The 20 Best Sulfate-Free Shampoos

If you’re a fan of coconuts, this shampoo nourishes your strands with creamy coconut oil and milk that leaves a subtle tropical scent that's sure to garner compliments. Egg white proteins are added to the mix to add shine and smoothness.

Amazon rating: 4.7/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer said: “Been using this for months now. It really smells nice. It’s improved hair growth. I love the big bottle. Give it a try!”

A favorite among beauty obsessives everywhere, Olaplex’s shampoo repairs, strengthens, and restores hair bonds without stripping it of its natural oils and nutrients. Your hair is noticeably healthier after each wash.

Amazon rating: 4.7/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer said: “The Olaplex shampoo is awesome and makes my hair so soft and shiny. Why haven’t I been using this before now!!??”

Looking at your limp, lifeless hair can make you feel hopeless. Ouai’s Fine Hair Shampoo is the pick-me-up your hair has been missing. The formula is built with strengthening ingredients like biotin and keratin, while chia seed oil swoops in to soothe and nourish the strands.

Ouai rating: 4.6

A Ouai reviewer said: “I have very fine hair and this shampoo has been a game changer! My hair is so full and feels thick! Great stuff.”

We love hot tools, volumizing hairsprays, and nourishing oils, but by the time wash-day rolls around, we’re winded. Amika’s Normcore Shampoo works to remove all the product build-up weighing down our strands and restore balance to the scalp to improve the hair's overall health.

Sephora rating: 3.4/5 stars

A Sephora reviewer said: “I honestly love this shampoo. I have thick, long, curly hair so I wasn’t sure how I would like it especially since my hair is so picky with products. I had previously tried out their hair mask and loved the smell so I figured I would try the shampoo also and honestly I was not disappointed. It smells amazing and makes my hair so soft. Such a great price too.”

Thick, curly strands gain a subtle sheen and softness from this rich mix, which contains nourishing almonds and avocados.

Ulta rating: 3.6/5 stars

An Ulta reviewer said: “I was looking for something more moisturizing for my relaxed hair as my current shampoo was too clarifying, despite claiming to be moisturizing as well. I switched to this one and after one wash, condition and flat iron, it’s giving fresh out the salon chair. Much fewer fly-aways, my hair looks shinier and physically feels more moisturized. I’m sure I could’ve detangled with the shampoo but I waited until I deep conditioned to be safe. 10/10.”

With a focus on biotin and coconut oil, you can relax knowing that your hair is receiving the right care. While biotin steps in to increase your hair’s resistance, coconut oil works to nourish and smooth limp strands.

Amazon rating: 4.4/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer said: “I’ve been using this for a while! It actually works pretty well with curly hair and it smells amazing. I definitely recommend.”

Transform your bathroom into a tranquil spa with a heavenly aroma of peppermint, eucalyptus, and rosemary. Formulated with these same ingredients, this shampoo promotes scalp circulation while also conditioning and nourishing the hair to rebuild it stronger.

Amazon rating: 4.6/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer said: “I had an itchy scalp and sometimes I would have small bumps on my scalp. My hair was getting thin. I researched shampoos and found this one. All natural and no yucky products. This shampoo has been a game changer for me. I love it!”

For those looking for a shampoo that delivers on its claims without weighing your hair down, JVN has it packaged in this gorgeous purple bottle. This shampoo controls frizz, softens hair strands, and shields color-treated hair with just a few pumps.

Sephora rating: 3.5/5 stars

A Sephora reviewer said: “I have thick, color-processed hair and I was looking for a color safe moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. This fit the bill! It’s helped my color last and I LOVE the aluminum bottles - so much easier to recycle!”

Safe enough for daily use, Nécessaire’s shampoo treats your hair with niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to hydrate the scalp. Other ingredients like aloe vera juice and celery seed extract soothe and relax your strands.

Necessaire rating: 4.4/5 stars

A Necessaire reviewer said: “A consistent product. Always leaves my hair looking and feeling amazing. Combined with the conditioner this is my go to shampoo.”

Reverse dry, lackluster hair with this gem from Mizani. After a few washes, your hair will feel lighter and bouncier with a healthy sheen.

