The 25 Best Sulfate-Free Shampoos, Vetted by Editors and Experts

Between the heat, dye and stress our hair is subjected to on a regular basis, we ask a whole lot of it everyday. Give it a break with Olaplex's sulfate-free No. 4 formula, which is meant to reduce breakage and frizz while leaving your tresses with a healthy shine. Its secret weapon lies in the brand’s patented "bond-building" technology, which supposedly repairs broken bonds in your hair.

For one editor, it's a must-have for her dry, damaged hair. “I'm a fan of the Olaplex shampoo, especially when I use it alongside the No.5 conditioner. It makes my hair feel squeaky clean, and just healthier overall. Plus, it doesn't have a super noticeable fragrance either," says Destinee Scott, assistant sales and deals editor at PureWow.

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate
• Scent: fresh
• Cruelty-Free?: yes

More voluminous locks? Sign us up. We love this shampoo by Odele because it adds shine and fullness back to our strands with every wash. Formulated with amino acids, rice protein and citric acid, the blend claims to strengthen and nourish the roots without weighing down your locks in the process. The scent is also noteworthy, as it has a refreshing fragrance of cucumber, oakmoss and ylang-ylang. “I’ve become a big fan of Odele shampoo! It always makes my hair feel so refreshed and healthy! Plus, you can’t beat that price tag," says Joel Calfree, former associate news and entertainment editor at PureWow.

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: amino acids 
• Scent: cucumber, oakmoss, ylang-ylang
• Cruelty-Free?: yes 

Formulated with citric acid and glycine, this shampoo aims to restore and repair damaged locks. The formula also removes build up, while improving shine and strengthening strands. "I’ve been using this Kérastase shampoo for awhile now, and it’s my absolute favorite formula from the brand to date. It claims to remove calcium build-up, which I need since I live in California where I’m exposed to hard water daily. Seriously, my hair has never felt so clean, soft and healthy—plus, I can see a difference in how my hair styles," says Stephanie Meraz, associate fashion commerce editor at PureWow.

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: citric acid, glycine
• Scent: mandarin, citrus, floral, woody
• Cruelty-Free?: no

If you're dealing with hair loss, Vegamour GRO may be the sulfate-free shampoo for you. It's chock-full of karmatin, which is a vegan silk keratin that strengthens hair follicles, enhances shine and absorbs moisture. It also has red clover and mung bean, which aims to prevent hair loss and promote hair growth, and a moisturizing blend of butters (marula, baobab and murumuru) that adds intense hydration to dry strands. The company claims it's capable of making your hair look more than 50 percent denser based on a double-blind, in-vivo clinical study of 40 subjects over 150 days.

It’s also beloved by many of our editors, as one tells us, “I've been using Vegamour for almost a full year now and it has made such a difference for my hair. The smell is incredible (and doesn't linger, which Iprefer as someone who is very sensitive to scents) and it suds up in such a satisfying way, I can really tell it's getting in deep. My hair feels softer and shinier than before. As for the growth components, I do feel it has made my hair thicker and healthier, but it took at least 3 months for me to see a noticeable difference," says Abby Hepworth, fashion editor at PureWow.

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: phytoactives, karamtin, b-silk protein
• Scent: natural citrus
• Cruelty-Free?: yes 

Natural hair requires special care, and if the reviews are any indicator, this sulfate-free cleanser delivers on that. With an emphasis on retaining moisture, its milky formula cleanses, detangles and softens curls. Key ingredients include argan oil, a rich emollient for moisturizing strands, and aloe vera juice to hydrate the scalp and hair—plus, a dash of lemon tea tree oil to soothe the scalp.

[Ed note: While the fruity scent takes some getting used to at first, this sulfate-free shampoo is a game changer for my curls. It offers a gentle lather without stripping away my natural oils or weighing down my hair. I can also work it through my scalp easily and find it helps detangle my hair after I rinse it out.]

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: aloe vera, argan oil, lemon tea tree oil
• Scent: fruity, cereal-like
• Cruelty-Free?: yes

This L’Oréal Paris purple shampoo is tinged with hibiscus and purple pigments to clean your blonde or color-treated hair without stripping it of dye. It also neutralizes brassy tones (we're looking at you, bleach lovers) and nourishes strands at the same time. Shoppers, hair colorists and our very own EIC swear by it. “It's way harder to find a purple shampoo that actually tones down my brassiness but [this one] is sulfate-free, which protects my color. This stuff is like magic, and I love the low price point. I use it twice a month to keep my highlights from getting too warm,” says Jillian Quint, editor-in-chief of PureWow.

