I’ve mentioned my low-maintenance hair routine a lot: I don’t dye it, I rarely use hot tools and mostly air-dry it, and I keep it minimal with my products. Even though I don’t fuss with my hair that often, it can still get dried out. When my hair starts to get trapped in a vortex of static cling, that’s when I know it’s in need of some hydration help.
A lot of different factors can cause dry hair: overuse of heat tools (especially without using protectants), washing it too much, hair dyes and bleaches, using the wrong products, and the environment/weather. You can do the bare minimum to your hair and still get some dry strands every now and then. For me, I think it’s caused by environmental changes—it tends to feel drier in the winter months.
Luckily, there are plenty of options out there to relieve dried-out strands. There are masks, serums, oils, conditioning treatments, and even supplements that are supposed to help. I like to combat my dry hair by taking a preventative approach and incorporating products into my everyday routine. So I reach for hydrating shampoos and conditioners whenever I wash my hair. That way, I’m making sure I’m nourishing my hair on the regular, and when it does get some extra dryness, I then add masks and oils to my routine.
Here are some shampoos and conditioners I’ve tried and love—plus some my fellow editors vouch for, too.
This shampoo will thoroughly clean your hair and remove dirt and oil, but it won’t strip any moisture. It’s formulated with nourishing ingredients like algae extract, panthenol, biotin, and rose oil.”
Use this conditioner to tame frizz and flyaways. Ingredients like rosehip oil, argan oil, and coconut oil work to moisturize hair and lock in hydration.
If your hair is dried out because of color treatments, this drugstore duo will help restore moisture and shine. The gentle formula is infused with rosemary and doesn’t weigh your hair down or strip color.
Here’s another option for dry and fine color-treated hair. The lightweight formula leaves strands hydrated and soft thanks to ingredients like jojoba, green tea, sage, and lavender, bergamot, and patchouli oils. It’s free of sulfates and parabens.
This is a good option if you’re looking for a clean shampoo that’s hydrating. It’s good for all hair types but is specially made for people with dry, coarse, and damaged hair. The creamy formulation contains emollients to moisturize and sage and tamanu essential oils to balance the scalp’s oil.
Pair Innersense’s Hairbath with the hydrating conditioner to get the whole deal. Monoi oil and aloe work to reduce frizz, while orange flower oil leaves hair shiny.
This sulfate-free shampoo is formulated for thick, coarse, and dry hair. It’s infused with vitamins B5 and E, prickly pear stem extract, and vegetable proteins to hydrate the hair and scalp, making your strands stronger.
This conditioner will really give you “television-perfect” hair by adding volume and shine. It has moisturizing and nourishing ingredients like juniper berry extract, glycerin, babassu-seed oil, panthenol, and marigold flower extract.
Olaplex’s No.4 Shampoo is a favorite with our editors, and that’s because it really works at reviving your dry hair and repairing weakened strands. It also eliminates frizz and flyaways.
Pair the above with its matching conditioner, which complements the shampoo by strengthening strands and adding shine.
Infused with aloe vera, water, vitamins, and nutrients, this shampoo is gentle, soothing, and hydrating. It won’t weigh your hair down either.
Formulated especially for dry and/or highlighted hair, the conditioner contains 2% plant oil to restore the hair’s fiber and antioxidants to protect color.
This moisturizing shampoo will treat dry, coarse, and brittle hair. It has a blend of six lightweight oils to soften, de-frizz, and protect against breakage. It’s free of parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, and formaldehyde.
Bumble and Bumble’s conditioner is formulated for people with hair that’s dry, damaged, and color treated. It’s best on medium-to-thick and straight-to-curly hair types. Like its shampoo counterpart, it has oils that will repair and protect hair.
This sulfate-free shampoo revives dry and brittle hair from root to tip. It’s made with manuka honey, yogurt extract, mafura oil, and shea butter.
SheaMoisture’s conditioner repairs damaged hair by smoothing dry cuticles and sealing split ends. You can even leave it on for three minutes or longer as a deep-conditioning treatment. Next up, A Definitive Ranking of the Worst Things You Can Do to Your Hair
