Shampoo is one of those things most of us just don’t think about that much. You buy it at the store and as long as your hair looks good most of the time you don’t think much more about it. But shampoo can have a serious impact on the appearance and health of your hair.
Especially if you’re a guy it can be hard to know that your shampoo is doing what your hair needs. After all, hair loss impacts men more commonly than women, and testosterone can have a significant impact on your hair.
These shampoos are all designed for men’s hair specifically. They each have different benefits and different ingredients, which means different shampoo is better for different kinds of hair.
Instead of hoping that your shampoo does what your hair needs, we’ve done the research to help you make an informed decision.
We’ll discuss the pros and cons of each formulation, which types of shampoo are best for which hair and skin types, and the main benefits of each product. Let’s get started.
| Budget |
|---|
 |
| Dove Men+Care Shampoo, Oxygen Charge |
| 4.3/5.0 |
| Size: 25.4oz |
| Main Benefits: Strengthens hair and promotes healthy growth |
| Helps improve hair growth and good for fine hair types. |
| Check Amazon |
| Best Value |
|---|
 |
| Woody’s Daily Shampoo for Men |
| 4.2/5.0 |
| Size: 33.8oz |
| Main Benefits: Good medium-strength cleanser for most hair |
| Promotes healthy scalp conditions, suitable for daily use. |
| Check Amazon |
| Top Pick |
|---|
 |
| Brickell Men’s Daily Shampoo & Conditioner Set |
| 4.7/5.0 |
| Size: 2 8oz bottles |
| Main Benefits: Strengthens and makes hair more manageable |
| Natural & organic ingredients, suitable for daily use. |
| Check Amazon |
What to Look for in a Good Men’s Shampoo
Shampoo isn’t all created equal. A good men’s shampoo should address multiple problems, cleansing and removing dirt and dead skin cells, balancing the PH of your scalp and hair, while also delivering proteins and nutrients that help your hair and hair follicles stay healthy.
Not only does it need to do all this, but you also need to avoid certain ingredients that can irritate some people’s skin.
Ingredients to Look For
Instead of going through each ingredient individually, we’re going to group together some common ingredients based on their benefits.
Ingredients that Stimulate Circulation and Hair Growth
Circulation is hugely important for your hair’s total health. Your hair follicles have a very thin connection to your circulatory system, which can be easily disrupted by poor circulation or even stress.
These ingredients help fight that effect, keeping your hair follicles healthier by making sure they get the oxygen and nutrients they need.
Moisturizing Ingredients
Moisture is another critical component to keeping your hair and scalp healthy. Like any skin cell, the cells in your scalp need a lot of moisture to stay healthy. More importantly, the cells in your hair are dead and need outside moisture to stay pliable.
You should look for at least 2-3 of these ingredients in most shampoos. That’s because cleansing is naturally drying, so you need to replace a little of the moisture that is lost while you wash.
Conditioner should have more of these moisturizing ingredients. You should always use a conditioner along with your shampoo. The conditioner will restore significantly more moisture than any shampoo.
DHT Control
One of the biggest things you can do to fight hair loss is to control the amount of DHT that gets to your scalp. The main functions of both Rogaine and Propecia are to address DHT levels in your body so that less can interfere with your hair follicles.
What is DHT? It’s a natural form of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, which your body produces on its own. The concentration of DHT your body produces varies from person to person, but also tends to increase as you get older.
Unfortunately, DHT shrinks the hair follicles in your scalp even as it stimulates hair follicle growth in other areas of your skin. Ingredients that address DHT in your hair follicles are important, and applying them topically helps avoid complications to the other systems DHT impacts.
Ingredients to Avoid
Like any product, there are some ingredients you should avoid in shampoo, but that commonly make it in there anyway. These can be things like parabens and sulfates, which serve a purpose in your shampoo, but which can also be irritating for your skin.
Some ingredients should also be avoided because you’re allergic or sensitive to it. This can include food allergies, allergies to topical treatments, and any other sensitivities. Even if you don’t think topical application will be a problem, you should still avoid potential allergens.
Sensitive Skin
Another important reason to avoid some ingredients is sensitive skin. Otherwise beneficial ingredients can be too intense for skin that’s more reactive than normal.
Parabens, Sulfates, and Preservatives
To be clear, parabens sulfates and preservatives are almost unavoidable. Your shampoo needs preservatives to be shelf-stable, parabens serve several purposes, and sulfates help your shampoo lather and breakthrough oil and debris.
