18 Best Shampoos for Curly Hair, Tested and Reviewed for 2024

This shampoo for curly hair is kind of like a shampoo/co-wash hybrid. It’s full of emollients (see: sunflower seed oil, fruit extracts, moisturizing alcohols, shea butter) to seal in moisture on your scalp and hair, but also uses ultra-light cleansing agents to help lift off dirt and grime from your roots. “The magic behind this brand’s products, including this moisturizing co-wash, are seeds from the lavender croton plant, found in central Africa. The benefits are vast, but it’s really known for its power to strengthen your hair,” says Cosmo Beauty Director-at-Large Julee Wilson, who gave this bb a Holy Grail Beauty Award this year.

• Key ingredients: Fruit extracts, shea butter, sunflower seed oil, mild surfactants
• Sulfate free? Yes
• Hair type: Dry, damaged, color-treated, relaxed hair

Glowing Customer Review: "This co-wash gently cleaned my dry hair and left it moisturized and bouncy. It lathers slightly and it has a beautiful, earthy scent (same as the OG leave-in conditioner of the brand). The scent fades away quickly in case you are concerned about scent."

“Rocking my natural curls isn’t an everyday affair, but this hydrating dream team is changing the game for me," says Cosmo beauty contributor Marisa Petrarca, who gave the curl shampoo and conditioner duo one of this year's Cosmo Holy Grail Beauty Awards. "We’re talking love-at-first-sight packaging (read: a massive, easy-to-pump shampoo bottle) and a formula that’s like a magic potion for shine and frizz control. Yup, it has me in a chokehold.” If Marisa didn't sing its praises enough, you'll love this sulfate-free formula for your medium to thick curly hair if you are prone to knots and tangles—which, hi, is a relatable issue in the curly community. It's also filled with film-forming humectants that are great for hydration, moisturizing coconut oil, and gentle cleansers.

• Key ingredients: Panthenol, panthenyl ethyl ether, coconut oil, gentle cleansers
• Sulfate free? Yes
• Hair type: Medium to thick curly hair

Glowing Customer Review: "Love this shampoo! I even bought the conditioner because it was a good one. It really cleans my hair and defines my waves underneath. The smell is INCREDIBLE that is definitely the best part because it lingers on my hair. Got so many compliments. Thank you!"

If you're looking to bring back your natural curl pattern or just haven't found quite the right products to perfect your wash-and-go, consider opting for CurlMix's shampoo (and the system!). "This shampoo left my hair and scalp feeling so fresh instead of stripped, says Cosmo's lifestyle editor, Christen Johnson, when she awarded this shampoo a 2024 Cosmo Holy Grail Beauty Award. "And my curls were truly so juicy and moisturized after applying the conditioner, it wasn't even a struggle to detangle." The winning formula Christen loves? Emollients (hi, jojoba oil) and gentle cleansers that'll wash your curls without drying them out.

• Key ingredients: Jojoba oil, aloe vera, gentle cleansers
• Sulfate free? Yes
• Hair type: All (specific system options available depending on curl type)

Glowing Customer Review: "I would recommend the CurlMix Master's Collection 4-step system to anyone looking to get the best WNG (wash-n-go). The shampoo is amazing and lathers well. The conditioner gives great slip and the stylers help to maintain hydrated and defined curls. I use CurlMix products exclusively and this has allowed me to have a consistent routine. I am confident I can complete a successful WNG using CurlMix products."

If you color or chemically treat your curls, you should 100 percent be incorporating a strengthening shampoo like this one from Not Your Mother's in your routine at least once a month. It uses amino acids to help re-link the broken bonds in your hair strands, filling in all the cracks and holes in your cuticle that make hair all brittle and stringy.

And unlike lots of other popular bond-building shampoos, this option is perfect for curly hair because it doesn't contain any silicones. Instead, it helps smooth flyaways with lightweight avocado oil.

• Key ingredients: Amino acids, arginine, avocado oil
• Sulfate free? Yes* (but contains other strong surfactants)
• Hair type: Damaged, color treated, chemically treated

Glowing Customer Review: "This shampoo has been great. My curls seem stronger, and it smells amazing! Even my daughter uses it, and it works great on her curls too. We're happy with it. And the packaging is very cute."

Sometimes, you want a product that'll define your curls, balance your scalp oils, and make your hair shinier. The answer? This custom formula by Function of Beauty Pro. The base formula is filled with amino acids to help strengthen your hair, and then you can add in different boosters depending on your hair goals (like color protection, curl definition, or frizz smoothing, for example).

