Best shampoo and conditioner for thick wavy frizzy hair

These expert-approved picks will gently cleanse hair and smooth the shaft and cuticle all without weighing hair down.

Channing Smith / Allure

Managing frizzy hair and pesky flyaways is no easy feat. Fortunately, the right shampoo or cleanser can make a world of difference. Just take it from San Diego-based hairstylist and Phenix Salon Suites founder Gina Rivera, who tells Allure, "Shampoo is definitely the first item needed to combat the frizzies." However, finding the best products for your frizzy hair can feel overwhelming — especially if you're unsure where to start.

According to Shelly Aguirre, a hairstylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, frizzy hair is often dry, which is why it's essential to keep your hair moisturized. With this in mind, New York City-based hairstylist, colorist, and salon owner Paul Labrecque of Paul Labrecque Salon and Skincare Spa tells Allure that the best shampoos for frizzy hair are those that target dryness and contain "naturally moisturizing ingredients that will smooth the hair shaft but not overly weigh the hair down." 

More specifically, you'll want to look for hair products that contain natural oils (such as argan and coconut, for example), shea butter, and aloe vera, all of which, per Labrecque, "help to smooth and tame frizz while gently hydrating and cleansing the hair." Conversely, every hair pro we spoke to advised steering clear of shampoos with sulfates, which can strip your strands of essential oils and dry 'em out (which, spoiler alert, is a big no-no when it comes to wrangling frizz.)

To help you find the best shampoo for your frizzy hair, we've narrowed down the best options you can buy online. From beloved drugstore staples to splurge-worthy finds, here are some of our favorites (including expert picks) for glossy, healthy hair.

All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

• Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo

  To keep frizzy hair at bay, Labrecque reaches for Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo. As its name suggests, this fan-favorite shampoo is formulated to help strengthen hair bonds and smooth hair. Put simply, explains Labrecque, "If hair bonds are reunited and built-up, the hair is less apt to break and be or become frizzy."

• Fable & Mane HoliRoots Hydrating Shampoo

  Fable & Mane's HoliRoots Hydrating Shampoo helps quench thirsty, frizzy hair. New York City-based hairstylist and salon owner Nunzio Saviano also recommends this shampoo for its blend of "moisturizing coconut and aloe vera" that work together to "gently cleanse the hair." It's also free of silicones, parabens, and sulfates, which, per Saviano, "can rough up the hair cuticle and create frizz."

• Redken Frizz Dismiss Sulfate-Free Shampoo

  According to Los Angeles-based hairstylist Bradley Leake, Redken's Frizz Dismiss Sulfate-Free Shampoo is an excellent choice for all hair types (including color-treated hair) and textures. Per the stylist, the shampoo's gentle yet effective formula is ideal for tackling frizz. It also features babassu oil, which is renowned for its moisturizing properties.

• Mizani Press Agent Smoothing Sulfate-Free Shampoo

  Leake is also a fan of the Mizani Press Agent Smoothing Sulfate-Free Shampoo for its frizz-fighting and smoothing properties. According to the brand, the moisturizing shampoo also helps prep the hair for heat styling (a.k.a. flatirons and straighteners). The shampoo is also infused with fatty acid-rich argan oil, which offers an extra dose of moisturization.

• Pureology Smooth Perfection Shampoo

  Rivera credits Pureology's Smooth Perfection Shampoo with — you guessed it — "smoothing the hair and making it feel softer, which also [makes] for easier manageability." The formula also features a slew of noteworthy ingredients such as camellia oil (which Rivera credits with smoothing and nourishing the hair) and shea butter, which, per the pro, "acts to soften the hair."

• Oribe Shampoo for Moisture & Control

  According to Rivera, the Oribe Shampoo for Moisture & Control is especially ideal for curly and kinky hair, thanks to its hydrating formula. It's also enriched with amino acids, which, per Rivera, "help the hair retain moisture while adding light shine." Plus, it's spiked with strengthening panthenol, which "hydrates and conditions to protect against breakage." The lovely scent, which features notes of bergamot, jasmine, and sandalwood, serves as an incredible added bonus.

