8 Shampoos Our Beauty Experts Reach for When They Want Great-Smelling Hair
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Washing your hair should be an enjoyable experience. From the lather to the scalp massage, a good wash can totally function as a form of self-care—the rise in popularity of head spas is clear evidence. But one aspect of washing your hair that can truly transform it from an everyday chore to an indulgent, spa-like experience is a great-smelling shampoo.
Our top picks:
- Best overall: Moroccanoil Clarifying Shampoo
- Best value: Pantene Pro-V Volume & Body Shampoo
- Best for damaged hair: Cécred Hydrating Shampoo
When your hair smells great, you can’t help but feel good. So we’ve rounded up a combination of top-tested and editor-loved shampoos that not only perform well, but smell amazing, too. Whether you’re looking for a volumizing shampoo for fine, flat strands or a hydrating shampoo that’ll restore dull, dry hair, you’ll find several options here to serve multiple hair needs and hair types.
Best Deal
Pros
- Removes buildup
- Conditions hiar
Cons
- Can dry out hair if used too frequently
With notes of sweet violet, soft citrus, sheer vanilla, and spicy amber, this shampoo from Moroccanoil delivers an iconic scent profile that will keep you reaching for it again and again. It provides a deep clean that removes product residue and hard water buildup while leaving hair feeling soft and nourished. Note that too frequent use could dry out hair.
Pros
- Hydrating
- Makes hair look full
Cons
- Some found it difficult to wash out
An affordable pick that will still leave your hair feeling luxurious, this shampoo from Pantene has a fresh, fruity scent reminiscent of green apples and florals. In our Beauty Lab tests for best hair thickening shampoos, it stood out for how well it conditioned hair while also adding volume to otherwise fine or limp strands. Consumer testers appreciated that it made their hair easy to detangle, though others noted that it didn’t wash out easily.
Pros
- Softens hair
- Brightens grays
Cons
- Won't lather much
Looking to brighten dull grays? You’ll want to have this shampoo, which is also a favorite of Sienree Du, a celebrity hairstylist for Mane Addicts in Los Angeles, on hand. It features indulgent notes of Calabrian bergamot, white butterfly jasmine, and sandalwood and has ingredients like keratin and antioxidants to help strengthen your strands and protect them from damage. Though it doesn’t lather much, it leaves your hair feeling soft and silky.
RELATED: Best Shampoos That Enhance Gray Hair
Pros
- Adds lift and bounce to hair
- Has a light, sweet scent
Cons
- Some consumer reviewers found it drying
Light and sweet, the fragrance of this volumizing shampoo is anything but overpowering. The shampoo is great for fine hair that needs a little extra bounce as it provides lift at the roots and body.
GH Senior Beauty & Style Director April Franzino is a fan, noting that “this is one of the only shampoos I've tried that made my hair instantly feel fuller once it was dried.” She added that even the next morning “my hair still has visible lift and volume—it's light and bouncy instead of going flat.”
Pros
- Hydrating formula
- Detangles hair
Cons
- Doesn't provide clarifying clean
If you’re not into floral or fruity scents for your hair, this hydrating shampoo is a great option that leans warm and woody. With notes of oud, Australian sandalwood, warm musk, jasmine, Haitian vetiver, and violet leaves, it’s pleasantly subtle.
This shampoo is also designed to help nourish and moisturize strands, with hyaluronic acid and a blend of African oils as its main ingredients. One GH staffer loves how it gently cleanses and detangles her hair, leaving it soft and easy to comb through. But it may not leave a deep, clarifying clean.
Pros
- Treats dandruff
- Soothes itching
Cons
- May be drying
Medicated shampoo can also smell good, and this one proves it. Not only does it help treat dandruff by taking care of itching and flaking, but it also comes in a soft, clean scent (and an invigorating peppermint and tea tree scent).
It’s also great for oily hair as it easily washes away excess oils that can weigh hair down, but be sure to use it only every three to four days as more frequent use may dry hair out.
Pros
- Can be used on multiple hair types
- Removes buildup
Cons
- May fade color
Transform your bathroom into a tropical paradise with this shampoo that features notes of champagne, pink peppercorn, berry, lychee, amber, sandalwood, white musk, cedarwood, peony, rose, freesia, jasmine, and bergamot. It works well at removing buildup across hair textures and won’t make your scalp feel dry. If you have color-treated hair, you’ll want to note that this shampoo may cause fading.
Pros
- Comes in multiple scents
- Detangles hair
Cons
- May weigh down fine hair
Pattern’s hydrating shampoo comes in two luxurious scents. The original scent is a soft, clean-smelling fragrance with notes of jasmine, bergamot, and sweet sandalwood and Palo Santo is a warm, woody scent with notes of neroli, rose, and patchouli. The rich, sulfate-free formula features a combination of biotin and nine oils including coconut, olive, jojoba, and sweet almond, which work to keep curls plump and bouncy even before adding conditioner.
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