Instead of trying to avoid these ingredients totally, look for shampoos that don’t contain them in the first 4 ingredients. The further down the ingredient list you encounter the first paraben, sulfate, or preservative, the better.
If you’re looking for a shampoo with as little of these things as possible, look for shampoos that are rated paraben and sulfate-free. There will still be preservatives, but often at lower concentrations.
You may also notice salt on the list of ingredients. In this case, salt likely isn’t acting as a preservative, but as a thickener. However, it’s still something you should have as little of as possible since it can be very drying.
Don’t trust that just because a shampoo is marked safe for sensitive skin that it doesn’t include these ingredients.
Consult with a dermatologist if you have any skin and scalp conditions or would like more guidance into the ingredients and products that will be most beneficial to your hair.
Top 6 Men’s Shampoos Comparison Table
If you’re just looking for an effective shampoo designed to treat specific problems, this comparison will help you pick a good product. While we can’t list all the important details of each shampoo here, we’ll try to highlight the most important things so you can make an informed decision.
| Product Name | Size | Main Benefits | Key Ingredients | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickell Men’s Daily Revitalizing Shampoo and Conditioner Set for Men | 2 (8 oz) bottles | Strengthens and makes hair more manageable | Aloe, Vitamin E, and Tea Tree Oil | Check Price |
| Aesop Classic Shampoo | 16.9 oz | Gentle Cleansing, best for Fine Hair types | Cedarwood Oil, Lavender Oil, Rosemary Extract | Check Price |
| Woody’s Daily Shampoo for Men | 33.8 oz | Good medium-strength cleanser for most hair | Aloe, Ginger extract, Soy Protein | Check Price |
| Every Man Jack 13.5 Ounce 2-in-1 Thickening Shampoo + Conditioner | 13.5 oz | Repairs hair, reduces hair thinning and encourages growth | Tea Tree Oil, Aloe, Geranium extract, Watercress extract | Check Price |
| Dove Men+Care Shampoo, Oxygen Charge | 25.4 oz | Strengthens hair and promotes healthy growth | Caffeine and Oxycharge | Check Price |
| JACK BLACK – True Volume Thickening Shampoo – PureScience Formula | 16 oz | Thickens hair and promotes healthy growth | Creatine, Tea Tree Oil, White Lupine Protein | Check Price |
6 Best Men’s Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
1. Brickell Men’s Daily Revitalizing Shampoo and Conditioner Set for Men (Top Pick)
Editor’s Rating: 4.7/5.0
This is the only shampoo and conditioner combo we’re listing here. But, since Brickell has paired their products so neatly, and they don’t directly match names for their product, we thought it was important to list the paired set.
Brickell’s Revitalizing shampoo is a good example of a shampoo that is designed for the unique differences in scalp chemistry for men. Unlike many shampoos for men, it’s not designed specifically for thinning hair, but it does help fight hair thinning.
In addition, this is a good option for men who are looking to add strength and body to their hair. Does your hairstylist comment on your hair having split ends or bring dry? Those are both signs that your hair can benefit from this kind of shampoo.
Ingredients like aloe and vitamin e oil are soothing and strengthening. They’ll work to make sure your scalp has everything it needs to be healthy and support strong healthy hair.
Brickell’s formulation is also paraben and sulfate-free. Both of these types of compounds have been known to irritate your scalp and hair follicles. The formula is also organic and many of the ingredients are all-natural.
That means that this shampoo is less likely to irritate your scalp and hair and is a good choice for men with sensitive skin or skin and scalp conditions.
Tea tree oil also acts as a mild anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agent in your shampoo.
This shampoo made our Top Pick designation for many reasons. But chief among them is the high praise regular users of the shampoo give it. It’s also well balanced to deal with the normal complaints in your scalp, reducing irritation, preventing infection, and providing moisture and necessary nutrients.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Size: 1 Bottle Daily Strengthening Shampoo(8oz), 1 Bottle Revitalizing Conditioner(8oz) |
| Contains: Paraben and Sulfate Free, organic, vegan, cruelty-Free |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Strengthens your hair, helps prevent breakage |
| Adds shine |
| Makes hair easier to manage |
| Paraben and sulfate-free |
| Natural and organic ingredients |
| Suitable for daily use |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Doesn’t lather well (sulfate-free) |
| Kind of expensive for the amount of product |
2. Aesop Classic Shampoo
Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5.0
This is a shampoo we mostly recommend for men with fine hair. That’s different from thinning hair, you can have very thick fine hair. However, this shampoo may be a little too mild for men with medium to coarse hair types.