Amazon rating: 4.7/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer said: “This shampoo has really made a big change in my hair. It was so dry and now it is shinning and soft. Yes i would recommend buying this product.”

This shampoo is packed with so many nourishing oils—including ginger root oil, turnip root oil, and carrot root oil—that leaves your hair feeling buttery smooth and manageable for styling.

Amazon rating: 4.2/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer said: “Do not sleep on Rucker roots products!!! I love these products. The shampoo and conditioner makes my hair feel so fresh and clean. The products are sulfate free!”

As the name suggests, this Aveda shampoo is a savior for chemically-treated hair or any hair in desperate need of a tune-up. Mango butter and coconut oil work together to replenish strands and make curls appear healthier and bouncier.

Nordstrom rating: 4.2/5 stars

A Nordstrom reviewer said: “This made my hair feel healthy again after a lot of chemical treatment.”

If you’ve been struggling to detangle or style your hair due to excess damage, allow SheaMoisture’s Intensive Hydration Shampoo to bring your hair back to life. The “hydration” comes courtesy of manuka honey and mafura oil, which makes the hair softer and shinier instead of dry and stiff like many other cleansers.

Amazon rating: 4.6/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer said: “My hair looks sooooo much thicker after using this just once. I have noticed I have less split ends each time I use it. I have a sensitive scalp, and I really like this product. I even put the conditioner straight on my scalp, it does not leave a greasy residue at all.”

This shampoo makes you feel like you’re fresh out of the hair salon. Each wash results in soft, bouncy hair, and relieves itchy scalp.

Amazon rating: 4.6/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer said: “I have been using this shampoo for over a year and my hair is very healthy feeling. I have gray coming in and I am letting it grow out. So it was feeling dry and had split ends. My hair looks shiny and soft!”

This drugstore sulfate-free option remains one of the best. The opalescent formula has a herbaceous scent and leaves color-treated strands both vibrant and volumized, not dull.

Target rating: 4.4/5 stars

A Target reviewer said: “Have used this EverPure shampoo for color-treated hair for at least 18 years. A small amount of the shampoo really works wonders, and it makes my color last a lot longer than regular shampoo does ! Usually purchase a single tube of the shampoo, but this time the sale was so great I bought 4 tubes at once !!”

Los Angeles-based hairstylist Clayton Hawkins suggests his clients use this techie option, which relies on the brand’s patented OFPMA molecule to seal strands and repel dirt with a weightless (and completely invisible) shield.

Ulta rating: 4.5/5 stars

An Ulta reviewer said: “I have been using this shampoo for at least 1 year and it has made such a great difference in my hair health. I usually have really bad dandruff, but this helps with managing it.”

While you won’t get whipped-cream suds, you will get an exquisite clean thanks to green tea oil and aloe leaf extract. Also, strands are left smelling like you took a nap in a mossy, sun-dappled spot in the forest. Nothing better.

Amazon rating: 3.9/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer said: “Clean feel and fresh. Natural and cruel free. Great fresh scent and nice lather. I enjoy putting it on every time.”

Celebrity hairstylist Mark Townsend swears by this gentle, suds-free formula, which breaks down buildup with honey, lemongrass, hops, and Hawaiian ginger. (Yum.)

Amazon rating: 4.3/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer said: “I love love love this shampoo. I added it to my routine because of Amanda Seales and have not looked back. My hair loves this.”

While it’s branded for curly strands, the jojoba, coconut, and macadamia oils in this affordable option are light and hydrating enough for other hair types, too.

Amazon rating: 4.5/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer said: “I have naturally wavy hair that doesn’t like to behave but this keeps it in check! I like all the curl nourish line.”

A coconut-based cleanser means you’ll still get a frothy and satisfying lather, but without any unfortunate stripping.

Ulta rating: 4.3/5 stars

An Ulta reviewer said: “This shampoo has been great for my sensitive scalp. Clean and natural, it cleanses without stripping and also nourishes and hydrates. It is hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested. A key factor for me is that it contains no fragrances or essential oils which is great for those with sensitivities.”