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: fatty alcohols, glycerin
• Scent: violet, fig, thyme, coconut 
• Cruelty-Free?: yes

You can declutter your shower with this cleansing cream because it doubles as a shampoo and a conditioner. Formulated with moisturizing ingredients like sunflower seed oil, jojoba oil and aloe vera juice, it gently cleanses and conditions from root to tip. The hybrid also promises to rebalance your scalp, add volume, fight frizz and prevent flakes—just take a look at the reviews. “New Wash by Hairstory is the bomb for my fine hair and you don’t have to use conditioner with it. The lack of lather and thick texture takes a bit of getting used to, but the fluffy, healthy-looking results make me forget ever caring about suds,” says Dana Dickey, senior editor at PureWow.

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: peppermint oil, sunflower seed oil, jojoba oil, rose water 
• Scent: fresh
• Cruelty-Free?: yes

Blondes do have more fun and this bond strengthening shampoo is proof. It vows to revive lightened hair and strengthen strands, so you can show off your bright hue without worrying about it getting dull every time you wash. Key ingredient, citric acid, works to strengthen and soften your hair while packing on all the shine. “I've been using this sulfate-free shampoo from Matrix ever since I first took the plunge to go blonde a few years ago. It's formulated specifically for lightened hair and, IMO, it keeps my highlights looking as golden and glossy as ever between visits to the salon, while preventing my locks from looking (and feeling) over-processed," says Stephanie Maida, senior commerce editor at PureWow.

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: citric acid, panthenol, glycerin
• Scent: fruity
• Cruelty-Free?: yes

This customizable haircare brand has been tried and tested by multiple PureWow editors and it gets a huge thumbs up from all of us. Prose gives you the ability to formulate a shampoo based on your hair needs and preferences—right down to the type of ingredients you want and the scent. The brand only uses naturally derived ingredients such as green tea water, honey, rice water and apple cider vinegar, to name a few. While you can build a whole custom haircare routine, the shampoo stood out to us the most because it gave us a gentle cleanse that left our hair feeling silky smooth. 

“The scent was definitely my favorite. It felt unique and special since it was crafted just for me. I felt like I was getting a spa experience at home every time I washed my hair. The shampoo and conditioner felt so luxurious, and I loved how clean and smooth my hair felt after each wash,” says Catrina Yohay, executive managing editor at PureWow.

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: varies
• Scent: varies 
• Cruelty-Free?: Yes

While Grande Cosmetics is already known for their lash serum, the beauty brand has since jumped into the haircare game. This sulfate-shampoo cleanses and exfoliates the scalp, while improving shine and manageability. "I just started using GrandeHair shampoo and I love that it leaves my scalp feeling super clean without drying it out. I have a very dry scalp and it doesn't weigh my hair down at all. I'm also interested to see how it affects my hair over time since it has lots of nourishing ingredients like niacinamide, microgreens and ginseng," says Natalie LaBarbera, assistant commerce editor at PureWow.

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: niacinamide, ginseng, microgreens, proteins
• Scent: violet, iris, sandalwood
• Cruelty-Free?: yes

Toves-Vincilione loves this sulfate-free shampoo from Authentic Beauty Concept, specifically calling out its effectiveness on dry, damaged, color-treated and curly hair. Its key ingredients are antioxidant-rich mango and soothing basil extract, which is known for its moisturizing properties, while improving elasticity and boosting shine to dull locks. Aside from being free of sulfates, the shampoo is also free from mineral oil, parabens and silicones. Plus, it’s vegan and cruelty-free.

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: violet rice extract, mango extract, basil extract
• Scent: mango, basil
• Cruelty-Free?: yes

This gentle cleanser is formulated to really get in there to remove product buildup, dirt and oil without using any sulfates. The star ingredient is apple cider vinegar, which is known for its clarifying properties. It also helps exfoliate the scalp while keeping your locks shiny. Oh, and it has color-safe keratin, which smooths down frizz and softens strands.

Another thing we love about the shampoo is its pleasant scent—especially “Melrose.” It's one of the brand’s signature blends that features hints of bergamot, white musk, lychee and cedarwood that smell wonderful in (and out of) the shower. As Hepworth tells us, "Ouai smells amazing, like I wish I can buy it in a matching perfume. The Detox formula is also great for summer, especially when my hair gets greasy faster."

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: apple cider vinegar, hydrolyzed keratin
• Scent: melrose
• Cruelty-Free?: yes

Curly girls are singing the praises of this rice curl complex formula, which has a blend of rice, keratin amino acids and enzymes to cleanse and protect your hair. As you lather up your curls, the product works to add protein back into dry strands—something that's crucial for keeping the integrity of your ringlets intact. [Ed note: This shampoo really helped with softness, frizz and clearing away any of my product build up. I highly recommend it as the perfect prep for your conditioner.]

