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11 best shampoos and conditioners for red hair (tested and reviewed for 2023)
All the best recs from myself and two celebrity colourists
If you’ve scrolled past a celeb on Instagram who has dyed their hair red (oh hiiii Emily Ratajkowski and Megan Fox) and felt the urge to go rouge yourself, you’re not alone. I personally felt moved to alter my hair colour when I saw pics of Kendall Jenner with red hair at the Prada show last year. After contemplating the decision for a full year, I finally went for it a few weeks ago and had celebrity colourist Jenna Perry dye my signature platinum blonde hair a coppery red shade similar to Kendall's. And while my new red colour is definitely lower maintenance than my old blonde, it still requires frequent visits to the salon for touch-ups and a whole new set of at-home products, specifically shampoos and conditioners for red hair.
Both Perry and celebrity colourist Rita Hazan say that red hair fades fast, so using a good shampoo and conditioner for red hair can help preserve your hue, even if the formula isn’t colour-depositing. “I always remind my clients that every time they wash their hair, their colour is going to come out a little bit," says Hazan. "It’s just what happens when warmer water hits your hair, the cuticle lifts and the colour molecules seep out. So, yes, it’s definitely important to be using specific shampoo and conditioner,” Hazan explains. Which brings us to...
Best products for red hair
Davines Alchemic Conditioner - # Copper (For Natural & Coloured Hair)
Read review
Keep reading for the full list of best shampoos and conditioners for red hair, according to my recent testing and both Perry and Hazan's years of expertise. And because maintaining your red hair doesn't stop with just shampoo and conditioner, I've included other must-try hair products for redheads, including an at-home gloss, a colour-depositing conditioner, a dry shampoo, and a hair mask for reversing the damage.
In my experience, if you have cooler, more coppery-coloured red hair like myself, it’s important to use a colour-depositing shampoo that is a little more nuanced and not just one note of red.
This one with coppery pigments from Davines is Perry’s favourite (she says she trusts it to keep the colour that she does in the salon properly cared for at home), and it's now a go-to in my haircare routine as well.
Glowing customer review: "I personally love how this shampoo looks as though there are multiple hues in i—I just know it’s giving me the dimension I’m looking for in my hair."
Perry recommends using this conditioner from Davines as well if you have cool red or coppery red hair. The formula has a burnt amber colour that will deposit the *perfect* dimensional colour to your newly coloured red hair.
It's also super moisturizing and makes detangling and combing my hair post-shower so easy.
Glowing customer review: "I like this product. Works well and brings out the gold and auburn highlights from my balayage I had in January. I get compliments on my hair all the time. I use it about every two weeks but you could use it more often. Smells good too."
For its value, this high-street shampoo absolutely delivers. The tinted formula imparts a subtle red hue to hair—plus it uses vitamin E and pomegranate extract to seal in moisture and protect your hair from premature fading too.
Also great? It's designed to work on all shades of red hair–whether it's dyed or natural.
Glowing customer review: "I absolutely love this shampoo. I have really long, thick, naturally curly red hair, and it takes very little of this shampoo to fully wash my hair and improve my colour. Great scent too!"
Just as good as John Frieda's Radiant Red shampoo? The brand's matching Radiant Red conditioner. It leaves hair feeling silky smooth and boosts the vibrancy and radiance of your red colour.
If you want a hint of tint leave it on for a minute and then rinse. If you’re looking for more of a colour add, apply it from roots to tips and comb it through evenly, and then leave it on for 10 minutes before rinsing with cool water.
Glowing customer review: "This really keeps your colour fresher for longer. I use the shampoo and conditioner. It helps the colour from fading so quickly. The conditioner is the best I’ve found. The texture of my hair has improved and there aren’t any tangles. Love being a redhead!!!"
