This definitive guide to the best shampoo for men covers everything you need to know before buying your next bottle, including ingredients to avoid and the best brands for different types of hair.

The Short List

Best Everyday Shampoo: Malin + Goetz Peppermint Shampoo

Verdict: Malin + Goetz is known for making simple grooming products with gentle formulas. Its peppermint shampoo is a perennial best-seller because it provides a slight minty tingle while nourishing the hair with essential amino acids, which cleanse and balance a variety of hair types. While $22 seems like a splurge for an everyday shampoo, it’s worth it for keeping your hair lustrous and healthy.

Best Drugstore Shampoo: Every Man Jack Daily Shampoo

Verdict: Most drugstore shampoos feature a laundry list of chemical ingredients that harm your hair. Every Man Jack is the exception, and since 2013, the company has produced men’s grooming products that use primarily post-recycled packaging, natural ingredients (no parabens here) and are cruelty-free. Most of its shampoos double as 2-in-1 conditioners, but the mint shampoo is a nourishing, invigorating standalone option if you’re shopping on a budget — or not.

Introduction

For most guys, the application of shampoo is treated as a cursory convenience, a rite of cleanliness taken for granted. We don’t consider it like our cologne, moisturizer, or even soap, where minute details help us choose one brand over others. The bottom line: hair doesn’t always get the love it deserves.

Interestingly enough, shampoo was once considered a luxury. Nowadays, too many guys wash their hair to the point of damage or excess. “For guys with longer hair that may go over the ears or neck collar, you can get away with shampooing three to four times a week,” said Kyle Bergman, BirchboxMan’s Senior Grooming and Lifestyle Merchant. “However, hair consistency can also determine how often a guy shampoos his hair. Thick and unruly hair can benefit from the scalp’s naturals oils to help control and hydrate hair. Guys with more oily hair would benefit from shampooing every day to ensure they’re mitigating the amount of shine shown.”

If you’re willing to look beyond the aisles of Duane Reade and CVS — or look through them with a trained eye — you’ll find shampoos suitable for your hair type without problematic chemicals. According to Bergman, “The hype around different types of shampoos is very real, and in some cases even scientifically backed.” They’re designed to make your hair shine, enhance its voluminousness, keep your curls curly, and save dry, brittle hair from oblivion.

“Regardless of the empirical evidence, guys will definitely feel the difference between an energizing shampoo and a hydrating one,” Bergman said, “which ultimately will cleanse and create different hair consistencies based on the ingredients.” For those in search of the shampoo which keeps their hair healthy, clean and free of bad chemicals, we’ve done the guesswork for you.

Ingredients to Avoid

Bergman’s sound advice is moot when everyday shampoo comes into question. Harmful chemicals lurk in mass-market shampoos, and detecting them requires a close read of the bottle. When buying shampoos for BirchboxMan, Bergman noted, “We try to avoid synthetic “filler” such as parabens, sulfates, and mineral oil, which can cause substantial damage to the hair and scalp.” Some toxins, like sulfates and isopropyl alcohol, strip hair of its natural oils. Others, like propylene glycol, are added for a smoother lather but irritate the skin. The worst offenders are preservatives, like parabens and formaldehyde, that are known carcinogens. Washing your hair shouldn’t cause cancer, so look for shampoos without these ingredients if you want your hair and your body looking and feeling good.

Buying Guide

Best Everyday Shampoo: Malin + Goetz Peppermint Shampoo

Verdict: Malin + Goetz is known for making simple grooming products with gentle formulas. Its peppermint shampoo is a perennial best-seller because it provides a slight minty tingle while nourishing the hair with essential amino acids, which cleanse and balance a variety of hair types. While $22 seems like a splurge for an everyday shampoo, it’s worth it for keeping your hair lustrous and healthy.

Best Shampoo for Thin Hair: Hims DHT Blocker Shampoo

Verdict: The minimalist packaging provides a strong initial draw, but you’ll stick with this shampoo because the formula blocks the hair-loss causing chemical DHT. The classic tea tree-peppermint scent is invigorating, as is the $11 price tag — a small investment that staves off baldness.

Best Shampoo for Dry Hair: Kiehl’s Nourishing Olive Fruit Oil Shampoo

Verdict: A plenitude of natural oils forms the base of this shampoo. While olive oil provides essential Vitamin E and monounsaturated fatty acids for nourishing dry hair, the addition of avocado oil and lemon extract adds a lustrous shine to the formula while additional vitamins moisturize and stimulate hair. With natural oils, a little bit goes a long way, and applying a small amount is recommended for achieving balanced hair.

Best Shampoo for Damaged Hair: Sachajuan Intensive Repair Shampoo

Verdict: Stockholm-based Sachajuan has built its reputation on innovative, hair-protecting technologies. This shampoo contains its Ocean Silk technology, which includes UVA/UVB protection from prolonged sun exposure. The light scent adds the feeling of being near the ocean, too, making it an ideal product for pre- and post-beach use.

Best Shampoo for Oily Hair: Das Boom Industries Everyday Shampoo Marrakesh

Verdict: Das Boom Industries’ Marrakesh shampoo evokes the spice of its namesake city. Piquant notes of black pepper, cardamom and bergamot compose the scent profile, while natural elements and extracts do a good job of balancing oily hair. Use a generous amount for optimal results and seriously good smells.

Best Shampoo for Curly Hair: V76 by Vaughn Hydrating Shampoo

Verdict: V is for vegan in this cruelty-free shampoo by Vaughn. The center of its moisture-rich composition is almond butter, which does a spectacular job of hydrating curly and unruly hair and enlivening wilting strands. Save the Earth, save your mane.

Best Shampoo for Flaky Hair: Phyto Phythéol Intense

Verdict: Founded by celebrity hairdresser Patrick Alès, Phyto launched in 1965 alongside the opening of his Paris salon. The brand’s forte is botanical-based hair products that eliminate recurrent hair issues, and its Phythéol Intense anti-dandruff shampoo provides a silicone-free way to fight even the worst dandruff. Mineral and plant extracts prevent dandruff from recurring, exfoliate the scalp and help treat psoriasis and eczema on the head.

Best Drugstore Shampoo: Every Man Jack Daily Shampoo

Verdict: Most drugstore shampoos feature a laundry list of chemical ingredients that harm your hair. Every Man Jack is the exception, and since 2013, the company has produced men’s grooming products that use primarily post-recycled packaging, natural ingredients (no parabens here) and are cruelty-free. Most of its shampoos double as 2-in-1 conditioners, but the mint shampoo is a nourishing, invigorating standalone option if you’re shopping on a budget — or not.