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: rice extract, keratin amino acids, jojoba oil
• Scent: citrus, jasmine
• Cruelty-Free?: yes

This Pattern shampoo is worth a look, especially if you have natural hair. Its creamy formula has aloe leaf juice, honey and coconut oil to remove any build up and dirt, while locking in some much-needed moisture. You'll also find biotin to strengthen swirls and encourage healthy hair growth. Plus, the notes of jasmine, bergamot and sweet sandalwood truly enhance your wash day.

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: aloe vera, biotin, jojoba oil, coconut oil, honey
• Scent: jasmine, bergamot, sweet sandalwood 
• Cruelty-Free?: yes

For those days when you need a deeper clean, consider this Briogeo scrub. Formulated with spearmint, peppermint and tea tree oil, it soothes your scalp, while binchotan charcoal aims to draw out impurities that may be clogging your hair follicles. Add in a dash of coconut oil for moisture, and it's sure to become your hair BFF. I (Chelsea) use this scrub as a pre-shampoo to make it easier to thoroughly cleanse my scalp and prep it for the rest of my routine. My hair loves it so much and it's definitely minimized any irritation I used to experience.

Fast Facts

• Formula: binchotan charcoal, coconut oil, peppermint, spearmint, tea tree oil
• Scent: minty
• Cruelty-Free?: yes

Leave it to Augustinus Bader to create a luxe lightweight and vegan shampoo that does more than just gently cleanse. The watercress shikakai and maca root blend creates a strengthening formula that helps reduce breakage all while boosting thickness and shine, as supported by the brand's clinical studies. Meanwhile, the brand’s Trigger Factor Complex (aka TFC8) purports to tackle everything from frizz to shedding to nourishing your locks with amino acids, vitamins and peptides. It's made without irritants like sulfates and parabens, too. "[It's] very light and leaves your hair bouncy and shiny. You do not need to use a lot each time you wash your hair, so one bottle goes a long way," says one reviewer.

Fast Facts

• Formula: amino acids, vitamins, peptides
• Scent: none
• Cruelty-Free?: yes

Are you dealing with flat, lifeless locks? This shampoo is filled with collagen to revive limp hair. The thickening formula includes biotin, which works to strengthen strands, encourage hair growth and add volume. Meanwhile, vitamin B7 and wheat proteins nourish your ‘do. Another reason to add this to your cart: the deliciously lush scent of bergamot, jasmine and vanilla.

As one shopper shares, “I recently tried [this] shampoo [and] I highly recommend [it] for its great scent and ability to make hair soft and full. The fragrance is a refreshing blend of floral and fruity notes that lingers in the hair. After using it, my hair felt silky smooth, voluminous and healthy. It's gentle on hair and contains natural ingredients. I believe it's an excellent choice for daily use.”

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: biotin, vitamin b7, collagen
• Scent: bergamot, jasmine, vanilla 
• Cruelty-Free?: no

If you want your cleanser to be free of sulfates, this vegan formula checks all the boxes. It relies on jojoba oil, which moisturizes hair, reduces frizz and encourages thickness and regrowth. There’s also green tea and sage, which have both been shown to prevent hair loss and support hair growth. It also has an anti-fade complex with UV filters, making it a good choice for those looking to maintain their hair color between salon visits.

Customers say it cleans quite well without sulfates, but several noted that it has a strong natural scent, so if that's not your bag, move along. “I've always had thick hair, but the past couple of years it has been pretty damaged. I've been using this shampoo and its matching conditioner for two months and my hair is now super strong and is back to growing super fast like it always used to! I'm so amazed,” shares one Ulta shopper.

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: jojoba oil, sage oil, green tea oil
• Scent: lavender, patchouli, bergamot 
• Cruelty-Free?: Yes

Need a shampoo that won’t leak all over your suitcase or gym bag? This solid cleanser from superzero will do just the trick. It has a blend of caffeine, menthol and rosemary oil, which stimulates and balances the scalp. The sulfate-free formula also contains vegan keratin to repair strands and amla (Indian gooseberry) extract to improve overall hair health. "I travel a lot, so I was so excited to try this out. The scent is very nice, and the product leaves my hair feel[ing] clean and smooth. I love how this [shampoo bar is] environmentally friendly as well," says one Sephora customer.