With a name that says it all, this formula really does keep your colour beautiful in my experience. This is largely because it contains watermelon extract from the Kalahari desert that offers natural protection against oxidative stress (AKA one of the main reasons why your red fades quickly when exposed to the sun and pollution), and baobab tree extract to help improve moisture levels and manageability.
Glowing customer review: "My red colour lasted longer than normal and didn’t dull while using this shampoo—I’m sold!"
I've been rotating between a colour-depositing conditioner (like the one below) and this ultra-moisturizing conditioner for dry, fragile hair after shampoos and my red hair is loving the effects.
It uses Oribe's signature antioxidant complex to protect hair from UV damage and premature fading, glycerin to hydrate each hair strand, and jojoba oil to soften and add shine. And even though this is considered a deep conditioner by many, the formula is still light enough that it won't weigh down fine hair IMO.
Glowing customer review: "This is one of the best luxury conditioners I’ve ever tried and well worth your money. It makes my hair so, so soft and I've noticed a difference in my colour too."
This is Perry’s pick for her clients with super bright and bold red hair. Remember when Rihanna went red? That's kind of red we're talking about here.
The formula is packed with purple-ish red pigments to intensify your color and neutralize any unwanted brassiness or orange tones. Plus, it's super conditioning and gives hair a soft, glossy finish.
Glowing customer review: "I was hesitant to buy this because of the price, but after trying it I was hooked. It helped breathe back color into my fading red hair, and it’ll definitely help extend the color between dyeing. Highly recommend!!"
Not only does this leave-in treatment mask help repair damage and mend split ends, but it also helps extend the life of your colour too. In fact, you can read a review of the whole K18 range here.
As you smooth the creamy formula over clean, towel-dried hair, peptides and amino acids fill in the porous parts of your hair shaft and create a bond with the already existing keratin proteins in your hair to repair breakage and make your hair stronger.
Colourists especially love this product since healthy hair better absorbs and holds onto hair dye, so by using this mask you're not just improving the health of your hair but the colour of it too.
Glowing customer review: "This is pricey, but it's so amazing that I don't mind spending the money. After bleaching my hair, it was so dry and brittle. I used this product twice and it revived my hair back to life. It is soft, hydrated and shiny again."
In addition to using a shampoo and conditioner for your red hair, Hazan also highly recommends using an at-home gloss or glaze to maintain your red hair color as well.
“I created one with a hint of color and a lot of conditioner, that way it just keeps your hair vibrant and won’t majorly alter the color," says Hazan, who tells her clients to use the formula two or three times a week in between shampooing and conditioning in the shower.
Glowing customer review: "My hair went from frizz to smooth and shiny with just one application. My red color is more vibrant too. It’s soft and manageable. I was skeptical. I’m not now. What a difference! I did leave it on for a few minutes."
The minute you flip open the cap of this shampoo you, you know you're in for a treat. The scent is insanely yummy, but even better is that the formula seriously delivers (prob because it's created by celeb hair stylist Wendy Iles).
It's sulfate-free, super thick and lathers really well (so trust me when I say a little goes a long way), contains hydrating ingredients (including vitamin B5 and active vegetal extracts), and is color and extension-safe too. Washing with this bb will help extend the life of your color—whether you're a redhead, brunette, or a shade of blonde.
Glowing customer review: "I love this brand, especially the shampoo. It makes my fine, thin hair look so much better and I love how it's safe for my color too! Truly a noticeable improvement."
To keep from over washing your freshly-coloured red hair (remember, the more you wash, the fast your color will fade), you’ll want to use a dry shampoo to extend time between wash days.
This one from IGK absorbs excess oil with volcanic ash and helps soften strands and amp up their shine with ginger root extract. In my testing experience, it's the best dry shampoo for redheads since it leaves behind zero white or ashy residue on your roots.
Glowing customer review: "I love this dry shampoo for my red hair since it's totally clear. It also smells amazing! A regular in my rotation."
Carly Cardellino is a seasoned beauty expert and the former beauty director at Cosmopolitan.
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