulae contain so many different ingredients, two stand out when it comes to their scent. As a result, the shampoo has a distinct citrusy scent coming from wild orange, while the conditioner has a minty scent being drawn from tea tree oil.
The shampoo in this set doesn’t contain sulfates, which are known to strip the hair of all its natural oils and moisture. As a result, it is suitable for all kinds of individuals, irrespective of their hair type and hair treatments.
The absence of sulfates, however, means that the shampoo doesn’t produce a lot of lather. You shouldn’t worry too much, though. Lather is not required for a shampoo to clean the hair. It is entirely possible for a shampoo to cleanse your hair of dust, grime, dead skin cells, and product buildup without sulfates.
As this shampoo offers so many benefits and qualities through so many unique ingredients, we’re not surprised that it is expensively priced. Since it works so well, its price won’t bother a lot of people.
The price will only seem exorbitant if this shampoo and conditioner set doesn’t work for you. This is possible too since there are a few customers who’ve complained about its ineffectiveness.
For most of these users, the problem is that this set made their hair too greasy. This set is best suited for extremely dry and brittle hair. Therefore, if people with normal or oily hair use this set, then they’ll find a lot of residue in their hair. This is the reason for these complaints.
Who’s it for: If you want the benefits of science and nature both in your shampoo and conditioner, get this set from Do TERRA.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product Type: Shampoo & Conditioner Set |
| Product weight: 8.34 x 2 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Eucalyptus, rosemary, lavandin, cedarwood, marjoram, niaouli, peppermint, wild orange, lime, and lavender |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Combo product offers a full solution |
| Contains CPTG essential oils blend |
| Offers deep conditioning |
| Reduces mechanical styling damage |
| Protects hair from ultraviolet rays |
| Smells citrusy and minty |
| Can be used on damaged, color, and chemically treated hair |
| No sulfates |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Very expensive |
| May not work for everyone |
| Doesn’t produce sufficient lather |
| Can make some people’s hair too oily |
10. Moroccanoil Hydrating Shampoo (Top Pick)
Editor’s Rating: 4.75/5.0
This Hydrating Shampoo from Moroccanoil is easily the best professional shampoo you could go for. It offers every benefit you can expect from a professional shampoo without containing any of the harmful substances that are so common in haircare products today.
Like most professional grade shampoos, this one has also been developed for people with dry hair. However, this shampoo differs from all its competitors because it can be used by people with normal hair too.
The only exception is people with very oily hair. It has immense hydrating qualities that could work against people with very oily hair. Since people with this hair type already have a lot of oil in their hair, using this shampoo will cause their hair to become greasy and grimy.
For everyone else, though, this is a wonder shampoo. Its moisturizing qualities are unmatched and it can be used every day without any problems. Its formula revolves around argan oil along with other key ingredients like red algae, vitamin A, and vitamin E.
Argan oil is globally seen as a panacea for all hair related problems and is treated as a miracle ingredient when it comes to hair nutrition. In fact, it has been dubbed “liquid gold” for all its benefits. The purpose of red algae in this shampoo is to attract and hold moisture in the hair while the vitamins help nourish the hair.
The best part is that none of these ingredients is too strong, making this shampoo very soft, gentle, and mild. This means that it can be used by people with color and chemically treated hair. Moreover, it is also suitable for people with extra-sensitive scalp and skin.
Further, this shampoo’s formula doesn’t contain any of the harmful chemicals that standard shampoos almost always have. It is free of sulfates, parabens, and even phosphates.
The shampoo won’t even disappoint you if you like lather. It lathers well even though it doesn’t contain any sulfates. Its consistency, though, is thick which can make using it slightly difficult.
In terms of its smell, argan oil dominates. It has that very natural, pleasant, and invigorating smell that argan oil is known for.It is likely that you will love its smell like the vast majority of its users.
The biggest problem with this shampoo is its cost. Whichever way you look at it, it is expensive. The biggest bottle you can get has a capacity of only 8.5 ounces. The other option is a sample size bottle containing only about 2.4-ounce worth of shampoo.
If you do order this shampoo, make sure you get the authentic bottle because there are some serious concerns about counterfeits being circulated in the market.
Who’s it for: If you have money and like argan oil, get this shampoo from Moroccanoil.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product Type: Shampoo |
| Product weight: 8.5 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Argan oil, red algae, vitamin E, vitamin A |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Offers deep hydration |
| Built around argan oil |
| Has an argan oil smell |
| Produces sufficient lather |
| Can be used on damaged, color, and chemically treated hair |
| No silicones |
| No sulfates |
| No parabens |
| No phosphates |
| Available in two sizes |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Very expensive shampoo |
| Can make some people’s hair too oily |
| Thick consistency |
| Serious counterfeit concerns |
Contents
- How Is A Professional Shampoo Different from A Standard Shampoo?
- Do You Need A Conditioner to Go with A Professional Shampoo?
- How Should You Choose A Professional Shampoo?
- Top 10 Professional Shampoos Comparison Table
- Top 3 Budget Professional Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
- Top 4 Value Professional Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
- Top 3 Premium Professional Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