Fast Facts

• Formula: caffeine, menthol, rosemary oil, vegan keratin, amla extract
• Scent: fresh
• Cruelty-Free?: yes 

If any of the men in your life are prone to dandruff, an itchy scalp and/or thinning hair, this hydrating shampoo by Kick should be on their radar—and more than 4,800 5-star reviews attest to its magic. Users say the gentle formula soothes the scalp and delivers a tingly sensation without being too overpowering in the shower. Made with 11 herbal essences, including tea tree, eucalyptus, peppermint, aloe vera and rosemary, the blend encourages hair growth, fights flakes and promotes stronger, fuller hair overall. Trust us, they’ll be thanking you later. 

One Amazon review shares, “I recently tried Kick Active Shampoo and was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. The refreshing feeling it gave me was amazing, thanks to the combination of tea tree oil and peppermint in the formula. The shampoo also proved effective in addressing my dandruff issue; after just one use, I noticed that my dandruff had disappeared. Also, no more itchy scalp.”

Fast Facts

• Formula: peppermint, rosemary, aloe vera, tea tree
• Scent: peppermint, rosemary
• Cruelty-Free?: Yes

Japanese brand Shu Uemura has infused the oxidation-preventing power of goji berry with fatty acid-enriched musk rose oil to create a gentle sulfate-free shampoo that will keep your color from fading while increasing the shine, so your strands maintain their vibrancy in-between appointments. The scent description also reads like a trip to the farmer’s market, with mandarin, grapefruit, black-currant, cardamom essence, rose, freesia, violet, sandalwood, musk and vanilla—mmm! As one hairstylist previously shared with us, "I recommend it because it's very gentle and doesn't strip away any of those hair color molecules."

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: goji berry, sweet musk rose oil
• Scent: sweet
• Cruelty-Free?: no

Don’t let the packaging fool you: Gisou is more than just a pretty bottle. The brand is known for its honey-based products, including this shampoo, which uses the natural humectant to keep fine hair moisturized without weighing it down. You’ll also find keramatch, a pea protein to boost hydration and prevent damage, as well as argan oil, which has been proven to strengthen and protect strands. While you may need to stick with it for a few washes to get your desired results, per the reviews, its benefits are said to include volume, oil reduction and a fantastic floral fragrance.

One Sephora reviewer say, “This shampoo is such a perfect product because it cleanses my hair and oily scalp beautifully without leaving any buildup! It also feels very nourishing to the hair, and my hair feels very manageable and soft while looking voluminous! I’ve also noticed how shiny and healthy my hair looks! My daughter has coarser, wavy hair and it made her hair soooo soft and shiny as well!”

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: honey, keramatch, argan oil 
• Scent: honey, apricot, mandarin
• Cruelty-Free?: yes

The sun's harsh rays can do a number on your skin—and on your hair. This hydrating pick can help with its inclusion of sunflower seed extract, which acts as a natural UV protectant. Beyond that, this sulfate- and cruelty-free formula uses argan oil to condition and add shine, keratin protein to strengthen strands and pro vitamin B5 to moisturize your hair. “It lathers beautifully (once it has actually broken down the build up on my scalp so may take one to two times), [it] smells great, and did an awesome job of cleaning my hair without drying out. I used it for my wedding day because I knew it was going to give me a great hair day. [The] smell isn't strong, but it’s really pleasant,” says one Sephora reviewer.

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: argan oil, provitamin B5
• Scent: grapefruit, oatmeal
• Cruelty-Free?: yes

There’s a reason the Moroccanoil brand is beloved. This fan favorite seemingly does it all. It offers hydration with red algae, a fatty acid that controls oil production and rebalances the scalp, as well as, vitamins A and E, which reportedly encourages hair growth. Let’s not forget the argan oil in the formula, which restores elasticity and adds shine to dry, brittle hair. 

One Sephora customer shares, “The Moroccanoil Hydrating Shampoo is a must-have for dry and damaged hair. This shampoo's rich and creamy formula provides deep hydration, leaving my hair feeling soft and manageable. I love how it restores moisture to my hair without weighing it down, and the signature Moroccanoil scent is simply divine. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a hydrating and nourishing shampoo that works wonders for dry hair.”

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: argan oil, algae, vitamin a 
• Scent: fresh
• Cruelty-Free?: Yes

Many reviewers with sensitive scalps vouch that this shampoo is actually extra gentle on your skin and hair. Made by the same company that provides relief to those with eczema, it uses natural oats, which have been clinically proven to be soothing. The blend is also infused with almond milk to improve hair texture and strengthen strands. A number of the 5,200 5-star reviews cite that it makes their locks look nice and shiny. “I love this shampoo for my girls. Both my girls have eczema, and this shampoo has worked wonderfully for them. I love the ingredients and I’m very happy with it," says one Amazon shopper.

Fast Facts

• Key Ingredients: natural oat, almond milk
• Scent: natural oat
• Cruelty-Free?: yes