That’s because this shampoo is designed to be a very mild and lightweight cleanser. Unlike normal shampoos, which can leave behind residues and weigh your hair down, Aesop Classic Shampoo is designed to strip away those residues and leave your hair fluffy and clean.
Like their other shampoos and conditioners, Aesop Classic shampoo has a light botanical scent. Slightly earthy, most people describe it as most similar to rosemary.
It may also be suitable for people with skin or hair conditions, or who have significantly damaged hair, regardless of hair type. More mild cleansers can help prevent negative reactions and restore hair more quickly than it would with normal shampoos.
This shampoo doesn’t lather the way a typical shampoo would. Instead, it’s a thinner and lighter gel that you work through your hair. It will lather up some, but maybe not as much as shampoos with added sulfates.
It’s also almost totally clear, so you need to be careful how much you use until you get used to it.
If your hair tends to be flat and motionless on your head, this shampoo may be a good choice.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Size: 16.9 oz |
| Contains: All-natural ingredients, paraben and sulfate-free, mild cleansing properties |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Very lightweight and gentle |
| Good for sensitive skin |
| Gentle on damaged hair or irritated skin |
| Adds shine and movement to your hair |
| Natural ingredients |
| Mild but pleasant scent |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Not suitable for coarse hair types (unless damaged) |
| Doesn’t lather as well as some shampoos |
3. Woody’s Daily Shampoo for Men (Best Value)
Editor’s Rating: 4.2/5.0
This daily shampoo is a little closer to the consistency and lather you expect from most shampoos. While it does contain sulfates and some other ingredients many high-end shampoos avoid, its results are hard to argue with.
Woody’s shampoo is designed for medium hair types, hair that is neither coarse nor fine and doesn’t have any immediate issues. Unfortunately, that means that if you have a thicker ethnic hair type, hair that’s prone to dryness or getting oily, this may not be a good option.
Ingredients like aloe and ginger work to condition and soothe your hair and scalp while also stimulating circulation and promoting good health.
If you’re looking for a good all-round shampoo that’s designed for men’s hair and scalps, this is a good option. It doesn’t address any particular hair issues or weaknesses, but it supports continued good health
You’re going to pay a little more for this shampoo, thanks to it’s more limited and specialized ingredient list.
But, you have the choice of two different sizes, a smaller 12oz version, and a larger 33.8oz. We recommend starting with the smaller bottle if you’re at all concerned that this shampoo won’t perform well in your hair.
Jojoba oil and several other all-natural plant extracts and oils included in this shampoo make it an effective moisturizing formula. But it’s still lightweight enough that it lifts your hair for better volume and movement.
This shampoo gets our Best Value designation for its larger bottle size and highly effective formulation. You’ll only need a small amount of this shampoo to effectively clean your hair and scalp, but the manufacturer provides more than enough products for several months of average use.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Size: 2 sizes, 12oz or 33.8oz |
| Contains: Original formula, contains sulfates, contains artificial dyes, designed for normal to oily hair types |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Lots of moisturizing and health-boosting ingredients |
| Designed for the most common types of hair |
| Promotes healthy scalp conditions |
| Helps keep hair follicles clean and healthy |
| Mild pleasant scent |
| Suitable for daily use |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Includes sulfates |
| Can strip artificial colors and dyes out of your hair |
4. Every Man Jack 13.5 Ounce 2-in-1 Thickening Shampoo + Conditioner
Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5.0
This is the only 2 in 1 shampoo conditioner that we’ve included on this list. Usually, 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner products are less effective than using the two products separately. 2 in 1 formulations can also have unintended consequences and over or under moisturize more easily than single-purpose formulas.
However, this is one 2 in 1 that performs well above our expectations for this type of product.
Every Man Jack is paraben, phthalate, and dye-free.
They also source as many of their ingredients as possible from sustainable and naturally derived sources. They’re certified cruelty free. Every Man Jack uses at least 50% recycled materials in every bottle and attempts to make all of their products as vegan-friendly as possible.
We’re confident recommending Every Man Jack as a brand, not just this particular product. Try to match the product you choose to the needs of your hair and scalp.
This is a thickening formula specifically. The tea tree oil and other ingredients are designed to help improve circulation and hair growth. The shampoo is also light enough to help add volume and movement to your hair.
As a result, you’ll both see increased hair growth and health, while your existing hair will look fuller and thicker even before the growth starts.
We also appreciate that this shampoo is more affordable than most products designed for thinning hair.