• Key ingredients: Alanine, amino acids, panthenol, sodium PCA
• Sulfate free? Yes
• Hair type: All (plus options for wavy and coily hair too)

Glowing Customer Review: "I have 3a/3b curls that are thick and high density. My curls are very dry, so they require lots of moisture to look their best. I love how you can mix up your concentrates depending on your hair goals and needs. I really like the smell of the products too. After rinsing the products out, my hair feels so soft and looks shiny and hydrated."

Newsflash: There is absolutely nothing (!!) wrong with your frizz and flyaways. But if you want to smooth out your hair, try this moisturizing shampoo from Amika. It’s filled with hydrators—hi, panthenol, and aloe vera—that attract water to your thirsty hair. "My 4b/4c hair is extremely prone to frizz thanks to it being so dry, so I love that this smoothing shampoo contains hydrating panthenol and aloe vera, as well as moisturizing alcohols to keep my hair smooth and healthy-looking after wash day," says Cosmo Associate Editor, Chaise Sanders.

• Key ingredients: Aloe, panthenol, cleansing agents, moisturizing alcohols
• Sulfate free? Yes
• Hair type: All

Glowing Customer Review: "To all my girls with naturally frizzy hair. This one is a keeper! Smooths frizz and makes your hair feel so, so soft. Best thing: It does all this without weighing your hair down, so you still get to keep your volume."

Despite what you may have heard, it's actually beneficial to use sulfate every once in a while to help break down wax and silicone buildup in your hair, which can stretch out and weigh down your curls. Try sudsing up with this clarifying shampoo once a month that uses sulfates to strip silicones, waxes, product buildup, and oils from your roots. And to cut down on any drying side effects, this shampoo has added moisturizing ingredients, including jojoba oil and aloe vera. Both ingredients are favorites of trichologist Kerry Yates for hydrating both the hair and scalp to help offset dryness.

• Key ingredients: Ammonium laureth sulfate, aloe vera, jojoba oil
• Sulfate free? No
• Hair type: All* (*but can be drying if used too often for dry hair)

Glowing Customer Review: “I have long wavy/curly hair, and I use heat, hairspray, and texturizing products two to four times a week,” writes one reviewer. “This stuff is amazing for getting all the product buildup out of my hair without stripping it or drying it out. It’s surprisingly moisturizing too, as I don’t need much conditioner aside from my ends after shampooing. 10/10!”

If you’ve ever colored your curls, then you know how drying and damaging hair dye can be and how quickly your color can fade. The solution? This ultra-gentle, moisturizing shampoo for curly hair by Sienna Naturals. It uses mild surfactants to help clean your scalp and roots, as well as moisturizing aloe vera and baobab seed oil to keep your color from looking dull. FWIW, Cosmo Beauty Director-at-Large Julee Wilson gave this formula a 2023 Holy Grail Award, noting it keeps her “curls clean, moisturized, and happy.”

• Key ingredients: Aloe vera, baobab seed oil
• Sulfate free? Yes
• Hair type: All

Glowing Customer Review: According to a review, “Best shampoo I’ve ever used in my life. It feels clean, but like I used a conditioner, because I can run my fingers through it. Love it!”

This creamy cleanser is *chef’s kiss* for dry, brittle, curly hair. It's full of moisturizers like honey and hyaluronic acid, as well as silk amino acids which also help strengthen your hair over time. Plus, this shampoo uses a strong cleanser to help lift off any oils left on your hair that can build up and weigh your curls down. Just note it can be a bit stripping, so stick to lathering up with this once or twice a week, following with a deep conditioner.

• Key ingredients: Silk amino acids, honey, hyaluronic acid
• Sulfate free? Yes* (but contains other strong surfactants)
• Hair type: All

Glowing Customer Review: “Cleansing and moisturizing,” writes one tester. “My hair doesn’t feel stripped. My wash ‘n gos are truly that. My hair dries fast after being set, and my curls are super defined! No lie on the label—it has a perfect balance of protein! My elasticity has improved since using it.”

If your shampoo is super foamy, there's a good chance it's filled with sulfates that can not only strip your hair of moisture, but also potentially irritate your scalp. Instead, this “no-poo”—i.e., no shampoo/sulfates—cleanser is formulated with tons of emollients (hi, castor oil and ultra-smoothing crambe oil) and humectants (‘sup, honey) to seriously hydrate your hair, all while giving you a super-light cleanse. Massage a dollop of this cream into your roots, then before rinsing, smooth through conditioner and detangle for an all-in-one kinda wash day.

• Key ingredients: Honey, castor oil, crambe oil
• Sulfate free? Yes
• Hair type: Dry, damaged, chemically treated, color treated

Glowing Customer Review: "It smells great, feels great, and is great for my hair. This product has significant slip, and keeps my hair moisturized."