• Kérastase Paris Discipline Sulfate Free Smoothing Shampoo

  "The Discipline line from Kerastase is specifically designed for an anti-frizz regimen," says Aguirre. With this in mind, the stylist especially loves the Kérastase Bain Fluidealiste Shampoo for its lightweight, sulfate-free formula, which is formulated to smooth individual strands without weighing them down — making it ideal for fine hair. Ingredient highlights include strengthening hydrolyzed wheat protein and hydration-boosting glycerin.

• Alterna Haircare Caviar Smoothing Anti-Frizz Shampoo

  Alterna Haircare's Caviar Smoothing Anti-Frizz Shampoo is formulated to fight frizz for up to 72 hours. Its innovative formula is packed with fatty acid- and vitamin-rich caviar extract, a blend of hydrating abyssinian oil, as well as antioxidant-loaded camellia and avocado oils. The result? Smooth, silky hair that lasts for literal days on end.

• Ethique Solid Shampoo Bar for Dry or Frizzy Hair

  Dip your toes into the world of waterless hair care with Ethique's Solid Shampoo Bar for Dry or Frizzy Hair. Although it lacks H2O, the shampoo bar delivers a hefty dose of moisturization — thanks to a combination of coconut oil, creamed coconut, and cocoa butter — to tame frizz. Additionally, the tropical-inspired coconut fragrance adds an extra-special touch.

• SheaMoisture Frizz Control Shampoo

  At under $10 per 13-ounce bottle, SheaMoisture's Frizz Control Shampoo is a budget-savvy pick for curly and wavy hair, in particular. It's made with a blend of glycerin and shea butter, as well as softening papaya, conditioning elderflower, and hydrolyzed rice protein and aloe vera, both of which are known for their strengthening properties. Its sulfate-free formula is gentle enough for dry or damaged hair, as well.

• Garnier Whole Blends Frizz Control Nourishing Daily Shampoo

  You don't need to shell out a ton of cash on a frizz-fighting shampoo. Enter Garnier's Whole Blends Frizz Control Nourishing Daily Shampoo, a drugstore staple that clocks in at under $7. The formula, which features a mix of coconut oil, cocoa butter, aloe, and glycerin, helps combat frizz for up to 24 hours, the brand claims

• Drybar Liquid Glass Smoothing Shampoo

  Drybar's Liquid Glass Smoothing Shampoo leaves hair smooth, shiny, and, most importantly, frizz-free. The creamy formula — which is sulfate- and paraben-free — is packed with moisturizing murumuru butter and glycerin. You'll become instantly enamored by the shampoo's signature scent, which has notes of coconut, amber, and vanilla, but keep reusing this product for the "liquid hair"-like results.

• Shu Uemura Shusu Sleek Smoothing Shampoo

  Shu Uemura's Shusu Sleek Smoothing Shampoo for Unruly Hair is designed to smooth and nourish your strands. Its hero ingredient, antioxidant- and fatty acid-rich black cumin oil (a.k.a. black seed oil), is famous for its strengthening and conditioning properties. We'd also be remiss not to mention the subtly spicy scent.

• Living Proof No Frizz Shampoo

  The Living Proof No Frizz Shampoo features a sulfate- and paraben-free formula to combat frizz. Jojoba esters moisturize your hair, while the brand's proprietary "Amino Cleansing Complex" is specially formulated to gently cleanse — sans any stripping. While you’re at it, follow up with the No Frizz Intense Moisture hair mask to enhance shine and seal the cuticle. Hello, gorgeous hair.

• John Frieda Frizz Ease Beyond Smooth Frizz-Immunity Shampoo

  John Frieda's Frizz Ease Beyond Smooth Frizz-Immunity Shampoo is another drugstore favorite thanks to its wallet-friendly price tag. The conditioning, coconut oil-spiked formula helps lock in moisture, thus reducing frizz.

Lauren Dana Ellman is an NYC-based writer and editor whose work has been featured in publications including ELLE, POPSUGAR, Self, and Brides, among other lifestyle-oriented publications. She graduated from Syracuse University with a B.S. in magazine journalism. When she's not glued to her iPhone or computer screen, you can find her... Read more