Every Man Jack is one of the more versatile products in terms of compatible hair types. It works well on fine hair all the way through coarse hair types, although it may not be moisturizing enough by itself for the very coarsest hair.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Size: 13.5oz |
| Contains: Shampoo and conditioner in one, cruelty-free, vegan, 96% naturally derived |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Affordable |
| Suitable for a wide range of hair types |
| Vegan-friendly |
| Naturally derived ingredients |
| Uses recycled materials in all bottles |
| Gentle for most skin types |
| Botanicals improve circulation and hair growth |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Can be a little heavy/greasy for some hair types |
| Tea tree oil might cause negative reactions for some users |
5. Dove Men+Care Shampoo, Oxygen Charge (Best Budget)
Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5.0
Dove Men+Care came on the scene as one of the better drugstore varieties of shampoo a few years ago now. The Oxygen Charge is a good improvement on the original line, designed to help restore strength to your hair while stimulating growth.
Like many Dove products, this shampoo works to lift the residue left behind my other products. It reduces oiliness and cuts through the grime on your scalp.
Caffeine has two main benefits applies topically to your hair. It helps to dry your hair out slightly, reducing greasiness without stripping away nutrients and necessary moisture. Caffeination also stimulates the skin in your scalp, improving circulation and helping promote growth.
Its main function is to increase the strength of individual strands of hair. You’ll notice less breakage, fewer split ends, and better color in your hair after only a few washes.
There are three sizes available, from a relatively small bottle up to the larger version featured on this list.
It’s also a better option if you’re looking for a shampoo, you’re likely to be able to find in local stores, not just online. Dove Men+Care’s line of products is often available in local drugstores, grocery stores, and many big-box stores.
We chose this product for our best bargain designation not simply because it’s an affordable option, but also because it’s easy to find, effective, and comes in a larger bottle than most shampoos.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Size: 25.4 oz |
| Contains: Clarifying shampoo, contains caffeine, oxygen boost, and calcium |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Highly Affordable |
| Easy to find |
| Effective for strengthening hair and improving health |
| Creates better color and brighter shine |
| Helps improve hair growth |
| Good for fine hair types |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Not suitable for coarse hair types |
| Contains parabens and sulfates |
| Calcium may irritate your scalp |
6. JACK BLACK – True Volume Thickening Shampoo – PureScience Formula
Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5.0
Another more natural shampoo alternative, this designer shampoo is designed to make sure your hair is growing at its full potential. That means having as many active hair follicles as possible, that are growing hair at their best possible rate.
To be clear, this shampoo isn’t a hair loss treatment, it’s not like Rogaine (minoxidil) or Propecia (finasteride), these medications don’t act as a full treatment for hair loss.
However, it can serve as good support for those treatments, or as an alternative way of intervening in thinning hair and hair loss.
With healing properties drawn from naturally derived botanicals, this shampoo is designed to support all stages of hair growth.
The sulfate-free formula is lightweight and moisturizing, suitable for most hair types and textures.
Tea Tree and basil extracts both work well to stimulate the scalp and promote hair growth. They also provide key nutrients and supports for faster, stronger, growth.
It’s also designed to help increase the visible volume of your hair, making it look thicker and healthier even before new growth begins.
If you’re looking for a product that’s made in the USA, Jack Black has you covered. Based out of Texas, this company was founded by an American and remains a true American company.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Size: 16 bottle |
| Contains: Does not condition hair at all, contains tea tree, nettle, and lavender oil among others, not gluten-free contains wheat protein |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Several natural botanicals for booting growth and performance |
| Designed to work for most hair types and textures |
| Lots of moisture and strength-support |
| Fragrance-free |
| Supports thicker hair growth |
| Deep cleanse for better results |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Lots of essential oils could cause negative interactions |
| Botanical blend not always suitable for sensitive skin or men with allergies |
| Contains sulfates |
Contents
- What to Look for in a Good Men’s Shampoo
- Top 6 Men’s Shampoos Comparison Table
- 6 Best Men’s Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
- 1. Brickell Men’s Daily Revitalizing Shampoo and Conditioner Set for Men (Top Pick)
- 2. Aesop Classic Shampoo
- 3. Woody’s Daily Shampoo for Men (Best Value)
- 4. Every Man Jack 13.5 Ounce 2-in-1 Thickening Shampoo + Conditioner
- 5. Dove Men+Care Shampoo, Oxygen Charge (Best Budget)
- 6. JACK BLACK – True Volume Thickening Shampoo – PureScience Formula