Fun (annoying?!) fact: A dry scalp can actually lead to itching, flakes, and irritation, which could make your curls look limp. Instead of rinsing with harsh, sulfate-filled shampoos—which can cause your scalp issues to flare—try this hydrating curl shampoo, which uses shea butter and moringa oil to lightly moisturize your scalp without weighing your curls down.

• Key ingredients: Shea butter, moringa oil
• Sulfate free? Yes
• Hair type: Dry, damaged, color treated, sensitive scalps

Glowing Customer Review "I literally just started using this, and it IMMEDIATELY relieved my dry scalp, itchiness, and dandruff!"

If you have fine, thin curls, you know how hard it is to find a curl-friendly shampoo that won't weigh your hair down with heavy oils. Which is why Cosmo editors love this lightweight—yet still hydrating!—cleanser that's free of silicones, sulfates, and mineral oil. And they also have a fragrance-free version if you have a sensitive scalp too.

• Key ingredients: Shea butter, moringa seed oil
• Sulfate free? Yes* (but contains other strong surfactants)
• Hair type: All

Glowing Customer Review: "I absolutely LOVE LUS! My curls were severely damaged from not knowing how to care for them, and constantly straightening my hair, but with LUS, they’re coming back soft, bouncy, and my hair even looks thicker!"

Hey, if you’ve recently chemically treated your hair (relaxers, keratin treatments, etc), you should def incorporate this strengthening shampoo into your wash-day routine. It uses keratin amino acids to help strengthen your damaged hair, while also moisturizing and smoothing with shea butter and avocado oil. Plus, it breaks down buildup and dirt with mild, sulfate-free cleansers that won’t strip your hair of its much-needed moisture.

• Key ingredients: Keratin amino acids, shea butter, avocado oil
• Sulfate free? Yes
• Hair type: All

Glowing Customer Review: "This shampoo begins the road to beautifully clean and defined curls. My frizz was noticeably diminished and easier to style."

If heavy, ultra-moisturizing shampoos leave a greasy film on your curls that weigh them down, swap your shampoo for this clarifying shampoo from Adwoa Beauty. It uses jojoba oil and blue tansy flower oil, two super-lightweight oils that will help seal hydration into your curls without stretching them out. Plus, if you already have some oil or product buildup on your roots, you’ll get a deep clean when you massage this in, thanks to strong, sulfate-free cleansers.

• Key ingredients: Jojoba seed oil and blue tansy flower oil
• Sulfate free? Yes *(but contains some other potent cleansers)
• Hair type: Oily

Glowing Customer Review: "While the Blue Tansy shampoo is clarifying, it doesn't leave that stripped feeling that I'm used to, and I'm not mad. While I'll still keep my stronger clarifiers, I will continue to purchase the Blue Tansy as well. I love how it makes my hair feel clean but not stripped.”

What do Lupita Nyong'o, Serena Williams, and Amandla Stenberg have in common? Celebrity hairstylist and curl guru Vernon François, who not only styles their hair, but also has a namesake curl collection to help you get a similar finish at home. His defining shampoo (filled with shea butter and castor and olive oils) helps dry, limp curls spring back into full, moisturized coils worthy of a red carpet. ...Or, at the very least, a selfie.

• Key ingredients: Shea butter, castor oil, olive oil
• Sulfate free? Yes
• Hair type: All

Glowing Customer Review: "Wow. This product, along with the conditioner, is a game-changer! I have been long exhausted by the search for the perfect shampoo and conditioner that cleans but doesn’t dry out my hair and protects it from frizz, and this is it!"

Shampoo gets a bad rap for stripping your hair and making your curls look poofy and dry. But you can mitigate some of that moisture loss by massaging in this pre-poo treatment from Pattern Beauty. Basically, it's a mix of butters and oils that seal your hair with moisture to prevent your shampoo from drying out your strands. It also uses some proteins to strengthen your hair and help reduce damage over time.

While your hair is dry, just massage the formula into your roots and smooth it on your ends, then let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Then hop into the shower and rinse with cool water, and shampoo and condition as normal.

• Key ingredients: Murumuru seed butter, jojoba seed oil, hydrolyzed vegetable protein
• Sulfate free? Yes
• Hair type: Dry, damaged, color-treated

Glowing Customer Review: "This really helps keep my frizz down and enhances my curls. I want to use it every single day! I love that it doesn’t have silicones, so it doesn’t weigh down my curls. If my hair needs an extra kick, I’ll leave it in for a while."